This research investigates brain circuits that regulate sodium appetite and salt preference. By manipulating sodium-sensitive neurons and immune signaling pathways in mice, the study demonstrates how sodium craving can be altered without changing food composition, opening new possibilities for treating excessive sodium consumption and sodium-related cardiovascular and metabolic disorders.

Bowel cancer kills thousands each year, and current stool-based screening misses many cases. This PhD develops a new non-invasive method that analyzes human cells shed into stool, aiming to detect normal, pre-cancerous, and cancerous changes more accurately. The goal is a more reliable, higher-participation screening tool that could replace the existing national test.

Adolescent depression is common, severe, and highly recurrent, with risk increasing after each episode. This research studies why some young people relapse while others recover, examining biological stress responses, coping styles, social relationships, and lived experience. The goal is to develop interventions that strengthen long-term resilience and improve mental-health outcomes.

This research aims to solve the major weakness of mRNA vaccines—the need for constant cold storage—by packaging them inside ultra-stable protein “boxes” called encapsulins. These naturally robust containers protect mRNA in extreme environments. A working prototype now exists, offering the potential for globally distributable, freezer-free vaccines that remain effective anywhere.

This research develops protein-based forensic tools to detect meat adulteration in processed foods. By designing species-specific protein biomarkers and using mass spectrometry, the method identifies hidden pork, beef, chicken, or lamb in mixed meat products. The approach supports food safety, religious dietary compliance, allergy protection, and government efforts to combat food fraud.

This study tested whether aerobic exercise can protect vascular function during prolonged sitting. Eleven participants completed exercise and non-exercise conditions. Sitting alone reduced blood vessel function, but exercising beforehand prevented this decline for up to three hours. The findings suggest a brief workout may counteract the cardiovascular risks of extended sitting.

This research reinvents wastewater treatment by adapting circulating fluidized bed reactors—normally used in petrochemicals—to grow bacteria on small surfaces and efficiently remove waste. Mobile, trailer-mounted reactors provide high-performance treatment without large facilities, making them ideal for dense cities, remote communities, and overburdened systems.

This research develops a low-cost water-monitoring system using nanofabricated diffraction surfaces and image analysis. As water flows over a “rainbow film,” distinct optical patterns reveal chemical or biological contaminants. The system has already detected dyes, algae, and particulates, offering a rapid, affordable tool for identifying pollution in water pipelines.

Mashpit is a portable genome-search tool that runs on a Raspberry Pi, enabling rapid, offline screening of Salmonella genomes. Using MinHash sketches, it scans hundreds of thousands of genomes in seconds, offering small or low-resource labs a fast, accessible way to identify related isolates before performing high-resolution follow-up analyses.

My research uses artificial intelligence to detect water pollution by analysing DNA traces left by aquatic species. Instead of relying on visual signs or costly expert identification, supervised machine learning reads species patterns to determine water quality. The method is faster, cheaper, and more accurate than traditional analysis.