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Current Members of Laabei Group
Valerie Chan (PhD student)
I earned my BSc in Microbiology from the University of Nottingham, where I optimised electroporation protocols in dinoflagellates to study coral–algae interactions for my dissertation project. I also completed a placement year at the John Innes Centre isolating bioactive compounds from Streptomyces species. I then obtained an MRes in Cellular and Molecular Biosciences from Imperial College London, focusing on nutrient competition within the gut microbiota and the molecular characterisation of RNA-repair mechanisms in E. coli. I am currently pursuing a PhD funded by the Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarship. My project involves investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the activity of a synthetic linear polyamine with potent efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus, and its interactions with other antibiotics.
Outside the lab, I’m an avid scuba diver and hiker.
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Kyle Perrins (PhD student)
During my BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry with Professional Placement at the University of Bath, I completed a final-year project within the Laabei lab where I investigated the activity of novel oxadiazole compounds against biofilm formation in Gram-positive bacteria. After graduating in 2022, I worked for the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) at Porton Down for two years. Here I was involved in various projects relating to public health, including bio-surveillance and recombinant virology. My GW4 BioMed2 DTP PhD project is a continuation of research conducted in my final-year project. It aims to explore and elucidate the mechanism of action of a novel class of oxadiazole antibiotic compounds against bacterial pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This is paramount to their potential future exploitation and clinical use, and especially relevant considering rising antimicrobial resistance rates across the world.
In my free time I enjoy being active outdoors - be that cycling, running, or hiking!"
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Edward Chaloner (PhD student)
I completed my MSc degree at the University of Bath in 2023 and was a awarded a competitive EPSRC DTP PhD studentship where I started in the Laabei lab on October 2023. My project involves understanding how bacteria evade the host innate immune system.
Outside the lab, I’m a keen skier and club chess player.
Sri Wijayanti Wulandari (PhD Student)
I completed my undergraduate study in Natural Sciences (Molecular Biology) from Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia in 2015. Then I had my MSc of Molecular Biology from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia in 2017. My master's project was optimizing the proliferation rate of human cardiac stem cells and it was completed at the Department of Research and Development, National Cardiovascular Centre Harapan Kita, Jakarta. Currently, I am doing my PhD at the University of Bath. My project revolves around: identifying genes involved in S. aureus resistance mechanism to polyamines, screening of clinically relevant antibiotics that synergize with polyamines, and investigating how polyamines interact with cell membranes.
In my free time, I'd love to read, culinary travel, listening to podcast, and enjoy movies.
Ebba Qviberg (PhD Student)
​I hold a BSc in Biomedical Laboratory Sciences and an MSc in Infection Biology from Uppsala University, which have enhanced my expertise in infectious diseases. Following my MSc degree, I worked in industry with Sysmex Astrego and Galderma, focusing on developing antimicrobial susceptibility testing assays, where I developed my clinical diagnosis and dermatological research skills. I am interested in research targeting interactions between bacterial virulence factors and host immune mechanisms. In my GW4 MRC DTP PhD project, I will focus on understanding how Staphylococcus aureus evades the complement system, a critical defence against microbial invasion. Given the rising antibiotic resistance in S. aureus isolates, I aim to uncover the mechanisms behind its complement evasion, offering potential insights for novel therapies to fight against S. aureus infections.
PhD Co-supervision and Collaborators
Dr. Meltem Agar (PhD student). Successfully defended her PhD thesis - Aptamer-Molecular Imprinted Polymer Hybrid Biosensors for Pathogen Detection in Water in 2024.
Main Supervisor: Prof Pedro Estrela (Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath)
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Dr. Emelie Alsheim (PhD student). Successfully defended her PhD thesis - Development of a point of care test for maternal carriage of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) for prevention of neonatal infection in 2024.
Main Supervisor: Prof Toby Jenkins (Department of Chemistry, University of Bath)
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Dr. Rachel Heylen (PhD student). Successfully defended her PhD thesis - Urease: New Methods for Sensing and Prevention of Urease-Associated Pathogenicity in 2023.
Main Supervisor: Prof Toby Jenkins (Department of Chemistry, University of Bath)
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Nathan Palk (2021 - Current) PhD student (SWBio DTP). Thesis: Defining the role of membrane stability in the ability of Staphylococcus aureus to form part of the human microbiome.
Main Supervisor: Prof Ruth Massey (School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol)
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Joshua Lewis (2020 - Current) PhD student. Thesis: Development of novel therapeutic biologics as antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus.
Main Supervisor: Prof Jean van den Elsen (Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath)​​​​​​
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Piotr Burzyński (2023 - Current) PhD student (SWBio DTP). Thesis: How biofilms protect themselves against bacteriophage infection and how they fail.
Main Supervisor: Dr Wolfram Moebius (Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter)
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Poppy Miller (2023 - Current) PhD student (GW4 MRC DTP). Thesis: Sticky but not sweet: deciphering how Streptococcus bacteria drive clot formation and heart disease
Main Supervisor: Dr Angela Nobbs (Bristol Dental School, University of Bristol)
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Adam Harris (2024 - Current) PhD Student (SWBio DTP)
Main Supervisor: Dr Scott Lovell (Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath)
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Chiara Bonaldo (2024 - Current) PhD student (GW4 MRC DTP)
Main Supervisor: Dr Siang Boon Koh (School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol)​​​
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Amanda Vel (2025 - Current) PhD Student (SWBio DTP)
Main Supervisor: Dr Scott Lovell (Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath)
Previous Members of Laabei Group
Dr Emily Rudolph (former PhD student)
I gained a BA in Chemistry (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) with a focus in Marine Sciences from Wittenberg University in Springfield Ohio, USA (2018). After this, I completed my MSc in Molecular Microbiology at the University of Bath, UK in 2019. My PhD at the University of Bath is focused on understanding biofilm formation and fatty acid resistance in both S. aureus and S. epidermidis.
I enjoy knitting, painting, reading, cooking, and traveling in my free time.
Dr Serena Bettoni (Marie Curie Fellow)
I In April 2023 I joined Dr. Laabei´s lab as Marie Curie postdoctoral fellow to investigate the evasion strategies by the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus.
In my free time I enjoy hiking, cooking and travelling.
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Dr Toska Wonfor (former PhD student)
My project focused on studying the evasive strategies developed by Staphylococcus aureus to inhibit the complement system. I successfully completed my PhD in June 2023.
I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Birmingham.
Dr Shuxian Li (former PhD student)
I started my PhD in 2020 at the University of Bath. My projects were focused on 1) investigating the contribution of Staphylococcal surface proteins to complement evasion; 2) identifying protease and biofilm regulation gene loci in the pathogen S. aureus; 3) examining complement regulators recruitment via S. aureus surface proteins. I successfully completed my PhD in May 2024.
I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
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Dr Edward Douglas (former PDRA)
During my postdoc in the Laabei group (January 2022-October 2023) I worked on developing novel antimicrobials primarily focusing on novel polyamine based compounds and lipoteichoic acid inhibitors.
I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Imperial College London.
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