Thesis title: Reducing the risk of viral contamination of the UK’s food and water supply

Background

I completed my MBiolSci at the University of Sheffield in 2009 in Biochemistry and Microbiology and spent two years at the University of York investigating protein-protein interactions in E. coli. I subsequently trained as a secondary school chemistry teacher and taught in several schools in Leeds and North Yorkshire. In 2017, I returned to research by joining the STARS PhD programme at Bangor University.

Project description:

I am examining how sewage sludge treatments affect the viral communities of soil. At present, we know that human pathogenic viruses such as hepatitis and norovirus can be detected in both sewage sludge and soil. What we don’t have is an overall understanding of how long these viruses persist in the soil, what affects this persistence, and for how long viruses remain infective. Sludge-amended soils have the potential to act as reservoirs of pathogenic viruses which could leach into watercourses over time or during storm events, or contaminate crops and livestock. By combining viral metagenomics with qPCR and infectivity studies, I am aiming to increase our understanding of the flow of viruses through this underexplored route, and address the possible policy implications for sludge disposal as part of food production.

Email: luke.hillary@bangor.ac.uk

Twitter: @lukehillary

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luke_Hillary2

• Other: PGCE Chemistry
  University of York, 2011–2012
• Other: MBiolSci Biochemistry and Microbiology (1st class honours)
  University of Sheffield, 2005–2009

2022

• PublishedRNA-viromics reveals diverse communities of soil RNA viruses with the potential to affect grassland ecosystems across multiple trophic levels
  Hillary, L. S., Adriaenssens, E. M., Jones, D. L. & McDonald, J. E., 8 Apr 2022, In: ISME Communications. 2, 1, 34.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2021

• PublishedConcentration and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater using polyethylene glycol-based concentration and qRT-PCR
  Farkas, K., Hillary, L., Thorpe, J., Walker, D., Lowther, J. A., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 23 Feb 2021, In: Methods and Protocols. 4, 1, 10 p., 17.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedMonitoring SARS-CoV-2 in municipal wastewater to evaluate the success of lockdown measures for controlling COVID-19 in the UK
  Hillary, L. S., Farkas, K., Maher, K. H., Lucaci, A., Thorpe, J., Distaso, M. A., Gaze, W. H., Paterson, S., Burke, T., Connor, T. R., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K. & Jones, D. L., 15 Jul 2021, In: Water Research. 200, p. 117214 1 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2020

• PublishedEmerging technologies for the rapid detection of enteric viruses in the aquatic environment
  Farkas, K., Mannion, F., Hillary, L., Malham, S. & Walker, D., Aug 2020, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. 16, p. 1-6
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedShedding of SARS-CoV-2 in feces and urine and its potential role in person-to-person transmission and the environment-based spread of COVID-19
  Jones, D. L., Baluja, M. Q., Graham, D. W., Corbishley, A., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K., Hillary, L. S., Connor, T. R., Gaze, W. H., Moura, I. B., Wilcox, M. H. & Farkas, K., 20 Dec 2020, In: Science of the Total Environment. 749, 141364.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
• PublishedViral indicators for tracking domestic wastewater contamination in the aquatic environment
  Farkas, K., Walker, D., Adriaenssens, E., McDonald, J., Hillary, L., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 15 Aug 2020, In: Water Research. 181, 115926.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
• PublishedWastewater and public health: the potential of wastewater surveillance for monitoring COVID-19
  Farkas, K., Hillary, L., Malham, S., McDonald, J. & Jones, D. L., Oct 2020, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. 17, p. 14-20 7 p.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2018

• UnpublishedPhages under foot: Viromics detects long-term persistence of faecally associated viruses in biosolid amended soils
  Hillary, L., 2018, (Unpublished).
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster

2020

• STARS Conference 2020

  20 Jan 2020 – 22 Jan 2020

  Activity: Participation in conference (Organiser)

2019

• Life, but not as we know it: exploring RNA viral diversity in soils through viromics

  4 Dec 2019

  Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
• Society for Applied Microbiology 8th Early Career Scientist Research Symposium

  13 Mar 2019

  Activity: Participation in conference (Participant)
• STARS Conference 2019

  14 Jan 2019 – 17 Jan 2019

  Activity: Participation in conference (Speaker)

2018

• MMEG 2018

  Phages Under Foot: viromics detects long-term persistence of faecally associated viruses in biosolid amended soils (poster presentation)

  17 Dec 2018 – 18 Dec 2018

  Links:

  • https://fems-microbiology.org/opportunities/molecular-microbial-ecology-group-mmeg-meeting-2018/
  Activity: Participation in conference (Speaker)