About the lab

Our lab is focused on linking microbial ecophysiology with ecosystem services to enable the advancement of fundamental and applied solutions to key global issues, such as food security and climate change. ​

The main goal is to understand how microbes compete for nutrient and interact with their surroundings, whether that be another microbe or a plant host. We use model strains of bacteria to perform multi-layered 'omics in combination with bacterial genetics, protein biochemistry and light microscopy (Lidbury et al., 2021, ISMEJ; Lidbury et al., 2022, PNAS; Murphy et al., 2021, Nature Comms).

In addition, we investigate microbiome functioning at the community level by applying multi-layered meta-omics to study in situ microbial activity (Lidbury et al., 2022 mSystems). 

We are currently housed in the Arthur Willis Environmental Centre (AWEC) and share immediate lab space with Dr. Ellie Harrison's group. Ellie works on eco-evolutionary dynamics in phage-rhizobia-legume interactions. We have shared masters level projects currently running in the lab, linking phosphorus metabolism, horizontal gene transfer and nitrogen fixation.

Prof. Tim Daniell is also based at AWEC and focuses on nitrogen cycling in agri-ecosystems, disease suppressive soils, and fungi-plant interactions.