About
We are broadly interested in understanding what makes microbes such experts to live almost everywhere and to successfully occupy new habitats. We investigate genomic traits that re-route bacterial core regulatory networks, and as such make bacteria resilient to survive in harsh conditions, fight viral predators, and colonize new hosts.
Group members
Kathryn Burdon, PhD student
Charlotte Hill, MRes student
Molly Lockyer, MSci student
Aafrin Shaikh, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences, third-year project
Poppy Barnett, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences, third-year project
Thomas Lee, BSc (Hons) Biology, third-year project
Zeynep Yetkin, BSc (Hons) Biochemistry, third-year project
Kavilaish Ravindran, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences, third-year project
Alumni
2025 Amy Holtom, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences, third-year project
2025 William Easeman, BSc (Hons) Biology, third-year project
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Roles of accessory genetic elements in bacterial resilience
- Phenotypic heterogeneity and individual behaviors underlying stress adaptation in bacterial populations
- Dynamic interactions between bacterial viruses (phages) and bacterial populations
- Novel antimicrobial treatments and phage therapy against bacterial diseases
Current research
We are always seeking new excellent and motivated group members, including postdoctoral researchers applying for independent funding.
If you are interested in joining the group, please send your enquiry including a motivation letter, CV, and the names and contact details of two academic referees as a single pdf file by e-mail to n.nikolic@soton.ac.uk
Research projects
Active projects
Publications
Teaching
Teaching
BIOL3059 Bioscience Education – Module lead (coordinator)
BIOL2038 Environmental Microbiology / BIOL2044 Medical Microbiology – Module contributor
BIOL1030 How to Think Like a Scientist – Tutorials
Personal academic tutor
Project supervisor
BIOL3059 Bioscience Education – Third-year student projects
BIOL6013 MSci Advanced Research Project
BIOL6068 MRes Advanced Biological Sciences Research Project
Biography
Academic career
2021–2024 Postdoc / Research Fellow – Living Systems Institute (LSI), University of Exeter, UK
2016–2021 Postdoc / Senior Postdoc – Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Austria
2013–2016 Postdoc – Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Austria
2012 Visiting Scientist – Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
2008–2013 PhD Candidate – ETH Zurich, and Eawag, Switzerland; PhD advisor: Prof Martin Ackermann
Selected prizes and awards
2023 "Above and Beyond" Award from the Head of Department for contributions to the development of the early career researchers’ community and for promoting inclusivity at the University of Exeter, UK
2023 The Wellcome ISSF-funded Public Engagement Award (link)
2021 Nominated Membership in the Young Academy of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
2019–2021 FWF (Austrian Science Fund – central research funding organization mandated by the Austrian Government), Elise Richter Fellowship
2018 Microbiology Prize from the Austrian Society for Hygiene, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine (ÖGHMP) for the high-impact publications (This national prize is awarded once every two years to one or two microbiologists based in Austria.)
2016–2019 ISTFELLOW, International IST Postdoctoral Fellowship – The European Union’s Marie Curie COFUND
2014–2016 FWF (Austrian Science Fund) – Lise Meitner Fellowship
2013 FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency) Career Relocation Grant
2013–2014 SNF (Swiss National Science Foundation – central research funding organization mandated by the Swiss Government) Fellowship for prospective researchers
2012 FEMS (Federation of European Microbiological Societies) Research Grant
2008 Science and Technology Project of the World Bank – UKF "Gaining experience"