People

Profiles of research group members

Current Members

Dr. Helen Alexander (PI)

Helen grew up in Canada and studied mostly maths before drifting further and further into biology. She continues to juggle modelling and experiments since starting her research group at the University of Edinburgh in 2019. When not at work, she enjoys climbing, hiking, mountaineering, cycling, and generally being outdoors.

Academic bio:

Further information: publications on Google Scholar, email Helen

photo of Helen Alexander

Dr. Léa Bednarczuk (postdoc)

Léa grew up in France, where her curiosity about genetics naturally led her to study biology. During her master’s degree, she discovered the remarkable potential of bacteria as model organisms for studying genome evolution, which led her to specialize in molecular microbiology. During her PhD, she explored the plasticity of bacterial genomes that allows them to evolve and adapt rapidly, focusing on the dynamics of mobile genetic elements (MGEs).


Through her PhD research, Léa realized that she had previously overlooked the role of ecological interactions in shaping bacterial evolutionary trajectories. This new perspective sparked her interest in exploring these processes more deeply, which led her to join our group as a postdoctoral researcher. She now studies how ecological interactions within bacterial populations influence the establishment of resistance during antibiotic treatment. When not in the lab, Léa enjoys disappearing into dark cinemas and then overanalyzing the film with friends over a drink.

Academic bio:
- 2015-2018: BSc in Cellular Biology and Physiology - Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne, France
- 2018-2020: MSc in Cellular and Molecular Biology (Specialization in Fundamental Infectiology) - Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, France
- 2021-2024: PhD in Molecular Microbiology - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, France (supervised by Maria-Halima Laaberki)

Further information: publications on Google scholar, email, LinkedIn

Profile photo of Léa Bednarczuk

Kiran Wadhawan (PhD student)

Kiran is a PhD student funded by a Darwin Trust Scholarship. Her PhD research involves both theoretical and experimental approaches to investigate how bacterial interactions at the individual level impact epidemics at the host population level. She is co-supervised by Dr. Pedro Vale as she will be carrying out some of her experiments in fruit flies.

Kiran grew up in Canada where she studied Human Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. She later went on to complete a Master’s degree in the University of Toronto’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department, where she investigated the impact of sea lice on wild Atlantic salmon. In her free time, Kiran enjoys weight lifting, yoga and travelling.

Academic Bio:

  • 2012-2017: BSc Biology, University of Toronto, Canada (advised by Prof. Nicole Mideo)
  • 2013: Research Assistant, Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Canada (advised by Dr. Evelyn McMullen)
  • 2014-2017: Research Assistant, Ecology and Evolutionary Department, University of Toronto, Canada (advised by Prof. Aneil Agrawal)
  • 2017-2018: MSc Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Canada (advised by Prof. Martin Krkosek)
  • 2019-2021: Research Assistant & Lab Manager, Ecology and Evolutionary Department, University of Toronto, Canada (advised by Prof. Martin Krkosek)
  • Since 2021: PhD Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh

Email Kiran

profile photo of Kiran Wadhawan

Iris Floria (PhD student)

Iris is a PhD student on the Wellcome Trust Hosts, Pathogens and Global Health Programme. Her PhD project aims to investigate the intra-macrophage lifestyle of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its impacts on the evolution of antibiotic resistance and tolerance. She is co-supervised by Dr Maddie Moule. 

Iris studied Microbiology at the University of Glasgow, where her final year project in the Roe Lab examined D-serine’s effects on Escherichia coli genotoxic colibactin. She then pursued an MSc in Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance, investigating Streptococcus pyogenes genotype fitness determinants in the One Health Research into Bacterial Diseases lab.

Beyond academic research, Iris is passionate about science communication engaging diverse audiences through outreach projects, public engagement initiatives and scientific illustration. In her free time, she also enjoys crocheting, drawing and hiking. 

Academic bio: 

  • 2019 - 2023: BSc (Hons) in Microbiology with a specialisation in Bacteriology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow (advised by Prof Andrew Roe).
  • 2023 - 2024: MSc Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance, School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow (advised by Dr Katarina Oravcova)
  • 2024 - 2025: MScR Hosts Pathogens and Global Health School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh
  • Since Oct 2025: PhD Hosts, Pathogens and Global Health programme, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh 

Further information: 

Email: i.floria@sms.ed.ac.uk 

ORCid: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9251-527X 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iris-floria/ 

 

profile photo of Iris Floria

Pierre Lafont (PhD student)

Pierre is a PhD student funded by a Darwin Trust scholarship. His PhD research involves modelling antibiotic resistance evolution in bacteria interacting in a shared environment, co-supervised by Dr. Luke McNally.

Pierre grew up in France where he studied Ecology & Evolution with a later specialisation in applied statistics and computer modelling. Most of his free time is divided between playing music and enjoying the outside world, hiking and birdwatching.

Academic bio:

  • 2008-2010: University degree in Arabic Language, Literature & Civilisation - Université Aix-Marseille III, France
  • 2014-2017: BSc Biology of Organisms, Populations & Ecosystems - Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
  • 2017-2019: MSc Biology Ecology & Evolution, Ecological Systems Modelling - Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France (Master's Thesis supervised by Prof. Jean-Baptiste Ferdy & David Duneau)
  • since 2020: PhD Evolutionary Biology, Immunology and Infection Research - School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh

Email Pierre; Pierre's publications on Google Scholar

pierre_profile

Alumni

Deirdre is an empirical ecologist and evolutionary biologist using a range of experimental systems to understand the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of communities under stress. She was a postdoc in the group from Jan. 2020 to Apr. 2021. She was crucial in getting the wet lab off the ground and starting up experiments on evolution of antibiotic resistance. After subsequently working as a research fellow in climate science at Trinity College Dublin, Deirdre is now back at the University of Edinburgh as a Lecturer in Ecological Education as of Oct. 2022.

Further information: Deirdre's personal website, publications on Google Scholar, Twitter (@deirdremcclean1), email Deirdre


Grace worked as a postdoc in the group from May 2022 to April 2025. Her work focuses on understanding the factors affecting the establishment of an antibiotic-resistant bacterial population, using wet-lab experiments and data analysis. Previously, Grace completed a BSc and MRes in Biology at the University of York, a PhD in Microbiology with Prof. Nick Waterfield at the University of Warwick, and a postdoc in Prof. Ross Fitzgerald's group at The Roslin Institute.


Lucy completed her PhD in our group from 2020-2025 and stayed on for a short postdoc in 2025. Her PhD thesis, entitled "Quantifying stress-induced mutagenesis in bacteria exposed to low-dose antibiotics", was completed through the EASTBIO doctoral training program and co-supervised by Prof. Meriem El Karoui. Previously, Lucy studied physics and mathematics at the University of Cologne in Germany. During her Master's she specialised in Statistical & Biological Physics, which convinced her to do research in the field of evolutionary biology.


Amalia did her PhD in the Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology at the Technical University of Denmark, and visited our group from February - March 2023. Her PhD research focused on the transmission and selection of antimicrobial resistance in host populations. She combines mathematical modelling, wet lab experiments with bacterial isolates, and metagenomics on the gut microbiome of insects.


Trisha is a PhD student on the Wellcome Trust Hosts, Pathogens and Global Health Programme. She did her first rotation project with us from Oct. 2024 to Feb. 2025, entitled: "Investigating the effect of secondary metabolites on collective antibiotic tolerance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa". Previously, Trisha completed a BSC (Hons) in Applied Medical Sciences at University College London and an MRes in Clinical Research (Translational Medicine Pathway) and Imperial College London. She also did a summer internship in Prof. Peter Swain's lab here at the University of Edinburgh in 2022.


Katie completed her Honours in Evolutionary Biology in 2023 and did her Honours project in our lab focusing on the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Her dissertation was entitled "How does the population density of Pseudomonas aeruginosa affect evolutionary rescue under antibiotic treatment?". 

Katie re-joined the lab as a research technician for summer 2024, continuing to support research into antibiotic resistance evolution in P. aeruginosa.


Amy is a medical student who did her intercalated Honours year in Zoology in 2023-24. Her Honours project in our lab addressed the question: "How does emergence of antibiotic-resistant mutants depend on interactions with the antibiotic-sensitive bacterial population?"


Ellie completed her Honours in Ecology in 2023-24. Her Honours project in our lab addressed the question: "What is the role of dead cells in bacterial population growth and survival under antibiotic treatment?"


Kate is a medical student who did her intercalated Honours year in Zoology in 2024-25. Her dissertation was entitled "Factors influencing the invasion of antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa into antibiotic-sensitive populations", specifically testing two different resistant mutants under treatment with tobramycin, a clinically relevant antibiotic for lung infections.


Assunta completed her Honours in Biotechnology in 2024-25, with her dissertation entitled: "Investigating how antibiotic concentration and cell density influence competition and cross-protection in Pseudomonas aeruginosa". She specifically tested a multi-drug-resistant plasmid-carrying strain in streptomycin and carbenicillin.


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