Megan Hughes

Megan is a Precision Medicine PhD student funded by the Medical Research Council’s doctoral training programme. Her research focuses on changes in neutrophils’ ability to kill mycobacteria in the presence of malaria-associated stressors, and how this may contribute to dissemination of mycobacteria from the lung and into secondary sites of infection.

Prior to undertaking her PhD, Megan completed her BSc in Biomedical Sciences at Cardiff University, where her final year research project investigated adhesion-associated virulence factors in Listeria. Following this, Megan worked in the pharmaceutical industry, generating and analysing real-world data on patient outcomes in immunology and infectious disease. After four years in industry, Megan returned to academia in 2024 in order to undertake her MScR in Infectious Diseases at the University of Edinburgh under Maddie’s supervision. Her masters research evaluated the DNA and RNA-binding capabilities of tex, a novel protein virulence factor of Burkholderia species.

Academic bio:

• 2017-2020: BSc Biomedical Sciences – Cardiff University, Wales (supervised by Dr Cédric Berger)
• 2019: Cardiff Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme studentship – Cardiff University, Wales (supervised by Dr Daniel Morse)
• 2024-2025: MScR Infectious Diseases – University of Edinburgh, Scotland (supervised by Dr Maddie Moule)
• 2025 – current: PhD Precision Medicine – University of Edinburgh, Scotland (co-supervised by Dr Maddie Moule and Dr Jason Mooney)