Dr Annalise Hooper

(she/her)

BSc, RSci, PhD

Overview

My pivotal aim during my PhD and Postdoctoral Research Associate position at Cardiff University has been investigating the environmental triggers for geosmin and 2-MIB production in freshwater ecosystems. These two earthy-muddy-smelling metabolites have been the focus of considerable research, although, to date, they both remain poorly understood throughout most of the water industry. Due to the lack of understanding, misconceptions of the proliferation of geosmin and 2-MIB impede the prediction, treatment and control of geosmin and 2-MIB compounds for water industries. 

I am passionate about using molecular techniques such as qPCR, Next Generation Sequencing and metagenomics to aid the understanding of the ecological and molecular mechanisms behind geosmin and 2-MIB events. I rejoice in exploring algal and bacterial communities to untangle ecological relationships that can influence the cyanobacterial production of geosmin and 2-MIB under different environmental pressures. 

My research provides a holistic approach to understanding geosmin and 2-MIB production by integrating environmental DNA (eDNA) data with corresponding physical and chemical variables. Combining biological, physical and chemical datasets has enabled more rigorous statistical models to be developed with higher predictive capacities. Modelling collated datasets to predict the onset of increasing geosmin and 2-MIB concentrations can benefit water industries worldwide; providing insights for the management and mitigation of water quality issues relating to geosmin and 2-MIB.

I am motivated by the challenge of finding innovative solutions to address the global issues of water security and sustainability. I value the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse and interdisciplinary team of researchers and stakeholders.