SAF student Samantha Treagus. 

Meet SAF students: Samantha Treagus

Sustainable Aquaculture Futures introduces an interview series with our PhD students to highlight the breadth of research and personalities within SAF. 

Today we welcome Samantha Treagus (she/her) who is a 4th year PhD student. Her research is based in SAF's topic theme Aquatic Food Safety.

What is your project all about?
The detection and assessment of human enteric pathogens within the aquatic environment – specifically focussing on molecular detection and sequencing of hepatitis E virus and norovirus.

What impact does your research have within Aquatic Food Safety?
It helps us to see the levels of faecal pollution within the aquatic environment, how it can affect organisms within the aquatic environment, and how that can then affect human food safety.

What is the next stage of your project?
Finish sequencing, analyse data and finish my thesis!

Are there any project outputs or activities that you are particularly proud of, or have enjoyed most?
I think I most enjoyed my participation in the Soapbox Science event in Exeter which enables female scientists to have a platform to share the research that they do. I really enjoyed talking to the public about my work. I’m also proud of my first-authorship article which should be being published within the next couple of months.

To find out more about Samantha's work, you can read her recently published review paper here
Treagus, S., Wright, C., Baker-Austin, C. et al. The Foodborne Transmission of Hepatitis E Virus to Humans. Food Environ Virol (2021).

Date: 31 March 2021