About

I am Associate Professor in Microbiology with broad interests covering clinical, technological, environmental, and theoretical topics. I teach microbiology and my research is focused on understanding microbial communities in soil. These topics are all supported by current advances in molecular biology, especially high-throughout DNA sequencing and bio-informatics.

Research interests

My major interest is the study of microbial communities and their interactions with the environment. I try to find out why microbes live in particular places and what function they have there. This includes all sorts of environments including:

• The natural environment – e.g. soil and plant roots
• Biotechnology – e.g. wastewater treatment and cleaning up pollution (bioremediation)
• Medical situations – e.g. dental plaque and the skin

PhD supervision (current)

• Abdurahim Abogdera at University of Derby: A bio-protection system for concrete that is driven by soil for sustainable underground structures

PhD supervision (completed)

• Shaun Allingham at University of Derby: Landscape ecology of microbes in peatlands under different management
• Mohamed Esaker at University of Derby: The efficiency of bacterial self-healing concrete into ground condition
• Dr Mario Toubes-Rodrigo at Manchester Metropolitan University: Geomicrobiology of the basal ice layer at Svínafellsjökull glacier, SE Iceland

Recent publications

Journal papers

• Allingham S., Drake S., Ramsey A., Field C.D., Nwaishi F.C., Elliott D. 2024. Changes in nitrogen functional genes and microbial populations in soil profiles of a peatland under different burning regimes. Applied Soil Ecology. doi: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2024.105426
• Elliott D, Thomas A. D., Hoon S. R., Sen R. S.. 2024. Spatial organisation of fungi in soil biocrusts of the Kalahari is related to bacterial community structure and may indicate ecological functions of fungi in drylands. Frontiers in Microbiology. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1173637
• Hamza O., Esaker M., Abogdera A., Elliott D. 2024. Bio-protection of cementitious materials below ground: The significance of natural soil environments. Developments in the Built Environment. doi: 10.1016/j.dibe.2024.100331
• Esaker, M., Hamza O., Elliott D. 2023. Bio-self-healing of cementitious mortar incubated within clay soil. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering. doi: 10.1061/JMCEE7.MTENG-15713
• Esaker M, Hamza O, Elliott D. 2023. Monitoring the bio-self-healing performance of cement mortar incubated within soil and water using electrical resistivity. Construction and Building Materials (2023). doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.132109
• Allingham, S.M., Nwaishi, F.C., Andersen, R., Lamit, L.J. and Elliott, D.R.. 2023. Microbial communities and biogeochemical functioning across peatlands in the Athabasca Oil Sands region of Canada: Implications for reclamation and management. Land Degradation and Development. doi: 10.1002/ldr.4549
• Robinson, C., Ritson, J., Alderson, D., Malik, A.A., Griffiths, R.I., Heinemeyer, A., Gallego-Sala, A.V., Quillet, A., Robroek, B.J., Evans, C., Chandler, D.M., Elliott, D.R., Shutttleworth, E.L., Lilleskov, E.L., Kitson, E., Cox, F., Worrall, F., Clay, G., Crosher, I., Pratscher, J., Bird, J., Walker, J., Belyea, L.R., Dumont, M.G., Bell, N.G.A., Artz, R.R.E., Bardgett, R., Andersen, R., Hutchinson, S.M., Page, S.E., Thom, T.J., Burn, W. and Evans M.G. . 2023. Aspects of microbial communities in peatland carbon cycling under changing climate and land use pressures.. Mires and Peat.. doi: 10.19189/MaP.2022.OMB.StA.2404
• Thomas AD, Elliott DR, Hardcastle D, Strong CL, Bullard J, Webster R, Lan S. 2022. Soil biocrusts affect metabolic response to hydration on dunes in west Queensland, Australia. Geoderma, 405, p.115464.. doi: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115464
• Zhang H, Tuittila E-S, Korrensalo A, Laine AM, Uljas S, Welti N, Kerttula J, Maljanen M, Elliott D, Vesala T, Lohila A.. 2021. Methane production and oxidation potentials along a fen‐bog gradient from southern boreal to subarctic peatlands in Finland. Global Change Biology. doi: 10.1111/gcb.15740
• Toubes-Rodrigo M, Potgieter-Vermaak S, Sen R, Oddsdóttir ES, Elliott D, Cook S. 2021. Active microbial ecosystem in glacier basal ice fuelled by iron and silicate comminution-derived hydrogen. MicrobiologyOpen 2021;10:e1200.. doi: 10.1002/mbo3.1200
• Ritson JP, Alderson DM, Robinson CH, Burkitt AE, Heinemeyer A, Stimson AG, Gallego-Sala A, Harris A, Quillet A, Malik AA, Cole B, et al. 2021. Towards a microbial process-based understanding of the resilience of peatland ecosystem service provisioning – A research agenda. Science of the Total Environment. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143467

Please check my website, Google Scholar and Researchgate for more publications and links to full text.

Membership of professional bodies

• Chartered Biologist and Member of the Royal Society of Biology
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Member of the British Ecological Society

Professional interests

I'm interested in the open access movement for the equitable access to scholarly works and computer code. In support of this, I sit on relevant panels within the university to advise on policy and implementation which I think is important for enhancing our research environment. I accordingly make an effort to openly share my data and code in published works.

Qualifications

• BSc (Hons) Microbiology (First Class), University of Manchester, with industrial experience at AstraZeneca / Marlow Foods
• PhD Microbiology (Clinical Dentistry), University College London (Eastman Dental Institute)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice

Recent conferences

• Elliott DR, Thomas ADT, Strong C, Bullard J. 2019. Do some microbes exploit biocrusts? Presentation at 4th International Biocrust meeting, Stradbroke Island, Brisbane, Australia. 26-30 August 2019. . Australia
• Elliott DR, Allingham S, Alston D. 2019. What do we want from Long-Term Ecology? Presentation at Joint meeting of Ecological Continuity Trust and British Ecological Society: Long Term Ecological Experiments in Plant Soil Ecosystems. Buxton, UK
• Elliott DR, Thomas AD, Strong C, Bullard J (2017). Microbial transport and soil integrity in drylands. Presentation at The Geological Society Lyell Meeting. Sticking Together: microbes and their role in forming sediments. London, UK
• Please check my website, Google Scholar and Researchgate for more publications and links to full text

Experience in industry

• Worked for AstraZeneca / Marlow Foods at the Quorn Plant for 1 year out during my degree
• PhD via BBSRC CASE studentship with Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition (MARS); now Waltham Petcare Science Institute
• Regularly working with industry partners on a range of topics

International experience

• I worked for a year at the National University of Ireland in Galway as a Marie-Curie transfer of Knowledge research fellow. My environmental research in particular involves a lot of international collaboration, including fieldwork abroad
• I have conducted fieldwork for soil microbiology projects in Australia, Botswana, and Iceland
• I collaborate in global networks for the advancement of soil science and biodiversity observations

Teaching responsibilities

• Programme Leader for BSc (Hons) Biology
• Module Leader for:
  • Bioscience in Practice (Level 4)
  • Biotechnology (Level 6)
• Teaching contributions include modules:
  • Global Citizenship for Bioscientists (Level 4)
  • Biodiversity & Ecophysiology (Level 4)
  • Global Environmental Issues (Level 4)
  • Field Biology (Level 5)
  • Microbial Ecology (Level 5)
  • Biological Problem Solving (Level 5)
  • Understanding Life through Data (Level 5)
  • Ecosystem Services (Level 5)
  • Independent studies projects (Level 6)

Additional interests and activities

I lead on digital skills for School of Environmental Sciences as I have long-standing interest and expertise in computers. 

Working groups and committees etc:

• Several GEO-BON Working Groups (Group on Earth Observation - Biodiversity Observation Network; https://geobon.org/)
• Responsible metrics working group (Derby)
• Digital Experience Steering Group (Derby)