School of Infection & Immunity

Phoebe Crossley

Title: Characterisation of strain level mechanisms driving host interaction in the vaginal microbiome

Synopsis:

Lactobacillus-dominated communities within the vaginal microbiome are typically associated with health and a reduced risk of preterm birth. However, recent genomic studies have revealed that more nuanced strain-level variations exist within Lactobacillus that can contribute to less favourable outcomes. For Lactobacillus jensenii it was shown that strains isolated from preterm pregnancies can be phylogenetically distinct from those isolated from full-term pregnancies. These strains differed in genes related to cell surface structure and metabolic capacity. This work utilises co-culture assays with human vaginal epithelial cells and homologous recombination-based gene knockout approaches to investigate the functional differences that drive host interactions amongst these L. jensenii strains.

Bio:

Phoebe completed her BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Bath in 2024. This included a 12-month research placement at the University of Arizona, researching the vaginal microbiome in the context of gynaecological health conditions. She is now a 2nd year PhD student at the University of Glasgow in Dr Conor Feehily’s lab.

First published: 19 August 2025

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