Decoding the lung microbiome
We investigate how microbial communities in the respiratory tract influence health, disease progression, and how to manipulate them — combining culture-independent sequencing, clinical cohort studies, and translational science to turn microbial insight into disease understanding and patient benefit.
What we investigate
01 / THEME
How do microbial community compositions in the lung associate with severity and progression of chronic respiratory disease? We aim to understand the selection pressures that shape the lung microbiome in disease, whether these are the epithelial surface, innate immunity, treatment or the environment.
Ecology · Lung Disease02 / THEME
We investigate how respiratory microbiota interact with innate immunity and the host airway — examining the role of individual bacteria and consortia in modulating inflammatory responses. We use our well-characterised collection of clinical isolates to ensure these interactions are as representative as possible
Mechanism · Macrophages · Models03 / THEME
We use longitudinal 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomics to map the microbiome in COPD, asthma, and other lung diseases. We use our understanding of mechanisms to translate microbiome discoveries into potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies. We work with clinical collaborators to bridge the gap from sequencer to bedside.
16S · Metagenomics · ClinicalThe team
Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor Respiratory Microbiome
University of Birmingham
Postgraduate Researcher
Antimicrobial Resistance in the COPD Microbiome
Postgraduate Researcher
Metagenomics and AMR in the Healthy Airways
Postgraduate Researcher
Macrophages, microbiome and lactate in COPD
Postgraduate Researcher
Polysaccharide metabolism in the respiratory microbiota
Where are they now
Dr Karanjot Sandhu
PhD · 2021–2025
→ Research Associate, ThermoFisher
Dr Joanne Stock
Visiting · 2023
→ Clinical Teaching Fellow, NHS
Simran Patel
Rotation Student · 2024
→ Postgraduate Researcher, University of Warwick
Work with us
We are a collaborative, supportive group that takes your development seriously. Whether you're a PhD student, postdoc, or visiting researcher, you'll work on meaningful questions with real-world impact.
We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, our group includes LGBTQ+ and Neurodivergent people. Diversity of perspective makes better science.
Open Science
We pre-register, share data, and publish openly where possible
Mentorship
Mike is a UKCGE Recognised research supervisor
Wellbeing
We take mental health and work–life balance seriously
Collaboration
We are collaborative and collegiate with NHS, industry and international partnerships
PhD Studentship
Ecology and infection in the respiratory tract
Open to self-funded or externally funded. Combining clinical sampling with multi-omics. Open to UK/International applicants. Start: Rolling.
Visiting Researcher
Short-term placements welcome
We regularly host visiting researchers for 3–12 month placements. Bring your own funding or discuss options with us.
Undergraduate / MSc Projects
Final-year and Masters projects
University of Birmingham students: we offer supervised projects in bioinformatics, microbiology, and translational research annually.