Dr Hannah Trivett is a Research Fellow in the Department of Microbes, Infection and Microbiomes at the University of Birmingham, where she works within Prof Lindsay Hall's research group.
Hannah obtained her BSc in Microbiology from the University of Liverpool in 2020. Following a period working as a DNA Laboratory Scientist, she joined the Health Protection Research Unit in Gastrointestinal Infections (HPRU-GI) at the University of Liverpool to undertake a PhD focused on metagenomic sequencing for infectious disease diagnostics. During this time, she combined laboratory, bioinformatic and stakeholder-engagement approaches to explore how genomic technologies can be translated into routine clinical practice.
Her research has since evolved from pathogen-focused genomics to exploring the ecology of complex microbial communities and their impact on human health. She is particularly interested in how microorganisms interact, adapt and exchange genetic material within the human microbiome, and how these processes contribute to microbial function and antimicrobial resistance.
At the University of Birmingham, Hannah studies maternal and infant gut microbiomes using advanced sequencing technologies and bioinformatic approaches. Her research explores the microorganisms that colonise the gut during early life, the functions they perform, and the mobile genetic elements that shape their evolution. Through this work, she seeks to understand how microbial communities develop, how antimicrobial resistance emerges and spreads, and how these processes influence human health.
Alongside her research, Hannah is interested in making genomic technologies more accessible and clinically useful. She works closely with academic, clinical and public health partners and has contributed to public engagement activities, science communication initiatives and the development of resources that improve understanding of Microbiology, genomics, and antimicrobial resistance.