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DWS recently awarded Jack Westerman at the Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth the DWS Travel Grant award to present his research on Responses of Clostridioides difficile, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli to sodium hypochlorite biocide exposure in Belfast.
We asked Jack to share more about his research and how a Whitley A35 Anaerobic Workstation was critical in the method:
"Attending and presenting at a scientific conference was a highly valuable experience that allowed me to share my research and engage with the wider microbiology community. My project focused on investigating the adaptive responses of clinically relevant bacteria, with a particular emphasis on Clostridioides difficile, following repeated exposure to sodium hypochlorite, a commonly used disinfectant in healthcare settings. Understanding how bacteria respond to sub-lethal biocide exposure is important, particularly in the context of persistence and potential links to antimicrobial resistance. My findings suggested that repeated exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of sodium hypochlorite can lead to strain-dependent changes in survival and tolerance, highlighting the potential for adaptive responses in clinically relevant bacteria.
The use of the Whitley A35 Anaerobic Workstation was essential to my research. As C.difficile is an obligate anaerobe, maintaining strict anaerobic conditions was critical for accurate experimental work. The workstation enabled reliable culturing and helped ensure reproducibility and consistency across serial passage experiments. Overall, this equipment was vital in supporting my experimental aims and generating high-quality data.
This was my first opportunity to attend the Microbiology Society Annual Conference, and presenting my findings through a poster was both exciting and rewarding. It provided me with the opportunity to discuss my research with scientists from a range of backgrounds, allowing me to explore different perspectives and receive valuable constructive feedback. It also enabled me to network within the microbiology community, sharing my work with both leading researchers and early-career scientists. In addition, attending a variety of talks broadened my understanding of current developments in microbiology beyond me own research area.
I would like to thank Don Whitley Scientific for awarding me the DWS Travel Grant, which enabled me to attend the Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2026 in Belfast and present my research. I would also like to thank my supervisor and research group, the Joshi research group at the University of Plymouth Dental School, for their continued support in helping me to attend and benefit from this experience."
We thank Jack for providing such an insightful overview into his research and would like to congratulate him once again on receiving the DWS Travel Grant Award.
If you think that you might be eligible for the DWS Travel Grant, please visit our travel grant page for more details.
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