1. Environmental Microbiology
2. Eco-toxicology
3. Soil & Water Quality
4. Antimicrobial resistance in the environment

Microorganisms are omnipresent and capable of impacting the entire biosphere. They, especially bacteria, are highly diverse in terms of structure and function, and they can play a major role in the cycling of nutrients, remediation of contamination, and public health. My research interest involves the integration of state-of-the-art microbiological measurement technologies and ecological principles into the realm of environmental protection and sustainability.

Some on-going projects: 

Team AWARE - Amoebae With Antimicrobial Resistant Endosymbionts (with UWS and IISD-ELA, U. Manitoba, etc.)

The project examines the role of free-living amoebae (a protozoan found in waters and sediment) as a mechanism and vector in developing and spreading antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Free-living amoebae harbour bacteria and essentially could be protected, to an extent, from toxic compounds in the environment. However, for some additional reason, they further enhance the potential for bacteria to become resistant. Some of the bacteria are fish pathogens. So their mechanism as a driving force for drug resistance must be investigated.

• This investigation takes place within a whole-lake exposure study at the Experimental Lakes Area (Ontario), which includes the impacts of multiple trophic levels within a lake--including Lake Trout. Comparisons of bacterial populations and their resistance traits in the water, sediment, amoebae, and fish will be made as preliminary results towards understanding whether similarities in their distribution occur and whether QAC disinfectants also contribute to the selection pressure.
• How the Way We Clean Could Impact our Fresh Water: The case of QACs | IISD Experimental Lakes Area (press release)

Team DAGGAR - Dangerous and Growing Globally, Antimicrobial Resistance. 

Work related to antimicrobial resistance evolved from pharmaceutical eco-toxicology with the development of microbial-community endpoints. This work resulted in international exposure and award-winning publications. International collaborations include researchers and government/policy agencies in Australia, the UK, the USA, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Lebanon, and The Netherlands. The research focus has been to measure resistance genes and antibiotics in the environment quantitatively; it extends previous qualitative observations to a predictive level aimed at solving practical problems.  The investigations of PEC (pollutants of emerging concern) continue, as it remains a contemporary international problem.

• Study finds antimicrobial resistance in soils Scotland-wide | University of Strathclyde (press release, 2024)

Team ARMOR – Antimicrobial Resistance May Offer Resilience? (stability and resilience of microbial communities and performance during pollution stress). 

Microbial community dynamics are examined in response to contaminant exposure in engineered bioreactors. The research endeavours to find ecologically resilient and economically robust processes to avoid significant investment in a new (or upgraded) treatment process as new regulations emerge.

GR-AMS - Greco-Roman Antimicrobial Minerals.  Multi-disciplinary, collaborative project.

• Ancient clay remedy | University of Strathclyde (press release)
• Ancient Pill Secret From 2,500 Years Ago May Improve Gut Health - Newsweek 

British Colonialism, Marine Sciences and Fisheries Governance. Interdisciplinary project with the History Department and U. Mzuzu in Malawi. 

• https://www.lessonsfromlakemalawi.com/
• Story maps

Management roles:

• Director of Postgraduate Studies (2019 - current)
• Director of Distance Learning (2017 - 2021)
• Programme leader, MSc Environmental Engineering (2012-19)

Courses:

• Water & Wastewater Treatment Design (CL447/CL978; current)
• Principles of Environmental Microbiology (CL430/CL948; current)
• Financial Engineering (EF929/CL504/EF963; current)
• Engineering Mathematics (CL329/CL331; current)
• Environmental Pollution Management (CL970, 2023)
• Independent research projects (e.g., CL973, CL998, CL999; current)
• Dissertations/theses (year 4, MSc, MRes; current)

Awards:

• 2018 - Teaching Excellence Awards, nominated
• 2016 - Teaching Excellence Awards, shortlisted Best in Faculty.
• 2015 - Teaching Excellence Awards, shortlisted Best in Faculty.
• 2015 - Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• 2014 - Teaching Excellence Awards, shortlisted Overall Best Supportive Teacher

International courses

• Gdansk University of Technology (Poland), Inter-Applied Chemistry (2020)
• Rajamangala University of Technology-Krungthep (Thailand), International School (2020)
• Gdansk University of Technology (Poland, 2018)
• Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Department of Civil Engineering (India, 2017)
• Gdansk University of Technology (Poland, 2014-15)

Work Experience

• 2018 to current, Reader University of Strathclyde
• 2009 to 2018, Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde
• 2006 to 2009, Senior Researcher, Newcastle University, England
• 2006, PDRA, Dept. Geological Sciences, The University of Kansas, USA
• 2002 to 2006, Researcher/instructor; CEAE, The University of Kansas, USA

Additional Qualifications:

• 2015 - Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) 

Research themes:

• Antibiotic resistance in the environment
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Susceptibility assays

• Biological indicators of environmental pollution
• Microbiological community stability in engineered and natural systems
• Eco-toxicology, bioremediation
• Outdoor, microcosm/mesocosm experimental systems

Routine research services

• DNA/RNA analyses
• PCR (polymerase chain reaction)
• Genetic probe design (primer design)
• Bioinformatics

• Biological assessments of soil, sediment and water
• Molecular and microbiological techniques
• Phytoplankton, algae
• Bacteria
• Fungus
• Micro-invertebrates

• Water quality monitoring
• Soil quality determinations
• Wastewater analysis

Advance Statistics

• Descriptor / inferential 
• Multi-parametric analyses
• Non-parametric analyses
• Community analyses

Dr Knapp is Director of Postgraduate Studies and an active researcher in the "Water, Environment, Sustainability and Public Health" (WESP) research centre.

Think you can live without microbes?  Do you want to take that challenge?

Microorganisms are omnipresent and capable of impacting the entire biosphere. They, especially bacteria, are highly diverse in structure and function, and they can play a significant role in the cycling of nutrients, remediation of contamination, and public health. Unfortunately, many people often overlook the ecological interactions within the microbial communities that support the process. Understanding these interactions requires knowledge of organisms' distribution and abundance and their interactions in an environmental setting. Further, it requires analytical tools to examine microbial organisms in an effective and timely fashion. Fortunately, high throughput culture-independent molecular methods are allowing researchers to monitor these interactions quantitatively. My research interest involves the integration of state-of-the-art microbiological measurement technologies and ecological principles into the realm of environmental protection and sustainability.