Testimonial of SAGES sponsored study towards a Scottish Graduate
Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths
[Anna Koza]
SAGES Affiliated PhD
[University of Abertay Dundee]
PHD in Environmental Microbiology
Dr Andrew Spiers, University of Abertay Dundee
TESTIMONIAL
Thesis title: Adaptation and niche construction by Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25.
Research project aimed to investigate adaptation of bacteria to the soil and plant environments. This
particular research area is of great interest due to emerging problems of sustainable soils
management and food security, where microbial communities are key factors influencing soil and
plant health, disease resistance and productivity. Our approach to this research was to combine
aspects of molecular microbiology, microbial ecology and evolution with the use of model strain
Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 and artificial microcosms ranging in complexity from the simple
(liquid media in glass tubes) to the more complex (soil cores). During the course of adaptationevolution experiments, we were able to investigate how the establishment of oxygen gradients
impacts on bacterial populations and drive the evolution of biofilm-forming strains. By the
competition based cost-benefits analysis, we were able to determine tread-off of biofilm formation
as a mean of adaptive radiation facilitating colonisation of a novel environment. Finally, we could
investigate how surfactant expression by soil Pseudomonas isolates altered local water distribution
at the micro-pore scale, and how the expression of cellulose impacts on fitness and soil structure.
As the SAGE affiliate PhD student I had a great opportunity to attend SAGE conferences, meetings
and PhD student’s retreats. During those meeting I had a chance to communicate my research to
other scientists and get very useful feedback (oral and poster presentations). I could also learn what
the scope of other Scottish research groups is. The most important take-home message for me was
to learn how to communicate science to the stakeholders to make an impact on decision- and policy
making. On the social site, I have met fantastic young researchers who became good friends after
all.
Currently, since more than two years I work as a Postdoc at Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for
Biosustainability. Our research center is placed in Copenhagen, Denmark. NNF Biosustain is a DTU
research and innovation center established in 2011. NNF Biosustain aims at developing new
knowledge and technologies to help facilitate the transformation from the existing oil-based
chemical industry to a more sustainable bio-based society, in which chemicals are produced
biologically. A wide range of significant products, from small molecules to large proteins, can be
made using cells as production hosts or cell factories. These cell factories will impact chemical and
biopharmaceutical production notably over the coming decades. A dedicated research and
development effort is required in order to identify commercially interesting compounds and to
speed-up the strain design process - and this is what CFB is all about.
Today, CFB is a multi-site operation with over 125 FTE's and is still growing. About two thirds of the
operations are currently housed at Scion-DTU, a science park in Hørsholm North of Copenhagen, and
the rest at the affiliated universities.
PUBLICATIONS
Spiers, A. J Deeni, Y., Folorunso, A., Koza, K., Moshynets, O., Zawadzki, K. (2013). Cellulose expression
in Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 and other environmental pseudomonads.
Arabski, M., Fudala, R., Koza, A., Wasik, S., Futoma-Koloch, B., Bugla-Ploskonska, G., Kaca, W. (2012).
The presence of anti-LPS antibodies and human serum activity against Proteus mirabilis S/R forms in
correlation with TLR4 (Thr399Ile) gene polymorphism in rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Biochem 45, 13741382.
Fehtner, J., Koza, A., Dello Sterpaio, P., Hapca, S., Spiers, A.J. (2011). Surfactants expressed by soil
pseudomonads alter local soil-water distribution, suggesting a hydrological role for these
compounds. FEMS Microbial Ecol. 78, 50-58.
Moshynets, O.V., Koza, A., Dello Sterpaio, P., Kordium, V.A., Spiers, A. J. (2011). Up-dating the
Cholodny method using PET films to sample microbial communities in soil. Biopolymers and cell 27,
199-205.
Koza, A., Moshynets, O., Otten, W., Spiers, A.J. (2010). Environmental modification and niche
construction: Developing O2 gradients drive the evolution of the Wrinkly Spreader. ISME 5, 665-673.
Green, J., Koza, A., Moshynets, E., Pajor, R., Ritchie, M., Spiers, A.J. (2010). Evolution in a Test-tube:
Rise of the Wrinkly Spreaders. Journal of Educational Biology 45, 54-59.
Koza, A., Hallett, P. D., Moon, C. D., Spiers, A. J. (2009).Characterisation of a novel air–liquid interface
biofilm of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25. Microbiology 155, 1397-1406.
Arabski, M., Koza, A., Kaca, W. The chemical structure of Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide and
innate immune response. (2008). Postepy Hig Med Dos 12, 289-296.
*The SAGES Graduate School is an international graduate school. Although SAGES prize studentships were awarded on a
highly competitive, globally accessible basis, all PhD graduates currently working in SAGES areas who are registered with a
Scottish University are able to become affiliate members of the Graduate School and can participate in SAGES activities.
The same principle will be adopted for the Scottish Graduate Academy of Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths.