Dr. Will Smith, PI
Will started his science journey studying Chemistry at Balliol college Oxford, before transitioning into a EPSRC-funded PhD in Microbiology with the Oxford Systems Biology doctoral training centre. As a PostDoc in the labs of Kevin Foster (Oxford), and Laurie Comstock (Havard Med), he discovered a fascination for microbial warfare. In 2022 he moved to Manchester to study the evolutionary biology of microbial attack and defence with Michael Brockhurst, funded by a Sir Henry Wellcome PostDoctoral Fellowship. He joined the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology as a PI and Lecturer in 2026.
Beyond the lab, Will enjoys reading, art, fantasising about boats and goofing around with his two loud children. He is two-times winner of the Lady Gaga award for excellence in fancy dress.
Dr. Tanda Qi, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Tanda is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Smith Lab, where her work focuses on the safe and efficient expression of different tailocin antimicrobials in E. coli. She previously completed her PhD in Genomics at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, where she explored the functional profile and genetic interactions of non-coding RNAs in yeast and filamentous fungi. Before that, she obtained an MSc in Applied Bioscience and Biotechnology from Imperial College London.
Outside the lab, Tanda enjoys spending time on handcrafts, painting, hiking, and foraging. She is also keen on experimenting in the kitchen, often with little regard for SOP.
Phapaano (Peggy) Sechele, PhD researcher in Medical Microbiology
Peggy is investigating how bacteria survive and adapt under antimicrobial and bacteriophage-mediated selection. Her research focuses on bacterial persistence, antimicrobial resistance and phage–bacteria interactions: using experimental microbiology, whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics to understand bacterial survival and resistance, and their implications for antimicrobial therapeutics. Peggy is particularly interested in how bacterial adaptations vs. antimicrobial toxins affect susceptibility and adaptation to bacteriophages. She is also exploring how bacterial metabolism can be manipulated to enhance antibiotic and phage activity against persister cells.