Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal profile
Professor in Food Safety
My work is driven by the major challenges facing our food production and public health. Solutions are in exploring the utility and function of microbes, how food is produced, and technological innovations.
Research interests
I am a molecular bacteriologist interested in how some microbes, e.g. foodborne pathogens or hazards such as AMR, are transmitted via environmental sources. I work with stakeholders in public health and the agri-food industry.
My roles are:
- Lead the Safe & Improved Foods challenge-driven research centre
- Lead research into the interactions between human pathogenic bacteria and food products, pre- and post-harvest, to reduce foodborne illness
- Manage Scottish Government strategic research between Scottish research providers
- Supervision of staff, students and visitors; teaching and external examinations
- Committee member for external organisations
Supervision
PhD student (2021-2025) 'Exploring host-microbiota interactions for improved crop health and food safety', joint with University of Dundee
PhD student (2018-2022) 'Impact of ozone on viability of fooborne and food spoilage pathogens on fresh produce', joint with University of Oxford
PhD student (2017-2021) 'Modelling attachement of bacteria to developing roots', joint with University of Warwick and James Hutton Institute
PhD student (2017-2021) 'Benign enhancement of natural defences: BEYOND', joint with University of Sheffield and James Hutton Institute
Projects
Current:
- 2020-2025: BBSRC BBR “The UK Crop Microbiome Cryobank”. Ryan, Holden (Co-I), Mauchline, Malone (£1.9M, 5 years)
- 2021-2025: BBSRC "Sharing expertise to quantify and mitigate GHG in the agriculture and land use sector in Argentina and the UK" Holden, Rees, Shutter (£30K, 3 years)
- 2021-2022: SFN+ "Genome-guided detection of non-O157 STEC". Holden, Winn, Dallman (£10K, 9 months)
- 2021-2022: SFN+ "Circular urban vertical farming - Data, models and optimisation of waste flows". Ball, Holden, Jensen, Kanu, Xau (£10K, 9 months)
Previous (selected):
- 2021: SEFARI Gateway "Scoping review for a Scottish AMR activity dashboard". Holden (£17K, 5 months)
- 2018-2021: Innovate-UK “KTP: microbe management”. Holden, IGS Ltd. (£227K, 3 years)
- 2021: Scottish Government "Scottish One Health AMR Register". Holden (£30K, 4 months)
- 2016-2021: ERC “SENSOILS”. Dupuy, Holden (Co-I), et al. (€1.66M, 5 years)
- 2019: NBIC “Listeria biofilms”. Holden, Anacail Ltd (£80K, 1 year)
- 2019-2020: IBiolC “Antimicrobial coatings and matrices”. Love, Holden, et al (£101K, 1 year)
- 2017-2018: Innovate-UK “In-pack ozone”. Holden, Anacail Ltd. (£38K, 1 year)
- 2016-2018: RESAS Innovation fund “Biocontrol”. Holden, partners (FSS, SERL, Kettle) (£132K)
- 2014-2016: FSA “Internalisation”. Holden (£350K)
- 2013-2016: HDC “Plant defence elicitors”. Holden, et al (£300K)
- 2012-2015: The Leverhulme Trust “Plant cell walls”. Holden (£230K)
- 2011-2014: BBSRC “Surface factors colonise plants” Holden (£556K)
- 2011-2011 & 2010-2012: HDC, elicitor grants Holden (£150K)
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, University of Edinburgh
1995 → 1999
External positions
The James Hutton Institute
2011 → 2020
Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie
2007 → 2011
Open University Milton Keynes
2002 → 2007
Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biomedical Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh
2000 → 2007
Keywords
- QR180 Immunology
- microbiology
- microbiome
- food safety
- food quality
- Crop/livestock systems
- STEC
- Salmonella
- host interactions
- sequencing
- vertical farm
- sustainability
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Network
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Challenge Based Molecular Tracking (MolTrack) Molecules to Landscapes
Holden, N., Watson, C. & Russell, W.
1/07/22 → 30/07/23
Project: Research
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Sharing expertise to quantify and mitigate GHG in the agriculture and land use sector in Argentine and the UK
30/06/22 → 29/06/25
Project: Research
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RESAS 22-27: SRUC-b6-1 Understanding The Diversity Of Stec And Its Relationship With Human Pathogenic Potential
Tongue, S., Webster, C., Baughan, J., Henry, M., Holden, N., Denniston, J. & Nale, J.
Scottish Government: Rural & Environment Science & Analytical Services
1/04/22 → 31/03/27
Project: Research
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RESAS 22-27: SRUC-b6-2 A Systems Understanding Of The Flow Of Amr From Livestock Production To The Environment And Humans: Informing Risk Analyses
Hutchings, M., Baker, E., Galgano, S., Pollock, J., Holden, N. & Smith, L.
Scottish Government: Rural & Environment Science & Analytical Services
1/04/22 → 31/03/27
Project: Research
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RESAS 22-27: SRUC-a2-3 A Systems Understanding Of The Flow Of Amr From Livestock Production To The Environment And Humans: Informing Antimicrobial Stewardship And Optimal Use
Hutchings, M., Webster, C., Tongue, S., Baker, E., Henry, M., Humphry, R., Holden, N., Rodrigues da Costa, M., Smith, L. & Humphry, R.
Scottish Government: Rural & Environment Science & Analytical Services
1/04/22 → 31/03/27
Project: Research
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Harnessing agricultural microbiomes for human pathogen control
Brennan, F. P., Alsanius, B. W., Allende, A., Burgess, C. M., Moreira, H., Johannessen, G. S., Castro, P. M. L., Uyttendaele, M., Truchado, P. & Holden, N. J., 19 May 2022, (First published) In: ISME Communications. 2, 1, 44.Research output: Contribution to journal › Short communication › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure) -
Novel form of collective movement by soil bacteria
Engelhardt, I. C., Patko, D., Liu, Y., Mimault, M., de las Heras Martinez, G., George, T. S., MacDonald, M., Ptashnyk, M., Sukhodub, T., Stanley-Wall, N. R., Holden, N., Daniell, T. J. & Dupuy, L. X., Oct 2022, In: ISME Journal. 16, p. 2337-2347 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
Phylogeny and potential virulence of cryptic clade Escherichia coli species complex isolates derived from an arable field trial
MacKenzie, K., Marshall, J., Wright, F., Gunn, G. & Holden, N., Jan 2022, In: Current Research in Microbial Sciences. 3, 100093.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile19 Downloads (Pure) -
Plant species‐dependent transmission of Escherichia coli O157: H7 from the spermosphere to cotyledons and first leaves
Wright, K. M., Wright, P. J. & Holden, N. J., Dec 2022, In: Environmental Microbiology Reports. 14, 6, p. 926-933 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
Functional Analysis of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Biofilm Components in Plant Leaves
Holden, N. J., Wright, K. M., Marshall, J. & Holmes, A., 12 Mar 2021, (First published) Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli. Schueller, S. & Bielaszewska, M. (eds.). New York: Springer Science & Business Media, Vol. 2291. p. 163-175 13 p. (Methods in Molecular Biology; vol. 2291).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus)
Activities
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Microbiology (Journal)
Nicola Holden (Editor)
2021 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial work
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Keynote on what plant pathology can teach us about human pathogens on plants
Nicola Holden (Speaker)
2018Activity: Talk, evidence or presentation types › Invited talk
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UK Plant Microbiome (External organisation)
Nicola Holden (Member)
2017 → 2021Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee
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EU COST Action (External organisation)
Nicola Holden (Member)
Apr 2016 → Sep 2021Activity: Membership types › Membership of network
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Microbiology Society (External organisation)
Nicola Holden (Member)
2016 → 2021Activity: Membership types › Membership of committee
Equipment
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Microbiology laboratory (Containment Level 2)
Nicola Holden (Manager)
New North Agri Cost CentreFacility/equipment: Facility