Dr Angela Sherry

Associate Professor

School: Geography and Natural Sciences

Angie Sherry

Email Angela

Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

I am an Environmental Molecular Microbiologist interested in the function and community composition of microbes in the environment. I have a diverse research portfolio focused on projects related to the biodegradation of oil, methane oxidation, geothermal energy, and the effects of pesticide use on microbes in agricultural soils. I have tested novel biotechnologies for their ability to deliver nutrients to oil spills to increase bioremediation rates. My research aims to mechanistically understand the role of microbes in geochemical processes and the impacts that environmental change or engineering interventions have had or will have. I enjoy working on collaborative ventures with both industry and academia with interdisciplinary teams, which has led to successful publications in e.g. Environmental Microbiology, Frontiers in Microbiology and Nature. My current research interests include microbe:textile biohybrids, built environment microbiomes, carbonate precipitation in microbial mats and engineered soils, aerobic methane oxidation in marine sediments, oil bioremediation and/or carbon sequestration using waste mineral amendments and microbially-influenced oil field issues. I am an Associate Professor in Microbial Environments, affiliated with the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE), School of Geography & Natural Sciences, Northumbria University.
Environmental Microbiology
Anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation
Aerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation
Petroleum microbiology
Oil spill bioremediation
Methane cycling (methanogenesis and methanotrophy)
Carbonate precipitation in hypersaline microbial mats
Carbonate precipitation in soils
Response of soil microbial communities to pesticides
Use of wastes for soil hydrocarbon bioremediation and CO2 sequestration
Built environment microbiomes (air and surface communities)
Microbe:Material interactions and biohybrids

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Convergent anti-MRSA potency across compositionally distinct essential oils: a chemotype similarity index for strain-dependent chemistry-activity analysis., Bhat, A., Sherry, A. 3 Jul 2026
Probiotic use in Fabric Care products – Assessing the current landscape and evaluating areas for development, Pearman, R., Lant, N., Latimer, K., Momin, N., Sherry, A. 1 Aug 2026, In: Journal of Applied Microbiology
Effects of Produced Water Re- Injection (PWRI) on Reservoir Souring and Microbial Community Dynamics, Sindi, M., Zhu, X., Sherry, A., Gray, N., Christgen, B., Head, I. 20 Oct 2025, Microbiological Challenges in the Energy Industries, Boca Raton, CRC Press
Environmentally Conscious Hydrophobic Spray Coatings on Bacterial Cellulose for Sustainable and Reusable Textiles, Gilmour, K., Dell’Agnese, B., Bonney, G., Unthank, M., White, N., Scott, J., Sherry, A., James, P., Jiang, Y., Dade-Robertson, M., Zhang, M. 10 Jul 2025, In: Journal of Cleaner Production
Interactions of the anaerobic soil microbiome with crop protection products under laboratory and field conditions., Olley, L., Flynn, S., Higham, L., France, E., Hand, L., Sherry, A. 3 Apr 2025, Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2025
The role of the soil microbiome in carbon sequestration in soils amended with mineral wastes, Marron, S., Stott, K., Prendergast-Miller, M., Goddard, M., Sherry, A. 3 Apr 2025, Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2025
Assessment of the interactions of the soil microbiome with crop protection products under laboratory and field conditions., Olley, L., Flynn, S., Higham, L., France, E., Hand, L., Sherry, A. 19 Sep 2024, Syngenta Biological Sciences & Product Safety External Collaboration Event
Biogenic Construction, Gilmour, K., Haystead, J., Karimian, A., Moreland, P., Wang, J., Arnandottin, T., Christgen, B., Rodrigues Corral, J., Guyet, A., Zhang, M., Wipat, A., Mitrani, H., Dade-Robertson, M., Sharma Ghimire, P., Wright, J., James, P., Mwebaza, D., Theodoridoua, M., Bruno, A., Bridgens, B., Sherry, A., Ozkan, D., Agraviador, A., Perry, O., Bagga, M., Alex, A., Hamley-Bennett, C., Justo-Reinoso, I., Gebhard, S., Paine, K., Masoero, E., Ofiteru, I., Wang, C., Eiriksdottir, S., Savas, E., Jones, E., De Nardi, C., Harbottle , M., Reitzer, P., New, R., Bryan, S., Mol, L., Campbell, O., Gilbert, O., Gudnadottir, B., Cuzman, O., Peritto, B. 20 Mar 2024
Effect of (in)organic additives on microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation, Haystead, J., Gilmour, K., Sherry, A., Dade-Robertson, M., Zhang, M. 1 Jan 2024, In: Journal of Applied Microbiology

Professional Activity

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Invited talk: The role of the soil microbiome in carbonate precipitation and soil health. 2026
Oral presentation: BACELL 2026: Understanding Bacillus spore interactions with textiles. 2026
Oral presentation: Molecular Microbial Ecology Group (MMEG) 2025. Interactions of the anaerobic soil microbiome with crop protection products under laboratory and field conditions. 2025
Oral presentation: Reconstructing soils using demolition byproducts to enhance carbon capture function following conflict. 2025
Oral presentation: Biogenic mineral precipitation and self-healing in lime-based mortars: showcasing its potential through the Healing Masonry prototype. 2025
Oral presentation: Fabriotic: Biotic textiles as an enabler of improved circularity. 2025
Oral presentation: Understanding Bacillus spore deposition on textiles (11th European Spores Conference) 2025
Oral presentation: Understanding Bacillus spore interactions with textiles (Microbiology Society 2025) 2025
Consultancy: Improving soil health in the UK: why a microbial approach is indispensable in attaining sustainable soils. 2024
Publication Peer-review: Environmental Microbiome (Journal) 2024

PGR Supervision

Samuel Marron The role of the soil microbiome in carbon sequestration and capture in soils amended with mineral wastes Start Date: 24/04/2025 End Date: 17/10/2025
Rebecca Pearman Understanding Bacillus spore interactions on textiles for innovative cleaning technologies Start Date: 24/04/2025 End Date: 17/10/2025
Lauren Olley Assessment of the interactions of the anaerobic soil microbiome with crop protection products under laboratory and field conditions. Start Date: 24/04/2025 End Date: 17/10/2025
Samuel Marron The role of the soil microbiome in carbon sequestration and capture in soils amended with mineral wastes Start Date: 24/04/2025
Lauren Olley Assessment of the interactions of the anaerobic soil microbiome with crop protection products under laboratory and field conditions. Start Date: 24/04/2025
Rebecca Pearman Understanding Bacillus spore interactions on textiles for innovative cleaning technologies Start Date: 24/04/2025

Qualifications

Microbiology PhD February 01 2005
Microbiology BSc (Hons) June 01 2000

Links

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Sediment cooling triggers germination and sulfate reduction by heat-resistant thermophilic spore-forming bacteria, Bell, E., Sherry, A., Pilloni, G., Suárez-Suárez, A., Cramm, M., Cueto, G., Head, I., Hubert, C. 2 Jan 2020, In: Environmental Microbiology
Beyond N and P, Mejeha, O., Head, I., Sherry, A., McCann, C., Leary, P., Jones, D., Gray, N. Dec 2019, In: Chemosphere
Combining electrokinetic transport and bioremediation for enhanced removal of crude oil from contaminated marine sediments, Cappello, S., Cruz Viggi, C., Yakimov, M., Rossetti, S., Matturro, B., Molina, L., Segura, A., Marqués, S., Yuste, L., Sevilla, E., Rojo, F., Sherry, A., Mejeha, O., Head, I., Malmquist, L., Christensen, J., Kalogerakis, N., Aulenta, F. 15 Jun 2019, In: Water Research
Anode potential selection for sulfide removal in contaminated marine sediments, Daghio, M., Vaiopoulou, E., Aulenta, F., Sherry, A., Head, I., Franzetti, A., Rabaey, K. 15 Oct 2018, In: Journal of Hazardous Materials
Distribution of thermophilic endospores in a temperate estuary indicate that dispersal history structures sediment microbial communities, Bell, E., Blake, L., Sherry, A., Head, I., Hubert, C. 1 Mar 2018, In: Environmental Microbiology
A new model for the formation of microbial polygons in a coastal sabkha setting., Lokier, S., Andrade, L., Court, W., Dutton, K., Head, I., van der Land, C., Paul, A., Sherry, A. 1 Dec 2017, In: The Depositional Record
Bridging spatially segregated redox zones with a microbial electrochemical snorkel triggers biogeochemical cycles in oil-contaminated River Tyne (UK) sediments, Viggi, C., Matturro, B., Frascadore, E., Insogna, S., Mezzi, A., Kaciulis, S., Sherry, A., Mejeha, O., Head, I., Vaiopoulou, E., Rabaey, K., Rossetti, S., Aulenta, F. 15 Dec 2017, In: Water Research
Electrobioremediation of oil spills, Daghio, M., Aulenta, F., Vaiopoulou, E., Franzetti, A., Arends, J., Sherry, A., Suárez-Suárez, A., Head, I., Bestetti, G., Rabaey, K. 1 May 2017, In: Water Research
How to access and exploit natural resources sustainably, Sherry, A., Andrade, L., Velenturf, A., Christgen, B., Gray, N., Head, I. 1 Sep 2017, In: Microbial Biotechnology