Halina Vaughan

Dr. Halina Vaughan is a Lecturer in Environmental Microbiology at the School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, UK, with research focusing on environmental microbial communities and their biotechnological applications.

Her academic qualifications include:

• PhD in Microbiology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (supervised by Prof. Mike Wallis and Prof. Mark Laing), focusing on a novel forced upflow bioreactor for landfill leachate treatment.
• BSc (Hons) in Applied and Environmental Microbiology (2001)
• BSc in Microbiology and Zoology (1998-2000)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (2009-2010)

Her research spans environmental microbiology, molecular ecology, and antimicrobial resistance. She isolates and characterizes microorganisms from natural and anthropogenic environments for industrial uses, particularly biosurfactant and antimicrobial compound producers. She also investigates antibiotics as pollutants and antibiotic resistance development in non-clinical settings, alongside bioreactor design for wastewater treatment.

Her recent work on biosurfactant production by actinobacteria exemplifies her focus on microbial applications in environmental biotechnology and pollution control.

Dr. Vaughan is an active member of the Microbiology Research Group, Centre for Conservation and Restoration Science, and Centre for Biomedicine and Global Health at Edinburgh Napier University.