Dr Eulyn Pagaling

Research

Chair of the Specialist Advisory Group on Persistent Organic Pollutants (SEFARI), 2024-present.

Co-PI on JHI-B6-1 (RESAS): ‘Flows of antimicrobial resistance and pathogens through the environment to the food chain’ 2022-2027. I co-lead this project, which aims to quantify the flow of antimicrobial resistance genes and pathogens from the environment to the food chain and directly to humans in the farm environment. This will be integrated with social science work to understand the perceptions farmers have of the link between antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance. Both quantitative and qualitative data will be used to develop a risk assessment model based on the source-pathway-receptor principle.

Hutton PI on MRI-A2-2 (RESAS): ‘Role of transmission and pathogen components in virulence and disease pathogenesis for important endemic diseases of livestock in Scotland’ 2022-2027. I am Hutton lead on a project investigating the environmental prevalence of Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (Map) (the causative agent for Johne’s Disease in livestock). The project will investigate the drivers of Map transmission, transmission routes from the environment to healthy livestock and the effectiveness of control programs to mitigate the spread of Johne’s Disease.

WP lead on JHI-D2-1 (RESAS): ‘Emerging water futures’ 2022-2027. I lead the work package on increasing the resilience and quality of private drinking water supplies. This project will combine qualitative social sciences methods with risk mapping, feasibility assessments and somatic coliphage test development to build an interdisciplinary understanding of the risks, impacts and responses that arise from growing uncertainty and variability in rural drinking water supplies.

Co-I on ‘MOT4Rivers’ (NERC), 2022-2026. I am the Hutton lead on the eDNA approaches to measuring water quality. £2m water quality project to protect river ecosystems | About | University of Stirling

Co-I on ‘BEYOND the current: Improving European flowing waters in an era of global change’ (EU), 2024-2028.

PI on ‘Testing eDNA metabarcoding as a technique for Tracking sediment condition’ (Natural England), 2024-2025.

PI on ‘A framework for assessing confidence in metabarcoding assays and results’ (Natural England), 2024-2025.

PhD studentship (BBSRC EASTBIO): ‘Effect of nematode and Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infections on the ovine intestinal microbiome.’ Primary supervisor, collaboration with the University of Edinburgh and Moredun Research Institute, 2021-2025.

PhD studentship (Darwin Trust): ‘Evaluation of the effect of antibiotic exposure on development, acquisition and transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in soil microcosms: an attempt to define causality.’ Co-supervisor, collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, 2020-2024.

PhD studentship (Hydro Nation): ‘Engineering microbial communities to remove pharmaceutical waste from wastewater and waterways.’ Co-supervisor, collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, 2019-2024.

Past research

PI on Natural England project ‘Review of biases in metabarcoding primers for DNA analysis’ 2023-2024.

PI on Natural England project ‘Testing the validity of using eDNA for carbon origin analysis from sediment cores’ 2023-2024.

Co-I on CREW project ‘Emerging contaminants: Informing Scotland’s strategic monitoring and policy approaches on substances of increasing concern’ 2023-2024

DEFRA: ‘Environmental exposures to human pathogens’ 2022-2023.

Studentships

BBSRC EASTBIO: Resolving the conflict between demands on organic wastes in rural Ethiopia: optimum solutions for food, energy and water security, 2016-2021. (Co-supervisor, collaboration with the University of Aberdeen. This project involved investigating AMR gene removal from organic wastes using anaerobic digesters).

PhD studentship (MRC DTP in Precision Medicine): ‘Antimicrobial resistance gene persistence in wastewater treatment systems, the natural environment and patient samples.’ Co-supervisor, collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, 2018-2023.

PhD studentship (Macaulay Development Trust): ‘Determining the spatial and temporal distribution of macro- and micro-plastics in soil and their impact on soil function.’ Primary supervisor, collaboration with Robert Gordon University, 2019-2024.

Publications

Journals

• Chongo Mzyece, C.; Glendell, M.; Gagkas, Z.; Quilliam, R.S.; Jones, I.; Pagaling, E.; Akoumianaki, I.; Newman, C.; Oliver, D.M. (2024) Eliciting expert judgements to underpin our understanding of faecal indicator organism loss from septic tank systems, Science of the Total Environment, 921, Art. 171074
• Pagaling, E.; Hough, R.; Avery, L.; Robinson, L.; Freitag, T.; Coull, M.; Zhou, X.; Su, J.; Peshkur, T.; Zhu, Y.; Graham, D.W.; Knapp, C.W. (2023) Antibiotic resistance patterns in soils across the Scottish landscape, Communications Earth & Environment, 4, Art. 403
• Ramage, S.; Pagaling, E.; Haghi, R.; Dawson, L.; Yates, K.; Prabhu, R.; Hillier, S.; Devalla, S. (2022) Rapid extraction of high- and low-density microplastics from soil using high-gradient magnetic separation, Science of the Total Environment, 831, Art. 154912
• Gunnarsdottir, M.J.; Gardarsson, S.M.; Figueras, M.J.; Puigdomènech, C.; Juárez, R.; Saucedo, G.; Arnedo, M.J.; Santos, R.; Monteiro, S.; Avery, L.M.; Pagaling, E.; Allan, R.; Abel, C.; Eglitis, J.; Hambsch, B.; Hügler, M.; Rajkovic, A.; Smigic, N.; Udovicki, B.; Albrechtsen, H.; López-Avilés, A.; Hunter, P. (2020) Water safety plan enhancements with improved drinking water quality detection techniques., Science of the Total Environment, 698, Article No. 134185.
• Free, A.; McDonald, M.A.; Pagaling, E. (2018) Chapter 4 – Diversity-function relationships in natural, applied and engineered microbial ecosystems., Advances in Applied Microbiology, 105, 131-189.
• Yan, T.; O’Brien, P.; Shelton, J.M.; Whelen, A.C.; Pagaling, E. (2018) Municipal wastewater as a microbial surveillance platform for enteric diseases: a case study for salmonella and salmonellosis., Environmental Science and Technology, 52, 4869-4877.
• Pagaling, E.; Vassileva, K.; Mills, C.G.; Bush, T.; Blythe, R.A.; Schwarz-Linek, J.; Strathdee, F.; Allen, R.J.; Free, A. (2017) Assembly of microbial communities in replicate nutrient-cycling model ecosystems follows divergent trajectories, leading to alternate stable states., Environmental Microbiology, 19, 3374-3386.
• Pagaling, E.; Gatica, J.; Yang, K.; Cytryn, E.; Yan, T. (2016) Phylogenetic diversity of ceftriaxone resistance and the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase genes in the culturable soil resistome., Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 6, 128-135.

Prior to appointment

• Gatica, J.; Yang, K.; Pagaling, E.; Jurkevitch, E.; Yan, T; Cytryn, E. (2015) Resistance of undisturbed soil microbiomes to Ceftriaxone indicates extended spectrum beta-lactamase activity., Frontiers in Microbiology, 6, Article No. 1233.
• Kim, L.; Pagaling, E.; Zuo, Y.Y.; Yan, T. (2014) Impact of substratum surface on microbial community structure and treatment performance in biological aerated filters., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 80, 177-183.
• Yang, K.; Pagaling E.; Yan, T. (2014) Estimating the prevalence of potential enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and intimin gene diversity in bacterial communities by monitoring sanitary sewage., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 80, 119-127.
• Lopez, R.J.; Higgins, S.R.; Pagaling, E.; Yan T.; Cooney, M.J. (2014) High rate anaerobic digestion of wastewater separated from grease trap waste., Renewable Energy, 62, 234-242.
• Pagaling, E.; Strathdee, F.; Spears, B.M.; Cates, M.E.; Allen R.J.; Free, A. (2014) Community history affects the predictability of microbial ecosystem development., The ISME Journal, 8, 19-30.
• Pagaling, E.; Yang, K.; Yan, T. (2014) Pyrosequencing reveals correlations between extremely acidophilic bacterial communities with hydrogen sulphide concentrations, pH and inert polymer coatings at concrete sewer crown surfaces., Journal of Applied Microbiology, 117, 50-64.
• Higgins, S.R.; Lopez, R.J.; Pagaling, E.; Yan T.; Cooney, M.J. (2013) Towards a hybrid anaerobic digester-microbial fuel cell integrated energy recovery system: an overview of the development of an electrogenic biofilm., Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 52, 344-351.
• Cui, H.; Yang, K.; Pagaling E.; Yan, T. (2013) Spatial and temporal variation in enterococcal abundance and its relationship to the microbial community in Hawai’i beach sand and water., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 79, 3601-3609.
• Pagaling, E.; Grant, W.D.; Cowan, D.A.; Jones, B.E.; Ma, Y.; Ventosa, A.; Heaphy, S. (2012) Bacterial and archaeal diversity in two hot spring microbial mats from the geothermal region of Tengchong, China., Extremophiles, 16, 607-618.
• Grant, W.D.; Pagaling, E.; Márquez, M.C.; Gutiérrez, M.C.; Cowan, D.A.; Ma, Y.; Jones, B.E.; Ventosa, A.; Heaphy S. (2011) The hypersaline lakes of Inner Mongolia – The MGAtech Project., In: Ventosa, A., Oren, A. & Ma, Y. Halophiles and Hypersaline Environments: Current Research and Future Trends. Springer, Heildelberg, pp65-107.
• Tota-Maharaj, K.; Scholz, M.; Ahmed, T.; French C.; Pagaling, E. (2010) The synergy of permeable pavements and geothermal heat pumps for stormwater treatment reuse., Environmental Technology, 31, 1517-1531.
• Pagaling, E.; Wang, H.; Venables, M.; Wallace, A.; Grant, W.D.; Cowan, D.A.; Jones, B.E.; Ma, Y.; Ventosa, A.; Heaphy, S. (2009) Microbial biogeography of six salt lakes in Inner Mongolia, China and a salt lake in Argentina., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 75, 5750-5760
• Fedorovich, V.; Knighton, M.C.; Pagaling, E.; Ward, F.B.; Free A.; Goryanin, I. (2009) Novel electrochemically active bacterium phylogenetically related to Arcobacter butzleri, isolated from a microbial fuel cell., Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 75, 7326-7334.
• Gutiérrez, M.C.; Castillo, A.M.; Pagaling, E.; Heaphy, S.; Kamekura, M.; Xue, Y.; Ma, Y.; Cowan, D.A.; Jones, B E.; Grant W.D.; Ventosa, A. (2008) Halorubrum kocurii sp. nov., an Archaeon isolated from a saline lake., International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 58, 2031-2035
• Pagaling, E.; Haigh, R.D.; Grant, W.D.; Cowan, D.A.; Jones, B.E.; Ma, Y.; Ventosa, A.; Heaphy, S. (2007) Sequence analysis of an Archaeal virus isolated from a hypersaline lake in Inner Mongolia, China., BMC Genomics, 8, Article No. 410.

Technical / contract reports

• Avery, L.; Ceniccola-Campos, K.; Mayer, C.; Chewaka, W.; Zhang, Z.; Sprick, S.; Pagaling, E. (2025) Review of psychoactive substances wastewater monitoring approaches and recommendations for the feasibility of applying different approaches in Scotland, CREW website
• Pagaling, E.; Buswell, V.; Cooper, A.; Hedley, P.; Cock, P.; Robinson, L.; Morris, J. (2024) Testing the validity of using eDNA for carbon origin analysis from sediment cores, Natural England website
• Pagaling, E.; Cooper, A.; Cock, P.; Freitag, T.; Avery, L. (2024) Review of biases in metabarcoding primers for DNA analysis, Natural England catalogue
• Helwig, K.; Cooper, A.; Pagaling, E.; Henderson, F.; Avery, L.; Roberts, J.; Mattar, S.; Devalla, S.; Hunter, C.; Frascaroli, G.; Pahl, O.; Escudero, A.; Shortall, O.; Zhang, Z.; Troldborg, M. (2024) Emerging Contaminants: Informing Scotland’s strategic monitoring and policy approaches on substances of increasing concern, CREW website
• Avery, L.; Cooper, A. L.; Shortall, O.; Pagaling, E.; Troldborg, M.; Hough, R. (2023) Environmental exposures to human pathogens, Environmental exposures to human pathogens.
  Chief Scientist’s Group report: Environmental Agency.
• Troldborg, M.; Pagaling, E.; Avery, L. (2023) Antimicrobial Resistance risk modelling , Report to RESAS under project: JHI-B6-1; Flows of Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and pathogens through environment to food chain (RESAS Theme B – Sustainable Food Systems and Supply). February 2023.
• Bridle, H.; Pagaling, E.; Avery, L. (2022) Technologies for Monitoring and Treatment of Antimicrobial Resistance in Water, CREW website
• Avery, L.; Bridle, H.; Pagaling, E. (2022) Antimicrobial resistance in Scotland’s waters, CREW website
• Pagaling, E.; Troldborg, M.; Zhang, Z. (2021) The Transport, Fate and Impact of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment in Scotland, SEFARI
• Helwig, K.; Aderemi, A.; Donnelly, D.; Gibb, S.; Gozdzielewska, L.; Harrower, J.; Helliwell, R.C.; Hunter, C.; Niemi, L.; Pagaling, E.; Price, L.; Roberts, J.; Zhang, Z. (2021) Pharmaceuticals in the water environment: baseline assessment and recommendations., Research Summary Report on CREW Website, 16 February 2021, 3pp.
• Akoumianaki, I.; Pagaling, E.; Coull, M.; Avery, L.; Potts, J. (2020) Review of monitoring techniques and sampling strategies to identify the most significant sources of faecal indicator organisms (FIO) within a catchment., CREW Report, CRW2018_14, 51pp.
• Akoumianaki, I.; Pagaling, E.; Coull, M.; Avery, L.; Potts, J. (2018) Review of monitoring techniques and sampling strategies to identify the most significant sources of faecal indicator organisms (FIO) within a catchment., Final Project Meeting, CREW Report2018_14.
• Helliwell, R.C.; Pagaling, E. (2018) Stockholm Wise List learning journey – pharmaceutical “waste” and carbon emissions., Contract Report, 22pp.
• Teagasc, IST, Pagaling, E.; Abel, C.; Avery, L.; Belgrade, University of Surrey, City Analysts Ltd, GPS, Desing, Fruit and Veggies (2018) Suitability of novel technologies for determining irrigation, processing and bottled water quality. Deliverable 12.3., Technical report for the European Commission CORDIS Project, Aquavalens, Cluster 3, WP12: Food production – Water used in Food Processing and Bottled Waters, Deliverable 12.3.
• Avery, L.; Pagling, E.; Wyness, A. (2017) Exploring water DNA: Our strategy for exploiting the National Waters Inventory for Scotland DNA archive., Report to Scottish Government, March 2017.
• López-Avilés, A.; Pedley, S.; Freire, M.; Monteiro, S.; Santos, R.; Pagling, E.; Abel, C.; Avery, L.; Allan, R.; Smigic, N.; Rajkovic, A.; Udovicki, B. (2017) Deliverable D11.7 Report of users’ perceptions and expectations of technologies for rapid microbial analysis., Report for Aquavalens Project, 31 August 2017, 55pp.
• Pagaling, E.; Avery, L. (2017) Review of approaches for microbial source tracking (MST) in waters., Report to RESAS RD 1.2.1
• Avery, L.; Pagaling, E.; Wyness, A. (2017) Exploring water DNA: Our strategy for exploiting the National Waters Inventory for Scotland DNA archive., Report for RESAS RD 1.2.1
• Puigdomènech, C.; Juárez, R.; Baquero, D.; Pla, A.; Saucedo, G.; Arnedo, M.J.; Hügler, M.; Hambsch, B.; Pitchers, R.; Eglitis, J.; Avery, L.; Pagaling, E.; Abel, C.; Allan, R.; Lindhardt, B.; Christiansen, M.P.; Albrechtsen, H.J.; Wagner, F.; Jensen, M.M.; Blanco, A.; Fuentes, C.; Bosch, A.; Appels, J.; Mühlhahn, P.; Beimfohr, C.; Martínez-Murcia, A.; Navarro, A. (2017) Deliverable D10.4: Report on the results of the analysis in the distribution network., Technical Report for the European Commission CORDIS Project, Aquavalens, Cluster 3, WP10: Large systems – Pathogen Detection in Large Scale Water Supplies across Europe, Deliverable D10.4.
• Lopez-Aviles, A.; Pedley, S.; Monteiro, S.; Santos, R.; Pagaling, E.; Abel, C.; Avery, L.; Allan, R.; Smigic, N.; Rajkovic, A.; Udovicki, B. (2017) Report accompanying Deliverable 11.6. Database of microbiological results, sanitary survey, health and environmental data for analysis., Technical Report for the European Commission CORDIS Project, Aquavalens, Cluster 3, WP11: Small Systems: Pathogen Detection in Small Water Supplies across Europe, Deliverable 11.6., 57pp.
• Puigdomenech, C.; Juarez, R.; Baquero, D.; Pla, A.; Saucedo, G.; Arnedo, M.J.; Hügler, M.; Stange, C.; Hambsch, B.; Pitchers, R.; Gonzalez Fontan, L.; Eglitis, J.; Avery, L.; Pagaling, E.; Abel, C.; Allan, R.; Lindhardt, B.; Christiansen, M.P.; Albrechtsen, H.-J.; Wagner, F.B.; Lee, C.O.; Jensen, M.M.; Blanco, A.; Fuentes, C.; Bosch, A.; Appels, J.; Mühlhahn, P.; Martínez-Murcia, A.; Navarro, A. (2017) Aquavalens Project – Report on the results of the analysis in the DWTP: Deliverable D10.3., Technical report for the European Commission CORDIS project, Aquavalens, Cluster 3, WP10: Large systems – Pathogen detection in large scale water supplies across Europe, Deliverable D10.3.
• Avery, L.M.; Pagaling, E.; Abel, C.; Allan, R.; Saucedo, G.; Arnedo, M.J.; Puigdomènech, C.; Juárez, R.; Baquero, D.; Pla, A.; Albrechtsen, H-J.; Lee, C.O.; Jensen, M.M.; Hambsch, B.; Hügler, M.; Eglitis, J.; Pitchers, R. (2017) Report on the evaluation of data in comparison to “classical” data. Deliverable 10.5., Technical Report for the European Commission CORDIS project, Aquavalens, Cluster 3, WP10: Large systems – Pathogen detection in large scale water supplies across Europe, Deliverable D10.5.

Conference posters / abstracts

• Mzyece, C.; Glendell, M.; Quilliam, R.; Jones, I.; Pagaling, E.; Avery, L.; Oliver, D. (2023) Expert elicitation for parameterisation of a Bayesian Network model designed to simulate Faecal Indicator Organism (FIO) losses from septic tank systems in rural catchments, EGU General Assembly 2023, 23-28 April 2023, Vienna, Austria, EGU23-7414
• Pagaling, E.; Akoumianaki, I. (2021) Water quality monitoring and faecal indicator organisms (FIO): techniques, technologies and monitoring programme., Rapid Methods Europe 13th Conference, 1-3 February 2021. (Online)
• Knapp, C.; Peshkur, T.; Graham, D.W.; McCann, C.; Cooke, R.; Hough, R.L.; Pagaling, E.; Avery, L.; Freitag, T.; Zhu, T.-G.; Su , J.Q. (2018) Antimicrobial resistance: soil-landscape conditions across NE England and Scotland., The Scottish Universities Life Science Alliance (SULSA) Antimicrobial Resistance Conference, Technology and Innovation Centre, Glasgow, 26-27 April 2018. (Poster)
• Pagaling, E.; Palmer, J.; Avery, L. (2018) The distribution of AMR genes in freshwater in Scotland., The Scottish Universities Life Science Alliance (SULSA) Antimicrobial Resistance Conference, Technology and Innovation Centre, Glasgow, 26-27 April 2018. (Poster)
• Burgess, C.M.; Machado-Moreira, B.; O’Malley, R.; Richards, K.; Santos, R.; Nunes-Monteiro, S.; Rajkovic, A.; Smigic, N.; Avery, L.; Pagaling, E.; Pedley, S.; Lopez-Aviles, A.; Byrne, M.; Martinez-Murcia, A. (2017) Trans-European study on the implementation of novel water testing methodologies to assess the safety of irrigation water., Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) Conference, Valencia, Spain, 9-13 July 2017, PV 04, 200. (Poster)
• Burgess, C.M.; Machado-Moreira, B.; O’Malley, R.; Richards, K.; Santos, R.; Nunes-Monteiro, S.; Rajkovic, A.; Smigic, N.; Avery, L.; Pagaling, E.; Pedley, S.; Lopez-Aviles, A.; Byrne, M.; Martinez-Murcia, A. (2017) Trans-European study on the implementation of novel water testing methodologies to assess the safety of irrigation water., Society for Applied Microbiology (SFAM) Summer Conference 2017, New Insights into Food Safety, Gateshead, UK, 3-6 July 2017. (Poster)
• Pagaling, E.; Gatica, J.; Yang, K.; Cytryn, E.; Yan, T. (2017) The phylogenetic diversity of ceftriaxone-resistant isolates in soil, diversity of their ESBL genes, and their capacity for multi-drug resistance., Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) Conference, Valencia, Spain, 9-13 July 2017, PV 15. (Poster and abstract)