Dr Kata Farkas
Environmental Virologist
Contact info
Environment Centre Wales
School of Natural Sciences
Bangor University
Bangor LL57 2UW, UK
Phone: +44 (0) 1248 382615
Email: k.farkas@bangor.ac.uk
I competed my PhD in microbiology at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand in 2014. My research focused on the fate and behaviour of enteric viruses in groundwater. After finishing my studies, I was involved in various project that uses viral metagenomics approaches to identify viruses (both known and novel) in various ecosystems. Since 2015, I have been working at the Bangor University, on the Viraqua Project (www.viraqua.uk; 2015-2018) and at the Shellfish Centre (2019-onward).
My research focuses on the ecology and survival of viruses in the aquatic environment with a special interest in the fate of enteric viruses. Enteric viruses are responsible for the majority of gastroenteral illnesses globally putting an enormous burden on healthcare systems and the wider economy. These pathogens are often found in water reservoirs (recreational and drinking water sources, shellfish harvesting areas) and hence responsible for water- and foodborne outbreaks. I design and validate methods for the recovery of enteric viruses in the aquatic environment in order to quantify infectious viruses, understand viral ecology, describe novel and emerging strains and model viral transport in the environment.
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Emerging technologies for the rapid detection of enteric viruses in the aquatic environment
Farkas, K., Mannion, F., Hillary, L., Malham, S. & Walker, D., Aug 2020, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. 16, p. 1-6Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Concentration and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater using polyethylene glycol-based concentration and qRT-PCR
Farkas, K., Hillary, L., Thorpe, J., Walker, D., Lowther, J. A., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 23 Feb 2021, In: Methods and Protocols. 4, 1, 10 p., 17.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Evaluation of Two Triplex One-Step qRT-PCR Assays for the Quantification of Human Enteric Viruses in Environmental Samples
Farkas, K., Peters, D. E., McDonald, J., de Rougemont, A., Malham, S. & Jones, D., Sept 2017, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 9, 3, p. 342-349Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Diurnal changes in pathogenic and indicator virus concentrations in wastewater
Farkas, K., Pântea, I., Woodhall, N., Williams, D., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Williams, R. C., Grimsley, J. M. S., Singer, A. C. & Jones, D. L., Dec 2023, In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 30, 59, p. 123785-123795 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Near-source passive sampling for monitoring viral outbreaks within a university residential setting
Farkas, K., Kevill, J. L., Adwan, L., Garcia-Delgado, A., Dzay, R., Grimsley, J. M. S., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Wade, M. J., Williams, R. C., Martin, J., Drakesmith, M., Song, J., McClure, V. & Jones, D. L., 8 Feb 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Epidemiology and Infection. 152, p. e31Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Size exclusion-based purification and PCR-based quantitation of MS2 bacteriophage particles for environmental applications
Farkas, K., Varsani, A., Marjoshi, D., Easingwood, R., McGill, E. & Pang, L., 1 Mar 2015, In: Journal of Virological Methods. p. 135-138Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Wastewater-based monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 at UK airports and its potential role in international public health surveillance
Farkas, K., Williams, R., Alex-Sanders, N., Grimsley, J. M. S., Pântea, I., Wade, M. J., Woodhall, N. & Jones, D. L., 19 Jan 2023, In: PLOS global public health. 3, 1, e0001346.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Wastewater and public health: the potential of wastewater surveillance for monitoring COVID-19
Farkas, K., Hillary, L., Malham, S., McDonald, J. & Jones, D. L., Oct 2020, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. 17, p. 14-20 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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A Gel Filtration-Based Method for the Purification of Infectious Rotavirus Particles for Environmental Research Applications
Farkas, K., Pang, L., Lin, S., Williamson, W., Easingwood, R., Fredericks, R., Jaffer, M. A. & Varsani, A., 1 Dec 2013, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 5, 4, p. 231-235Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Assessment of wastewater derived pollution using viral monitoring in two estuaries
Farkas, K., Mannion, F., Sorby, R., Winterbourn, B., Allender, S., Gregory, C. G. M., Holding, P., Thorpe, J. M., Malham, S. K. & Le Vay, L., 1 Mar 2024, In: Marine pollution bulletin. 200, 116081.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review