Areas of expertise
- Applied Informatics
- Environment and Health
- Monitoring and Environmental Informatics
- Water Science and Engineering
Background
Dr Francis Hassard is a Senior Lecturer in Public Health Microbiology at Cranfield Water Science Institute and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. He provides technical leadership in drinking water microbiology.
Dr Hassard is Visiting Lecturer at the University of South Africa.
Former visiting researcher at De Montfort University.
Francis has a distinct research agenda into the following topics:
Biofiltration for sustainable potable water production
Flow cytometry and analysis of water pathogens
Emerging pathogens and public health surveillance
Micropollutants treatment: including PFAS, microplastics, pesticides and taste / odour compounds
Wastewater biofilm reactors
His postdoctoral research focused on the study of biogeochemical determinants of water quality and nutrient dynamics taking whole catchment approaches. Francis' PhD research focused on biofilm reactors for wastewater treatment and the study of hazardous micro-pollutants. His first degree was in Marine Biology at the University of Southampton, where he also achieved a distinction in a Masters on the same topic. Before joining Cranfield, Francis worked at Bangor University as a Research Associate and Atkins Global as a technical specialist in water quality and environmental modelling.
Research opportunities
I am currently recruiting for doctoral research students in the general area of water microbiology.
Self funded PhD students should contact directly for discussion of opportunities.
Research students:
PhD candidates (3-4 years)
MSc by Research (12 months research project)
Visiting research students/placements/internships (no less than three months, ideally 6 months or more)
Current activities
Research Themes
Francis' research seeks to develop areas including:
Enumeration of emerging pathogens.
Wastewater-based epidemiology / surveillance
Biological treatment of micropollutants
Next generation biofiltration systems for water treatment
Other responsibilities:
Francis is Academic Lead and Point of Contact for the National Research Facility in Water and Wastewater Treatment.
He leads a working group on Water Biofilms as part of the UKRI BBSRC EBNet.
Member of Midlands Innovation Flow Cytometry Committee
Editorial roles:
Associate Editor - Sustainable Microbiology https://academic.oup.com/sumbio
Associate Editor (Guest) - Frontiers in Microbiology https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/39745/fundamental-and-practical-advances-in-bioremediation-of-emerging-pollutants-as-add-on-treatments-for-polluted-waters
Regular Peer-Reviewer for:
Scientific Reports
Science of the Total Environment
Environment International
Water Research
Academic profiles:
SCOPUS - https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56181497500
WoS - https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/GSE-1754-2022
ORCID - https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4803-6523
Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=CpGNVvgAAAAJ&hl=en
Mass Media:
Guardian Skip the dip? Swimming in the sea increases risk of illness, analysis suggests - https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/feb/27/skip-the-dip-swimming-in-the-sea-increases-risk-of-illness-analysis-suggests
New Scientist Sewage surveillance spots new covid-19 variants as effectively as PCRs - https://www.newscientist.com/article/2329168-sewage-surveillance-spots-new-covid-19-variants-as-effectively-as-pcrs/
Reuters World News Sewage testing could protect schools, hospitals from COVID-19 outbreakshttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-sewage-buildings-idUSKBN27T1DF
Television and Radio Appearances:
BBC Horizon - Honest Supermarket https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0006p3j
Channel 5 - Secrets of Your Supermarket Food 25th November 2022
BBC Look East - Finding Covid outbreaks in our sh** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb6Vy3fEh_M
BBC World Service / BBC Radio 4 - Inside Health, Secrets of sewage science 04/10/2022 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001cpcf
BBC Radio 4 - Troubled Water https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001k0dq
BBC 1 - Good Morning Live - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001wlcl/morning-live-series-5-23022024
Channel 4 - Joe Lycett vs Sewage - https://www.channel4.com/programmes/joe-lycett-vs-sewage
Social Media:
https://mobile.twitter.com/frankiehass
https://www.linkedin.com/in/francis-hassard/
Completed projects for Regulators, UK Research Councils and Industry:
In excess of £4.5 million
Clients
Natural Environmental Research Council, Severn Trent Water, UK Water Industry Research, Thames Water, Defra Drinking Water Inspectorate, Royal Academy of Engineering, South-east Water, Northumbrian Water, Affinity Water, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK Health Security Agency.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Wang P, An G, Carra I, Hassard F, Campo Moreno P, .... (2025). Removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) by coagulation: influence of coagulant and dosing conditions. Separation and Purification Technology, 355
- Claveau L, Hudson N, Jeffrey PJ & Hassard F. (2025). Evaluating flow cytometric metrics for enhancing microbial monitoring in drinking water treatment processes. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 69
- Elemo T, Chipps M, Graham N, Turner A, Bretagne S, .... (2025). Evaluating the impact of underwater skimming on slow sand filter performance and operation. Water Research, 276
- Rocamora I, Wagland ST, Hassard F, Villa R, Peces M, .... (2025). Supplementation strategies to control propionic acid accumulation resulting from ammonia inhibition in dry anaerobic digestion: osmoprotectants, activated carbon and trace elements. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 13(2)
- Lea-Smith DJ, Hassard F, Coulon F, Partridge N, Horsfall L, .... (2025). Engineering biology applications for environmental solutions: potential and challenges. Nature Communications, 16(1)
- Elemo T, Chipps M, Graham N, Turner A, Jefferson B, .... (2025). Understanding the risk of enhanced particle penetration into slow sand filter beds when using underwater skimming techniques. Journal of Environmental Management, 386
- Jobling K, Quintela-Baluja M, Hassard F, Adamou P, Blackburn A, .... (2024). Comparison of gene targets and sampling regimes for SARS-CoV-2 quantification for wastewater epidemiology in UK prisons. Journal of Water and Health, 22(1)
- Claveau L, Hudson N, Jeffrey P & Hassard F. (2024). To gate or not to gate: revisiting drinking water microbial assessment through flow cytometry fingerprinting. Science of The Total Environment, 912
- Jago C, Robins P, Howlett E, Hassard F, Rajko-Nenow P, .... (2024). Trapping and bypassing of suspended particulate matter, particulate nutrients and faecal indicator organisms in the river-estuary transition zone of a shallow macrotidal estuary. Science of The Total Environment, 917
- Claveau L, Hudson N, Jarvis P, Jeffrey P & Hassard F. (2024). Microbial water quality investigation through flow cytometry fingerprinting: from source to tap. Sustainable Microbiology, 1(1)
- Jeffrey P, Smith H & Hassard F. (2024). Time to revise the terminology we use to regulate water management practices. Nature Water, 2(3)
- Exton B, Hassard F, Medina A & Grabowski RC. (2024). Undesirable river biofilms: The composition, environmental drivers, and occurrence of sewage fungus. Ecological Indicators, 161
- Folkes M, Castro-Gutierrez VM, Lundy L, Bajón Fernández Y, Soares A, .... (2024). Campus source to sink wastewater surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Current Research in Microbial Sciences, 6
- Hassard F, Curtis TP, Dotro GC, Golyshin P, Gutierrez T, .... (2024). Scaling-up engineering biology for enhanced environmental solutions. ACS Synthetic Biology, 13(6)
- Pickering L, Castro-Gutierrez V, Holden B, Haley J, Jarvis P, .... (2024). How bioaugmentation for pesticide removal influences the microbial community in biologically active sand filters. Chemosphere, 363
- Pickering L, Folkes M, Holden B, Jarvis P, Campo P, .... (2024). Biodegradation of (Aminomethyl)phosphonic acid (AMPA) by isolated microbial consortia extracted from biological filters at drinking water treatment plants. Current Research in Biotechnology, 8
- Colston RE, Nair A, Vale PCJ, Hassard F, Stephenson T, .... (2024). Nutrient removal and recovery from urine using bio-mineral formation processes. ACS Sustainable Resource Management, 1(9)
- Exton B, Hassard F, Medina A & Grabowski RC. (2024). Impact of carbon sources in airport de-icing compounds on the growth of Sphaerotilus natans. Frontiers in Microbiology, 15
- Elemo T, Chipps M, Graham N, Turner A, Jefferson B, .... (2024). Predicting the impact of underwater skimming on dissolved oxygen consumption in slow sand filters for potable water treatment. Science of The Total Environment, 954
- Hassard F, Pidou M & Jeffrey P. (2024). Editorial: Plugging the data gap to enhance standardization in monitoring combined sewer overflows. Water and Environment Journal, 38(4)
- Claveau L, Hudson N, Jeffrey PJ & Hassard F. (2024). Assessing microbial growth in drinking water using nucleic acid content and flow cytometry fingerprinting. iScience, 27(12)
- Hassard F & Castro-Gutierrez V. (2024). Editorial: Fundamental and practical advances in bioremediation of emerging pollutants as add-on treatments for polluted waters. Frontiers in Microbiology, 15
- Mudau FH, Hassard F, Motsa MM & De Kock L-A. (2023). Multifunctional heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes for ion and microbe removal in low-salinity water. Polymers, 15(4)
- Exton B, Hassard F, Medina-Vayá Á & Grabowski RC. (2023). Polybacterial shift in benthic river biofilms attributed to organic pollution – prospect of a new biosentinel?. Hydrology Research, 54(3)
- Rocamora I, Wagland ST, Hassard F, Villa R, Peces M, .... (2023). Inhibitory mechanisms on dry anaerobic digestion: Ammonia, hydrogen and propionic acid relationship. Waste Management, 161(April)
- Singh S, Keating C, Ijaz UZ & Hassard F. (2023). Molecular insights informing factors affecting low temperature anaerobic applications: diversity, collated core microbiomes and complexity stability relationships in LCFA-fed systems. Science of The Total Environment, 874(May)
- Hassard F, Vu M, Rahimzadeh S, Castro-Gutierrez V, Stanton I, .... (2023). Wastewater monitoring for detection of public health markers during the COVID-19 pandemic: near-source monitoring of schools in England over an academic year. PLOS ONE, 18(5)
- Hassard F, Singh S, Coulon F & Yang Z. (2023). Can wastewater monitoring protect public health in schools?. The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, 20(April)
- Hassard F, Bajón Fernández Y & Castro-Gutierrez V. (2023). Wastewater-based epidemiology for surveillance of infectious diseases in healthcare settings. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases, 36(4)
- Castro-Gutierrez VM, Pickering L, Cambronero-Heinrichs JC, Holden B, Haley J, .... (2022). Bioaugmentation of pilot-scale slow sand filters can achieve compliant levels for the micropollutant metaldehyde in a real water matrix. Water Research, 211(March)
- Tlhagale M, Liphadzi S, Bhagwan J, Naidoo V, Jonas K, .... (2022). Establishment of local wastewater-based surveillance programmes in response to the spread and infection of COVID-19 – case studies from South Africa, the Netherlands, Turkey and England. Journal of Water and Health, 20(2)
- Castro-Gutierrez VM, Hassard F & Moir JW. (2022). Probe-based qPCR assay enables the rapid and specific detection of bacterial degrading genes for the pesticide metaldehyde in soil. Journal of Microbiological Methods, 195(April)
- Castro-Gutierrez V, Hassard F, Vu M, Leitao R, Burczynska B, .... (2022). Monitoring occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in school populations: a wastewater-based approach. PLOS ONE, 17(6)
- Rocamora I, Wagland ST, Rivas Casado M, Hassard F, Villa R, .... (2022). Managing full-scale dry anaerobic digestion: semi-continuous and batch operation. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 10(4)
- Mudau F, Motsa M, Hassard F & De Kock L-A. (2022). Resin-loaded heterogeneous polyether sulfone ion exchange membranes for saline groundwater treatment. Membranes, 12(8)
- Hassard F, Elemo T, Chipps M, Turner A, Jefferson B, .... (2022). Underwater remote skimming of slow sand filters for sustainable water production. ACS ES&T Water, 2(9)
- Brenes-Guillén L, Vidaurre-Barahona D, Avilés-Vargas L, Castro-Gutierrez V, Gómez-Ramírez E, .... (2022). First insights into the prokaryotic community structure of Lake Cote, Costa Rica: influence on nutrient cycling. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13
- Castro-Gutierrez V, Fuller E, Garcillán-Barcia MP, Helgason T, Hassard F, .... (2022). Dissemination of metaldehyde catabolic pathways is driven by mobile genetic elements in Proteobacteria. Microbial Genomics, 8(10)
- Singh S, Pitchers R & Hassard F. (2022). Coliphages as viral indicators of sanitary significance for drinking water. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13(July)
- Tian J, Yan C, Garcia Alcega S, Hassard F, Tyrrel S, .... (2022). Detection and characterization of bioaerosol emissions from wastewater treatment plants: Challenges and opportunities. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13(November)
- Hassard F, Smith TR, Boehm AB, Nolan S, O'Mara O, .... (2022). Wastewater surveillance for rapid identification of infectious diseases in prisons. LANCET MICROBE, 3(8)
- Hassard F, Smith TR, Boehm AB, Nolan S, O'Mara O, .... (2022). Wastewater surveillance for rapid identification of infectious diseases in prisons. The Lancet Microbe, 3(8)
- Muleja AA, Mubiayi MP, Hassard F & Mamba BB. (2021). Titania containing natural clay doped with carbon nanotubes for enhanced natural photocatalytic discoloration of wastewater. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 23(4)
- Lundy L, Kassinos DF, Slobodnik J, Karaolia P, Cirka L, .... (2021). Making Waves: Collaboration in the time of SARS-CoV-2 - rapid development of an international co-operation and wastewater surveillance database to support public health decision-making. Water Research, 199(July)
- Budge S, Barnett M, Hutchings P, Parker A, Tyrrel SF, .... (2020). Risk factors and transmission pathways associated with infant Campylobacter spp. prevalence and malnutrition: A formative study in rural Ethiopia. PLOS ONE, 15(5)
- Rolph CA, Jefferson B, Brookes A, Hassard F & Villa R. (2020). Achieving drinking water compliance levels for metaldehyde with an acclimated sand bioreactor. Water Research, 184
- Cheswick R, Moore G, Nocker A, Hassard F, Jefferson B, .... (2020). Chlorine disinfection of drinking water assessed by flow cytometry: new insights. Environmental Technology & Innovation, 19
- Hassard F, Lundy L, Singer AC, Grimsley J & Di Cesare M. (2020). Innovation in wastewater near-source tracking for rapid identification of COVID-19 in schools [Comment]. The Lancet Microbe, 2(1)
- Zeb MA, Murtaza G, Hussain MA, Kubra KT, Muvhiiwa R, .... (2020). A comprehensive adsorption study of 1-Hydroxy-2-Naphthoic acid using cost effective engineered materials. Environmental Technology & Innovation, 19
- Hassard F, Biddle J, Cartmell E, Coulon F & Stephenson T. (2019). Biosolids recycling impact on biofilm extracellular enzyme activity and performance of hybrid rotating biological reactors. Science of The Total Environment, 706
- Rolph CA, Villa R, Jefferson B, Brookes A, Choya A, .... (2019). From full-scale biofilters to bioreactors: Engineering biological metaldehyde removal. Science of The Total Environment, 685
- Jarvis P, Autin O, Goslan EH & Hassard F. (2019). Application of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LED) to full-scale drinking-water disinfection. Water, 11(9)
- Wood M, Simmonds L, MacAdam J, Hassard F, Jarvis P, .... (2019). Role of filtration in managing the risk from Cryptosporidium in commercial swimming pools – a review. Journal of Water and Health, 17(3)
- Freeman D, Bajón Fernández Y, Wilson A, McKew BA, Whitby C, .... (2019). Nitrogen oxidation consortia dynamics influence the performance of full-scale rotating biological contactors. Environment International, 135
- Hassard F, Biddle J, Harnett R & Stephenson T. (2018). Microbial extracellular enzyme activity affects performance in a full-scale modified activated sludge process. Science of The Total Environment, 625
- Rolph CA, Jefferson B, Hassard F & Villa R. (2018). Metaldehyde removal from drinking water by adsorption onto filtration media: mechanisms and optimisation. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 4(10)
- Farrell C, Hassard F, Jefferson B, Léziart T, Nocker A, .... (2017). Turbidity composition and the relationship with microbial attachment and UV inactivation efficacy. Science of The Total Environment, 624
- Hassard F, Andrews A, Jones DL, Parsons L, Jones V, .... (2017). Physicochemical factors influence the abundance and culturability of human enteric pathogens and fecal indicator organisms in estuarine water and sediment. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8(OCT)
- Denman S, Doonan J, Ransom-Jones E, Broberg M, Plummer S, .... (2017). Microbiome and infectivity studies reveal complex polyspecies tree disease in Acute Ock Decline. The ISME Journal, 12(2)
- Hassard F, Sharp JH, Taft H, LeVay L, Harris JP, .... (2017). Critical Review on the Public Health Impact of Norovirus Contamination in Shellfish and the Environment: A UK Perspective. Food and Environmental Virology, 9(2)
- Farkas K, Hassard F, McDonald JE, Malham SK & Jones DL. (2017). Evaluation of Molecular Methods for the Detection and Quantification of Pathogen-Derived Nucleic Acids in Sediment. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8(JAN)
- Hassard F, Biddle JR, Cartmell E & Stephenson T. (2016). Mesh rotating reactors for biofilm pre-treatment of wastewaters – Influence of media type on microbial activity, viability and performance. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 103
- Hassard F, Gwyther CL, Farkas K, Andrews A, Jones V, .... (2016). Abundance and distribution of enteric bacteria and viruses in coastal and estuarine sediments - A review. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7(NOV)
- Hassard F, Gwyther CL, Farkas K, Andrews A, Jones V, .... (2016). Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine Sediments-a Review.. Frontiers in microbiology, 7
- Hassard F, Biddle JR, Cartmell E, Jefferson B, Tyrrel SF, .... (2014). Rotating biological contactors for wastewater treatment - A review. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 94(C)
- Petrie B, McAdam EJ, Hassard F, Stephenson T, Lester JN, .... (2014). Diagnostic investigation of steroid estrogen removal by activated sludge at varying solids retention time. Chemosphere, 113
- Hassard F, Cartmell E, Biddle J & Stephenson T. (2014). Performance of permeable media rotating reactors used for pretreatment of wastewaters. Water Science and Technology, 69(9)
