Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen and is a nasal coloniser of ~30% of the global population. A systematic analysis in 2022 revealed that ~850,000 global deaths in 2019 were attributed to S. aureus, further highlighting its importance as a human pathogen. Conventional methods for identification of causative pathogens during an infection generally take at least 24 hours. The rapid and accurate identification of bacterial pathogens can facilitate prompt application of antimicrobial treatment. This project aims to use Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Technique (LAMP) to identify primer pairs that can be used to rapidly detect staphylococcal species in a mixed culture. Research within the project will evaluate the potential of a gene to be a valid amplification target, determine the specificity, sensitivity, and limit of detection of such primer pairs, and evaluate primer efficacy in mixed culture. At a time when antimicrobial resistance is on the rise and likely to cause 10 million global deaths by 2050, identifying and developing inexpensive ways to rapidly detect a pathogen during infection has great clinical potential. Students will need to organise their own accommodation and be expected to present their findings orally at a research day in York in September 2025.