Christie Conlon

What is your favourite bacterium?

Thiomargarita namibiensis - which means "Sulfur Pearl of Namibia."

The biggest bacteria ever known!! The largest of these single-celled microbes is visible to the naked eye, about as big as the full-stop at the end of this sentence and nearly 100 times larger than the previous bacterial record-holder.

The microbes store elemental sulfur just under the cell wall as well as nitrate in a huge central sac, which shines with an opalesque, blue-green whiteness. They also grow loosely attached in strings, leading the researchers to compare them with strands of outlandish pearls. The largest cells are three-quarters of a millimeter in diameter. But to get a better idea of how big this is, it helps to make an analogy: If the largest Thiomargarita was a blue whale, then an ordinary bacterium would be a bit smaller than a new-born mouse. The largest previously known bacterium -- Epulopiscum fishelsoni, which lives in the guts of surgeonfish -- would be about as big as a lion.

As a child what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an artist, so I guess I'm not too far off that… but with less paint and more mouse clicking!

Tell us a little known interesting fact about you.

I also work for the BBC, designing graphics for sports, entertainment, music and drama programmes!

What is your favourite meal/food?

Curry! Since a child my family has had a curry night every other Wednesday and we still do!

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?

My 8 month old Springer spaniel puppy Gus is very strong and super keen on his walks - so keen that he pulled me right over and I ended up doing a forward roll down a grassy hill!

What is your secret ambition?

To live in a treehouse!

How do you relax?

Going to the beach, paddle boarding and sitting in the garden watching a fire pit.