Dr Hargreaves is a research fellow at the University of Aberdeen, working alongside Prof. Pieter van West, specialising in mycology and molecular ecology. His work focuses on fungal biodiversity, soil microbial communities, and host–pathogen–environment interactions, particularly in sub Antarctic ecosystems such as the Falkland Islands. His research has used targeted metabarcoding to characterise fungal communities, identify novel species, and understand ecological responses to environmental change. He has previously served as a Scientific Advisor at Food Standards Scotland and contributed to microbial risk assessment in food safety. Dr Hargreaves holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Aberdeen.