diff --git a/apps/backend/src/datasources/UserDataSource.ts b/apps/backend/src/datasources/UserDataSource.ts
index 29c9447fa7..2f34a26f93 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/datasources/UserDataSource.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/datasources/UserDataSource.ts
@@ -40,9 +40,11 @@ export interface UserDataSource {
   ): Promise<{ totalCount: number; users: BasicUserDetails[] }>;
   getPreviousCollaborators(
     user_id: number,
-    filter?: string,
     first?: number,
     offset?: number,
+    sortField?: string,
+    sortDirection?: string,
+    searchText?: string,
     userRole?: UserRole,
     subtractUsers?: [number]
   ): Promise<{ totalCount: number; users: BasicUserDetails[] }>;
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/datasources/mockups/UserDataSource.ts b/apps/backend/src/datasources/mockups/UserDataSource.ts
index 7e49445120..730dc0f9d7 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/datasources/mockups/UserDataSource.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/datasources/mockups/UserDataSource.ts
@@ -442,9 +442,13 @@ export class UserDataSourceMock implements UserDataSource {
 
   async getPreviousCollaborators(
     user_id: number,
-    filter?: string,
     first?: number,
-    offset?: number
+    offset?: number,
+    sortField?: string,
+    sortDirection?: string,
+    searchText?: string,
+    userRole?: UserRole,
+    subtractUsers?: [number]
   ): Promise<{ totalCount: number; users: BasicUserDetails[] }> {
     return {
       totalCount: 2,
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/datasources/postgres/UserDataSource.ts b/apps/backend/src/datasources/postgres/UserDataSource.ts
index b61884d6c2..87000b1c37 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/datasources/postgres/UserDataSource.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/datasources/postgres/UserDataSource.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ import {
   createUserObject,
 } from './records';
 
+const fieldMap: { [key: string]: string } = {
+  created_at: 'created_at',
+  firstname: 'firstname',
+  preferredname: 'preferredname',
+  lastname: 'lastname',
+  institution: 'i.institution',
+};
+
 export default class PostgresUserDataSource implements UserDataSource {
   async delete(id: number): Promise<User | null> {
     return database('users')
@@ -494,26 +502,25 @@ export default class PostgresUserDataSource implements UserDataSource {
   }
 
   async getUsers({
-    filter,
+    searchText,
     first,
     offset,
     userRole,
     subtractUsers,
-    orderBy,
-    orderDirection = 'desc',
+    sortField = 'created_at',
+    sortDirection = 'desc',
   }: UsersArgs): Promise<{ totalCount: number; users: BasicUserDetails[] }> {
     return database
       .select(['*', database.raw('count(*) OVER() AS full_count')])
       .from('users')
       .join('institutions as i', { 'users.institution_id': 'i.institution_id' })
-      .orderBy('users.user_id', orderDirection)
       .modify((query) => {
-        if (filter) {
+        if (searchText) {
           query.andWhere((qb) => {
-            qb.whereILikeEscaped('institution', '%?%', filter)
-              .orWhereILikeEscaped('firstname', '%?%', filter)
-              .orWhereILikeEscaped('preferredname', '%?%', filter)
-              .orWhereILikeEscaped('lastname', '%?%', filter);
+            qb.whereILikeEscaped('institution', '%?%', searchText)
+              .orWhereILikeEscaped('firstname', '%?%', searchText)
+              .orWhereILikeEscaped('preferredname', '%?%', searchText)
+              .orWhereILikeEscaped('lastname', '%?%', searchText);
           });
         }
         if (first) {
@@ -530,8 +537,12 @@ export default class PostgresUserDataSource implements UserDataSource {
         if (subtractUsers && subtractUsers.length > 0) {
           query.whereNotIn('users.user_id', subtractUsers);
         }
-        if (orderBy) {
-          query.orderBy(orderBy, orderDirection);
+        if (sortField && sortDirection) {
+          if (!fieldMap.hasOwnProperty(sortField)) {
+            throw new GraphQLError(`Bad sort field given: ${sortField}`);
+          }
+          sortField = fieldMap[sortField];
+          query.orderByRaw(`${sortField} ${sortDirection}`);
         }
       })
       .then(
@@ -550,14 +561,24 @@ export default class PostgresUserDataSource implements UserDataSource {
 
   async getPreviousCollaborators(
     userId: number,
-    filter?: string,
     first?: number,
     offset?: number,
+    sortField?: string,
+    sortDirection?: string,
+    searchText?: string,
     userRole?: UserRole,
     subtractUsers?: [number]
   ): Promise<{ totalCount: number; users: BasicUserDetails[] }> {
     if (userId == -1) {
-      return this.getUsers({ filter, first, offset, userRole, subtractUsers });
+      return this.getUsers({
+        searchText,
+        first,
+        offset,
+        userRole,
+        subtractUsers,
+        sortField,
+        sortDirection,
+      });
     }
 
     const lastCollaborators = await this.getMostRecentCollaborators(userId);
@@ -574,14 +595,26 @@ export default class PostgresUserDataSource implements UserDataSource {
       .join('institutions as i', { 'users.institution_id': 'i.institution_id' })
       .whereIn('users.user_id', userIds)
       .modify((query) => {
-        if (filter) {
+        if (searchText) {
           query.andWhere((qb) => {
-            qb.whereILikeEscaped('institution', '%?%', filter)
-              .orWhereILikeEscaped('firstname', '%?%', filter)
-              .orWhereILikeEscaped('preferredname', '%?%', filter)
-              .orWhereILikeEscaped('lastname', '%?%', filter);
+            qb.whereILikeEscaped('institution', '%?%', searchText)
+              .orWhereILikeEscaped('firstname', '%?%', searchText)
+              .orWhereILikeEscaped('preferredname', '%?%', searchText)
+              .orWhereILikeEscaped('lastname', '%?%', searchText);
           });
         }
+        logger.logInfo(
+          `Sort field: ${sortField}, direction: ${sortDirection}`,
+          {}
+        );
+        if (sortField && sortDirection) {
+          if (!fieldMap.hasOwnProperty(sortField)) {
+            throw new GraphQLError(`Bad sort field given: ${sortField}`);
+          }
+          sortField = fieldMap[sortField];
+          query.orderByRaw(`${sortField} ${sortDirection}`);
+        }
+
         if (first) {
           query.limit(first);
         }
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/datasources/stfc/StfcUserDataSource.ts b/apps/backend/src/datasources/stfc/StfcUserDataSource.ts
index 82031914b1..70b06ccb5f 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/datasources/stfc/StfcUserDataSource.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/datasources/stfc/StfcUserDataSource.ts
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ export class StfcUserDataSource implements UserDataSource {
         offset: offset,
         userRole: undefined,
         subtractUsers: subtractUsers,
-        orderDirection: 'asc',
+        sortDirection: 'asc',
       });
 
       if (users[0]) {
@@ -610,18 +610,22 @@ export class StfcUserDataSource implements UserDataSource {
 
   async getPreviousCollaborators(
     userId: number,
-    filter?: string,
     first?: number,
     offset?: number,
-    userRole?: number,
+    sortField?: string,
+    sortDirection?: string,
+    searchText?: string,
+    userRole?: UserRole,
     subtractUsers?: [number]
   ): Promise<{ totalCount: number; users: BasicUserDetails[] }> {
     const dbUsers: BasicUserDetails[] = (
       await postgresUserDataSource.getPreviousCollaborators(
         userId,
-        filter,
         first,
         offset,
+        sortField,
+        sortDirection,
+        searchText,
         undefined,
         subtractUsers
       )
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/queries/UserQueries.ts b/apps/backend/src/queries/UserQueries.ts
index f35b9c3fea..8c55fa7c76 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/queries/UserQueries.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/queries/UserQueries.ts
@@ -140,17 +140,21 @@ export default class UserQueries {
   async getPreviousCollaborators(
     agent: UserWithRole | null,
     userId: number,
-    filter?: string,
     first?: number,
     offset?: number,
+    sortField?: string,
+    sortDirection?: string,
+    searchText?: string,
     userRole?: UserRole,
     subtractUsers?: [number]
   ) {
     return this.dataSource.getPreviousCollaborators(
       userId,
-      filter,
       first,
       offset,
+      sortField,
+      sortDirection,
+      searchText,
       userRole,
       subtractUsers
     );
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/resolvers/queries/UsersQuery.ts b/apps/backend/src/resolvers/queries/UsersQuery.ts
index b1c0c84496..3cd0eef271 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/resolvers/queries/UsersQuery.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/resolvers/queries/UsersQuery.ts
@@ -40,11 +40,14 @@ export class UsersArgs {
   @Field(() => [Int], { nullable: 'itemsAndList' })
   subtractUsers?: [number];
 
-  @Field(() => String, { nullable: true })
-  orderBy?: string;
+  @Field({ nullable: true })
+  public sortField?: string;
 
-  @Field(() => String, { nullable: true })
-  orderDirection?: string;
+  @Field({ nullable: true })
+  public sortDirection?: string;
+
+  @Field({ nullable: true })
+  public searchText?: string;
 }
 
 @ArgsType()
@@ -65,20 +68,24 @@ export class UsersQuery {
     @Args()
     {
       userId,
-      filter,
       first,
       offset,
       userRole,
       subtractUsers,
+      sortField,
+      sortDirection,
+      searchText,
     }: PreviousCollaboratorsArgs,
     @Ctx() context: ResolverContext
   ) {
     return context.queries.user.getPreviousCollaborators(
       context.user,
       userId,
-      filter,
       first,
       offset,
+      sortField,
+      sortDirection,
+      searchText,
       userRole,
       subtractUsers
     );
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/components/experiment/ExperimentsTable.tsx b/apps/frontend/src/components/experiment/ExperimentsTable.tsx
index 53c3f35ff8..8973186742 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/components/experiment/ExperimentsTable.tsx
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/components/experiment/ExperimentsTable.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 
 import { Experiment, SettingsId } from 'generated/sdk';
 import { useFormattedDateTime } from 'hooks/admin/useFormattedDateTime';
+import { setSortDirectionOnSortField } from 'utils/helperFunctions';
 import useDataApiWithFeedback from 'utils/useDataApiWithFeedback';
 
 import ExperimentReviewContent, {
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ export default function ExperimentsTable({
   const page = searchParams.get('page');
   const pageSize = searchParams.get('pageSize');
   const selectedExperimentId = searchParams.get('experiment');
-
+  const [isFirstRender, setIsFirstRender] = useState(true);
   const refreshTableData = () => {
     tableRef.current?.onQueryChange({});
   };
@@ -75,10 +76,14 @@ export default function ExperimentsTable({
   React.useEffect(() => {
     let isMounted = true;
 
-    if (isMounted) {
+    if (isMounted && !isFirstRender) {
       refreshTableData();
     }
 
+    if (isFirstRender) {
+      setIsFirstRender(false);
+    }
+
     return () => {
       isMounted = false;
     };
@@ -193,6 +198,12 @@ export default function ExperimentsTable({
     ];
   }
 
+  columns = setSortDirectionOnSortField(
+    columns,
+    searchParams.get('sortField'),
+    searchParams.get('sortDirection')
+  );
+
   const experimentReviewTabs = [
     EXPERIMENT_MODAL_TAB_NAMES.EXPERIMENT_INFORMATION,
     EXPERIMENT_MODAL_TAB_NAMES.PROPOSAL_INFORMATION,
@@ -215,12 +226,21 @@ export default function ExperimentsTable({
         options={{
           searchText: search || undefined,
           pageSize: pageSize ? +pageSize : 10,
-          initialPage: search ? 0 : page ? +page : 0,
+          initialPage: page ? +page : 0,
+        }}
+        onRowsPerPageChange={(pageSize) => {
+          setSearchParams((searchParams) => {
+            searchParams.set('pageSize', pageSize.toString());
+            searchParams.set('page', '0');
+
+            return searchParams;
+          });
         }}
         onSearchChange={(searchText) => {
           setSearchParams((searchParams) => {
             if (searchText) {
               searchParams.set('search', searchText);
+              searchParams.set('page', '0');
             } else {
               searchParams.delete('search');
             }
@@ -235,6 +255,25 @@ export default function ExperimentsTable({
             return searchParams;
           });
         }}
+        onOrderCollectionChange={(orderByCollection) => {
+          const [orderBy] = orderByCollection;
+
+          if (!orderBy) {
+            setSearchParams((searchParams) => {
+              searchParams.delete('sortField');
+              searchParams.delete('sortDirection');
+
+              return searchParams;
+            });
+          } else {
+            setSearchParams((searchParams) => {
+              searchParams.set('sortField', orderBy.orderByField);
+              searchParams.set('sortDirection', orderBy.orderDirection);
+
+              return searchParams;
+            });
+          }
+        }}
       />
 
       {selectedExperiment && (
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/components/instrument/CreateUpdateInstrument.tsx b/apps/frontend/src/components/instrument/CreateUpdateInstrument.tsx
index 2120f34a85..29f93011cd 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/components/instrument/CreateUpdateInstrument.tsx
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/components/instrument/CreateUpdateInstrument.tsx
@@ -82,7 +82,10 @@ const CreateUpdateInstrument = ({
 
     try {
       await api()
-        .getUsers({ filter: value, userRole: UserRole.INSTRUMENT_SCIENTIST })
+        .getUsers({
+          userRole: UserRole.INSTRUMENT_SCIENTIST,
+          searchText: value,
+        })
         .then((data) => {
           if (data.users?.totalCount == 0) {
             setFieldError(
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/components/internalReview/CreateUpdateInternalReview.tsx b/apps/frontend/src/components/internalReview/CreateUpdateInternalReview.tsx
index 66beff68ed..6758d1a25f 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/components/internalReview/CreateUpdateInternalReview.tsx
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/components/internalReview/CreateUpdateInternalReview.tsx
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ const CreateUpdateInternalReview = ({
 
     try {
       await api()
-        .getUsers({ filter: value, userRole: UserRole.INTERNAL_REVIEWER })
+        .getUsers({ searchText: value, userRole: UserRole.INTERNAL_REVIEWER })
         .then((data) => {
           if (data.users?.totalCount == 0) {
             setFieldError(
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/components/proposal/ParticipantSelector.tsx b/apps/frontend/src/components/proposal/ParticipantSelector.tsx
index 890edd7f57..daf10c88a1 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/components/proposal/ParticipantSelector.tsx
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/components/proposal/ParticipantSelector.tsx
@@ -154,8 +154,8 @@ function ParticipantSelector({
         ];
 
         const { users } = await api().getUsers({
-          filter: query,
           subtractUsers: excludedUserIds,
+          searchText: query,
         });
 
         setOptions(users?.users || []);
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/components/user/PeopleTable.tsx b/apps/frontend/src/components/user/PeopleTable.tsx
index 2e5379fc46..ae40d91b21 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/components/user/PeopleTable.tsx
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/components/user/PeopleTable.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import { Formik } from 'formik';
 import { TFunction } from 'i18next';
 import React, { useState, useEffect, useContext } from 'react';
 import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
+import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 
 import { ActionButtonContainer } from 'components/common/ActionButtonContainer';
 import MaterialTable from 'components/common/DenseMaterialTable';
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ import {
   BasicUserDetailsFragment,
 } from 'generated/sdk';
 import { useDataApi } from 'hooks/common/useDataApi';
+import { setSortDirectionOnSortField } from 'utils/helperFunctions';
 import { tableIcons } from 'utils/materialIcons';
 import { FunctionType } from 'utils/utilTypes';
 
@@ -204,6 +206,7 @@ const PeopleTable = ({
   const [invitedUsers, setInvitedUsers] = useState<BasicUserDetails[]>([]);
   const [tableEmails, setTableEmails] = useState<string[]>([]);
   const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const [searchParams, setSearchParams] = useSearchParams();
   const tableRef =
     React.createRef<MaterialTableCore<BasicUserDetailsFragment>>();
 
@@ -361,13 +364,13 @@ const PeopleTable = ({
         try {
           const [orderBy] = tableQuery.orderByCollection;
           const { users } = await api().getUsers({
-            filter: tableQuery.search,
             first: tableQuery.pageSize,
             offset: tableQuery.page * tableQuery.pageSize,
-            orderBy: orderBy?.orderByField,
-            orderDirection: orderBy?.orderDirection,
             subtractUsers: query.subtractUsers,
             userRole: query.userRole,
+            sortField: orderBy?.orderByField,
+            sortDirection: orderBy?.orderDirection,
+            searchText: tableQuery.search,
           });
 
           const filteredData = data
@@ -515,16 +518,73 @@ const PeopleTable = ({
               {title}
             </Typography>
           }
-          columns={columns ?? localColumns}
+          columns={setSortDirectionOnSortField(
+            columns ? columns : localColumns,
+            searchParams.get('sortField'),
+            searchParams.get('sortDirection')
+          )}
           onSelectionChange={handleColumnSelectionChange}
           data={fetchRemoteUsersData}
+          onPageChange={(page) => {
+            setSearchParams((searchParams) => {
+              searchParams.set('page', page.toString());
+
+              return searchParams;
+            });
+          }}
+          onRowsPerPageChange={(pageSize) => {
+            setSearchParams((searchParams) => {
+              searchParams.set('pageSize', pageSize.toString());
+              searchParams.set('page', '0');
+
+              return searchParams;
+            });
+          }}
+          onSearchChange={(searchText) => {
+            setSearchParams((searchParams) => {
+              if (searchText) {
+                searchParams.set('search', searchText);
+                searchParams.set('page', '0');
+              } else {
+                searchParams.delete('search');
+              }
+
+              return searchParams;
+            });
+          }}
+          onOrderCollectionChange={(orderByCollection) => {
+            const [orderBy] = orderByCollection;
+
+            if (!orderBy) {
+              setSearchParams((searchParams) => {
+                searchParams.delete('sortField');
+                searchParams.delete('sortDirection');
+
+                return searchParams;
+              });
+            } else {
+              setSearchParams((searchParams) => {
+                searchParams.set('sortField', orderBy.orderByField);
+                searchParams.set('sortDirection', orderBy.orderDirection);
+
+                return searchParams;
+              });
+            }
+          }}
           options={{
             search: search,
+            searchText: searchParams.get('search') || undefined,
             debounceInterval: 400,
             selection: selection,
             headerSelectionProps: {
               inputProps: { 'aria-label': 'Select All Rows' },
             },
+            pageSize: searchParams.get('pageSize')
+              ? +searchParams.get('pageSize')!
+              : undefined,
+            initialPage: searchParams.get('page')
+              ? +searchParams.get('page')!
+              : 0,
             ...mtOptions,
             selectionProps: (rowdata: BasicUserDetails) => ({
               inputProps: {
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/graphql/user/getUsers.graphql b/apps/frontend/src/graphql/user/getUsers.graphql
index ffed748e5f..696749a5dd 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/graphql/user/getUsers.graphql
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/graphql/user/getUsers.graphql
@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
 query getUsers(
-  $filter: String
   $first: Int
   $offset: Int
   $userRole: UserRole
   $subtractUsers: [Int!]
-  $orderBy: String
-  $orderDirection: String
+  $sortField: String
+  $sortDirection: String
+  $searchText: String
 ) {
   users(
-    filter: $filter
     first: $first
     offset: $offset
     userRole: $userRole
     subtractUsers: $subtractUsers
-    orderBy: $orderBy
-    orderDirection: $orderDirection
+    sortField: $sortField
+    sortDirection: $sortDirection
+    searchText: $searchText
   ) {
     users {
       ...basicUserDetails