I am the Chair of Microbiome Research at the University of Birmingham since 2023. I obtained a BSc in Microbiology from the University of Glasgow and a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Cambridge (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute).

My postdoctoral fellowship at the APC Microbiome Institute at University College Cork, Ireland, kindled my deep interest in gut-associated microbial communities. Subsequently, I took on my first independent role as a lecturer at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, where I, and my new team, honed our focus on the gut microbiota, particularly during early life. In 2015, I moved to the Quadram Institute in Norwich, where the teams research expanded significantly. We established clinical cohort studies that advanced our knowledge of the gut microbiota’s role in human health. Alongside our research, we engaged with the public through outreach and educational initiatives, centred around the theme of ‘Guardians of the Gut.’

Before joining the University of Birmingham, I held the position of Chair of Intestinal Microbiome at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. Here, we continued our pioneering work in beneficial microbes and developed innovative therapies to enhance infant health.