Prof Matthew Holden
Principal Investigator
Contact
Email: Matthew Holden
Phone: +44 1334 463504
Biosketch
Professor Matthew Holden is a molecular microbiologist, whose curiosity into the genetics of bacteria lead him along a bioinfomatic path to study and explore bacterial genomes. Since the first bacterial genome was sequenced in 1995, whole genome sequencing (WGS) has provided unprecedented insights into the genetics and evolution of microbial pathogens. Having worked at the Sanger Institute 13 years on a broad range of bacterial genomes, Holden moved to the School of Medicine, University of St Andrews where he established a pathogenomics group. Research in his group is directed at two main areas: translational genomics, the application of WGS in clinical microbiology; and experimental genomics, using data WGS to investigate the relationship between pathogens’ genotypes and phenotypes. The research areas that the group are focused on include: developing rapid WGS to combat hospital-associated infections, the molecular basis of antibiotic resistance and virulence, and epidemiology and evolution of methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA).