Co-founder of Brisbane-based gut analysis company Microba, Professor Phil Hugenholtz, has been announced as the next Vice President of the International Society for Microbial Ecology (ISME).

Prof Hugenholtz is widely known in the microbiology field as a leading researcher and was recently announced in the Clarivate Analytics 2019 Highly Cited Researchers List in two fields; Microbiology and Biology & Biochemistry.

Prof Hugenholtz said it was an honour to have been voted in for the role and he looked forward to contributing from 2020 onwards.


“Having worked in microbial ecology for many years now, I am excited to have been chosen by my peers for this important role, which will give me a chance to help shape the field in the coming years” he said.

“Microbiology and microbial ecology in particular have really gained momentum in the last decades due to incredible technological advances, most conspicuously in the area of the human microbiome, leading to a greater awareness of gut health in the public domain.”

The research that launched the world-leading microbiome analysis technology of Microba was formed from Prof Hugenholtz and Professor Gene Tyson’s work at The University of Queensland.

Both are co-founders of Microba and lend their high level of knowledge and expertise to ongoing research and discoveries.

Prof Hugenholtz will start his term in August 2020, following ISME18 – the Society’s 2020 conference in Cape Town.

ISME is a non-profit, membership organisation which promotes microbial ecology and connects those working in the field.

Microba CEO Blake Wills said he was very pleased to see Prof Hugenholtz acknowledged as a leader in his field.

“At Microba, we appreciate the exceptional skill and knowledge of both our co-founders, and we congratulate Phil on his appointment and look forward to supporting his endeavours as he continues his work with Microba here in Brisbane,” he said.

ENDS.

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Email melissa.raassina@microba.com

Microba is an Australian company working to create a community of greater health. Built on leading scientific research, Microba has established itself as a world leader in the analysis of the gut microbiome. With a growing body of global research indicating that the gut microbiome plays a central role in health and disease, Microba is a strong contributing force in the development of new pathology services, therapeutics and diagnostics based on the microbiome.