WH Pierce 2020: Joan Geoghegan

Each year we award the prestigious W H Pierce Prize to a young microbiologist who has made a substantial contribution to the science of applied microbiology.

The 2020 WH Pierce Prize was awarded to Dr Joan Geoghegan, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology and Infection at the Institute of Microbiology and Infection, University of Birmingham.

Dr Geoghegan’s research at the University of Birmingham and Trinity College Dublin investigates the molecular basis of colonisation and infection of Staphylococcus aureus, including adhesion, biofilm formation and immune evasion. Dr Geoghegan’s current work focuses on the mechanisms S. aureus uses to interact with host proteins and cells, with an aim to identify new targets for treatment and infection control. Another significant avenue of research is investigating how copper hypertolerance is related to antimicrobial resistance in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).