Dr. Laura Piddock is an internationally renowned microbiologist with over forty years of dedicated research in antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance. She currently serves as Professor Emerita at the University of Birmingham, UK, following her tenure as Scientific Director at the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) from 2018 to 2024. After earning her PhD in 1985 from the University of Birmingham with research on penicillin binding proteins conducted at Dudley Road Hospital, she established herself as a leading authority in antibiotic mechanisms and resistance. Her career uniquely bridges clinical hospital settings with academic research, creating a comprehensive foundation for her impactful contributions to antimicrobial science.
Dr. Piddock's seminal research has significantly advanced understanding of antibiotic mechanisms of action, bacterial efflux pumps, and clinically relevant resistance mechanisms across diverse bacterial pathogens. Her work spans multiple environments including patient isolates, food sources, animals, and ecological settings, providing a holistic view of antimicrobial resistance transmission. Since 2012, she has expanded her research into antibiotic discovery, developing methodological advances for determining drug resistance and identifying inhibitors of bacterial efflux pumps. Her pioneering investigations into plasmid transfer inhibition have opened new avenues for combating the spread of resistance genes among bacterial populations.
Beyond her laboratory research, Dr. Piddock has been instrumental in shaping global antimicrobial resistance policy through leadership roles including the first woman President of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and Director of Antibiotic Action from 2012 to 2017. She co-authored the first World Economic Forum report on AMR in 2013 and served as an expert adviser to the influential AMR review led by Lord Jim O'Neill. Her commitment to public engagement in science has been recognized through multiple awards including the Microbiology Outreach Prize in 2016. Dr. Piddock continues to influence the next generation of researchers through her work with GARDP and global collaborations, particularly focusing on developing new antibiotic treatments for vulnerable populations including newborns in low- and middle-income countries.
