Darren Smith

Professor Darren Smith is a faculty member at Northumbria University's Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Applied Biology. He leads the NU-OMICS DNA sequencing facility, supporting academic and industrial projects. His research focuses on bacteriophage biology, exploring how phages influence bacterial physiology and microbial communities through genomics, metagenomics, and bioinformatics. He holds a BSc in Microbiology from the University of Liverpool (2000) and a PhD in Microbiology (2005), followed by postdoctoral work on Shiga toxin-encoding phages and HIV drug delivery. His work addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and innovation.

Research highlights include studies on phage-host interactions, SARS-CoV-2 phylogeny, and phage-based technology advancements. He has supervised 7 students and contributed to over 190 publications. Collaborations span global institutions, with recent work on pandemic virus tracking and antimicrobial strategies. His lab, NU-OMICS, emphasizes translational research linking genomics with clinical and environmental applications.