Robin May

Robin May is a Professor of Infectious Disease at the University of Birmingham's School of Biosciences and Director of the Institute of Microbiology & Infection. He holds an ERC Consolidator Award and Wolfson Research Merit Award from the Royal Society. His research focuses on host-pathogen interactions, particularly how pathogens subvert innate immunity, with a focus on fungal infections like cryptococcosis. Currently, he is seconded to the UK Government as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Food Standards Agency for three days weekly.

Educational Background: MA (Oxon) in Biological Sciences, PhD in Cell Biology (University of Birmingham), and postdoctoral fellowships at Utrecht University and Birmingham.

Research Interests: Investigates fungal pathogenesis, innate immune evasion, and opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. His lab combines microscopy, molecular biology, and genetic approaches to study phagocytic cell interactions with pathogens. Key areas include Cryptococcus neoformans/gattii virulence mechanisms and environmental predation-driven pathogen evolution.

Publications: Recent work highlights phagocytosis dynamics, fungal transcriptome responses, and amoeba-predation-driven pathogen adaptation. Key themes include immune evasion strategies, titan cell formation, and extracellular vesicle roles in pathogenesis.

Awards & Roles: Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, Colworth Medal recipient, and editorial board member for PLOS Pathogens and Science Advances. Previously co-directed the NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre.

Teaching: Contributes to final-year modules on Human Evolution and the MSc in Microbiology and Infection. Advises on lab techniques and research-led teaching.

Labs & Teams: Leads the Institute of Microbiology & Infection, fostering collaborative research on infectious disease mechanisms and public health interventions.