David Studholme

Dr. David Studholme is an Associate Professor in the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Exeter, specializing in the Department of Biosciences. With over 437 publications and 76,151 reads on ResearchGate, his work focuses on bioinformatics and computational approaches to understanding plant pathogens and infectious diseases.

Dr. Studholme earned his PhD from Imperial College London in 1998, followed by an MSc with Distinction from the University of East Anglia (1994) and a BSc (Hons) from Southampton University (1993). In 2012, he completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice at the University of Exeter.

His research spans two main themes: understanding the evolution and emergence of infectious diseases and deploying bioinformatics to address biological questions, particularly around plant pathogens. His laboratory work is primarily computer-based, with extensive collaborations across the UK and internationally. His expertise centers on handling data from massively parallel DNA sequencing (next-generation sequencing) and applying these methods to study plant pathogens, particularly Xanthomonas species that cause devastating diseases in crops like bananas, beans, and brassicas.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on genomic approaches to plant pathology, with particular emphasis on Xanthomonas pathogens, fungal diseases of amphibians, and computational methods for genomic analysis. His work bridges computational biology with practical agricultural applications, developing tools for pathogen identification, tracking disease outbreaks, and exploring biocontrol solutions for crop diseases.

Dr. Studholme has held his current position as Associate Professor since 2013, having previously served as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter (2009-2013). His career includes significant roles as Head of Bioinformatics at The Sainsbury Laboratory (2004-2009), Computer Biologist at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (2002-2004), and postdoctoral positions at Southampton and Imperial College London.

He actively contributes to research networks including Exeter Food Health Analytics and Microbes and Society at Exeter, with research spanning microbiology, genetics, plant biology, bioinformatics, and agricultural biotechnology. His work has important implications for food security, sustainable agriculture, and understanding pathogen evolution.