Nicholas Thomson

Prof Nicholas Thomson is an Honorary Professor in the School of Medicine at the University of St Andrews, specializing in microbial genomics and infectious disease research. His work focuses on understanding bacterial pathogens such as Treponema pallidum (syphilis), Shigella sonnei, and Serratia marcescens through genomic analysis. He contributes to global health initiatives by investigating pathogen evolution, antibiotic resistance mechanisms, and epidemiological patterns.

Key research areas include bacterial genomics, pathogen lineage tracking, and genomic surveillance of infectious agents. Notable achievements include defining the genetic basis of contemporary syphilis outbreaks and elucidating the global population structure of dysentery-causing Shigella sonnei. His work often involves international collaborations and genomic data sharing platforms like NCBI and Figshare.

Prof Thomson’s publications span high-impact journals including Cell Host & Microbe, Nature Microbiology, and Genome Research. While no formal student advisees are listed, his research collaborations involve multiple institutions globally. He actively participates in initiatives addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals related to good health and wellbeing (SDG 3).