معرفی
Samuel Sheppard is a Professor of Microbial Genomics and Evolution at the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford. His research focuses on understanding how bacterial pathogens evolve and spread, particularly in the context of antimicrobial resistance. He leads a multidisciplinary team studying genome evolution, ecological genomics, and global health interventions. Current projects include genomic surveillance of pathogens in low- and middle-income countries, development of CRISPR-based pathogen control tools, and analysis of bacterial adaptation in human and animal hosts.
Research interests are structured into three overlapping areas:
- Genome Evolution: Investigating how mutation, recombination, and selection shape bacterial genomes, with a focus on Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, and Helicobacter.
- Ecological Genomics: Using genomics to trace pathogen transmission networks and identify host-associated genetic markers in bacteria.
- Global Health: Collaborating with international partners to implement genomic surveillance programs and develop vaccines for enteric livestock pathogens.
Recent work highlights machine learning applications for source attribution of Campylobacter infections and epistasis-driven adaptation in recombining bacteria. His lab also explores the impact of urbanization on antimicrobial resistance in wild bird microbiomes, demonstrating links between human proximity and pathogen diversity.
Labs/Teams: The Sheppard Lab (sheppardlab.com) hosts postdoctoral researchers and graduate students working on projects ranging from bacterial genomics to One Health interventions. Collaborative networks include the MRC and BBSRC-funded programs.
