Prof. Chris Thomas – Scientific Director

Christopher Thomas is Professor of Molecular Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham. After a BA in Biochemistry (Oxford, 1974) and a DPhil in Microbiology (Oxford, 1977), Chris joined the Biology Department at UC San Diego, before returning to Birmingham as a Lecturer in Genetics in 1980. In 1987 he became a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Genetics, later becoming a Reader in Molecular Genetics in the same Department. In 1991, Chris was made Professor of Molecular Genetics at the School of Biological Sciences in 1991, is extensively published in the field of genetics and is one of the most highly cited authors on bacterial plasmids. Chris has been responsible for the supervision of Ph.D students since 1980, was a Member of Committee of the Genetical Society 1984-1990, an Elected member of SGM Council 1997-2000, a Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of General Microbiology from 1988-1991, an Editor of Microbiology (formerly Journal of General Microbiology) from 1991-1997, Editor in Chief, Microbiology 2000-2005, a Member of Forum Panel, Trends in Biotechnology (Elsevier) 1994-2000 and has been on the Editorial Board of Journal of Biotechnology (Elsevier) since 1995. Chris is an active researcher, with a special interest in the study of bacterial plasmids, on which he is a leading authority.