Willem van Schaik is a Professor of Microbiology and Infection and the Director of the Institute of Microbiology and Infection (IMI) at the University of Birmingham.

He has published over 80 papers on molecular microbiology, the human microbiome, and antibiotic resistance. His research focuses on how commensal bacteria evolve into multi-drug resistant opportunistic pathogens and the analysis of the reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (the "resistome") in complex microbial ecosystems.

Willem has received major research grants from the BBSRC, European Commission, JPIAMR, and The Royal Society. His work is highly regarded in the field of antimicrobial resistance, contributing to important advances in understanding bacterial adaptation and resistance.

Professor Kate Baker is a Professor of Genomic Epidemiology at the University of Cambridge. She studies how pathogen genome variation and evolutionary processes impact their epidemiology and control.

Her research focuses particularly on the dynamics of the accessory genome in bacterial populations, including antimicrobial resistance. Using a combination of microbial genomics, epidemiological approaches, and molecular microbiology, she and her team investigate disease processes at both patient and public health levels, working in collaboration with clinicians, public health practitioners, in vivo experimentalists, and mathematical modellers.

Their work spans both high-income and lower- to middle-income nation settings. Additionally, Professor Baker has a strong interest in knowledge exchange and policy, and has held various external secondments with GO-Science, SEDRIC, and UKHSA.

Stephanie Johnson is a Senior Researcher in Ethics at the Ethox Centre and the Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities at the University of Oxford.

Her research focuses on the ethics of genomics and infectious disease, with a particular interest in infectious disease transmission and control and relational bioethics in public health. She co-leads a module for Oxford Population Health’s MSc in Clinical Trials and supervises DPhil and undergraduate research. A member of the GLIDE Collaborative, Stephanie held a Wellcome Trust Fellowship (2020-2023) on the ethics of tracking microbes.

She collaborates with Oxford’s Big Data Institute and advises policy makers at institutions like Genomics England and the Africa CDC. Her work blends empirical research with theoretical analysis.

Professor Paul Flowers is Associate Dean of Research at the School of Health and Life Sciences and holds a personal Chair as Professor of Sexual Health Psychology.

He is an Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences and a registered Health Psychologist. His research focuses on sexual health, with a particular emphasis on improving and maintaining sexual health among marginalized communities, including gay men. He has contributed to policy development, including NHS QIS standards for HIV care and Scotland's HIV action plan.

Professor Flowers has a strong interest in methodological innovation, particularly in mixed methods and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). He is also a Trustee of the National AIDS Trust, combining academic research with applied public health initiatives.

Dr. Nicole Wheeler's work focuses on developing computational tools to detect DNA from emerging biological threats, establishing genomic pathogen surveillance in resource-limited settings, and conducting One Health surveillance of antimicrobial resistance.

She is also committed to the ethical development of AI for health applications. With a background in biochemistry and microbial genomics, Dr. Wheeler specialises in using machine learning to predict the effects of genetic variation on pathogen virulence. She has provided expertise for international programs, including an AI-driven One Health AMR surveillance system.

In addition, Dr. Wheeler is actively involved in public outreach and the creation of governance frameworks to ensure the safe and responsible advancement of health technologies.

Kevin is a Senior Research Programme Manager at the University of Birmingham, leading the Multi-Sector Networks pillar that supports a diverse portfolio of health-related research. He manages the HDR UK Midlands regional network, which enhances health data science across the Midlands by uniting academic, clinical, and other stakeholders.

Additionally, he provides strategic and operational support to the national TARGetAMR research network, which focuses on combating antimicrobial resistance through genomics and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

Beginning his NHS career as a Youth Trainee in 1998, Kevin has expertise in Health Informatics, Oncology, R&D and Innovation Management. He has worked at local, regional, and national levels and currently teaches on the Health Data Fundamentals module, part of the MSc Health Data Science programme at the University of Birmingham.