Yesterday (Thursday) it was announced that non-executive director and consultant microbiologist Professor Sharon Peacock is to receive the coveted Microbiology Society’s Unilever Colworth Prize.
The prize, which will be presented at the society’s annual meeting in April, “recognises excellence” and is awarded to those “making significant contributions in the field of microbiology”.
The announcement came just a day after a study into the superbug MRSA, led by Professor Peacock, was considered so important it was published in the prestigious academic journal, Science Translational Medicine.
Her researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Diseases and Cambridge’s Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute used DNA sequencing to scrutinise nearly 1500 patient samples from three hospitals and 75 GP surgeries in the eastern region.
Coupled with a technique called genomic surveillance, they uncovered 173 “secret” outbreaks and developed an approach that could transform the way MRSA and other superbugs are tackled.
Professor Peacock, who in 2015 was awarded a CBE for her work, is an honorary consultant microbiologist at CUH. She also holds honorary positions at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of Cambridge Department of Medicine.
She said: “I am honoured to be recognised by the Microbiology Society and very proud that our study has been published. The combination of the two has made it a very exciting week!
“The study was a real team effort and it is important that I pay tribute to my research group and members of the CUH diagnostic microbiology laboratory, whose talent and hard work is the basis for our collective success.”
About Cambridge University Hospitals
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) is one of the largest and best known hospitals in the country, delivering high-quality patient care through Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie Hospitals. CUH is a leading national centre for specialist treatment for rare or complex conditions and a university teaching hospital with a worldwide reputation.
CUH is a key partner in Cambridge University Health Partners (CUHP), one of only six academic health science centres in the UK, and is at the heart of the development of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC), which brings together on one site world-class biomedical research, patient care and education. As part of the Campus development, Papworth Hospital is creating a bespoke, purpose-built hospital, and AstraZeneca is building a new global R&D centre and corporate headquarters. The Campus is one of the government’s 20 National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) comprehensive Biomedical Research Centres.