16 February 2009

Medals for Dundee microbiologists

Two microbiologists from the University of Dundee have been honoured for their work with prestigious awards from the Society for General Microbiology.

Professor Geoff Gadd and Dr Nicola Stanley-Wall, both of the Division of Molecular and Environmental Microbiology in the College of Life Sciences at Dundee, have been awarded the Colworth Prize and the Fleming Medal respectively, two of the Society’s top awards.

The Colworth Prize is awarded biennially by the Society for an 'outstanding contribution in an area of applied microbiology' and is sponsored by the Colworth Laboratory of Unilever Research. Professor Gadd, who has been honoured for his leading work in applied and environmental microbiology, will now deliver the Colworth Prize Lecture at the SGM Spring meeting to be held in Harrogate in March.

The Fleming Medal is awarded annually by the Society for outstanding work in any branch of microbiology by a microbiologist in the relatively early stages of his or her career, and was named after Alexander Fleming, who was the first president of the Society (1945-1947) and received a Nobel Prize for his discovery of penicillin.

Professor Gadd, who is Head of the Division of Molecular and Environmental Microbiology, said the award of both medals to Dundee was great recognition of the work carried out in the new Division and a major boost to our national and international profile.

'This is a great honour not just for Nicola and myself but also for all the members of our research groups who have contributed to the research carried out in Dundee,' said Professor Gadd. 'The key roles of microorganisms in shaping the planet and in the treatment of pollution are important topics for all of us and I am pleased that this is being recognised more and more.'

Dr. Nicola Stanley-Wall has been awarded the 2009 Fleming Prize in recognition of her outstanding research on the molecular basis of biofilm formation.

Dr. Stanley-Wall said, 'I am very pleased and honoured to receive this award from the SGM. Understanding how bacteria form biofilms is a large and expanding field and I am extremely gratified that my own research contributions have received this accolade at this stage of my career.'

Dr. Stanley-Wall will deliver the 2009 Fleming Lecture at the SGM Spring Meeting.

These awards are further indications of the development and progress of the Division of Molecular and Environmental Microbiology which, although little over a year old, has grown significantly since moving into its new state-of-the-art labs in the College of Life Sciences. These two awards are evidence that the Division is making a current substantive impact in microbiology, and raising the profile of microbiological research carried out at Dundee.

Both Professor Gadd and Dr Stanley-Wall will have their lectures published in the SGM journal Microbiology.

NOTES TO EDITORS
The SGM was founded in 1945 and is now the largest microbiological society in Europe with over 5000 members, located in more than 60 countries throughout the world. The Colworth Laboratory has built a reputation for scientific excellence in many fields, including agribusiness, speciality chemicals, food technology, product safety and environmental impact over the last 50 years.

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