Professor Jill Banfield joins the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute
Professor Jill Banfield FRS FAA, one of the world’s leading microbiologists, has joined the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) on a fractional appointment. Professor Banfield also holds a position at UC Berkeley.
Professor Banfield’s research is focussed on understanding how microorganisms shape, and are shaped by, their natural environments - with the scope of her research stretching from microbial populations in the environment through to the human microbiota. Professor Banfield’s research has generated more than 450 papers, many of which are published in leading journals such as Nature, Science, Nature Communications, Nature Microbiology and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. These publications have attracted over 72,000 citations.
In recognition of her many contributions, Professor Banfield was elected as a member of the American National Academy of Sciences in 2006, as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology in 2007, as a Corresponding Member of the Australian Academy of Sciences in 2015 and as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2018. Most recently she was awarded the 2023 van Leeuwenhoek Medal from the Royal Netherlands Society for Microbiology for her contribution to understanding microbial communities and interactions between microbes and the environment.
Professor John Carroll, Director of Monash BDI, welcomed Professor Banfield to the Institute.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to welcome Jill to Monash. Jill’s work bridging the gap between environmental and medical microbiology is truly ground-breaking. I am absolutely delighted that Jill is joining the BDI and, with her pioneering work in metagenomics, we look forward to seeing how Jill will continue to pave the way for innovative discoveries in the ‘micro’ world,” Professor Carroll said.
About the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute
Committed to making the discoveries that will relieve the future burden of disease, the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) at Monash University brings together more than 120 internationally-renowned research teams. Spanning seven discovery programs across Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Development and Stem Cells, Infection, Immunity, Metabolism, Diabetes and Obesity, and Neuroscience, Monash BDI is one of the largest biomedical research institutes in Australia. Our researchers are supported by world-class technology and infrastructure, and partner with industry, clinicians and researchers internationally to enhance lives through discovery.