Fleming Prize Winner Q&As

Learn more about the research that led some of our previous Fleming Prize recipients to win the award, what made them pursue a career in science and what winning the prize means to them in our series of Q&A interviews below.

Prize winner Q&A - Dr Tanmay Bharat

Dr Tanmay Bharat was awarded the 2023 Fleming Prize for making a distinct contribution to microbiology early in their career. In this Q&A Tanmay talks about his research studying molecules on the surface of prokaryotic cells at the atomic level and what winning this prize means to him.
Prize winner Q&A - Dr Christopher Stewart

Dr Christopher Stewart was awarded the 2022 Fleming Prize for his contribution to microbiology early in their career with his work investigating the main factors influencing term and preterm gut microbiome development.
Prize Winner Q&A – Professor Britt Koskella

The 2021 Fleming Prize was awarded to Professor Britt Koskella for her research which focuses on exploring the importance of the bacteria and viruses making up the microbiome in shaping plant health, ecology, and evolution. In this interview she shares what inspired her to pursue a career in scientific research and what winning the Prize meant to her.
Prize Winner Q&A - Professor Edze Westra

The 2020 Fleming Prize was awarded to Professor Edze Westra for his work on the molecular mechanisms and evolutionary ecology of CRISPR-Cas systems. In this interview in Microbiology Today we learn more about his research and what winning the Prize meant to him.
Prize Winner Q&A – Professor Peter Fineran

The 2019 Fleming Prize was awarded to Professor Peter Fineran who was recognized for his research in phage resistance systems and discusses how CRISPR can benefit the average person. In this interview he tells us more about his work and how it feels to win a Microbiology Society prize.
Prize Winner Q&A– Dr Sarah Coulthurst

The 2017 Fleming Prize winner was Dr Sarah Coulthurst who is a Reader and Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow at the University of Dundee. She is also a member of the Microbiology Society. In this interview she tells us more about her research and what winning the Fleming Prize meant to her..
Prize Winner Q&A – Professor Stephen Baker

The 2017 Fleming Prize was awarded to Professor Stephen Baker in recognition for his work on enteric diseases in low- and middle-income countries. In this interview we find out what made him interested in science, how his research led him to work in Vietnam and how he has adjusted to working in various disciplines.
Prize Winner Q&A – Dr David Grainger

The 2016 Fleming Prize was awarded to Dr David Grainger in recognition of his innovative studies in the field of bacterial chromosome biology. In this interview we find out what winning the Fleming Prize meant to him and how he followed a slightly different career path to most academics.
Prize Winner Q&A – Professor Mike Brockhurst

The 2015 Fleming Prize was awarded to Professor Mike Brockhurst for his research which explores the real-time evolutionary dynamics of microbes using both lab experiments and studies of pathogens in human chronic infections. In this interview we find out more about what winning the Fleming Prize meant to him.