Professor Chris van der Gast

Chris is Professor of Microbiome Ecology at Northumbria University. He is also a visiting Professor in Cystic Fibrosis at Dartmouth College, visiting Professor in Microbial Ecology at University of Warwick, and an Honorary Consultant Microbiologist within the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.

Since completing his DPhil at the University of Oxford, Chris built a successful career in microbial ecology and environmental biotechnology. Wherein he worked in partnership with a range of SMEs and multinationals (incl. BP, Shell, and Ford Motor Company). He also cofounded the NERC spin-out company, Microbial Solutions Ltd, that used proprietary microbial consortia, which he invented, to biologically treat industrial wastewater.

Wanting new challenges, and through a combination of curiosity and serendipity, he realised the urge to refresh and redirect his research towards microbiome research and the roles of human microbiota in health and disease. Chris’ research is now focused on the role of lung and gut microbiota in chronic diseases, predominately in cystic fibrosis.

In order to unravel the complexity of human microbiota, he exploits and adapts models, theories, and principles from traditional ecology, coupled with big data from ever improving developments in -omics technologies, applied to cross-sectional and longitudinal patient population studies.

During the pandemic he was appointed as a government scientific adviser for the Joint Biosecurity Centre led Environmental Monitoring for Health Programme. The programme provided early warning of COVID-19 outbreaks through wastewater-based epidemiology and sharing data with NHS Test and Trace and local public health stakeholders. It was also used to direct surge testing and surge vaccinations to combat variants of concern. Within that national programme, Chris had specific responsibility for both Greater Manchester and the Tees Valley Combined Authority area.

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