A/ProfIain Duggin

Iain Duggin is Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, and is the Director of the Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection (AIMI).

In AIMI, Iain leads the Microbial Morphology and Development (MMD) research theme. Our research aims to understand microbial 'shapeshifting' at the cellular, molecular and evolutionary levels. We use comparative biology approaches to understanding the mechanisms and evolution of microbial cell morphodynamics and division; by identifying and comparing these cellular functions across the tree of life - in model archaea and bacteria - common mechanisms and principles can be identified and appreciated from an evolutionary perspective, leading to useful applications and a better understanding of life's history and future. By using this knowledge and associated technology in molecular and cellular biology, Iain's team also work intensively on biotechnology to address the growing problems of climate change (microbial emissions mitigation) and infectious disease (Urinary Tract Infection, Antimicrobial Resistance).

Prof Duggin obtained his PhD in Molecular Biology from The University of Sydney in 2002 and pursued postdoctoral research at the University of Sydney (2002-2004) before being awarded a MRC Career Development Fellowship at the MRC Cancer Cell Unit, Cambridge, UK and then at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, (2005-2009). He was a research associate at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), Cambridge UK (2009-2011), before his recruitment to the UTS iThree institute (renamed AIMI in 2022) as a research fellow in 2011. He was awarded an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship (2017-2020), and has been awarded research grants from national research agencies including the ARC, NSW Health, and the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), as well as through industry partnerships.