Food Microbiology

Biography

Professor Phillips is the Director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing. After a BSc and a PhD in Microbiology at Cardiff University, Professor Phillips undertook post-doctoral positions at Sussex University and the Cancer Research Institute before joining the NHS as a clinical scientist. Following a career break she joined the University of Northampton (then Nene College) as a lecturer in the early 1990s. Since then she has been a Senior Lecturer, then Reader and is now Professor of Microbiology and Deputy Dean (Research) in the School of Health.Locally she sits on the Health and Wellbeing Board, is a Director of Healthwatch Northamptonshire CIC and a Governor of Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Professor Phillips is a Fellow of Society of Biology and a Fellow of Institute of Food Science and Technology (of which she was President 2009-2011) and is active on several national committees of these organisations. She has published widely with 60+ journal articles and two books and has presented internationally at many conferences.

Research Interest

Her present research portfolio focuses on natural anti-microbials, particularly essential oils being especially interested in the use of these in healthcare settings to prevent and treat chronic infections such as Pseudomonas aeroginosa and MRSA.