Professor Gavin Thomas appointed Editor in Chief of leading microbiology journal

Posted on 2 July 2020

Professor Gavin H. Thomas has been appointed the next Editor in Chief of the journal Microbiology,

Microbiology is the flagship journal of the UK Microbiology Society, the largest microbiological society in Europe. The journal, which was founded in 1947 as the Journal of General Microbiology has been the main general journal of the Society since its foundation in 1945 when Professor Sir. Alexander Fleming serving as its first President.

Professor Thomas has served as an editor then senior editor and most recently as Deputy Editor in Chief, working with the Editor in Chief Professor Tanya Parish at Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle, USA. The journal has recently worked hard on improving equality, diversity and inclusivity strategy and has also achieved gender parity across its editors and senior editors and will continue to develop this further in the coming years. He will take over on the 1 July 2020 and initially serve a three-year term as Editor in Chief.

Professor Thomas commented: “I am incredibly honoured to take the reigns of Microbiology for the next phase in its development. This is particularly as this journal is run by and supports the UK’s Microbiology Society, which serves to promote the science and art of microbiology in all its aspects and does important work with policy & government and with the general public to increase understanding of this fascinating subject. ‘Publishing for the community’ is our motto, which marks us apart from other for-profit journals. When I first got excited about microbiology as a subject at school it was from reading a book, Microbes and Man, written by Professor Sir John Postgate FRS, who was himself also Editor in Chief of Microbiology, and now to be following in his footsteps makes me tremendously excited and I feel privileged”.

Professor James Moir, Head of Department in Biology, expressed his support “I’m delighted to see Gavin take on this high profile role as editor-in-chief for Microbiology. This is the flagship journal of the Microbiology Society, and as such a key indicator of esteem for Gavin, and microbiology at York.”