Professor William Gaze is a distinguished Professor of Microbiology at the Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences. His research focuses on the evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within complex microbial communities found in human, animal, and environmental microbiomes. He also studies the dissemination of AMR at a landscape scale and human exposure and transmission in aquatic environments. 

Professor Gaze’s expertise is recognised globally, as evidenced by his numerous invited presentations across Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Africa over the past few years. He gives particular focus to interactions with stakeholders from government, regulators, and industry through two NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellowships awarded to him in 2019 and 2021. He advises the United Nations, World Health Organisation, UK, and overseas governments on AMR.

Professor Gaze also plays a significant role in academic leadership. He is a member of the University Senate, departmental leadership team, and the GW4 AMR Alliance Steering Committee. He is a co-lead of the Exeter Microbes & Society network of over 300 researchers across all three faculties.