Dr. Trevor Charles is a Professor in the Department of Biology and a microbiologist whose work applies bacterial genetics to the study of bacteria in both pure culture and environmental communities. His research has focused on bacteria that form beneficial relationships with plants. Using comparative and functional genomics, he investigates the shared genetic factors underlying these interactions. His work on microbial communities emphasizes functional metagenomics, including the design of library screens to uncover novel metabolic and antimicrobial resistance genes, as well as the development of bacterial chromosome engineering approaches for strain improvement and biodegradable plastic production by upcycling food waste. His research group also studies pathogen surveillance using genomic methods. Charles' research has had significant public impact across public health, sustainability and agriculture. His team contributed to COVID-19 wastewater surveillance and continues to develop genomic methods to detect emerging pathogens and antimicrobial resistance. He has advanced a circular bioeconomy through the commercialisation of dairy waste-derived bioplastics and supports sustainable agriculture through plant‑beneficial microbes and pathogen surveillance systems now being applied in agricultural and hydroponic environments.