Rhys Thomas White

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I’m a microbial genomics researcher using cutting-edge DNA sequencing to track, understand, and stop dangerous pathogens before they spread. My work blends evolutionary biology with real-time genomic monitoring, using Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technologies, to reveal how microbes like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridioides difficile, Klebsiella spp., Chlamydia spp., and other emerging pathogens evolve, adapt, and move through communities. I’ve published extensively on hospital- and community-acquired infections, and my research helps inform public health strategies, both in New Zealand and internationally.

Experience

  • 2022–present
    Scientist, New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science
  • 2021–2022
    Bioinformatician, University of the Sunshine Coast
  • 2020–2022
    Senior Research Assistant/Technician, The University of Queensland
  • 2017–2022
    Demonstrator, The University of Queensland
  • 2017–2017
    Public Health Intelligence Analyst, Public Health Wales

Education

  • 2022 
    The University of Queensland, PhD in Microbial Genomics
  • 2016 
    Cardiff University, BSc (Hons.) Biology

Publications

  • 2025
    Community outbreak of OXA-48–producing Escherichia coli linked to food premises, New Zealand, 2018–2022, Emerging Infectious Diseases
  • 2025
    20 years later: unravelling the genomic success of New Zealand’s home-grown AK3 community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Microbial Genomics
  • 2025
    The rapid detection of a neonatal unit outbreak of a wild-type Klebsiella variicola using decentralized Oxford Nanopore sequencing, Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control
  • 2025
    Resolving a neonatal intensive care unit outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to the SNV level using Oxford Nanopore simplex reads and HERRO error correction, Journal of Hospital Infection
  • 2025
    Implementing nanopore sequencing in a clinical laboratory: a social systems case, New Zealand Journal of Medical Laboratory Science
  • 2025
    Integration of blaOXA-48 into a Col156 plasmid drove a carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli ST131 outbreak in New Zealand: global genomic evidence for the gene’s multilayered dissemination, Drug Resistance Updates
  • 2024
    Genomic epidemiology reveals geographical clustering of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli ST131 associated with bacteraemia in Wales, Nature Communications
  • 2024
    Rapid identification and subsequent contextualization of an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a neonatal intensive care unit using nanopore sequencing, Microbial Genomics
  • 2024
    Early identification of a ward-based outbreak of Clostridioides difficile using prospective multilocus sequence type-based Oxford Nanopore genomic surveillance, Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology
  • 2024
    The complete genome sequence of five pre-2013 Escherichia coli sequence type (ST)1193 strains reveals insights into an emerging pathogen, Access Microbiology
  • 2023
    The first genomic insight into Chlamydia psittaci sequence type (ST)24 from a healthy captive psittacine host in Australia demonstrates evolutionary proximity with strains from psittacine, human, and equine hosts, Veterinary Microbiology
  • 2023
    Whole-genome sequencing of Chlamydia psittaci from Australasian avian hosts: A genomics approach to a pathogen that still ruffles feathers, Microbial Genomics
  • 2023
    A discovery down under: Decoding the draft genome sequence of Pantoea stewartii from Australia’s Critically Endangered Western Ground Parrot/Kyloring (Pezoporus flaviventris), Microbial Genomics
  • 2022
    One clone to rule them all: Culture-independent genomics of Chlamydia psittaci from equine and avian hosts in Australia, Microbial Genomics
  • 2021
    Completing the genome sequence of Chlamydia pecorum strains MC/MarsBar and DBDeUG: new insights into this enigmatic koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) pathogen, Pathogens
  • 2021
    Escherichia coli: placing resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones in Australia and New Zealand into perspective, Microbiology Australia

Professional Memberships

  • Australian Society for Microbiology
  • Royal Society Te Apārangi

Contact Rhys for

  • General
  • Media request
  • Speaking request
  • Consulting / Advising
  • Research collaboration
  • Research supervision