An Exclusive Interview with Prof. Colin Hill - Member of the Royal Irish Academy and Professor at University College Cork
Microbiome Research Reports (MRR) recently had the opportunity to interview Prof. Colin Hill, Member of the Royal Irish Academy and Professor in the School of Microbiology at University College Cork. In conversation with Prof. Guanxiang Liang from Tsinghua University, Prof. Hill shared his perspectives on the evolving field of phage research, phage-microbiome interactions, and the future of microbiome research, offering insights into key questions and emerging directions in understanding the role of phages in the gut microbiome.
Watch the following video for expert insights from Prof. Colin Hill:
Key Topics Discussed:
- The current landscape and future of phage research
- Commensal phages and phage-bacteria interactions in the gut
- Phage-mediated gene transfer and microbial evolution
- The gut virome in health and disease
- New models and approaches for studying gut phages
- Phages, microbiome modulation, and FMT
- AI, super phages, and emerging directions in phage research
- The future of microbiome research
Interviewee
Prof. Colin Hill has a Ph.D in molecular microbiology and is Professor in the School of Microbiology at University College Cork, Ireland. He was an SFI Principal Investigator in 2002, 2006 and 2010. He is also a founding Principal Investigator in APC Microbiome Ireland. His main interests are in bacteriophage, bacteriocins and the role they play in shaping the microbiome and as interventions capable of preventing infectious disease. He has published more than 700 peer-reviewed papers and holds 18 patents in this area (in 2026 he has an ISI H factor of 113, Google H factor of 159). More than 90 PhD students have graduated from the laboratory. In 2005 Prof. Hill was awarded a D.Sc by the National University of Ireland in recognition of his contributions to research. In 2009 he was elected to the Royal Irish Academy, the highest honour for an Irish academic. In 2010 he was elected to the American Academy of Microbiology and awarded the Metchnikoff Prize in Microbiology. He received the UCC Career Research Achievement Award in 2020. He served as President of ISAPP (International Scientific Association for Prebiotics and Probiotics) from 2012-2015.
Interviewer
Dr. Guanxiang Liang's research focuses on the human virome and its interactions with the host, with particular interests in bacteriophages, virome dynamics, and host–virus interactions in health and disease. His work combines multi-omics and bioinformatics approaches with studies of human samples, model organisms, and in vitro systems to investigate how viruses and phages colonize and interact with the human body. His recent research includes the gut and respiratory virome, phage - host interactions, and the role of phages in inflammatory and infectious diseases.
Editor: Fiona Lyu
Production Editor: Xingyue Luo
Respectfully Submitted by the Editorial Office of Microbiome Research Reports
