Dr Rhys Farrer

I lead a research group at the University of Exeter comprising postdoctoral researchers, technicians, and PhD students, where we investigate genome evolution in fungal pathogens. Our research applies multiple sequencing technologies and computational approaches to explore genomic, transcriptomic, and gene-regulatory variation within and between populations of medically important fungi.

My group focuses on understanding the evolution of virulence and antifungal resistance in pathogens, particularly within the genera Candida, Cryptococcus, and Chytridiomycota. Over the past six years, we have led efforts to produce high-quality reference genome assemblies for several fungal species, developed bioinformatics tools for pathogen genomics (e.g., https://github.com/rhysf/), and uncovered novel mechanisms driving fungal disease and drug resistance, with the ultimate aim of alleviating the global burden of fungal infections.

In 2022, I was awarded an 8-year Wellcome Trust Career Development Award, alongside several UKRI-funded projects, providing long-term support for my team’s research programme.

I am a Senior Lecturer in Bioinformatics at the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, and I hold honorary lectureships at the Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, and in the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College London.

I actively contribute to the academic community as an Associate Editor for Fungal Genetics and Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, and as an Editor for ASM Microbiology Spectrum. I also serve on the British Mycological Society’s Fungal Biology Research Committee and the Wellcome Trust Infectious Disease Advisory Group (2024–2027).