Alison Helen Holmes is a British infectious diseases specialist, who is a professor at

Imperial College London Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...

and the

University of Liverpool , mottoeng = These days of peace foster learning , established = 1881 – University College Liverpool1884 – affiliated to the federal Victoria Universityhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/2004/4 University of Manchester Act 200 ...

. Holmes serves as Director of the

National Institute for Health Research The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is the British government’s major funder of clinical, public health, social care and translational research. With a budget of over £1.2 billion in 2020–21, its mission is to "impr ...

(NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance and Consultant at

Hammersmith Hospital Hammersmith Hospital, formerly the Military Orthopaedic Hospital, and later the Special Surgical Hospital, is a major teaching hospital in White City, West London. It is part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in the London Borough of H ...

. Holmes is on the Executive Committee of the International Society of Infectious Diseases, and she serves on a variety of

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...

(WHO) expert groups related to antimicrobial use, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), infection prevention and sepsis. Her research considers how to mitigate

antimicrobial resistance Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes evolve mechanisms that protect them from the effects of antimicrobials. All classes of microbes can evolve resistance. Fungi evolve antifungal resistance. Viruses evolve antiviral resistance. ...

''.

Early life and education

Holmes went to school in

Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam (; from ar, دَار السَّلَام, Dâr es-Selâm, lit=Abode of Peace) or commonly known as Dar, is the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania. It is also the capital of Dar es Salaam Region. With a population of over s ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

. Her father was a doctor in Nigeria. Holmes completed her

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...

degree in

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

and St George’s Hospital Medical School. She specialised in Infectious Diseases and General (Internal) Medicine.

Research and career

Antimicrobial resistance Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes evolve mechanisms that protect them from the effects of antimicrobials. All classes of microbes can evolve resistance. Fungi evolve antifungal resistance. Viruses evolve antiviral resistance. ...

(AMR) represents a major threat to healthcare. There are increasing numbers of bacteria that can no longer be treated with antibiotics. At

Holmes leads Centre for Antimicrobial Optimisation, a research centre that looks to tackle drug-resistant infection. She is Director of the

(NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and AMR. In 2023, Holmes launched the Centres for Antimicrobial Optimisation Network (CAMO-Net), a

Wellcome Trust The Wellcome Trust is a charitable foundation focused on health research based in London, in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1936 with legacies from the pharmaceutical magnate Henry Wellcome (founder of one of the predecessors of Glaxo ...

funded research collaboration of universities based in 11 different countries, designed to address antimicrobial resistance and support antimicrobial optimisation for use in humans.

Selected publications

* Birgand G, Castro-Sánchez E, Hansen S, et al., 2018, Comparison of governance approaches for the control of antimicrobial resistance: Analysis of three European countries, Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, Vol:7,
Comparison of governance approaches for the control of antimicrobial resistance: analysis of three European countries
* Holmes AH, Holmes M, Gottlieb T, et al., 2018, End non-essential use of antimicrobials in livestock, Bmj, Vol:360,
End non-essential use of antimicrobials in livestock
* Ardal C, Outterson K, Hoffman SJ, et al., 2016, International cooperation to improve access to and sustain effectiveness of antimicrobials, The Lancet, Vol:387, , Pages:296–30
International cooperation to improve access to and sustain effectiveness of antimicrobials
* Holmes AH, Moore LSP, Sundsfjord A, et al., 2015, Understanding the mechanisms and drivers of antimicrobial resistance, Lancet, Vol:387, , Pages:176–18
Understanding the mechanisms and drivers of antimicrobial resistance
* Charani E, Holmes AH, 2013, Antimicrobial stewardship programmes: the need for wider engagement, BMJ Quality & Safety, Vol:22, , Pages:885–88
Antimicrobial stewardship programmes: the need for wider engagement

Honours and awards

Holmes was elected a

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

of the

Academy of Medical Sciences The Academy of Medical Sciences is an organisation established in the UK in 1998. It is one of the four UK National Academies, the others being the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society. Its mission is to adv ...

(FMedSci) in 2017. She was appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) in the

2021 Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours for 2021 are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded ...

for services to medicine and infectious diseases, particularly during Covid-19.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Alison Living people Year of birth missing (living people) British microbiologists NIHR Senior Investigators Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences (United Kingdom) British women biologists Alumni of the University of Cambridge Alumni of St George's, University of London Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health alumni Officers of the Order of the British Empire