Curriculum vitae
Rhys White PhD, MASM, MRSNZ
Scientist · Genomics & Bioinformatics · Health Security · New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science
Appointments
Scientist, Genomics & Bioinformatics · Health Security
New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) · Aotearoa New Zealand
Senior Research Assistant / Technician
The University of Queensland · Australia
Bioinformatician
Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast · Australia
Public Health Intelligence Analyst
Public Health Wales · United Kingdom
Education
PhD · Microbial Genomics
The University of Queensland · Australia
BSc (Hons) · Biology
Cardiff University · United Kingdom
Leadership & professional service
Editor · Microbial Genomics
Microbiology Society
Future Leaders Mentor
American Society for Microbiology
Co-founder / co-organiser · AMR Research Forum
PHF Science–Ministry for Primary Industries
Co-organiser · One Health Aotearoa Symposium
Peer review, thesis examination and research mentoring
Microbial genomics · infectious disease · antimicrobial resistance
Selected awards
Queenstown Research Week travel award
Queenstown Research Week · Infectious Diseases Aotearoa
Best ASM Flashstory Award
Australian Society for Microbiology
Queenstown Research Week travel award
Queenstown Research Week · Pathogen Genomics
FEMS Journals Best Poster Prize
Oxford Nanopore conference bursaries
Publications & preprints
Automatically shared with the Publications page- 2026Mobile DNA as epidemiological engines: lessons from New ZealandWhite RT · Microbiology Australia · MA26020
- 2026Decentralized nanopore genomics reveals diverse Klebsiella pneumoniae and no evidence of patient–patient transmission in a New Zealand hospitalWhite RT et al. · Microbial Genomics · 12:001700
- 2026Mobile colistin resistance in New Zealand without local agricultural colistin use: genomic insights into mcr-carrying plasmids and their global context, 1984–2024Szeto J, White RT et al. · International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents · 67:107801
- 2026Resolving plasmid-encoded carbapenem resistance dynamics and reservoirs in a hospital setting through nanopore sequencingSauerborn E, White RT et al. · Microbial Genomics · 12:001644
- 2026The need for speed: ultra-rapid high-resolution outbreak analysis in a front-line hospital microbiology laboratoryBloomfield M et al., White RT · Journal of Hospital Infection · 168:48–57
- 2026NEXCISION: exact, validated, and scalable excision of genomic regions from phylogenomic NEXUS matricesWhite RT · bioRxiv · 2026.07.26.740842 · Preprint
- 2026Nanopore metagenomic sequencing links clinically relevant resistance determinants to pathogensÜrel H, Sauerborn E, Biggel M et al. · bioRxiv · 2026.02.16.706128 · Preprint
- 2025Integration 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 disseminationWhite RT et al. · Drug Resistance Updates · 84:101327
- 202520 years later: unravelling the genomic success of New Zealand’s home-grown AK3 community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureusWhite RT et al. · Microbial Genomics · 11:001452
- 2025Community outbreak of OXA-48–producing Escherichia coli linked to food premises, New Zealand, 2018–2022Thornley CN et al., White RT · Emerging Infectious Diseases · 31:1300–1308
- 2025Comparative genomics of endemic Staphylococcus aureus ST1 in New ZealandVoss EM et al., White RT · mSphere · 10:e00376-25
- 2025Convergent evolution of distinct D-ribulose utilisation pathways in attaching and effacing pathogensCottam C, Bowran K, White RT et al. · Nature Communications · 16:6976
- 2025Resolving a neonatal intensive care unit outbreak of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to the single-nucleotide variant level using Oxford Nanopore simplex reads and HERRO error correctionBloomfield M et al., White RT · Journal of Hospital Infection · 163:72–77
- 2025The rapid detection of a neonatal unit outbreak of a wild-type Klebsiella variicola using decentralized Oxford Nanopore sequencingWhite RT et al. · Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control · 14:6
- 2025Implementing nanopore sequencing in a clinical laboratory: a social systems case studyManning S et al., White RT · New Zealand Journal of Medical Laboratory Science · 79(1):25–30
- 2024Early identification of a ward-based outbreak of Clostridioides difficile using prospective multilocus sequence type-based Oxford Nanopore genomic surveillanceBloomfield M et al., White RT · Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology · 45(9):1057–1063
- 2024Genomic epidemiology reveals geographical clustering of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli ST131 associated with bacteraemia in WalesWhite RT et al. · Nature Communications · 15:1371
- 2024Metabolism of L-arabinose converges with virulence regulation to promote enteric pathogen fitnessCottam C, White RT et al. · Nature Communications · 15:4462
- 2024Rapid identification and subsequent contextualization of an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a neonatal intensive care unit using nanopore sequencingWhite RT et al. · Microbial Genomics · 10:001273
- 2024The complete genome sequence of five pre-2013 Escherichia coli sequence type (ST)1193 strains reveals insights into an emerging pathogenWhite RT et al. · Access Microbiology · 6:000894
- 2023A discovery down under: decoding the draft genome sequence of Pantoea stewartii from Australia’s Critically Endangered western ground parrot/kyloring (Pezoporus flaviventris)White RT et al. · Microbial Genomics · 9:001101
- 2023Draft genomes of novel avian Chlamydia abortus strains from Australian Torresian crows (Corvus orru) shed light on possible reservoir hosts and evolutionary pathwaysKasimov V, White RT, Jelocnik M · Microbial Genomics · 9:001134
- 2023Molecular characterisation of the Australian and New Zealand livestock Chlamydia pecorum strains confirms novel but clonal ST23 in association with ovine foetal lossJelocnik M, White RT et al. · Veterinary Microbiology · 283:109774
- 2023
- 2023Whole-genome sequencing of Chlamydia psittaci from Australasian avian hosts: a genomics approach to a pathogen that still ruffles feathersWhite RT et al. · Microbial Genomics · 9:001072
- 2022One clone to rule them all: culture-independent genomics of Chlamydia psittaci from equine and avian hosts in AustraliaWhite RT et al. · Microbial Genomics · 8:000888
- 2022Phase variation in the glycosyltransferase genes of Pasteurella multocida associated with outbreaks of fowl cholera on free-range layer farmsOmalekia L et al., White RT · Microbial Genomics · 8:000772
- 2021Completing the genome sequence of Chlamydia pecorum strains MC/MarsBar and DBDeUG: new insights into this enigmatic koala pathogenWhite RT et al. · Pathogens · 10:1543
- 2021Escherichia coli: placing resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones in Australia and New Zealand into perspectiveWhite RT · Microbiology Australia · 42:104–110
- 2020Companion animals are spillover hosts of the multidrug-resistant human extraintestinal Escherichia coli pandemic clones ST131 and ST1193Kidsley AK, White RT et al. · Frontiers in Microbiology · 11:1968