Rate My Professor Erica Plummer

Dr Erica Plummer is a postdoctoral research fellow and bioinformatician with the Genital Microbiota and Mycoplasma Group at Monash University’s Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, School of Translational Medicine. She earned her PhD from Monash University in 2021, Master of Science in Bioinformatics from the University of Melbourne in 2014, and Bachelor of Medical Science (Pharmaceutical Science) and Bachelor of Biotechnology (Medical-Applied) from Charles Sturt University in 2008. Her research specializations encompass factors influencing the composition and stability of the vaginal microbiota, the pathogenesis of bacterial vaginosis, the impact of interventions, behavioural practices, and sexual practices on the genital microbiome, and the contribution of the genital microbiome to common genital infections and STI syndromes including bacterial vaginosis and urethritis. Plummer possesses extensive experience in the analysis of next-generation sequencing data, microbiology, and genomics specific to the genital microbiome, establishing a growing national and international reputation for excellence in these domains. Notable publications include “Male-Partner Treatment to Prevent Recurrence of Bacterial Vaginosis” in the New England Journal of Medicine (2025), “Evolving patterns of macrolide and fluoroquinolone resistance in Mycoplasma genitalium: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis” in The Lancet Microbe (2025), “Lefamulin for Mycoplasma genitalium treatment failure in Australia and the USA” in Sexually Transmitted Infections (2025), and “Male partner treatment and bacterial vaginosis: implications for US clinical practice” accepted in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2026).

Plummer has served as Research Fellow at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre since 2017. She holds roles as Editorial Fellow (since August 2021) and Social Media Editor (since October 2022) for Sexually Transmitted Infections (BMJ), and is an Executive Committee member as Executive Assistant and Vice Secretary of the Sexual Health Society of Victoria since January 2022. She guest lectures on Bioinformatics in Sexual Health for the postgraduate unit Clinical and Translational Bioinformatics (TRM6006) in the School of Translational Medicine. Awards include the 2023 ASRHA Young Leader Award, shared Australasian Sexual and Reproductive Health Alliance Innovation Award (2025), Best Oral Presentation (Young Investigator) at the Virtual STI & HIV 2021 World Congress, and First Prize Poster (Young Investigator) at the STI & HIV 2019 World Congress in Vancouver. With an h-index of 13 and nearly 457 Scopus citations, her research significantly impacts sexual health practices.