Rate My Professor Iain Lamont

Emeritus Professor Iain Lamont serves in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Otago, part of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences. He obtained a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Microbiology from the University of Edinburgh in 1980 and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford. Lamont began his academic career in 1984 at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Adelaide, South Australia, before relocating to the University of Otago in 1987. There, he progressed to the position of Professor of Biochemistry, contributing extensively as a teacher, researcher, and academic leader until his retirement at the end of 2023, when he was conferred the title of Emeritus Professor.

Lamont's research centers on the molecular genetics and biochemistry of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an antibiotic-resistant opportunistic pathogen. His work elucidates mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, iron acquisition through siderophores like pyoverdine, gene regulation, quorum sensing, efflux pumps, and evolutionary adaptations in chronic infections such as cystic fibrosis. He has produced over 160 publications, including highly cited papers such as "Siderophore-mediated signaling regulates virulence factor production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa" (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2002), "Pyoverdine siderophores: from biogenesis to biosignificance" (Trends in Microbiology, 2007), "The Pseudomonas aeruginosa 4-quinolone signal molecules HHQ and PQS play multifunctional roles in quorum sensing and iron entrapment" (Chemistry & Biology, 2007), and "Biochemistry changes that occur after death: potential markers for determining post-mortem interval" (PLoS ONE, 2013). With more than 8,000 citations, his contributions have transformed understanding of iron signaling and bacterial gene regulation, with implications for infection management. Lamont received the Distinguished Academic Teacher Award from the School of Biomedical Sciences in 2018, secured Health Research Council funding for superbug research, and held roles including co-director of One Health Aotearoa.