Professor Sharon Peacock is the eighth Master of Churchill College, University of Cambridge, where she oversees its democratic self-governance and fosters discussions on achieving the College’s educational mission. She is deeply committed to supporting students in excelling academically while promoting their well-being through a balance of academic pursuits and extracurricular activities. Professor Peacock also focuses on enhancing the physical environment, sustainability, and financial resilience of the College to benefit future generations.
Trained in general internal medicine and clinical microbiology, Professor Peacock has spent much of her post-graduate career in teaching and research. Her expertise spans pathogen genomics, antimicrobial resistance, and tropical diseases, which she explored while leading bacterial disease research at the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in Bangkok from 2003 to 2009. She is the founding Director of the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium (COG-UK), established in 2020 to contribute to the UK’s pandemic response by providing SARS-CoV-2 genomic data. Her work has significantly advanced the use of pathogen sequencing in clinical and public health settings, particularly in detecting and managing outbreaks and studying the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Professor Peacock is a Professor of Microbiology and Public Health in the Department of Medicine at the University of Cambridge. Her contributions to microbiology have been recognised by numerous accolades, including being a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, and a Member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO). She has received prestigious awards, such as the Unilever Colworth Prize in 2018 and the Marjorie Stephenson Prize in 2023 from the Microbiology Society. In 2015, she was awarded a CBE for her services to medical microbiology, and in 2021, she received the Medical Research Council Millennium Medal for her pioneering work in pathogen sequencing and leadership of COG-UK, alongside her contributions to advancing equality, diversity, and inclusion in research.
Born and raised in Sussex, Professor Peacock attended a state comprehensive school and initially trained as a dental nurse and adult general nurse before pursuing a medical degree at Southampton University as a mature student. She is passionate about widening access to higher education, particularly at Churchill College, where she encourages academically talented individuals from diverse backgrounds to thrive and contribute to society through learning, discovery, and innovation.
Professor Peacock also serves on the University of Cambridge’s Council, where she contributes her expertise in strategy, governance, widening access, mental health, and environmental sustainability.