Volunteer: Killian O’Hara
I have always had an interest in science and this has subsequently led me to a career in clinical microbiology. They say that we microbiologists are fighting a never-ending war revolving around the phenomenon of ‘The Man vs The Microbe’. Never has this been more apparent than today where antibiotic resistance is now a tangible threat to our very existence. However, we continue on this great crusade and this idea is at the core of why I came to be a volunteer with FEMS.
I have always wanted to make a difference in patient’s lives and I have the opportunity to do this every day in my career. With this in mind I decided to volunteer with FEMS. I wanted to collaborate with my European microbiology colleagues in order to make a difference across Europe. I felt that if I could get involved with an organization such as FEMS, I would have the opportunity to learn and to grow in the field of microbiology.
FEMS is the organization that is at the centre of microbiology at a European level and I believe it is imperative moving forward into the future. My aim will be to work with my European colleagues to lay down the foundations for a better future for all microbiologists across the continent. We as a continent are facing challenging times in the future with Brexit on the horizon. We need to move forward as a unified European microbiology society with one main aim as our focus: to make a difference however small or large that may be.
Contact Killian O’Hara via:
Email: killian.ohara@gmail.com
Phone: +353838516544
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/killian-o-hara-7551ab27/
FEMS Microbes is excited to present its latest thematic issue, focusing on bacterial-viral co-infections. Host and microbial factors are critically important for influencing the severity and outcome of infection. Interactions between microbes is an understudied yet important aspect to this process.