Dr. Nikki Townell joined Mater Pathology as the Lead Microbiologist in July 2023.

She graduated from medical school at St. Andrews and Manchester University in the UK in 2004. Driven by a passion for unravelling the complexities of microbial life, she pursued fellowship training specializing in microbiology and infectious diseases in South East Queensland, earning accreditation from both the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) in 2016. She has a keen focus on combating antimicrobial resistance and advancing bacteriology.

Dr Townell is committed to global health equity and this is exemplified by her role as a founding member of PRIDA (Pacific Regions Infectious Disease Association), a collaborative platform aimed at addressing infectious diseases prevalent in the Pacific region. For over 10 years, she has undertaken voluntary and consultancy projects, involving a number of organisations such as World Health Organization, Burnet Institute, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and University of Papua New Guinea.