Dr Kate Reddington

Dr Kate Reddington is the Vice Dean for Research and Innovation in the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Galway and a member of the Institute for Health Discovery and Innovation's Executive Management Team (EMT). She is also a Principal Investigator and lecturer on the Microbiology pathway within the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, where she leads a research group focused on advancing infectious disease diagnostics and public health microbiology

Her research centres on the development and implementation of innovative molecular technologies to improve clinical and environmental pathogen detection. A particular area of interest for Dr Reddington is the integration of emerging approaches—such as point‑of‑use metagenomic sequencing and whole‑genome sequencing—into clinical microbiology and healthcare surveillance. Her work spans human clinical samples as well as environmental reservoir sources within healthcare settings.

Dr Reddington has played an influential role in national infectious disease monitoring and innovation efforts. She served as a member of the National Coronavirus Sequencing Consortium and contributed to the HSE COVID‑19 Laboratory R&D Product Solutions Group, supporting Ireland’s genomic response to the pandemic. 

Her broader research interests include molecular infectious disease diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance detection, environmental microbiology, and strategies for translating genomic technologies into frontline public health practice.

In addition to her research and leadership roles, Dr Reddington is deeply committed to teaching and curriculum development. She coordinates 3rd Year Microbiology and teaches across multiple undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, fostering the next generation of microbiologists, innovators, and research leaders.