About

Dr James Price graduated in Medicine from St. George’s Hospital Medical School, London, in 2005. James was awarded a Walport NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship during which he completed his PhD focusing on whole-genome sequencing to inform nosocomial S. aureus infection. In 2014 James was appointed as a NIHR Clinical Lecturer where he continued to develop his research in prevention of healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial resistance. In 2019, James took up a position as Infection Consultant at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and progressed to Director of Infection Prevention and Control. Alongside this he worked as Honorary Senior Lecturer at the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance at Imperial College London. In 2022, James took up the position of Senior Lecturer at Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Honorary Consultant in Infection at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust where he pursues his interests in (i) translational application of data and novel technologies to inform on infection prevention and antimicrobial resistance and (ii) sustainable approaches to infection prevention and control to support decarbonising healthcare. To date, his publications have received over 5000 citations, and he has won the prestigious Barnett Christie Prize Lecture, the Royal College of Pathologists Research Medal in Microbiology, the ESCMID Young Investigators award, the Healthcare Infection Society Early Career Award and a National Clinical Impact Award. James is Council Member (2016-) of the Healthcare Infection Society and chairs the Professional Development Committee. In addition to being a fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists and the Royal College of Physicians, James is an active member of the National Quality Assurance Advisory Panel for microbiology, the NHS England and Improvement IPC oversight group, and has sat on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) hospital-onset COVID infection subgroup.

Jude Robinson is an Independent Nurse Consultant in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) with over 18 years of experience across clinical practice, leadership, education, and research. Specialising in surgical site infection (SSI) prevention, IPC workforce development, education and implementation science, Jude works to improve patient safety through evidence-based practice and sustainable quality improvement. A passionate advocate for patient empowerment, Jude champions partnerships between patients, carers, and healthcare professionals to reduce infection risk, improve outcomes, and address health inequalities.

Luke is an Infectious Diseases Physician and Clinical Microbiologist with special interests in critical care infections, antimicrobial resistance, and healthcare systems. Luke holds a PhD in this field, two Masters degrees in Public Health and in Clinical Microbiology, both with distinction, is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists and the Royal College of Physicians. Luke works clinically for secondary and tertiary care patients with infections in London, whilst his current research focuses on the epidemiology of and interventions for outbreak control and antimicrobial stewardship. Luke is an editor the Journal of Hospital Infection, an examiner for the Royal College of Pathologists, and West London Lead for the infectious diseases, microbiology, and virology Specialty Training Committee. Luke provides undergraduate and post graduate education across a range of degree courses, and several different years of the MBBS programme.

Dr Nneoma Okeke is an experienced epidemiologist with a medical background and over five years’ expertise in using data to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare risks. She led the creation of the Surveillance and Innovation Unit at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, providing trust-wide access to infectious disease data and insights that inform infection prevention policies. Her work promotes proactive infection control and personalised patient care, with aims to support safer prescribing and tackle antimicrobial resistance. Dr Okeke is committed to using health data to drive informed policies that protect public health.

Dr Shanom Ali is lead of the Environmental Research Laboratory (ERL) - a multi-disciplinary microbiology diagnostics and research facility at UCLH - and associate professor/lecturer at UCL and LSHTM. The ERL provides academic research and consultancy solutions that address AMR and infection control management as well as an exploring interests in antimicrobial discovery and novel therapeutics/diagnostics. The ERL encompasses a team of healthcare/clinical scientists/research nurses and academics.

Dr Ali provides teaching and training opportunities to PHD/Post-doc, MSc and medical students in microbiology/medical microbiology/infection and other cross-disciplinary fields such as chemistry/engineering/ nanotechnology/physics and astronomy. Through these projects the ERL attracts both UK, EU and international PhDs/Post-docs/MScs and medical graduates/trainees as well as medical registrars.

The ERL has over 15 years of expertise in engaging in a number of academic/industry grant-lead research in infection control/AMR/diagnostics and publish in peer-review journals accordingly. The ERL has established many links with industry and has influence in the development of products for the healthcare market. The ERL has also provided support to PHE/UKHSA in outbreak investigations that supports review of national guidelines.

Kris Khambhaita is a Nurse Consultant, and Director of Infection Prevention & Control, Decontamination Lead working in Infection Prevention and Control. As a registered nurse and Chartered Member of the Institute of Decontamination Science, with a bachelor’s degree in Infection Control and post graduate qualifications in strategic healthcare management; Kris has worked in the NHS for 30 years first as a healthcare assistant and then as a nurse after qualifying in a range of settings from acute hospitals in London and Kent to community GP practice, mental health care establishments and prison health. Kris was 2025 finalist of the Nursing Times IPC Awards for her strategic leadership and transformation governance and patient safety skills, and Winner of the IPS Impact Award for Nurturing IPC Talent, which demonstrate the commitment and passion in IPC education, people skills, nurturing high performing IPC teams.

Leila Hail is an experienced Consultant Nurse and Deputy Director of Infection Prevention and Control at University College London Hospitals. She qualified from the University of Brighton having completed a 4 year European nursing and Spanish language degree, in 2015 she completed an MSc in Healthcare with distinction at LSBU. In the past she has worked at several London teaching hospitals in intensive care, transplant and burns unit, accident and emergency and surgery.

She has particular interests in outbreak management and the effects of hospital design as an essential component of infection control; other areas of interest include, reducing the risk of invasive device associated infections and the design of Electronic health records to maximise key IPC elements to improve real time communication and patient safety within healthcare settings. Leila has also worked as an external expert and advisor to organisations particularly at a strategic level, as well as  an expert advisor in national groups, she is currently a member of the NHSE infection prevention and control shared decision making council. Leila joined the HIS council in 2021 and has been a Trustee since October 2022.