Dr Fatima Ulhuq
Published: 24 September 2026
Thursday, 24 September 2026
- HCPC-registered Clinical Scientist within,Infection Genomic Service (NHS Lothian)
- Location: Common Room, Sir Graeme Davies Building
Title: From COVID to 16S: How a pandemic accidentally became a career
Bio:
Fatima completed a BSc (Hons) in Pharmacology and Physiological Sciences at the University of Dundee before undertaking a PhD at the University of Dundee, investigating the role of a novel pore-forming toxin secreted via the Type VII Secretion System in Staphylococcus aureus.
Following a brief period of postdoctoral research at Newcastle University, Fatima joined NHS Lothian in 2021 as an Associate Clinical Scientist, supporting the development and implementation of a novel sequencing service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This involved whole genome sequencing of clinical and environmental samples for the detection and surveillance of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
She is now a HCPC-registered Clinical Scientist within the Infection Genomic Service (IGS) at NHS Lothian, where she leads clinical sequencing and genomic surveillance of a range of pathogens. In 2026, she led the implementation of an in-house 16S rRNA sequencing service to support the diagnosis of complex clinical microbiology cases and improve patient care.
First published: 24 September 2026
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