Johannes Cairns
Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology (TCSMT) johannes.cairns@utu.fi |
ecology & evolution, resistance & resilience, bioinformatics, microbial model systems
I am a Collegium Researcher (Title of Docent in Evolutionary Genetics and Bioinformatics, 2023) at the University of Turku, where I lead the Microbial Evolutionary Genetics Lab (utu.fi/meg/). My research focuses on the eco-evolutionary dynamics of microbial communities, antibiotic resistance, and resilience, combining experimental evolution, molecular microbiology, and bioinformatics. I received my PhD in Microbiology from the University of Helsinki in 2018 and have since worked in Finland and the UK. I have authored more than 25 peer-reviewed articles and actively contribute to scientific collaboration, teaching, and science communication. In addition to the University of Turku, I am affiliated with the Department of Computer Science and Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, and the Finnish Multidisciplinary Center of Excellence in Antimicrobial Resistance Research (FIMAR). Besides my science training, I also have academic training (PhD) and publications in environmental humanities, and am a founding and active member in One Health Finland (est. 2016), reflecting my broad interest in systemic approaches to global health and environmental challenges.
I study the eco-evolutionary dynamics of microbial communities, with a particular focus on how they adapt to environmental disturbances and antibiotic stress. By combining experimental evolution, genetic engineering, and bioinformatics, I aim to uncover the mechanisms that shape microbial resistance, resilience, and community interactions.
I have taught at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, with experience ranging from lectures and seminars to workshops and curriculum development. My teaching has focused on microbiology, experimental evolution, molecular genetics, and bioinformatics, including international training initiatives. I have also co-designed course material and supervised students across degree levels.
- Postdoc-elämää Sanger-instituutissaContrasting the impact of cytotoxic and cytostatic drug therapies on tumour progression (2020)
- Inocula : mikrobiologikillan julkaisuNature Ecology and Evolution
- (2020)
- Nature Ecology and Evolution
- (2019)
- PLoS Computational Biology
- Mikrobit mediassa: Elisabethkingia anophelis ja miksi viihdyttävyydessä yksityiskohdilla on väliä2019
- Inocula : mikrobiologikillan julkaisu
- (2019)
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
- Black Queen Evolution and Trophic Interactions Determine Plasmid Survival after the Disruption of the Conjugation NetworkDual-stressor selection alters eco-evolutionary dynamics in experimental communities2018
- MSystems
- Construction and Characterization of Synthetic Bacterial Community for Experimental Ecology and Evolution (2018)
- Frontiers in GeneticsInocula : mikrobiologikillan julkaisu
- (2018)
- Evolving interactions between diazotrophic cyanobacterium and phage mediate nitrogen release and host competitive ability2018
- Communications Biology
- Host range of antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater treatment plant influent and effluentKaikki tarinat eivät ole samanarvoisia2018
- FEMS Microbiology EcologyHelsingin Sanomat
- (2017)
- Molecular Ecology
- (2017)
- Mikrobit mediassa: Jääkaappilaser tunnistaa pilantuneen ruoan (2017)
- Inocula : mikrobiologikillan julkaisu
- Sublethal streptomycin concentrations and lytic bacteriophage together promote resistance evolution (2017)
- Philosophical Transactions B: Biological SciencesRoyal Society Open Science
- (2016)
- Biology LettersInocula : mikrobiologikillan julkaisu
- Epäily ei ole miellyttävä tila, mutta varmuus on järjetön (2016)
- Skeptikko
- (2016)
- (2016)
- Mikrobit mediassa (2015)
- Mikrobit mediassa (2015)
- Inocula : mikrobiologikillan julkaisu



