I am a Collegium Researcher at the University of Turku (starting 2025), where I lead the Microbial Evolutionary Genetics Lab (MEG Lab; https://johannescairns.github.io/meg-lab/). I hold the Title of Docent in Evolutionary Genetics and Bioinformatics (2023) and, since 2026, serve as Assistant Professor (DDLS Fellow) at the Faculty of Medicine, Lund University. I am also affiliated with the Department of Computer Science and the Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme at the University of Helsinki, as well as the Finnish Multidisciplinary Center of Excellence in Antimicrobial Resistance Research (FIMAR).

My research focuses on the eco-evolutionary dynamics of microbial communities, with particular emphasis on antibiotic resistance and resilience. I combine experimental evolution, molecular microbiology, and bioinformatics to understand how microbial populations adapt to environmental stress.

I received my PhD in Microbiology from the University of Helsinki in 2018 and have since worked in Finland, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. I have authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and actively contribute to scientific collaboration, teaching, and science communication.

Alongside my training in the biological sciences, I also hold a PhD in environmental humanities and have published in this field. I am a founding member (2016) and Vice President of One Health Finland. I am also a founding member and President of the HEH Good Life Think and Do Tank (planetary well-being, founded 2026). These activities reflect my broader interest in integrative and 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.