Meet Dr Danielle Ingle
Driving Global Collaboration in the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance
For Dr Danielle Ingle, understanding how drug-resistant bacteria emerge, spread and evolve is key to addressing one of the world's most significant public health challenges.
Her research group investigates the evolutionary and infection dynamics of drug-resistant enteric bacteria, combining expertise in microbial genomics, epidemiology, molecular microbiology and phylodynamics. The program focuses on two key areas: (1) modelling the emergence, spread and burden of antimicrobial resistance in World Health Organization (WHO) priority bacterial pathogens, and (2) exploring the infection dynamics and disease-causing potential of both established and emerging pathogens. Underpinning this work is a strong international network of collaborators working together to address the growing threat of AMR.
For Danielle, the path into research was not a straightforward one. After completing a Bachelor of Arts/Science and Honours at the Australian National University, Dr Ingle spent two years in a Graduate Development Program with the Australian Federal Government before deciding to pursue a PhD.
“It was a conscious decision to pursue research,” Danielle says.
Among her proudest achievements is building an extensive international network of collaborators. Recently, she led a major Salmonella Typhi project through the Global Typhoid Genomics Consortium and served as the Shigella Lead for a WHO collaborative initiative to develop a global research roadmap for priority bacterial pathogens and improve emergency preparedness.
These large-scale collaborative efforts have connected researchers, institutions and organisations across the globe and will continue to play a central role in the next phase of her research program.
Danielle’s advice to aspiring researchers is simple: “Be open to opportunities but be comfortable saying no if it’s not what you really want to do. Once you make a decision, don’t second guess yourself.”
Outside the lab, Danielle finds balance in nature. Having grown up in the country, she values time spent in places with "big horizons”, these moments provide an opportunity to step away from the laptop, reset and gain perspective.
