Patricia Priest Explained

Patricia Priest
Workplaces:University of Otago
Alma Mater:University of Oxford
Thesis Title:Antibacterial use and antibacterial resistance in the community
Thesis Url:https://worldcat.org/en/title/51079197
Thesis Year:2001

Patricia Priest is a New Zealand public health scientist and epidemiologist who is Professor of Public Health in Medicine at the University of Otago. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Priest served as an advisor to the New Zealand Ministry of Health. She was awarded an Ig Nobel Prize in 2010. As of 2024 Priest is the Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Health Sciences at the university.

Early life and education

Priest was a doctoral researcher at the University of Oxford.[1] She investigated the relationship between prescribing antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in the community.[2]

Research and career

Priest's research considers epidemiology and public health.[3] In 2010, Priest and collaborators Lianne Parkin and Sheila Williams were jointly awarded an Ig Nobel Prize, which is awarded by Annals of Improbable Research for bizarre scientific discoveries.[4] They were recognised for their work that identified walking with socks over shoes resulted in a frosty floor feeling less slippery than people walking without socks.[5]

Priest studied the relationship between gardening and contracting Legionnaires' disease. She identified that Legionella longbeachae, which is present in compost and potting soil, could contribute to infection with Legionnaires' disease.[6]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Priest was appointed to the New Zealand Ministry of Health Technical Advisory Group, where she oversaw activity on epidemiology.[7] She was responsible for advising the Ministry on surveillance and monitoring for COVID-19.[8] Early in 2020, Priest recommended that people wear masks to limit transmission of the virus.[9] She was worried that students would be responsible for spreading COVID-19.[10]

In 2022 Priest was appointed as the acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Health Sciences at the University of Otago.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Antibacterial use and antibacterial resistance in the community WorldCat.org . 2022-11-24 . www.worldcat.org . en.
  2. Web site: Otago . University of . Inaugural Professorial Lecture – Professor Patricia Priest . 2022-11-24 . University of Otago . en-nz.
  3. Web site: Medicine . Department of Preventive and Social . Department of Preventive and Social Medicine staff profiles . 2022-11-24 . www.otago.ac.nz . en-nz.
  4. Web site: Constantine . Ellie . 2010-10-02 . Socks on ice a winner . 2022-11-24 . Otago Daily Times Online News . en.
  5. Web site: Abrahams . Marc . 2015-01-20 . Kiwis and the sensible quest against toppling . 2022-11-24 . improbable.com . en-US.
  6. Web site: 2017-06-24 . Gardening this weekend? Beware of the compost . 2022-11-24 . www.medicalnewstoday.com . en.
  7. Web site: New appointments to the Strategic COVID-19 Public Health Advisory Group . 2022-11-24 . New Zealand Doctor . en.
  8. Web site: Munro . Bruce . 2020-06-13 . University research focused on pandemic . 2022-11-24 . Otago Daily Times Online News . en.
  9. Web site: feed . watermark . 2020-10-16 . COVID-19 disease comparison masks vital differences . 2022-11-24 . Australian Associated Press . en.
  10. Web site: Trump . Eric . 2022-01-29 . Students likely Omicron vector: experts . 2022-11-24 . Otago Daily Times Online News . en.
  11. Web site: Sciences . Division of Health . 2022-08-11 . New leaders in Division of Health Sciences . 2024-01-24 . www.otago.ac.nz . en.

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