Chris Greening wins 2026 WH Pierce Global Impact in Microbiology Prize

Summary: Professor Chris Greening of Monash University, Australia, has won the WH Pierce Global Impact in Microbiology Prize at Applied Microbiology International’s Horizon Awards 2026. His research explores how microorganisms regulate greenhouse gases, sustain ecosystems and influence One Health, with applications in agricultural methane reduction, pathogen surveillance and microbial conservation.


Professor Chris Greening, Professor of Microbiology at Monash University in Australia, has been named as the newest winner of the WH Pierce Global Impact in Microbiology Prize.

The prize is part of the Applied Microbiology International Horizon Awards 2026, which celebrate the brightest minds in the field and promote the research, group, projects, products and individuals who continue to help shape the future of applied microbiology.

The WH Pierce Global Impact in Microbiology Prize acknowledges and celebrates individuals, teams, or organizations that have made groundbreaking contributions to global challenges through applied microbiology.

Professor Greening said: "I’m immensely honored to receive the WH Pierce Global Impact in Microbiology Prize. While I started off as a purely basic scientist, over the years I’ve realised just how many solutions microbes can offer to the world’s biggest challenges. I’m now dedicating my career to understanding, using and communicating the remarkable capabilities of microbes to improve our planet, health and economies.

“I’ve been deeply inspired by many wonderful trailblazers, mentors and collaborators along the way, and am incredibly grateful to work with such a talented and generous team of people who have driven this work. For me, the award is a wonderful recognition not just of our impact, but of the extraordinary potential of microbiology to make a difference in the world."

At Monash University, Professor Greening leads the CLIMB: Climate and Microbiology Research Unit and serves as Director of the Global Change Program.

A first-class graduate of the University of Oxford (Biochemistry Major) and University of Otago (Microbiology PhD), he established his interdisciplinary research group in 2016.

His research focuses on understanding, harnessing, and communicating microorganisms to help society respond to climate change and other global challenges.

Working from atomic to ecosystem scales, he has pioneered discoveries on how microbes regulate greenhouse gases, sustain terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and influence One Health. Through major industry and programmatic partnerships, his research is been translated into agricultural methane reduction programs, pathogen surveillance systems, Antarctic stewardship, and microbial conservation efforts.

Professor Greening has published more than 180 peer-reviewed articles and received major honors, including the 2023 Australian Prime Minister’s Prize for Life Scientist of the Year, election to three microbiology academies, and recognition as a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. He is also a strong advocate for diverse, empowering environments in science and has mentored many researchers to establish independent careers and research groups.

Like many of the Applied Microbiology International Awards, the WH Pierce Prize is named after a distinguished individual who has been recognized by AMI for his outstanding contribution to the field of applied microbiology.

Important legacy

William (Bill) Henry Pierce was a long-standing member of Applied Microbiology International and former Chief Bacteriologist of Oxo Ltd, now part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific Group.

Throughout his lifetime, he made significant contributions to the improvement of bacterial culture media that are still used in a vast range of applications worldwide today. His work developing dehydrated extracts for making bacterial media culture had a significant impact on industry and made bacterial culture faster, more efficient and more reliable.

Nominations are now open for the 2027 Horizon Awards, celebrating outstanding achievement and impact across applied microbiology.

For 2027, the Horizon Awards portfolio is expanding with three new Early Career Excellence Awards, recognizing emerging researchers making an impact in environmental conservation, food security and innovation, and public health. The established WH Pierce Prize, the Christiana Figueres Policy to Practice Award, and the Dorothy Jones Diversity and Inclusion Achievement Award remain open to researchers across career stages, with criteria that allow early career researchers to compete on an equal footing.

The winners of all 12 Horizon Awards will be announced and celebrated at the LAM ECR Symposium at Queen Mary University of London in June 2027, bringing together established leaders and the next generation of applied microbiologists for a celebration of achievement across our community.

Know someone whose work deserves recognition? Nominate them for a 2027 Horizon Award.