Yaiza Gutiérrez Vázquez

I am a bioinformatician at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), in the Public Health Microbiology team. My role focuses on developing new bioinformatics pipelines and supporting other teams with data analysis. A key part of the work contributes to pandemic preparedness, helping to track and understand infectious diseases through genomic surveillance.

Before joining UKHSA, I completed a PhD in fungicide resistance at Fera Science Ltd and Newcastle University. The research aimed to understand the relationship between phenotype and genotype, uncovering how genetic mutations translate into real-world resistance. It was through this work—diving into sequencing data and developing analytical approaches—that my passion for bioinformatics truly began.

I enjoy solving complex problems, building efficient workflows, and using data to inform public health decisions. With a strong background in genomics and data analysis, I am committed to advancing bioinformatics to protect public health.