Running as part of National Pathology Week (NPW) 2026, the event celebrates the NPW 2026 theme, 'Welcome to the Lab' by inviting anyone with an interest in working in medicine or science to join our expert speakers to find out what it’s like to work in medical microbiology.

Medical Microbiology is one of 17 specialties in pathology, the study of disease. Pathologists are medically or scientifically qualified and work in hospitals and laboratories with other doctors and healthcare professionals to prevent, diagnose and treat disease.

Chaired by Professor Angharad Davies, this webinar features three speakers: Consultant Medical Microbiologist, Dr Natasha Ratnaraja; Trainee Consultant Clinical Scientist, Dr Amy Read and Consultant Medical Microbiologist, Dr Francesca Knapper.

The speakers will explain what medical microbiology is and why it is important to healthcare. They’ll also share their personal journeys into the specialty including their education and training, as well as their day-to-day work including any research they do.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask speakers questions. This online event is free, but registration is essential. Book your place via the booking button to the right.

There are 12 webinars on different careers and topics in pathology running during NPW 2026. See more details on the NPW page.

To find out more about careers in pathology visit our careers pages.

Meet the speakers

Chair: Professor Angharad Davies

Professor Angharad Davies is a consultant medical microbiologist at the Public Health Wales Cryptosporidium Reference Unit. She shares her academic time between Swansea University Medical School and North Wales Medical School. She qualified in medicine from St John’s College Cambridge, and undertook her specialist training in medical microbiology at the Royal Free Hospital, London, followed by a Medical Research Council Clinical Research Training Fellowship and PhD at University College London. She is Clinical Director for Publishing and Engagement at the Royal College of Pathologists. 

Speakers: Dr Natasha Ratnaraja, Dr Amy Read, and Dr Francesca Knapper.

Dr Ratnaraja is a consultant in infection at University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire. She is the Chair for RCPath's Medical Microbiology and Medical Virology Specialty Advisory Committee. She has an interest in laboratory diagnostics and standards and the development of infection services. Dr Ratnaraja authored the BIA/RCPath "Best practice standards for the delivery of NHS infection services in the United Kingdom”.

Amy Read is a Clinical Scientist in Microbiology at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and a trainee on the Higher Specialist Scientist Training programme. Following a 25-year career as a Biomedical Scientist, she became the Trust’s first Clinical Scientist in Microbiology. Her doctoral work focuses on using behaviour change approaches to optimise the blood culture pathway, strengthen diagnostic stewardship, and improve patient care.

Dr Francesca Knapper is a Consultant Medical Microbiologist at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust. She graduated from King's College London, where she completed an intercalated BSc in Immunobiology and Infectious Diseases,. She undertook specialty registrar training in Bristol and holds a joint Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
Francesca has a particular clinical interest in the management of complex wounds and osteomyelitis. She has established a regional multidisciplinary team (MDT) focused on complex infections, working closely with Tissue Viability teams and a wide range of clinical specialties to support the delivery of integrated, patient-centred care. She also has a strong interest in Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) and the optimisation of antimicrobial treatment pathways for patients requiring prolonged therapy.
A key area of her current work is diagnostic stewardship. She has worked extensively with primary care colleagues to develop and implement a diagnostic stewardship flagship programme aimed at improving the appropriate use of microbiology investigations, supporting antimicrobial stewardship, and enhancing patient care across healthcare settings. Her wider professional interests include infection diagnosis, sepsis pathways, service development, quality improvement, and the translation of evidence-based practice into routine clinical care.
Francesca is passionate about collaborative working across organisational boundaries and is committed to developing innovative diagnostic and clinical pathways that improve patient outcomes and support the effective use of healthcare resources.