Mike Curtis is Professor of Microbiology at Barts and The London NHS Trust. His major field of research is oral microbiology. While working at the American National Institutes for Health he was the first to demonstrate the presence of methanogens in the oral cavity and establish the principles of energy and electron flow through this complex microbial community. After returning to the UK, he began work on the virulence of periodontal bacteria and has made major contributions to the understanding of their biochemistry and genetics. He has worked extensively with industry to develop protease inhibitors as novel specific antimicrobials against oral infections.