Dr Robin Nicholas MSc PhD, FRCPath was head of the Mycoplasma Group at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) until 2014, and remains active as a consultant. He has published extensively in the area of mycoplasma diseases, and in particular on Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia. He has published 5 books, including 2 on mycoplasmas: Mycoplasma Protocols (Humana Press) with Roger Miles and Mycoplasma Diseases of Ruminants (CABI) with Laura McAuliffe and Roger Ayling.