Dr Thiru Vanniasinkam

After completing her  PhD at the University of South Australia, Dr Vanniasinkam undertook a Postdoctoral research fellowship in an Immunology Laboratory at the Wistar Institute (University of Pennsylvania campus) in Philadelphia, USA. Research activities included DNA vaccine development based upon antigens derived from rabies virus and HIV-1, development of adenoviral vectors, development of non-viral promotoers in vaccine vectors and the use of various adjuvants to enhance the immune response to DNA vaccines. Dr Vanniasinkam has been involved in studies on adenoviral vector based vaccines to rabies and HIV.

Dr Vanniasinkam's research experience also includes DNA vaccine development for Prescottella equi, (formerly Rhodococcus equi), development of diagnostic tests for Campylobacter spp. and Rhodococcus equi and epitope mapping of bacterial virulence proteins. Her current research involves vaccine development and development of diagnostic techniques for veterinary pathogens such as equine adenovirus, Campylobacter jejuni and Prescottella equi.

Research

Current projects:

• Development of a vaccine to control campylobacter in chickens (Funding - RIRDC).
• An adenoviral vector vaccine against Prescottella equi (Funding - RIRDC).

Teaching

Currently teaching immunology and microbiology subjects to students enrolled in  a range of courses including Pharmacy, Equine Science, Animal Science and Medical Science.

• Fellow of the Australian Society for Microbiology
• Member of the Australasian Society for Immunology
• Member of the American Society for Microbiology
• Member of the Society for General Microbiology (UK)
• Member of the International Society for Vaccine

Research interests:

Veterinary and medical microbiology, vaccine development and bacterial pathogenesis.

Giles C, Ndi O, Barton MD and Vanniasinkam T (2016). An Adenoviral Vector Based Vaccine for Rhodococcus equi. PLoS One 11(3):e0152149.

Giles C, Vanniasinkam T, Barton M and Mahony TJ (2015). Characterisation of the Equine adenovirus 2 genome. Vet Microbiol 179(3-4):184-9.

Devi A, Wilkinson J, Mahony T and Vanniasinkam T (2014). Detection of Campylobacter in human faecal samples in Fiji. Western Pac Surveill Response J 5(4):30-3.

McCallum C, McGregor A and Vanniasinkam T (2013). Prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in Tasmania, Australia. Pathology 45(7):681-8.

Cavanagh HM, Mahony TJ and Vanniasinkam T (2012). Genetic characterization of equine adenovirus type 1. Vet Microbiol 155(1):33-7.