I am a molecular bacteriologist with research interests in mycobacteria - the genus of bacteria whose members cause human and bovine tuberculosis (TB), human leprosy, Buruli ulcer, non-tuberculous mycobacterioses (NTM) and Johne’s disease. I have a BSc (Hons) in marine biology and biochemistry from Dalhousie University, and a PhD in molecular microbiology and genetics from the University of Toronto in Canada. After graduation, I did post-doctoral research on M. tb virulence factors at the Global Health Institute of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland.

In 2014, I joined VIDO-InterVac, University of Saskatchewan in Canada as a research scientist and principal investigator. I currently direct a research program focused on 4 specific areas:

1) Basic research to understand mycobacterial pathogenesis and virulence mechanisms

2) Developing next generation of BCG vaccines to combat human and bovine TB

3) Identifying BCG-derived bioactive molecules involved in immune evasion and inducing trained immunity

4) Developing a novel porcine (swine) model of human TB infection and transmission