Dr Andrew Desbois

Senior Lecturer

Institute of Aquaculture Pathfoot Building, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Dr Andrew Desbois

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About me

I am a microbiologist and my research concerns the microbiology of aquaculture systems, with a special emphasis on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and interventions that can mitigate this global challenge.

Present responsibilities:

-Member of Divisional Research Committee

-Member of Divisional Postgraduate Research Committee

Recent former roles:

-Divisional Chief Examiner for undergraduate modules

-Scientific Member of the Animal Welfare and Ethics Review Body

-Non-professorial member of Academic Council

-Member of Divisional Learning and Teaching Committee

Research (4)

My research concerns the microbiology of aquaculture systems, including:

-Characterisation of bacterial pathogens including molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity and virulence. A deeper understanding allows for the introduction of new and improved treatment and control strategies such as vaccines.

-Describing the bacterial communities within the microbiota of aquaculture settings. Microbes are important for the stability of production systems but we understand little for the roles played by members of the microbiota or how communities may be manipulated beneficially.

-Understanding antimicrobial resistance of bacteria in aquaculture settings. New knowledge in this field is ensures that antibiotics remain effective when they are needed for the treatment of humans and animals.

-Development of alternative hosts to replace fish in studies of microbial infections. The introduction of these approaches is reducing the numbers of native hosts needed to understand diseases, while generating better data.

-Interaction with the innate immune defences of fish and shellfish including cellular and humoral components. Better understanding of immunity allows for the development of approaches to enhance host protection against infection.

Projects

Efficacy testing of immersion and oral vaccines for Aeromonas hydrophila in Tilapia an Vietnamese catfish
PI: Dr Andrew Desbois
Funded by: International Veterinary Vaccinology Network

Bacterial community composition in a shrimp system biofilter
PI: Dr Andrew Desbois
Funded by: Scottish Funding Council

SAICHatch Request for additional Resources
PI: Dr Stefano Carboni
Funded by: Scottish Funding Council

SAIChatch - Research in support of the development of a commercial Mussel hatchery
PI: Dr Stefano Carboni
Funded by: Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre

Outputs (44)

Outputs

Article

McIntyre KM, Khan M, Betson M, Brunton L, Degiovanni HB, Desbois AP, Eltholth M, Hurley P, Morgans L, Pearl JE, Sakrabani R, Shortall O, Watson K & Cole J (2024) Understanding the interests of academics from diverse disciplines to identify the prospective focus for a UK-based transdisciplinary network involving farm-to-fork stakeholders on antimicrobial resistance in agrifood systems: An online survey. One Health, 19, p. 100884. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100884


Article

Smith P, Buba E, Desbois AP, Adams A, Verner-Jeffreys D, Joseph A, Light E, Le Devendec L, Jouy E, Larvor E, Boitard P, Jamin M, Keck N, Le Breton A & Thuillier B (2024) Setting epidemiological cut-off values relevant to MIC and disc diffusion data for Aeromonas salmonicida generated by a standard method. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 159, pp. 29-35. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03798


Article

Lambraki IA, Cousins M, Graells T, Léger A, Abdelrahman S, Desbois AP, Gallagher R, Staaf Larsson B, Mattson B, Henriksson P, Troell M, Søgaard Jørgensen P, Wernli D, Carson CA & Parmley EJ (2022) Governing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in a Changing Climate: A Participatory Scenario Planning Approach Applied to Sweden in 2050. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, Art. No.: 831097. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.831097


Article

Lambraki IA, Cousins M, Graells T, Leger A, Henriksson P, Harbarth S, Troell M, Wernli D, Jørgensen PS, Desbois AP, Carson CA, Parmley EJ & Majowicz SE (2022) Factors influencing antimicrobial resistance in the European food system and potential leverage points for intervention: A participatory, One Health study. PLoS ONE, 17 (2), Art. No.: e0263914. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263914


Article

Desbois AP, Garza M, Eltholth M, Hegazy YM, Mateus A, Adams A, Little DC, Høg E, Mohan CV, Ali SE & Brunton LA (2021) Systems-thinking approach to identify and assess feasibility of potential interventions to reduce antibiotic use in tilapia farming in Egypt. Aquaculture, 540, Art. No.: 736735. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2021.736735


Article

Coyle NM, Bartie KL, Bayliss SC, Bekaert M, Adams A, McMillan S, Verner-Jeffreys DW, Desbois AP & Feil EJ (2020) A Hopeful Sea-Monster: A Very Large Homologous Recombination Event Impacting the Core Genome of the Marine Pathogen Vibrio anguillarum. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, Art. No.: 1430. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.01430


Article

Brunton LA, Desbois AP, Garza M, Wieland B, Mohan CV, Häsler B, Tam CC, Le PNT, Phuong NT, Van PT, Nguyen-Viet H, Eltholth MM, Pham DK, Duc PP & Adams A (2019) Identifying hotspots for antibiotic resistance emergence and selection, and elucidating pathways to human exposure: Application of a systems-thinking approach to aquaculture systems. Science of The Total Environment, 687, pp. 1344-1356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.134


Book Chapter

Desbois AP (2013) Antimicrobial Properties of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (C20 : 5n3). In: Kim S (ed.) Marine Microbiology: Bioactive Compounds and Biotechnological Applications. Weinham, Germany: Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co, pp. 351-367. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9783527665259.ch20/summary


Article

MacCallum DM, Desbois AP & Coote PJ (2013) Enhanced efficacy of synergistic combinations of antimicrobial peptides with caspofungin versus Candida albicans in insect and murine models of systemic infection. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 32 (8), p. 1055–1062. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-013-1850-8


Book Chapter

Desbois AP & Coote PJ (2012) Chapter 2 – Utility of greater wax moth larva (galleria mellonella) for evaluating the toxicity and efficacy of new antimicrobial agents. In: Laskin A, Sariaslani S & Gadd G (eds.) Advances in Applied Microbiology, Volume 78. Advances in Applied Microbiology, 78. Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp. 25-53. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/bookseries/00652164/78; https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-394805-2.00002-6


Article

Desbois AP, Gemmell CG & Coote PJ (2010) In vivo efficacy of the antimicrobial peptide ranalexin in combination with the endopeptidase lysostaphin against wound and systemic meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 35 (6), pp. 559-565. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?partnerID=yv4JPVwI&eid=2-s2.0-77951767027&md5=b041aa27abe16309e9406aa5efcb7c84; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2010.01.016


Article

Desbois AP, Lang S, Gemmell CG & Coote PJ (2010) Surface disinfection properties of the combination of an antimicrobial peptide, ranalexin, with an endopeptidase, lysostaphin, against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Journal of Applied Microbiology, 108 (2), pp. 723-730. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2009.04472.x


Article

Desbois AP, Mearns-Spragg A & Smith VJ (2009) A fatty acid from the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum is antibacterial against diverse bacteria including multi-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Marine Biotechnology, 11 (1), pp. 45-52. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?partnerID=yv4JPVwI&eid=2-s2.0-58849167639&md5=51ad937a5959ac9be96612241b663387; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-008-9118-5