Engineering novel, safe and effective vaccines against avian colibacillosis

Biography

Jai is a veterinary microbiologist whose research focuses on the fundamental ecology and virulence of zoonotic bacterial pathogens within the poultry gut microbiome, with a particular emphasis on avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) — the causative agent of colibacillosis and the most prevalent disease in farmed poultry. His research group aims to inform the development of novel, non-antibiotic interventions for pathogen control in farmed animals.

He has played a key role as a Senior Research Fellow on multiple high-impact collaborations with global animal health pharmaceutical companies, contributing to the successful development of several commercial vaccines for the poultry sector. Jai is recognized for pioneering innovative vaccine strategies, and his research integrates molecular and synthetic biology with in vitro and in vivo modelling, alongside multi-omic and metagenomic approaches, to design next-generation vaccines, probiotics, and immune modulators.

The Mehat Group is actively developing bacteriophage-based therapies for targeted pathogen control in poultry. His research also investigates the ecological impact of phage treatment on the gut microbiome, aiming to better understand phage-microbiota-host interactions in the context of sustainable livestock health.

More recently, Jai has focused on decoding the metabolic interdependencies within microbial communities using metagenomics and in silico modelling. This systems-level understanding is being applied to engineer synthetic microbiotas that support antibiotic-free farmed animal production. His broader research encompasses pathogens of significant veterinary and zoonotic concern, including E. coli, Campylobacter, Brachyspira, and Yersinia.

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