Mirjam Kaestli

Mirjam Kaestli serves as a Senior Research Officer and Research Fellow in ARC Microbiology at Charles Darwin University's Faculty of Science and Technology, with dual appointments at the Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods and Global and Tropical Health. She is registered to supervise postgraduate research and maintains an active research profile with 107 research outputs and an h-index of 31.

Dr. Kaestli's research spans microbiology, tropical medicine, and environmental health, with a particular focus on bacterial pathogens in tropical environments. Her work centers on Burkholderia pseudomallei (causing melioidosis) and Vibrio species, examining their environmental distribution, transmission patterns, and impact on human health. She investigates how climate factors like monsoon seasons affect pathogen abundance in water systems, and explores connections between environmental conditions and disease outbreaks in Northern Australia and Southeast Asia.

Her recent publication trends show a strong emphasis on microbial ecology in tropical environments, with significant work on water quality assessment, pathogen genomics, and climate-health interactions. The research demonstrates consistent collaboration across Australian institutions and international partners, particularly in Southeast Asia, addressing critical public health challenges in tropical regions.

Dr. Kaestli actively secures research funding through multiple competitive grants, currently leading or contributing to eight major projects totaling millions in funding. Her research portfolio includes the CRCNA Water Security for Northern Australia Program (2023-2026), Flinders ARC project on Coffin Bay water quality (2024-2027), and several initiatives focused on Vibrio bacteria in the Tropical Rock Oyster industry. She also provides expert consultancy services to government and industry on microbial source tracking and water safety.

Her laboratory work spans Darwin Harbour, Northern Australia water systems, and international sites in Indonesia and Southern Africa, examining pathogen ecology across diverse ecosystems. Current research teams focus on integrating genomic, environmental, and epidemiological data to understand pathogen transmission dynamics and develop evidence-based interventions for water safety and public health protection in tropical regions.