معرفی
Franco Pagotto serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Medicine. He also holds the position of Co-Director of the Listeriosis Reference Service at Health Canada. With a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Ottawa (2000), Dr. Pagotto has established himself as a leading researcher in foodborne pathogens.
Dr. Pagotto's research focuses on two major foodborne bacterial pathogens: Listeria and Cronobacter. His laboratory investigates how these pathogens enter the farm-to-fork continuum to cause human illness, with particular emphasis on understanding the mechanisms that allow pathogens to grow, adapt, and survive in various food environments. His work combines current and novel methodologies, molecular typing techniques, and ready-to-eat food safety assessments to support government policy, risk assessment, and standard setting activities.
As a member of the steering committee for PulseNet Canada, Dr. Pagotto plays a critical role in real-time molecular surveillance for listeriosis. His laboratory utilizes whole genome sequencing for outbreak investigations, contributing significantly to public health responses. His research on Cronobacter, previously known as Enterobacter sakazakii, has shed light on this pathogen's impact on infants and neonates, causing severe conditions such as sepsis, necrotic enterocolitis, and meningitis. His work has also identified Cronobacter as an emerging pathogen for stroke patients with dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia.
Dr. Pagotto's publication record demonstrates expertise across food microbiology, molecular epidemiology, and genomic analysis of foodborne pathogens. His recent work increasingly incorporates advanced genomic techniques like whole genome sequencing and metagenomics for pathogen detection and outbreak investigation, reflecting the evolution of the field toward more sophisticated molecular approaches.
Through his dual roles at the University of Ottawa and Health Canada, Dr. Pagotto bridges academic research with practical public health applications, ensuring that scientific discoveries directly inform food safety policies and outbreak response strategies.
