Javier Santander

Dr. Javier Santander is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ocean Sciences at Memorial University of Newfoundland, with a cross-appointment in the Department of Biology. His research program focuses on bacterial fish pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions, particularly in marine aquaculture species. He leads a dynamic research group studying the molecular mechanisms of bacterial infections in fish and developing effective vaccines to combat these diseases.

• PhD in Microbiology, Arizona State University, USA (2012)
• MSc in Microbiology, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Chile (2001)
• BSc in Marine Biology, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Chile (1999)

Dr. Santander's research interests center on understanding how bacterial pathogens infect fish and how to trigger protective immune responses through vaccine design. His work spans bacterial physiology, fish immunology, and bacteriophage biology, with a particular focus on pathogens affecting commercially important species like lumpfish, Atlantic salmon, and sablefish. His laboratory employs cutting-edge techniques including genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics to investigate host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level.

Analysis of Dr. Santander's recent publications reveals a strong focus on lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) as a model organism, particularly studying its immune responses to pathogens like Aeromonas salmonicida and Vibrio anguillarum. His research increasingly incorporates climate change impacts, thermal adaptation of pathogens, and non-coding RNA regulation in bacterial virulence. The work spans fundamental pathogenesis research through to applied vaccine development, with strong industry collaborations.

Dr. Santander has secured significant research funding from multiple sources including NSERC, Genome Canada, Ocean Frontier Institute, and various industry partners. His laboratory actively mentors numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, with a focus on developing the next generation of aquaculture researchers.

His research group operates state-of-the-art facilities including tissue culture labs, molecular biology equipment, and access to the Cold Ocean Deep-Sea Research Facility. They collaborate extensively with industry partners including Cooke Aquaculture, Phibro, and Golden Eagle Sablefish to ensure their research has practical applications for the aquaculture industry.