Jo-Anne Dillon

Jo-Anne Dillon is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Medicine. Her research focuses on sexually transmitted infections, particularly Neisseria gonorrhoeae, with an emphasis on antimicrobial resistance and bacterial cell division. She leads the WHO-endorsed Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Program in Latin America and the Caribbean, collaborating internationally to monitor resistance trends. Dr. Dillon has held leadership roles, including Dean of the College of Arts and Science and Interim Chair of her department. Her awards include Fellowships from the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Education:
- BSc (Microbiology), University of Toronto
- MSc and PhD (Microbiology and Immunology), Queen’s University
- Postdoctoral research at the University of Pittsburgh.

Research Interests:
- Antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
- Molecular epidemiology and diagnostic technologies for STIs.
- Cell division in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Enterococcus faecalis.
- Global health initiatives to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

Awards:
- Distinguished Career Awards from the Canadian Society of Microbiologists and American Society for Microbiology.
- Fellowships from the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Lab Activities:
Current lab members include Sumudu Perera, Cherry Wang, Kusum Sharma, Yinan Zou, and Reema Singh. Research employs whole-genome sequencing, swine models, and novel diagnostic tools to address public health challenges.