Lavanya Vythalingam

Lavanya Vythalingam is a Researcher at the Heriot-Watt University, affiliated with the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society and the Institute for Life and Earth Sciences. Her work focuses on molecular diagnostics and aquatic ecology, particularly in non-invasive detection of pathogens and invasive species.

Her research integrates environmental DNA (eDNA) detection, qPCR, and LAMP assays to monitor diseases like Bonamia ostreae in oysters and invasive fish species in Malaysia. Key projects include developing the Franklin qPCR machine protocol and RisK field detection kits, emphasizing rapid diagnostics for aquaculture sustainability.

Publications highlight collaborations with T. Regan, T. Bean, and Malaysian institutions. Topics span marine and freshwater ecosystem conservation, species distribution modeling, and molecular tool development, with citations on Bonamia ostreae detection and Oreochromis invasion prediction.

Her international network extends to Malaysia, focusing on biodiversity protection and aquatic health. Current outputs show a consistent trend in applied molecular ecology and invasive species management since 2018.