Biography

Education, Training, & Research:

• B.Sc., Biochemistry, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
• B.Sc., Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
• Ph.D., Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Canada
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Organization, Canada

Specialties:

• Medical Microbiology
• Microbial Pathogenesis
• Enteric Pathogens
• Bacteriology
• Food Safety
• One Health & Zoonotic Pathogens
• Vaccine Development

Research Interests:

• Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Disease
• Bacterial Virulence Factors
• Gastrointestinal Disease & the Human Microbiome
• Relationships between One Health, Food Safety & Vaccine Development

Biography:

Dr. Taseen Desin obtained a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Saskatchewan (Canada). He then pursued another B.Sc. in Microbiology, followed by a Ph.D. in Microbiology (Salmonella pathogenesis & vaccine development) at the Vaccine & Infectious Disease Organization (University of Saskatchewan). Subsequently, Dr. Desin completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the same institute focusing on Shiga-toxin producing E. coli pathogenesis and vaccine development.

Dr. Desin started his career in 2014 as an Assistant Professor of Microbiology at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (Saudi Arabia) and an Adjunct Research Scientist at King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (Saudi Arabia). In 2020-21, Dr. Desin taught Microbial Pathogenesis at the University of Saskatchewan and Nursing Microbiology at the University of Regina (Canada). In 2022-24, Dr. Desin was as an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the Trinity School of Medicine, with primary teaching duties at the Saint Vincent campus, while also mentoring research students at both the Warner Robbins (Georgia) and Saint Vincent (Caribbean) campuses.

Dr. Desin joined the UCF College of Medicine in 2024 as an Associate Professor of Microbiology. He remains passionate about teaching microbiology and is dedicated to creating a positive and engaging learning experience for his students. He is a member of the American Society of Microbiology (ASM) and has published numerous abstracts, research articles and two book chapters. Additionally, Dr. Desin has successfully secured research funding over the years to investigate the prevalence of Salmonella infections (P.I.) and to advance the development of MERS-CoV Vaccine Candidates (Co-PI).

Publications:

1. Sokaribo, A.S., Hansen, E.G., McCarthy, M., Desin, T.S., Waldner, L.L., MacKenzie, K.D., Mutwiri, G.Jr., Herman, N.J., Herman, D.J., Wang, Y. and White A.P. Metabolic Activation of CsgD in the Regulation of Salmonella Biofilms. Microorganisms Jun 2020; 8(7): 964. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8070964.
2. Alghoribi, M.F., Desin, T.S., Alswaji, A.A., Alwan, B.H., Alzayer, M., Okdah, L., Al Johani, S., Balkhy, H.H. and Doumith, M. OXA-48 Carbapenemase-producing Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky sequence type 198 isolated from Saudi Arabia. J Antimicrob Chemother; July 2020; 75(7): 2006-2008; https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkaa077 .
3. Alghoribi, M.F., Doumith, M., AlRodayyan, M., Alzayer, M., Köster, W., Muhanna, A., Johani, S., Balkhy, H.H. and Desin, T. S. S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium harboring SPI-1 and SPI-2 are the predominant serotypes associated with Human Salmonellosis in Saudi Arabia. Front Cell Infect Microbiol May 2019; https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00187.
4. Desin, T. S., Townsend, H.G., and Potter, A.A. Antibodies directed against Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli serotype O103 Type III Secreted Proteins block Adherence of heterologous STEC serotypes to Hep-2 cells. PLoS One 2015; 10 (10): e0139803.
5. Ghunaim, H. and Desin, T. S. Potential Impact of Food Safety Vaccines on Health Care Costs. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2015; 12 (9): 733-40.
6. Desin, T. S., Köster, W., and Potter, A.A. Salmonella vaccines in poultry: past, present and future. Expert Review of Vaccines 2013; 12 (1): 87-96.
7. Wisner, A.L.S., Desin, T. S., Lam, P.K., Berberov, E.M., Mickael, C.S., Townsend, H.G., Potter, A.A., and Köster, W. Immunization of chickens with Salmonella Enteritidis Pathogenicity Island-2 proteins. Veterinary Microbiology 2011; 153 (3-4): 274-284.
8. Desin, T. S., Wisner, A.L.S., Lam, P.K., Berberov, E.M., Mickael, C.S., Potter, A.A., and Köster, W. Evaluation of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis Pathogenicity Island-1 proteins as vaccine candidates against S. Enteritidis challenge in chickens. Veterinary Microbiology 2011; 148 (2-4): 298-307.
9. Desin, T. S., Mickael, C., Lam, P.K., Potter, A.A., and Köster, W. Protection of epithelial cells from Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis invasion by antibodies against the SPI-1 Type 3 Secretion System. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 2010; 56 (6): 522-26.
10. Wisner, A. L. S., Desin, T. S., Koch, B., Lam, P.K., Berberov, E.M., Mickael, C.S., Potter, AA, Köster, W. Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis SPI-2 T3SS: role in intestinal colonization of chickens and systemic spread. Microbiology 2010; 156 (Pt 9): 2770-81.

11. Desin, T. S., Po-King, S. L., Koch, B., Mickael, C., Berberov, E., Wisner, A. L. S., Townsend, H. G. G., Potter, A. A., and Köster, W. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis Pathogenicity Island 1 is not essential for but facilitates rapid systemic spread in chickens. Infection and Immunity 2009; 77 (7): 2866-2875.

12. Bendjelloul F., Desin, T. S., and Shoker, A.S. Donor non-specific IFN-γ production by primed alloreactive cells as a potential screening test to predict the alloimmune response. Transplant Immunology 2004; 12 (2): 167-76.

13. Mohamed, A., Shoker, A., Bendjelloul, F., Mare, A., Alzrigh, M., Benghuzzi, H., and Desin, T. Improvement of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) by thymoquinone; an oxidative stress inhibitor. Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation. 2003; 39: 440-5.