Biography

Biography:

Dr. Taseen Desin is an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. He earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Biochemistry and Microbiology from the University of Saskatchewan (Canada), followed by a Ph.D. in Microbiology at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan, where his research focused on Salmonella pathogenesis and vaccine development. He subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at VIDO investigating the pathogenesis of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and the development of novel vaccine candidates.

Dr. Desin began his academic career as an Assistant Professor of Microbiology at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Saudi Arabia and served concurrently as an Adjunct Research Scientist at King Abdullah International Medical Research Center. He later taught at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina before joining Trinity School of Medicine as an Associate Professor of Microbiology, where he taught and mentored student researchers across the Saint Vincent and Georgia campuses.

Since joining the UCF College of Medicine in 2024, Dr. Desin has been committed to delivering innovative, clinically integrated microbiology education through active learning strategies, including case-directed learning, team-based learning, and flipped classroom instruction.

Dr. Desin’s research focuses on infectious diseases and public health microbiology, with interests in the epidemiology and burden of bacterial infectious diseases, foodborne pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and healthcare-associated infections. He has authored peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, secured competitive research funding, and serves as Guest Editor for various journals. His work integrates microbiology with public health to better understand disease trends and improve disease prevention.

Dr. Desin is an active member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and is passionate about mentoring students in research and advancing scholarship in microbiology, infectious diseases, public health, and medical education. He regularly presents his research at national scientific meetings and contributes expert commentary on infectious diseases and public health through academic and media engagement.

Awards:

• Faculty Authors’ Celebration Honoree, 2026: Feb 20, 2026; University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, U.S.A
• Golden Apple M1/M2 Educator Award: Dec 10, 2025; College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, U.S.A.

Presentations:

1. Invited Presentation: Emerging & Enduring Threats: The Public Health Burden of Gastrointestinal Pathogens in North America. American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Microbe Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, June 4–7, 2026.

2. Invited Panelist: UCF Authors on Authorship. UCF Libraries Faculty Excellence, Office of Research, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, February 13, 2026.

3. Invited Keynote Speaker: Pushing Boundaries, Expanding Minds: The Researcher’s Path to Lifelong Learning. Trinity Research Fair, Trinity School of Medicine, Trinity Medical Sciences University, Warner Robins, GA, April 4, 2025.

Recent Publications:

1. Ranjan A, Chandna M, Stevens NJ, Kandil J, Dinh B, Kuhn M, Mian N, Tran B, Hamid A, Kim P, Desin TS. Salmonella infections: global trends and emerging challenges. Microorganisms. 2026;14(4):816. doi:10.3390/microorganisms14040816
2. Patel A, Wolfram A, Desin TS. Advancements in Detection Methods for Salmonella in Food: A Comprehensive Review. Pathogens. 2024;13(12):1075. Published 2024 Dec 7. doi:10.3390/pathogens13121075
3. Sokaribo AS, Hansen EG, McCarthy M, Desin TS, Waldner LL, MacKenzie KD, Mutwiri G Jr, Herman NJ, Herman DJ, Wang Y, White AP. Metabolic Activation of CsgD in the Regulation of Salmonella Biofilms. Microorganisms. 2020;8(7):964. Published 2020 Jun 27. doi:10.3390/microorganisms8070964
4. Alghoribi MF, Desin TS, Alswaji AA, Alwan BH, Alzayer M, Okdah L, Al Johani S, Balkhy HH, Doumith M. OXA-48 carbapenemase-producing Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky ST198 isolated from Saudi Arabia. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2020;75(7):2006-2008. doi:10.1093/jac/dkaa077
5. Alghoribi MF, Doumith M, Alrodayyan M, Alzayer M, Köster W, Muhanna A, Johani S, Balkhy HH, Desin TS. 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. 2019;9:187. Published 2019 May 31. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2019.00187
6. Desin TS, Townsend HG, Potter AA. 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. Published 2015 Oct 9. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0139803
7. Ghunaim H, Desin TS. Potential Impact of Food Safety Vaccines on Health Care Costs. Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2015;12(9):733-740. doi:10.1089/fpd.2014.1924
8. Desin TS, Köster W, Potter AA. Salmonella vaccines in poultry: past, present and future. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2013;12(1):87-96. doi:10.1586/erv.12.138
9. Wisner AL, Desin TS, Lam PK, Berberov EM, Mickael CS, Townsend HG, Potter AA, Köster W. Immunization of chickens with Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis pathogenicity island-2 proteins. Vet Microbiol. 2011;153(3-4):274-284. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.05.041
10. Desin TS, Wisner AL, Lam PK, Berberov EM, Mickael CS, Townsend HG, Potter AA, Köster W. Evaluation of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis pathogenicity island-1 proteins as vaccine candidates against S. Enteritidis challenge in chickens. Vet Microbiol. 2011;148(2-4):298-307. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2010.09.006
11. Desin TS, Mickael CS, Lam PK, Potter AA, Köster W. Protection of epithelial cells from Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis invasion by antibodies against the SPI-1 type III secretion system. Can J Microbiol. 2010;56(6):522-526. doi:10.1139/w10-034
12. Wisner ALS, Desin TS, Koch B, Lam PK, Berberov EM, Mickael CS, Potter AA, Köster W. Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 type III secretion system: role in intestinal colonization of chickens and systemic spread. Microbiology (Reading). 2010;156(Pt 9):2770-2781. doi:10.1099/mic.0.038018-0
13. Desin TS, Lam PK, Koch B, Mickael C, Berberov E, Wisner ALS, Townsend HGG, Potter AA, Köster W. Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis pathogenicity island 1 is not essential for but facilitates rapid systemic spread in chickens. Infect Immun. 2009;77(7):2866-2875. doi:10.1128/IAI.00039-09
14. Bendjelloul F, Desin TS, Shoker AS. Donor non-specific IFN-gamma production by primed alloreactive cells as a potential screening test to predict the alloimmune response. Transpl Immunol. 2004;12(2):167-176. doi:10.1016/j.trim.2003.08.003
15. Mohamed A, Shoker A, Bendjelloul F, Mare A, Alzrigh M, Benghuzzi H, Desin TS. Improvement of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) by thymoquinone; an oxidative stress inhibitor. Biomed Sci Instrum. 2003;39:440-445.

Recent Book chapters:

1. Saqib, A, Khan, M, Naem, M, Lakshmi, S, and Desin, TS. Bacterial Biofilms in Endocarditis and Prosthetic Device Infections: Structure, Detection and Control. In: Wang, L., ed. Characterization, Monitoring and Control of Bacterial Biofilms. IntechOpen; 2026, https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1015445

2. Ranjan, A, Patel, A, Wolfram, A, Lakshmi, S, and Desin, TS. Non-typhoidal Salmonella: Decoding Mechanisms for Effective Disease Control. In: Vica LM, ed. Salmonella—Molecular Biology, Pathogenesis, and Public Health Impact. IntechOpen; 2026:83-105. doi:10.5772/intechopen.1012641

3. Ammann, L, Andl, CD, Desin, TS, and Kaseb, H. (2026). Chapter in Cancer Research Guidance for Clinicians and Researchers. In J. Huang & H. S. L. Jim (Eds.). Springer Nature Switzerland.