Associate Professor Vernon Coyne

My group conducts research in marine biotechnology that seeks to further our understanding of indigenous marine animals of commercial importance. Our current research includes the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases of farmed kob which can be used therapeutically, diagnostically and for disease prevention. We are also conducting proteomic
studies of the effect of stress and disease on the abalone immune system with the long-term aim of developing a health monitoring system for this commercially important marine mollusc. Finally, we are developing microbial probiotics for farmed abalone that increase disease resistance and growth rate of these animals, both in the hatchery and grow-out stages of the farming process.