PROFESSIONAL

Dr. Diyana Tahir is a senior lecturer specializing in aquatic animal health and molecular diagnostics. In 2025, she led a genomic characterization study of Vibrio spp. isolated from orally vaccinated and unvaccinated Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer), identifying novel virulence alleles and key differences in virulence gene profiles. She also reported the first confirmed case of Aeromonas schubertii infection in Malaysian striped snakehead (Channa striata) fingerlings using Nanopore-based 16S rRNA sequencing, contributing vital insights into emerging fish pathogens.

Her research interests include the application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) for the detection and characterization of aquatic pathogens. She co-authored a 2023 systematic review highlighting the role of Illumina and Nanopore platforms in aquaculture disease surveillance. Dr. Diyana supervises multidisciplinary research that integrates field diagnostics, NGS bioinformatics, and One Health perspectives to support sustainable aquaculture and aquatic animal health management.