Projects 2
Publications 33
Awards 7

Biography

I have broad interests in the use of molecular techniques for detection of pathogenic microbes and identification and characterisation of viruses, as well a strong interest in the development of bacteriophage for use as biocontrol agents (phage therapy). From an educational standpoint, I am interested in the development and use of technologies in teaching, particularly in the teaching of molecular microbiology. In addition I have an interest in assisting students in cross disciplinary research involving microbial components.

One current research project involves molecular characterisation of viral and bacterial diseases in aquatic invertebrates. This includes examination of genomes for identification of infectious agents, developing an understanding of how these organisms work as well as examining new methods of controlling disease. I also have research involving utilising phage therapy to control ear infections in dogs.

Research

Research Interests

molecular characterisation of viruses

bacteriophage therapy and biocontrol, including development of models of infection and novel delivery systems

microbial ecology

molecular microbiology diagnostics development

Projects

Teaching

Teaching Interests

development of digital resources such as video and animation for flexible learning


Research Advisor Accreditation

Advisor Type

Mentor

Research Advisor Accreditation

Role

Chair; Independent Academic


Taught Modules

Current JCU Research Students

Molecular Epidemiology, Antimicrobial Resistance Profile and Immunologic responses to Burkholderia pseudomallei infections; A recognized but underreported Public Health threat
Doctor of Philosophy (Health)

Activities

Awards

Associations

Output

Christi, Katrina; Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh (2017) A synthesis of the divalent cation requirements for efficient adsorption of bacteriophage onto bacterial cells. New York, NY, USA: [Non-Research Book Chapter]
Other Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Elliman, Jennifer (2006) Bacteriophage of Burkholderia pseudomallei: friend or foe?. [Thesis] [DOI]
Other Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Janssen-Groesbeek, Kaitlin; Elliman, Jennifer; Rush, Catherine; Warner, Jeffrey (2026) 'Rainfall-Driven Mobilisation of Clinically Relevant Burkholderia pseudomallei in a Groundwater-Connected Urban Creek, Northern Australia'. Pathogens, 15 (3). [DOI]
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Gerber, K.; Picard, J.A.; Elliman, J.; Joone, C.J.; Constantinoiu, C.C. (2025) 'Prevalence of vector-borne pathogens Ehrlichia canis, Babesia spp. and Dirofilaria immitis in dogs in Townsville, far north Queensland'. Australian Veterinary Journal, 103 (7):430-432. [DOI]
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Ingle, Danielle J.; Walsh, Calum J.; Samuel, Genevieve R.; Wick, Ryan R.; Davidovich, Nadav; Fiocchi, Eleonora; Judd, Louise M.; Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh; Stinear, Timothy P.; Basso, Andrea; Pretto, Tobia; Newton, Hayley J. (2025) 'The complete genome sequence of the crayfish pathogen Candidatus Paracoxiella cheracis n.g. n.sp. provides insight into pathogenesis and the phylogeny of the Coxiellaceae family'. mSphere, 10 (4). [DOI]
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Owens, Leigh; Elliman, Jennifer (2025) 'Effect of husbandry on the emergence of pathogens in the aquaculture of redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) in Australia'. Aquaculture, 603 . [DOI]
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Nambiar, Geetika; Owens, Leigh; Elliman, Jennifer (2023) 'Cherax quadricarinatus Resistant to Chequa iflavirus: A Pilot Study'. Microorganisms, 11 (3). [DOI]
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Adagra, Carl; Squires, Richard; Adagra, Angela; Elliman, Jennifer; Constantinoiu, Constantin (2021) 'Prevalence of infection with Dirofilaria immitis in cats in Townsville, Australia'. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports, 24 . [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Jaroenram, Wansadaj; Owens, Leigh; Hayakijkosol, Orachun; Elliman, Jennifer (2021) 'Natural, in ovo, vertical transmission of the RNA viruses, Chequa iflavirus and Athtab bunyavirus, but not Cherax reovirus in redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)'. Aquaculture, 534 . [DOI]
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Jaroenram, Wansadaj; Hayakijkosol, Orachun; Owens, Leigh; Elliman, Jennifer (2021) 'Establishing a gold standard method for the detection of Cherax reovirus using reverse transcriptase, quantitative, polymerase chain reaction'. Journal of Virological Methods, 293 .
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Hayakijkosol, Orachun; Jaroenram, Wansadaj; Owens, Leigh; Elliman, Jennifer (2021) 'Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection for Australian Cherax reovirus from redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)'. Aquaculture, 530 . [DOI]
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Mashkour, Narges; Jones, Karina; Kophamel, Sara; Hipolito, Teresa; Ahasan, Shamim; Walker, Grant; Jakob-Hoff, Richard; Whittaker, Maxine; Hamann, Mark; Bell, Ian; Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh; Saladin, Claire; Crespo-Picazo, Jose Luis; Gardner, Brett; Loganathan, Aswini Leela; Bowater, Rachel; Young, Erina; Robinson, David; Baverstock, Warren; Blyde, David; March, Duan; Eghbali, Maryam; Mohammadi, Maryam; Freggi, Daniela; Giliam, Jane; Hale, Mike; Nicolle, Nicholas; Spiby, Kevin; Wrobel, Daphne; Parga, Mariluz; Mobaraki, Asghar; Rajakaruna, Rupika; Hyland, Kevin P.; Read, Mark; Ariel, Ellen (2020) 'Disease risk analysis in sea turtles: a baseline study to inform conservation efforts'. PLoS ONE, 15 (10). [DOI]
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Elliman, J. Ruth; Owens, L. (2020) 'Confirmation that candidatus Coxiella cheraxi from redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) is a close relative of Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q-fever'. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 71 (3):320-326. [DOI]
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Sakuna, Kitikarn; Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh (2018) 'Comparison of molecular detection PCR methods for chequa iflavirus in freshwater crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus'. Journal of Virological Methods, 251 :139-144. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Sakuna, Kitikarn; Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh (2018) 'Therapeutic trials against pre-existing Chequa iflavirus in redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)'. Aquaculture, 492 :9-14. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Sakuna, Kitikarn; Elliman, Jennifer; Tzamouzaki, Anna; Owens, Leigh (2018) 'A novel virus (order Bunyavirales) from stressed redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) from farms in northern Australia'. Virus Research, 250 :7-12. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Sakuna, Kitikarn; Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh (2017) 'Discovery of a novel Picornavirales, Chequa iflavirus, from stressed redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) from farms in northern Queensland, Australia'. Virus Research, 238 :148-155. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Sakuna, Kitikarn; Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh (2017) 'Assessment of a cricket, Acheta domesticus, bioassay for Chequa Iflavirus and bunya-like virus from redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus'. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 150 :41-44. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Syahidah, D.; Elliman, J.; Constantinoiu, C.; Owens, L. (2017) 'Mosquito cells (C6/36) fail to support the complete replication of Penaeus merguiensis hepandensovirus'. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 145 :31-38. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Bochow, Shaun; Condon, Kelly; Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh (2015) 'First complete genome of an Ambidensovirus; Cherax quadricarinatus densovirus, from freshwater crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus'. Marine Genomics, 24 (3):305-312. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Prasertsincharoen, Noppadol; Constantinoiu, Constantin; Gardiner, Christopher; Warner, Jeffrey; Elliman, Jennifer (2015) 'Effects of colonization of the roots of domestic rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Amaroo) by Burkholderia pseudomallei'. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 81 (13):4368-4375. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Romano, Nicholas; Wu, Xugan; Zeng, Chaoshu; Genodepa, Jerome; Elliman, Jennifer (2014) 'Growth, osmoregulatory responses and changes to the lipid and fatty acid composition of organs from the mud crab, Scylla errata, over a road salinity range'. Marine Biology Research, 10 (5):460-471. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Rusaini; La Fauce, Kathy A.; Elliman, Jennifer; Bowater, Rachel O.; Owens, Leigh (2013) 'Endogenous Brevidensovirus-like elements in Cherax quadricarinatus: friend or foe?'. Aquaculture, 396-399 :136-145. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Wright, E.E.; Elliman, J.R.; Owens, L. (2013) 'Induction and characterization of lysogenic bacteriophages from Streptococcus iniae'. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 114 (6):1616-1624. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Bochow, S.; Elliman, J.; Owens, L. (2012) 'Bacteriophage adenine methyltransferase: a life cycle regulator? Modelled using Vibrio harveyi myovirus like'. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 113 (5):1001-1013. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Siregar, Tuti Hartati; Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh (2012) 'Development of real time polymerase chain reaction for detection of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis in fish'. Squalen, 7 (2):51-58.
Journal Publication Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Navaratna, Dimuth; Elliman, Jennifer; Cooper, Alanna; Shu, Li; Baskaran, Kanagaratnam; Jegatheesan, Veeriah (2012) 'Impact of herbicide Ametryn on microbial communities in mixed liquor of a membrane bioreactor (MBR)'. Bioresource Technology, 113 :181-190. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
La Fauce, Kathy A.; Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh (2007) 'Molecular characterisation of hepatopancreatic parvovirus (PmergDNV) from Australian Penaeus merguiensis'. Virology, 362 (2):397-403. [DOI]
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Syahidah, Dewi; Elliman, Jennifer; Constantinoiu, Constantin; Owens, Leigh (2018) 'Vero cell lines expressing nuclear location signals of Penaeus merguiensis hepandensovirus: an early study' Asian Journal of Advances in Research, 1 (1) :1-10.
Journal Contribution ResearchOnline@JCU
Reeve, David; Melrose, Wayne; Smith, Jan; Elliman, Jennifer (2007) 'Evaluation of whole blood collection methods using the og4c3 ELISA in bancroftian filariasis' American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 77 (5 (suppl)) :222-222.
Journal Contribution ResearchOnline@JCU
Elliman, J.; Owens, L. (2013) Second Australasian Scientific Conference on Aquatic Animal Health Teaching driving research: a case study using a novel microsporidium found in western king prawns off the Townsville coast Cairns, .
Conference Contribution Open Access ResearchOnline@JCU
Elliman, Jennifer; Burgess, Graham; Owens, Leigh; Ariel, Ellen; La Fauce, Kathy; Govan, Brenda (2011) First Australasian Scientific Conference on Aquatic Animal Health Development of a short course on molecular techniques with application for the aquaculture industry Cairns, .
Conference Contribution ResearchOnline@JCU
Elliman, Jennifer; Owens, Leigh (2010) 6th World Melioidosis Congress Isolation and examination of a bacteriophage of a pathogenic strain of Burkholderia pseudomallei Townsville, .
Conference Contribution ResearchOnline@JCU