Gireesh Rajashekara, D.V.M., Ph.D.

Professor
Veterinary Preventive Medicine
College of Veterinary Medicine
OARDC Food Animal Health, FAES
View professional website
(330) 263-3745
rajashekara.2@osu.edu
Full Member
Primary Food Innovation Center Area: Food Safety
Areas of Expertise: food safety, Campylobacter, molecular microbiology, foodborne pathogens, preharvest control
My research has direct relevance to food innovation both at the national and international level. C. jejuni is a leading cause of foodborne human bacterial enteritis in the US and worldwide. Poultry and other food producing animals serve as reservoirs, thus preharvest food safety is critical for control of human infections. I seek to understand virulence mechanisms, host-pathogen interactions and development of novel mucosal vaccines against Campylobacter. My group explores Salmonella based C. jejuni vaccines and chemi-genomic approaches to new therapeutics. This leads to control of campylobacteriosis in humans worldwide. Our research focus fits very well with the shared center mission to reduce food pathogen-related diseases. Development of control measures is a major goal in reducing food pathogen diseases.