Profiles

Side Menu

Girish Neelakanta, PhD

Associate Professor | Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences

Specialization: Microbiology, Infectious diseaes, vector-borne diseases, vaccines, entomology, ticks

Overview

Dr. Neelakanta’s laboratory at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville researches human and animal tick-borne diseases such as human anaplasmosis, Lyme disease, relapsing fever, and Rickettsiosis. His laboratory has characterized some of the tick and bacterial molecules that could be potentially implemented in the development of vaccines against tick-borne diseases. The immediate goal for his laboratory is to test vaccine efficacy of these molecules in animal models. Currently, Dr. Neelakanta’s research is funded with a NIH R01 award. Before moving to UTK as a tenured Associate professor, Dr. Neelakanta served as an Associate research scientist at Yale University School of Medicine, CT, and as an Assistant and Associate professor with tenure at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. Current research from his laboratory at UTCVM are focused in understanding various aspects of vector-borne diseases that include studies on understanding molecular aspects of host-pathogen interactions, development of vaccines, and vector biology.

Research Focus

Development of vaccines against tick-borne diseases. Dr. Neelakanta's laboratory uses multidisciplinary approaches to decipher important molecular aspects in tick-pathogen-host interactions.

Clinical Focus

Dr. Neelakanta's laboratory focuses both on basic and clinical aspects of tick-borne diseases. His laboratory is focused on identifying potential diagnostic markers for tick-borne diseases.

Teaching Focus

Dr. Neelakanta is contributing in both CEM and DVM curriculum including courses “Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease” and “Virology,” respectively.

Outreach Focus

Dr. Neelakanta is an expert in tick-borne diseases. He is frequently invited to give talks/seminars at several national conferences and Universities. He has trained several local and international students and postdocs.

The College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Tennessee
2407 River Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996
Education and Training
  • 2010: Postdoctoral training, Infectious diseases and vector-borne diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
  • 2005: PhD, Microbiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
  • 2001: Project research assistant, Microbiology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
  • 1999: Master of Science, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Bangalore University, Bangalore, India
  • 1997: Bachelor of Science, Microbiology, Bangalore University, Bangalore, India

Girish Neelakanta, PhD

Associate Professor | Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences
The College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Tennessee
2407 River Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996
Education and Training
  • 2010: Postdoctoral training, Infectious diseases and vector-borne diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
  • 2005: PhD, Microbiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
  • 2001: Project research assistant, Microbiology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
  • 1999: Master of Science, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Bangalore University, Bangalore, India
  • 1997: Bachelor of Science, Microbiology, Bangalore University, Bangalore, India
Overview

Dr. Neelakanta’s laboratory at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville researches human and animal tick-borne diseases such as human anaplasmosis, Lyme disease, relapsing fever, and Rickettsiosis. His laboratory has characterized some of the tick and bacterial molecules that could be potentially implemented in the development of vaccines against tick-borne diseases. The immediate goal for his laboratory is to test vaccine efficacy of these molecules in animal models. Currently, Dr. Neelakanta’s research is funded with a NIH R01 award. Before moving to UTK as a tenured Associate professor, Dr. Neelakanta served as an Associate research scientist at Yale University School of Medicine, CT, and as an Assistant and Associate professor with tenure at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. Current research from his laboratory at UTCVM are focused in understanding various aspects of vector-borne diseases that include studies on understanding molecular aspects of host-pathogen interactions, development of vaccines, and vector biology.

Research Focus

Development of vaccines against tick-borne diseases. Dr. Neelakanta's laboratory uses multidisciplinary approaches to decipher important molecular aspects in tick-pathogen-host interactions.

Clinical Focus

Dr. Neelakanta's laboratory focuses both on basic and clinical aspects of tick-borne diseases. His laboratory is focused on identifying potential diagnostic markers for tick-borne diseases.

Teaching Focus

Dr. Neelakanta is contributing in both CEM and DVM curriculum including courses “Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease” and “Virology,” respectively.

Outreach Focus

Dr. Neelakanta is an expert in tick-borne diseases. He is frequently invited to give talks/seminars at several national conferences and Universities. He has trained several local and international students and postdocs.