Darshana Morar-Leather

BSc (Hons) Microbiology, MSc Veterinary Science,  PhD Veterinary Science

[email protected]

 Senior Lecturer, Veterinary Tropical Diseases

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshanamorar

Research Sub-theme

African Wildlife: developing and validating specific diagnostic tools

In spite of the exponential increase in serology-based assays for bacteria, viruses and protozoa in the last five decades, serological diagnostic tools are either not validated or available for use in wildlife. Diagnosing diseases in wildlife is a challenging undertaking, which will require a deeper understanding of the specificity of wildlife immune molecules and mechanisms. Serology remains one of the most efficient tools to indicating exposure to pathogens in populations, and has been used successfully in many species, domestic and wild, for diagnosing infectious diseases.  Furthermore, it has been documented that accurate knowledge on pathogen distribution is a fundamental component for effective control and hence for species conservation. 

Research Projects

• Isolation and Characterisation of Immunoglobulins from Lions (Panthera leo) from Zimbabwe and South Africa