Nathan Bott
Areas of expertise
Molecular-based diagnostics, detection of aquaculture pathogens and invasive species from environmental samples, parasites of aquatic animals, parasite life-cycles, systematics and phylogenetics, mutation scanning methods, DNA extraction methodologies.
Countries of work experience
Australia.
Overview of experience and qualifications
Nathan completed his PhD in Parasitology from the University of Queensland in 2006. His project on the Great Barrier Reef involved the study of life-cycles of a large family of digenean trematodes, in which bivalves act as intermediate hosts. Prior to Nathan’s PhD studies, he studied the epidemiology of a virus of wild prawns and its infectivity to aquaculture species in South-east Queensland. He has also undertaken surveys of freshwater mussel populations near a mine to monitor bioaccumulation of heavy metals, conducted aquatic faunal surveys and applied environmental health criteria to his results.
Nathan has published peer reviewed scientific papers in the area of marine and livestock parasitology; his work incorporating taxonomy, phylogenetics, life-cycles, molecular biology and diagnostics. He has also produced numerous industry reports. He has presented his research at conferences in Australia and abroad.
He has conducted research on a wide range of parasitic and free-living taxa including trematodes, monogeneans, parasitic crustacea, nematodes, ciliates, apicomplexans, bivalves, polychaetes and fish. Nathan has extensive experience in the development of molecular diagnostic assays for the surveillance of aquatic pathogens and pests, and livestock parasites, Including:
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Real-time PCR assays for the detection of three key parasites of Southern bluefin tuna from environmental samples (water, sediments or net fouling), which also showed that parasites commonly infecting fish in Australia also infect other tuna species in different regions of the world.
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Real-time PCR assays for the detection of larval stages of three marine pest species (Corbula gibba, Musculista senhousia and Sabella spallanzannii) from ballast water.
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Real-time PCR assays for the detection and identification of sheep-parasitic nematode eggs to the level of species. Nathan has significant experience in the use of molecular mutation scanning approaches for the delineation of strains and species.
Nathan’s current research is focussed upon the development of effective molecular diagnostic methods for the detection and surveillance of marine invasive species and aquaculture pathogens.
Professional appointments
2004-2007: Senior Research Officer, South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)
2007-2008: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne
2009-: MISA Research Scientist-Molecular Diagnostics, South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) Aquatic Sciences
Selected publications
Bott, N. J., Campbell, B. E., Beveridge, I., Chilton, N. B., Rees, D., Hunt, P. W. and Gasser, R. B. (in press) A combined microscopic-molecular method for the diagnosis of strongylid infections in sheep. International Journal for Parasitology.
Bott, N. J. and Cribb, T. H. (2009) Prosorhynchine trematodes (Digenea: Bucephalidae) from epinephelines (Perciformes: Serranidae) on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Systematic Parasitology 72: 57-69.
Gasser, R. B., Bott, N. J., Chilton, N. B., Hunt, P. and Beveridge, I. (2008) Toward practical, DNA-based diagnostic methods for parasitic nematodes of livestock – bionomic and biotechnological implications. Biotechnology Advances 26: 325-334.
Aiken, H. M.*, Bott, N. J.*, Mladineo, I., Montero, F. E., Nowak, B. F. and Hayward, C. J. (2007) Molecular evidence for cosmopolitan distribution of platyhelminth parasites of tunas (Thunnus spp.). Fish and Fisheries 8: 167-180. *=equal first authors
Hayward, C. J., Bott, N. J., Itoh, N., Iwashita, M., Okihiro, M. and Nowak, B. F. (2007) Three species of parasites emerging on the gills of mulloway, Argyrosomus japonicus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843), cultured in Australia. Aquaculture 265: 27-40
Bott, N. J., Healy, J. M. and Cribb, T. H. (2005). Patterns of digenean parasitism of bivalves from the Great Barrier Reef and associated waters. Marine and Freshwater Research 56: 387-394.
Contact
Dr Nathan Bott
South Australian Aquatic Sciences Centre
2 Hamra Ave
West Beach SA 5024
t (08) 8207 5485
f (08) 8207 5406
email: bott.nathan@saugov.sa.gov.au