Our Team
Principal Investigator
Dr. Daniel Pletzer | Associate Professor
Dr. Daniel Pletzer commenced his academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics (2009) from the University of Applied Sciences in Upper Austria (Dept. of Medical- and Bioinformatics). The practical component of his thesis, titled ‘Computational gene prediction and large genome comparisons’ was conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health (Murray lab) in Boston, Massachusetts.
Subsequently, he moved to Germany, joining the Jacobs University Bremen (now Constructor University). Under the guidance of Prof. Matthias Ullrich, his focus was on investigating metabolic transcription factors in the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae, culminating in the completion of a Master of Science in Molecular Genetics in 2011.
His academic journey progressed with a doctoral study at the same university, under the mentorship of Dr. Helge Weingart. In 2014, he earned a PhD in Microbiology with his thesis “Drug export and nutrient import: Insights from the bacterial model organisms Erwinia amylovora and Pseudomonas aeruginosa” receiving special distinction (summa cum laude).
Following this, he undertook a brief Postdoc in the lab of Prof. Mathias Winterhalter focusing on the characterization of small outer membrane proteins from Pseudomonas and Rhodococcus species (2014-2015).
In 2015, Daniel was honoured with one of Germany’s esteemed Feodor-Lynen Postdoctoral Fellowships from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. With this fellowship, he joined the lab of renowned microbiologist Prof. Bob Hancock in Vancouver, Canada (2015-2019). His research encompassed novel therapeutic treatment strategies (including host defence peptides, nanoparticles and peptidomimetics), bacterial stress response, biofilm and persistence, ESKAPE pathogens, and various animal infection models.
He further received a national Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Canada Foundation (2017) and a Postdoctoral Research Trainee Award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (2018).
In November 2019, Dr. Pletzer joined the Microbiology & Immunology Department at the University of Otago in a tenure-track position at the rank of Lecturer (Assistant Professor) continuing his commitment to combat infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.
Upon his affiliation with the University of Otago, Dr. Pletzer has secured funding as a Principal Investigator from esteemed organisations such as the Royal Society, Health Research Council, and Maurice Wilkins Centre. He further has successfully cultivated strategic relationships with industry partners, assuming leadership roles in contract-based research for prominent national entities, including Air New Zealand, as well as engaging in international projects.
Postdoctoral Fellows and Staff
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
Dr. Sam Wardell
Sam joined the lab in May 2021. [+]
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
Dr. Sam Wardell
sam.taylor-wardell@otago.ac.nz
Sam received a New Zealand Lottery Grants Board Post-Doctoral Fellowship to work on the molecular mechanisms underlying pathogen adaptation of antibiotic tolerance. In addition, his invaluable experience in bioinformatics supports many student projects in the lab. He obtained his PhD in Biochemistry in Prof. Iain Lamont’s lab at the University of Otago on the evolution of antibiotic resistance in P. aeruginosa (recipient of Exceptional PhD Thesis Award 2021). Sam’s background ranges from molecular biology and biochemistry to bioinformatics and computational analysis.
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
Dr. Anupriya Gupta
Anupriya joined the mid-2024 on a Marsden-funded project. [+]
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
Dr. Anupriya Gupta
Anupriya joined the lab in 2024 and is working on understanding how co-infections cause disease on an Marsden-funded project.
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
Dr. Shilpa Nair
Shilpa (re)joined the lab in early 2025. [+]
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
Dr. Shilpa Nair
Shilpa joined the lab in 2023 on a collaborative project with Dr. Matthias Fellner working on metabolomics and lipidomics using Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus as model organisms. She obtained her PhD in in Prof. Simon Swifts’s lab at the University of Auckland. Shilpa is also the Director of Real World Labs Limited where she provides consultancy services on antibacterial efficacy testing of novel or commercially available antimicrobial products.
FLOOR MANAGER
Dr. Antonella Gianfelice
Antonella is the floor manager. [+]
FLOOR MANAGER
Dr. Antonella Gianfelice
antonella.gianfelice@otago.ac.nz
Antonella is the floor manager, keeping the paperwork organized and ensuring everyone stays on track with health and safety and is well supported.
PhD Students
PHD STUDENT (MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY)
Rory Smith
Rory joined the lab in summer 2022, continued with a Medical Hons degree in 2023 and is not a PhD student since 2024. [+]
PHD STUDENT (MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY)
Rory Smith
Rory joined as a summer student in 2022, continued with a 4th year Medical Science Hons project in 2023 and is now working as PhD student on liposomes to combat Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii virulence factors.
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Maddie Hardie Boys
Maddie joined the lab in summer 2022/23, continued with a Biomedical Hons degree and is not a PhD student since 2024. [+]
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Maddie Hardie Boys
Maddie initially joined the lab in 2022 as a summer student, where she focused on characterizing histone-like proteins in P. aeruginosa. Building upon this experience, she pursued a project centered on lipid modification and potassium uptake during her fourth year as a Biomedical Sciences (Hons) student. Presently, she is started as a PhD student, tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in P. aeruginosa.
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Saffron Whitta
Saffron joined the lab in July 2023 on a MWC-funded project. [+]
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Saffron Whitta
Saffron is a PhD (Microbiology) student working on novel peptide compounds and various linker strategies to treat complex Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Prasanga Kumarage
Prasanga joined the lab in 2024. [+]
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Prasanga Kumarage
prasanga.kumarage@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Prasanga joined the lab in 2024 to develop silver-based nanofibers intended as novel wound dressings against multidrug-resistant pathogens.
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY & PHARMACY)
Robiul Shanto
Robiul joined the lab in 2024. [+]
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY & PHARMACY)
Robiul Shanto
robiul.islam@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Robiul joined the lab in 2024. He is exploring how Klebsiella pneumoniae develops resistance to multiple antibiotics and studies effective ways to overcome it.
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING)
Meera Kabiraz
Meera joined the lab in 2024. [+]
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING)
Meera Kabiraz
meera.probha@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Meera joined the lab in 2024. Her PhD project is on the development of antimicrobial peptide-based biomaterials.
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Tasbiha Gul
Tasbiha joined the lab in 2024. [+]
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Tasbiha Gul
Tasbiha joined the lab in 2024. Her PhD project is on the development of a nanoparticle-peptide-based therapy to target multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa and S. aureus.
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Evan Frederick
Evan started his PhD journey in 2025 [+]
PHD STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Evan Frederick
evan.frederick@postgrad.otago.ac.nz
Evan joined the lab in June 2025 and is currently working on an MBIE-funded project using host defense peptide to prevent food spoilage.
PHD STUDENT (PHARMACY & MICROBIOLOGY)
Simon Su
Simon started his PhD journey in March 2022. [+]
PHD STUDENT (PHARMACY & MICROBIOLOGY)
Simon Su
Simon PhD (Pharmacy) project aims to create new antibiotic-peptide linkers to enhance drug uptake in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Simon is co-supervised with Prof. Sarah Hook and A/Prof. Allan Gamble
PHD STUDENT (PHARMACY & MICROBIOLOGY)
Prodip Baral
Prodip started his PhD journey in 2024 [+]
PHD STUDENT (PHARMACY & MICROBIOLOGY)
Prodip Baral
Prodip PhD (Pharmacy) joined the lab in 2024 and is currently working on the development of inhaled powder formulations of antibacterial drugs and peptides to treat multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa pulmonary infection. He has completed his M. S. and B. Pharm (Hons.) from the Department of Pharmacy, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Bangladesh. His research interests include pharmaceutical product development, pharmaceutical microbiology, and mycology.
Prodiop is co-supervised with Prof. Shyamal Das
PHD STUDENT (BIOCHEMISTRY & MICROBIOLOGY)
Haziq Azlan
Haziq joined the lab part-time in 2024 [+]
PHD STUDENT (BIOCHEMISTRY & MICROBIOLOGY)
Haziq Azlan
Haziq joined the lab as a PhD student (Biochemistry) working on serine proteases from S. aureus.
Haziq is co-supervised with Dr. Matthias Fellner
PHD STUDENT (BIOCHEMISTRY & MICROBIOLOGY)
You Xiangyan
You joined the lab part-time in 2024 [+]
PHD STUDENT (BIOCHEMISTRY & MICROBIOLOGY)
You Xiangyan
You joined the lab as a PhD student (Biochemistry) working on serine proteases from S. aureus.
You is co-supervised with Dr. Matthias Fellner
MSc and 4th Year Students
MSC STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Mark Nicholas Lemzin-Abdrashitov
Mark joined the lab in March 2023. [+]
MSC STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Mark Nicholas Lemzin-Abdrashitov
Mark began his journey with the lab as an undergraduate research assistant, investigating anti-motility mechanisms using novel peptidomimetics targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Currently, he is immersed in his fourth Honours project, focused on unraveling novel mechanisms of the stringent stress response in P. aeruginosa.
MSC STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Janaya Stevenson
Janaya joined the lab in March 2024. [+]
MSC STUDENT (MICROBIOLOGY)
Janaya Stevenson
Janaya joined the lab as 4th Year Honours student working on glutathione transport in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. She continues her journey in the lab as an MSc student working on Acinetobacter baumannii infections using transposon mutant libraries.
BSC HONS STUDENT (MEDICINE)
Kathy Nam
January, 2026 [+]
BSC HONS STUDENT (MEDICINE)
Kathy Nam
Kathy joined the lab as 4th Year Medicine Honours student working on Innate Lymphoid cells (ILCs) in bacterial skin infections.
Visiting Students and Staff
Professional training year, Cardiff University, United Kingdom
Edie Dennis
[+]
Professional training year, Cardiff University, United Kingdom
Edie Dennis
Edie joined the lab in September, 2025.
Previous Students in The Lab
PhD Students
Master Students
4th Year Postgraduate Students
Summer Students
Previous Researchers in The Lab
Research Staff
Visiting Researchers
Check Out Our Opportunities
Are you interested in infectious diseases or antimicrobial resistance?