Australia's foremost aquatic animal disease specialist. Instigated the study of bacteriophage at James Cook University. Most interested in bacteriophage in the Vibrio harveyi clade and viruses of crustacea especially the parvoviruses and the use of RNA interference to combat them. Interested in nodaviruses of fish and crustacea and RNA intererference as a control. Investigating the role of viral UTRs in controlling immunity and diabetes onset.

Interests

Research

• bacteriophage in the Vibrio harveyi clade
• viruses of crustacea
• RNA interference
• Streptococcus iniae

Experience

• 1991 to present - Lecturer, James Cook University (Townsville)
• 1986 to 1991 - Postdoctoral researcher, James Cook University (Townsville)

Research Disciplines

• Microbiology (0605)
• Fisheries Sciences (0704)
• Veterinary Sciences (0707)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Fisheries - Aquaculture (8301)
• Control of Pests, Diseases and Exotic Species (9604)

Other

• 2010 - Vibrio owensii patrynomic
• 1990 - Eutetrarhynchus owensi patrynomic

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Hayakijkosol O, Jaroenram W, Owens L and Elliman J (2021) Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection for Australian Cherax reovirus from redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus). Aquaculture, 530, Article: 735881, DOI:10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735881.
• Ahasan M, Waltzek T, Owens L and Ariel E (2020) Characterisation and comparison of the mucosa-associated bacterial communities across the gastrointestinal tract of stranded green turtles, Chelonia mydas. AIMS Microbiology, 6 (4), pp. 361-378, DOI:10.3934/microbiol.2020022.
• Elliman J and Owens L (2020) Confirmation that candidatus Coxiella cheraxi from redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) is a close relative of Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q-fever. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 71 (3), pp. 320-326, DOI:10.1111/lam.13336.
• Mashkour N, Jones K, Kophamel S, Hipolito T, Ahasan S, Walker G, Jakob-Hoff R, Whittaker M, Hamann M, Bell I, Elliman J, Owens L, Saladin C, Crespo-Picazo J, Gardner B, Loganathan A, Bowater R, Young E, Robinson D, Baverstock W, Blyde D, March D, Eghbali M, Mohammadi M, Freggi D, Giliam J, Hale M, Nicolle N, Spiby K, Wrobel D, Parga M, Mobaraki A, Rajakaruna R, Hyland K, Read M and Ariel E (2020) Disease risk analysis in sea turtles: a baseline study to inform conservation efforts. PLoS ONE, 15 (10), Article: e0230760., DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0230760.
• Ahasan M, Kinobe R, Elliott L, Owens L, Scott J, Picard J, Huerlimann R and Ariel E (2019) Bacteriophage versus antibiotic therapy on gut bacterial communities of juvenile green turtle, Chelonia mydas. Environmental Microbiology, 21 (8), pp. 2871-2885, DOI:10.1111/1462-2920.14644.
• Rusaini and Owens L (2019) The effect of viral infection on the relationship between the LOS cells and moulting stages of the black tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon). Aquaculture, Aquarium, Conservation and Legislation, 12 (4), pp. 1087-1101.
• Murugananthan K, Subramaniyam S, Kumanan T, Owens L, Ketheesan N and Noordeen F (2018) Blood group AB is associated with severe forms of dengue virus infection. VirusDisease, 29 (1), pp. 103-105, DOI:10.1007/s13337-018-0426-8.
• Sakuna K, Elliman J and Owens L (2018) Therapeutic trials against pre-existing Chequa iflavirus in redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus). Aquaculture, 492, pp. 9-14, DOI:10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.03.029.
• Sakuna K, Elliman J, Tzamouzaki A and Owens L (2018) A novel virus (order Bunyavirales) from stressed redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) from farms in northern Australia. Virus Research, 250, pp. 7-12, DOI:10.1016/j.virusres.2018.03.012.
• Sakuna K, Elliman J and Owens L (2018) Comparison of molecular detection PCR methods for chequa iflavirus in freshwater crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus. Journal of Virological Methods, 251, pp. 139-144, DOI:10.1016/j.jviromet.2017.10.013.
• Ahasan M, Picard J, Elliot L, Kinobe R, Owens L and Ariel E (2017) Evidence of antibiotic resistance in Enterobacteriales isolated from green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas on the Great Barrier Reef. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 120, pp. 18-27, DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.04.046.
• Ariel E, Elliott E, Meddings J, Miller J, Santos M and Owens L (2017) Serological survey of Australian native reptiles for exposure to ranavirus. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 126 (3), pp. 173-183, DOI:10.3354/dao03172.

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 127+ research outputs authored by A/Prof Leigh Owens from 2000 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Understanding the nutritional requirements of redclaw (Cherax quadricarinatus): determining the apparent digestibility of raw materials and quantifying dietary lysine requirement ;; (Masters , Secondary Advisor/AM)

Completed

• Sea turtles disease risk analysis and discovery of the first Australian green turtle (Chelonia mydas) papillomavirus (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Characterisation of Cherax quadricarinatus densovirus: the first virus characterised from Australian freshwater crayfish (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Novel RNA viruses causing muscle lesions in red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) (2018, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Response of methanotroph-heterotroph consortia to different environmental factors (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Evaluation of expression systems of recombinant human interferon gamma (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Assessment of cell cultures to propagate crustacean viruses (2020, PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Gut bacterial communities in healthy and compromised green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and an alternative treatment for gastrointestinal disorders (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.