Dr Mark Tizard leads a project investigating cellular reprogramming in the chicken.

Dr Mark Tizard: investigating microRNAs to improve poultry health

Dr Mark Tizard has a background in mycobacterial disease research. He is currently leading research investigating the role of microRNAs in chicken cell development.

• 30 October 2007 | Updated 14 October 2011

Overview

• Current activities
• Background
• Academic qualifications
• Achievements

Current activities

Dr Mark Tizard is a Senior Research Scientist with CSIRO Livestock Industries. He is based at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) in Geelong, Victoria.

He is leading research into the application of microRNAs in livestock within the CSIRO Emerging Science Initiative 'Cellular Reprogramming' and works closely with researchers in CSIRO Plant Industry.

Dr Tizard is studying the role of microRNAs in controlling cell fate determination in the developing chicken embryo.

MicroRNAs are single-stranded RNA molecules of about 18-24 nucleotides in length that are important in regulating gene expression. It is now known that these molecules use the cell's own RNA interference (RNAi) pathways.

Dr Tizard's team aims to generate a comprehensive catalogue of chicken microRNAs and use this to identify the role of specific microRNAs in immune cell differentiation and the development of primordial germ cells.

The microRNA project developed from CSIRO research investigating RNAi technologies as livestock therapeutics, led by Dr Tim Doran. The two areas of research continue to work closely together.

Background

From 1983-85 Dr Tizard worked as a Senior Research Assistant in the Department of Molecular Biology at the Wellcome Research Laboratories in Beckenham in the United Kingdom (UK).

Dr Tizard was involved in cloning the major surface antigen from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, and he was an author on a paper published in Nature (1985, 19-25 September, 317(6034): 270-273).

In his first Postdoctoral role in 1989 Dr Tizard switched focus to mycobacterial disease.

Working at St George's Hospital Medical School in Tooting, London, UK, he was a key player in the development of a tool to identify Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis.

His molecular genetic studies of M. paratuberculosis led to Wellcome Trust funding and his appointment as Lecturer in Molecular Microbiology within the Surgery Department of the Medical School.

Underpinning Dr Tizard's research was testing the hypothesis that there may be a link between Crohn's disease in humans and Johne's disease in ruminant livestock.

Dr Tizard spent eight years working at St George's Hospital Medical School before immigrating to Australia and joining CSIRO in 1997, appointed as a senior scientist with the Johne's disease research project.

During his employment with CSIRO, Dr Tizard has:

• jointly led research into therapeutic applications of peptide antimicrobials
• led research into Johne's disease diagnosis and control
• performed key tasks for business planning in the area of biosecurity.

Academic qualifications

Dr Tizard has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Science with Honours from the University of London, UK, in 1983
• Doctor of Philosophy, also from the University of London, in 1989.

His doctoral thesis was titled Immunological studies of fragments of Herpes Simplex Type 2 glycoprotein B expressed in Escherichia coli.

Achievements

Dr Tizard represented the UK and later Australia on the Board of the International Association for Paratuberculosis from 1997 to 2005. He was also an overseas advisor to the US Department of Agriculture's Johne's Disease Integrated Program External Advisory Board.

In 2004, Dr Tizard hosted leading American livestock disease expert and McMaster Fellow, Dr John Bannantine. A molecular biologist with the US Department of Agriculture's National Animal Disease Center, Dr Bannantine worked for six months at AAHL, supporting research efforts to reduce the impact of Johne's disease.

Dr Tizard was a member of the organising committee for the 6th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis held in Melbourne, Australia 14-18 February, 1999.

Prior to joining CSIRO, Dr Tizard worked with the organisation for six months in 1995 as a McMaster Fellow at the Division of Animal Health in Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

The McMaster Fellowship provides study grants to distinguished overseas scientists selected to work within CSIRO to support research projects in veterinary science or agriculture.

Learn more about Sir Frederick McMaster Fellowships.