Farjana Ahmed
Farjana Ahmed joined ESR in 2022 as a scientist in the Clinical Virology department
Qualifications
PhD in Microbiology, University of Otago, New Zealand.
About
Farjana is a Scientist at Clinical Virology Laboratory. Farjana earned her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Otago. Dr Farjana Ahmed joined the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) in 2022 as a Scientist in the Clinical Virology department following the completion of her PhD at the University of Otago. During her PhD, she worked on the post-translational modification of influenza virus proteins and identified a pro-viral host protein involved in influenza virus infection. Her primary responsibilities in the clinical virology laboratory include cell culture and viral isolation of several different viruses such as influenza, polio and SARS-CoV-2. Farjana works in both the PC2 and PC3 laboratories on the Wallaceville campus, and specializes in culturing risk group 3 organisms, including SARS-CoV-2 and MPox viruses. In addition, she is involved in the cell-culture based isolation of polioviruses from wastewater, testing polio serology and the annual antigenic typing of circulating influenza viruses across New Zealand. Currently, she is serving as the Health and Safety chair at the Wallaceville site of ESR.