Research Interests
Genomics Antimicrobial Resistance Microbiology Translational and applied bioinformatics Infectious Diseases Public Health Clinical Microbiology Genetics Medical Microbiology Microbial Genetics Molecular Evolution Population, Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics Bioinformatics and computational biologyDr Jessica Webb
Lecturer
School of Biological Sciences
College of Sciences
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Dr Jessica Webb is a Molecular Microbiologist and computational microbiologist who has extensive experience working in these areas across both research and public health and is a lecturer in Bioinformatics at the University of Adelaide. She is an Honorary Research Fellow in the pathogen genomics team at the Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, where she has been instrumental in establishing the Australian Pathogen Genomics Program, which is informing the use of pathogen genomics in public health and by the Australian Centre for Disease Control.She is also an Honorary Research Fellow in the melioidosis (caused by the environmental pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei) team at Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin. She is recognised as a global expert on melioidosis and Bukholderia where she has spent 15 years working on the disease. She also leads the global curation and development of strain genotyping for Burkholderia mallei (Causes glanders) and Burkholderia pseudomallei (Causes melioidosis) on PubMLST, a genomic epidemiology resource used by 1000s of individuals globally.Her research integrates genomics, molecular biology, phenotypic data and epidemiology to track and trace the distribution of B. pseudomallei, unravel antimicrobial resistance and transmission of pathogens with public health significance and develop genomic tools impacting burden of disease through translation.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 - ongoing | Lecturer Bioinformatics | University of Adelaide |
| 2025 - ongoing | Honorary Research Fellow (Genomic epidemiology, Pathogen genomics) | University of Melbourne |
| 2021 - ongoing | Honorary Research Fellow (Melioidosis program) | Menzies School of Health Research |
| 2021 - 2025 | Research Fellow (Genomic epidemiology, Pathogen genomics) | University of Melbourne |
| 2018 - 2021 | Research Fellow | Menzies School of Health Research |
| Date | Type | Title | Institution Name | Country | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Award | Australian Federation of Graduate Women (AFGW) Barbara Hale Fellowship | Barbara Hale Fellowship | Australia | - |
| 2012 | Award | Winner SA/NT Nancy Millis Branch Award | Australian Society for Microbiology | Australia | - |
| Language | Competency |
|---|---|
| English | Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Menzies School of Health Research | Australia | PhD (Pathogen genomics, AMR) |
| 2012 | Menzies School of Health Research | Australia | Bachelor of science (Honours) |
| 2009 - 2011 | Flinders University | Australia | Bachelor of Science (Molecular Microbiology) |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Webb, J. R., Andersson, P., Sim, E., Zahedi, A., Donald, A., Hoang, T., . . . Howden, B. P. (2025). Implementing a national programme of pathogen genomics for public health: the Australian Pathogen Genomics Program (AusPathoGen). The Lancet Microbe, 6(3), 100969-1-100969-11. Scopus5 Europe PMC6 |
| 2025 | Watt, A. E., Cummins, M. L., Donato, C. M., Wirth, W., Porter, A. F., Andersson, P., . . . Howden, B. P. (2025). Parameters for one health genomic surveillance of Escherichia coli from Australia. Nature Communications, 16(1), 1-14. Scopus12 WoS14 Europe PMC7 |
| 2025 | Meumann, E. M., Kaestli, M., Webb, J. R., Rigas, V., Woerle, C., Mayo, M., & Currie, B. J. (2025). <i>Burkholderia pseudomallei</i> Sequence Type 46 Transmission from Asia to Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 31(2). |
| 2025 | Chua, I. -L. J., Beh, J. Q., Connor, C. H., Webb, J., Anderson, T., Sherry, N., . . . Howden, B. (2025). Trekking through the emergence of linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis in Tasmania. Pathology, 57(5), 654-656. |
| 2025 | Beh, J. Q., Daniel, D. S., Judd, L. M., Wick, R. R., Kelley, P., Cronin, K. M., . . . Webb, J. R. (2025). Genomics to understand the global landscape of linezolid resistance in Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis. Microbial Genomics, 11(6), 001432-1-001432-12. Scopus3 WoS5 Europe PMC4 |
| 2025 | Ibrahim, A. F., Ingle, D. J., Webb, J. R., Howden, B. P., Andersson, P., Polkinghorne, B. G., . . . Kirk, M. D. (2025). Genomic and epidemiological characteristics of Shigella boydii in Australia, 1991–2022. Pathogens and Global Health, 119(8), 332-342. |
| 2024 | Kaestli, M., Farook, S., Jilani, M. S. A., Anwar, S., Siddiqui, T. A., Mayo, M., . . . Currie, B. J. (2024). Use of Comparative Genomics To Resolve an Unusual Case of Aminoglycoside Susceptibility in the Melioidosis Pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei in Bangladesh. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 111(5), 1056-1059. |
| 2024 | Gora, H., Hasan, T., Smith, S., Wilson, I., Mayo, M., Woerle, C., . . . Meumann, E. M. (2024). Melioidosis of the Central Nervous System: Impact of the bimABm Allele on Patient Presentation and Outcome. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 78(4), 968-975. |
| 2023 | Guterres, H., Gusmao, C., Pinheiro, M., Martins, J., Odio, G., Maia, C., . . . Muhi, S. (2023). Melioidosis in Timor-Leste: First Case Description and Phylogenetic Analysis. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 10(8). |
| 2023 | Hall, C. M., Somprasong, N., Hagen, J. P., Nottingham, R., Sahl, J. W., Webb, J. R., . . . Schweizer, H. P. (2023). Exploring Cefiderocol Resistance Mechanisms in Burkholderia pseudomallei. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 67(6). |
| 2023 | Somprasong, N., Hagen, J. P., Sahl, J. W., Webb, J. R., Hall, C. M., Currie, B. J., . . . Schweizer, H. P. (2023). A conserved active site PenA β-lactamase Ambler motif specific for Burkholderia pseudomallei/B. mallei is likely responsible for intrinsic amoxicillin-clavulanic acid sensitivity and facilitates a simple diagnostic PCR assay for melioidosis. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 61(3), 106714. |
| 2022 | Gee, J. E., Bower, W. A., Kunkel, A., Petras, J., Gettings, J., Bye, M., . . . Hoffmaster, A. R. (2022). Multistate Outbreak of Melioidosis Associated with Imported Aromatherapy Spray. New England Journal of Medicine, 386(9), 861-868. |
| 2022 | Webb, J. R., Mayo, M., Rachlin, A., Woerle, C., Meumann, E., Rigas, V., . . . Currie, B. J. (2022). Genomic Epidemiology Links Burkholderia pseudomallei from Individual Human Cases to B. pseudomallei from Targeted Environmental Sampling in Northern Australia. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 60(3). |
| 2022 | Amiss, A. S., von Pein, J. B., Webb, J. R., Condon, N. D., Harvey, P. J., Phan, M. -D., . . . Lawrence, N. (2022). Modified horseshoe crab peptides target and kill bacteria inside host cells. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 79(1). |
| 2021 | Currie, B. J., Mayo, M., Ward, L. M., Kaestli, M., Meumann, E. M., Webb, J. R., . . . Anstey, N. M. (2021). The Darwin Prospective Melioidosis Study: a 30-year prospective, observational investigation. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 21(12), 1737-1746. |
| 2021 | Somprasong, N., Yi, J., Hall, C. M., Webb, J. R., Sahl, J. W., Wagner, D. M., . . . Schweizer, H. P. (2021). Conservation of Resistance-Nodulation-Cell Division Efflux Pump-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in Burkholderia cepacia Complex and Burkholderia pseudomallei Complex Species. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 65(9). |
| 2021 | Meumann, E. M., Kaestli, M., Mayo, M., Ward, L., Rachlin, A., Webb, J. R., . . . Currie, B. J. (2021). Emergence of <i>Burkholderia pseudomallei</i> Sequence Type 562, Northern Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(4), 1057-1067. |
| 2021 | Somprasong, N., Hall, C. M., Webb, J. R., Sahl, J. W., Wagner, D. M., Keim, P., . . . Schweizer, H. P. (2021). Burkholderia ubonensis High-Level Tetracycline Resistance Is Due to Efflux Pump Synergy Involving a Novel TetA(64) Resistance Determinant. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 65(3). |
| 2021 | Rachlin, A., Luangraj, M., Kaestli, M., Rattanavong, S., Phoumin, P., Webb, J. R., . . . Dance, D. A. B. (2021). Using Land Runoff To Survey the Distribution and Genetic Diversity of Burkholderia pseudomallei Strains in Vientiane, Laos. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 87(4). |
| 2021 | Madden, D. E., Webb, J. R., Steinig, E. J., Currie, B. J., Price, E. P., & Sarovich, D. S. (2021). Taking the next-gen step: Comprehensive antimicrobial resistance detection from Burkholderia pseudomallei. EBioMedicine, 63, 103152. |
| 2021 | Win, M. M., Win, K. K. N., Wah, T. T., Aye, S. N., Htwe, T. T., Zin, K. N., . . . Dance, D. A. B. (2021). Enhanced melioidosis surveillance in patients attending four tertiary hospitals in Yangon, Myanmar. Epidemiology and Infection, 149. |
| 2020 | Webb, J. R., Buller, N., Rachlin, A., Golledge, C., Sarovich, D. S., Price, E. P., . . . Currie, B. J. (2020). A Persisting Nontropical Focus of Burkholderia pseudomallei with Limited Genome Evolution over Five Decades. mSystems, 5(6). |
| 2020 | Amiss, A. S., Webb, J. R., Mayo, M., Currie, B. J., Craik, D. J., Henriques, S. T., & Lawrence, N. (2020). Safer In Vitro Drug Screening Models for Melioidosis Therapy Development. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 103(5), 1846-1851. |
| 2020 | Somprasong, N., Hall, C. M., Webb, J. R., Sahl, J. W., Wagner, D. M., Keim, P., . . . Schweizer, H. P. (2020). Burkholderia ubonensis Meropenem Resistance: Insights into Distinct Properties of Class A β-Lactamases in Burkholderia cepacia Complex and Burkholderia pseudomallei Complex Bacteria. mBio, 11(2). |
| 2019 | Rachlin, A., Shilton, C., Webb, J. R., Mayo, M., Kaestli, M., Kleinecke, M., . . . Currie, B. J. (2019). Melioidosis fatalities in captive slender-tailed meerkats (Suricata suricatta): combining epidemiology, pathology and whole-genome sequencing supports variable mechanisms of transmission with one health implications. BMC Veterinary Research, 15(1). |
| 2019 | Rachlin, A., Kleinecke, M., Kaestli, M., Mayo, M., Webb, J. R., Rigas, V., . . . Currie, B. J. (2019). A cluster of melioidosis infections in hatchling saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) resolved using genome-wide comparison of a common north Australian strain of Burkholderia pseudomallei. Microbial Genomics, 5(8). |
| 2019 | Webb, J. R., Sarovich, D. S., Price, E. P., Ward, L. M., Mayo, M., & Currie, B. J. (2019). <i>Burkholderia pseudomallei</i> Lipopolysaccharide Genotype Does Not Correlate With Severity or Outcome in Melioidosis: Host Risk Factors Remain the Critical Determinant. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 6(4). |
| 2018 | Webb, J. R., Price, E. P., Somprasong, N., Schweizer, H. P., Baird, R. W., Currie, B. J., & Sarovich, D. S. (2018). Development and Validation of a Triplex Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assay to Detect Efflux Pump-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in <i>Burkholderia pseudomallei</i>. Future Microbiology, 13(12), 1403-1418. |
| 2018 | Sarovich, D. S., Webb, J. R., Pitman, M. C., Viberg, L. T., Mayo, M., Baird, R. W., . . . Price, E. P. (2018). Raising the Stakes: Loss of Efflux Pump Regulation Decreases Meropenem Susceptibility in Burkholderia pseudomallei. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 67(2), 243-250. |
| 2017 | Webb, J. R., Price, E. P., Currie, B. J., & Sarovich, D. S. (2017). Loss of Methyltransferase Function and Increased Efflux Activity Leads to Doxycycline Resistance in Burkholderia pseudomallei. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 61(6). |
| - | Sarovich, D. S., Price, E. P., Webb, J. R., Ward, L. M., Voutsinos, M. Y., Tuanyok, A., . . . Currie, B. J. (2014). Variable Virulence Factors in Burkholderia pseudomallei (Melioidosis) Associated with Human Disease. PLoS ONE, 9(3), e91682. |
| - | Horan, K., Viberg, L., Ballard, S. A., Globan, M., Bond, K., Webb, J. R., . . . Sherry, N. L. (n.d.). Bringing TB Genomics to the Clinic: A Comprehensive Pipeline to Predict Antimicrobial Susceptibility from Genomic Data, Validated and Accredited to ISO Standards. |
| - | Price, E. P., Sarovich, D. S., Webb, J. R., Hall, C. M., Jaramillo, S. A., Sahl, J. W., . . . Wagner, D. M. (2017). Phylogeographic, genomic, and meropenem susceptibility analysis of Burkholderia ubonensis. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 11(9), e0005928. |
| - | Webb, J. R., Rachlin, A., Rigas, V., Sarovich, D. S., Price, E. P., Kaestli, M., . . . Currie, B. J. (2019). Tracing the environmental footprint of the Burkholderia pseudomallei lipopolysaccharide genotypes in the tropical “Top End” of the Northern Territory, Australia. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13(7), e0007369. |
| - | Webb, J. R., Win, M. M., Zin, K. N., Win, K. K. N., Wah, T. T., Ashley, E. A., . . . Dance, D. A. B. (2020). Myanmar Burkholderia pseudomallei strains are genetically diverse and originate from Asia with phylogenetic evidence of reintroductions from neighbouring countries. Scientific Reports, 10(1). |
| - | Rachlin, A., Mayo, M., Webb, J. R., Kleinecke, M., Rigas, V., Harrington, G., . . . Kaestli, M. (2020). Whole-genome sequencing of Burkholderia pseudomallei from an urban melioidosis hot spot reveals a fine-scale population structure and localised spatial clustering in the environment. Scientific Reports, 10(1). |
| - | Hodgetts, K., Kleinecke, M., Woerle, C., Kaestli, M., Budd, R., Webb, J. R., . . . Meumann, E. M. (2022). Melioidosis in the remote Katherine region of northern Australia. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 16(6), e0010486. |
| - | Anggraini, D., Siregar, F. M., Rosdiana, D., Kemal, R. A., Yovi, I., Triani, Z. D., . . . Currie, B. J. (2024). Epidemiology and genetic diversity of Burkholderia pseudomallei from Riau Province, Indonesia. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 18(5), e0012195. |
Teaching topics include microbiology, pathogen surveillance, bacterial and human genomics and bioinformatics.
Course coordination in 2025:
BIOINF 3000 - Bioinformatics III | Course Outlines
BIOTECH 7005 - Bioinformatics and Systems Modelling | Course Outlines
Teaching:
BIOINF 7150 - Genomics Applications
BIOINF 3010 - Genomics Applications III
MICRO 3000 - Infection & Immunity IIIA
MICRO 3102 - Infection & Immunity IIIA (Biomedical Science)
MICRO 3007 - Infection & Immunity A (Theory) III
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Investigating Antimicrobial Resistance Plasmids in Biosolids-Amended Soil Using Multi-Omics Approaches | Master of Philosophy | Master | Part Time | Miss Deannon Louise Branch |
| 2025 | Co-Supervisor | Investigating Antimicrobial Resistance Plasmids in Biosolids-Amended Soil Using Multi-Omics Approaches | Master of Philosophy | Master | Part Time | Miss Deannon Louise Branch |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Location | Program | Supervision Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 - ongoing | Co-Supervisor | Genomics for the detection and surveillance of high-priority pathogenic bacteria | The University of Melbourne | - | Doctorate | - | Alexandra-Maria Blejusca |
| 2023 - 2023 | Principal Supervisor | Comparative genomics to characterise Burkholderia from Victoria, Australia in a global context | The University of Melbourne | - | Honours | - | Alexandra-Maria Blejusca |
| 2023 - ongoing | Co-Supervisor | Genomics to understand Enterococcus spp. resistant to last-line antimicrobials | The University of Melbourne | - | Doctorate | - | Jia Qi Beh |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | Co-Chair | World Melioidosis Congress | https://www.wmc2024.org.au/ | Australia |
| 2022 - 2025 | Co-Chair | AusPathoGen National Mycobacterium Tuberculosis WG | https://www.auspathogen.org.au/studies/tuberculosis | Australia |
| 2022 - 2025 | Co-Chair | AusPathoGen National Shigella species WG | https://www.auspathogen.org.au/studies/shigella | Australia |
| 2019 - 2022 | Representative | NT representative on the ASM SA/NT Branch committee | https://www.theasm.org.au/ | Australia |
Connect With Me
