Dr. Vengdesh Letchumanan is a Lecturer at Jeffery Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences (JCSMHS), Monash University Malaysia. He is the Section Leader Diagnostics and Pathogens, Microbiome and Bioresource Research Strength (MBRS) in JCSMHS Monash. 

He completed his Bachelor of Biomedicine (Hons) Degree from Management and Science University (MSU). He pursued his Master's studies at University Putra Malaysia (UPM)  (QS Ranking 2023 of 123), and completed with a Masters of Science (Molecular Biology). He sucessfully obtained his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) (Microbiology) in 2019 from  Malaysia's oldest university, University Malaya (UM) with QS Ranking 2023 of 70. Upon completion of his Ph.D., he obtained a postdoctral researcher position at Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia before joining JCSMHS as an academician in October 2019. He also completed Technology for Education in Clinical Healthcare (EdTech) course in 2021 offered by Monash Center for Professional Development.  

In recognition of his research expertise, Dr. Vengadesh serves as a Guest Associate Editor for Forntiers in Pharmacology (IF: 5.810), Special Research Topic 'Novel approaches to the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacteria: Volume II' and as a reviewer for many ISI Journals [e.g. Gut Microbes (IF: 10.245), Scientific Reports (IF: 5.133), Frontiers in Microbiology (IF: 5.460), Food Research International (IF: 6.475), BMC Genomics (IF: 3.969), Applied Microbiology (IF: 3.77), and etc]. In his capacity as the Section Leader of MBRS, he is the PIC communicating directly with US-FDA curator in the GenomeTrakr Netwrok Project by US-FDA. 

Dr. Vengadesh embarked on his journey in 2008 with a Master Degree project, focusing on charaterization of foodborne pathogens from seafood. He further pursued his Ph.D. in Microbiology with a research project focusing on identifying antibiotic resistant Vibrio parahaemolyticus from seafood in Selangor. His doctoral thesis entitled "Prevalence and characterization of antibiotic resistance of Vibrio parahaemyticus from seafood in Selangor, Malaysia".  

His research interest involves identification and studying foodborne pathogens (Vibrio sp.), investigating the antibiotic resistance phnenotypes and management options. He also recently explored into the area of human microbiome; finding the association/relantionship with human health, pathophysiology of diseases and its therapeutic options. He is interested in exploring the roles of microbiome in mental health, autoimmune diseases and cancer. As a microbiologist, he firmly believes that it is vital to identify the cause gut dysbiosis, the disease manifestation and how to manage this with available therapeutic options (probiotics). 

Dr. Vengadesh supervison interest includs the following areas: 

• Food safety and food security
• Mitigation of multi-drug resistant pathogens (MDR)
• Human health and diseases, gut microbiome and probiotics interventions
• Metagenomics and microbial systematics

MED 1100/1200 - Problem Based Learning (PBL) Year 1

MED 1100/1200 - Microbiology Year 1

MED 2100/2200 - Student Project Cases (SPC)

MED 5101 - Scholarly Intensive Placement (SIP)