Professor Elizabeth Batty
Contact information
Research groups
Elizabeth Batty
Associate Professor
- Head of Molecular Microbiology
Microbiology
I research the genomics of microbial pathogens with researchers from across the MORU network. My current projects include the genomics of Orientia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus, and tracking the transmission of E. coli and K. pneumoniae in hospitals and the community in Cambodia. I am also interested in new sequencing technologies and work with colleagues in Cambodia and Laos to perform sequencing in those countries, and run workshops to train local researchers in computing and bioinformatics.
Podcast interview
Genomic surveillance in Southeast Asia
Elizabeth's research focuses on genomic surveillance of pathogens in Southeast Asia to identify causes of febrile illness, monitor antimicrobial resistance, and guide appropriate treatments. Using metagenomics to analyse patient blood samples, she aim to develop better diagnostics for rural settings, enabling faster, targeted treatment and improved patient outcomes.
Recent publications
Neglected rickettsial diseases in Southeast Asia: Twenty-five years of progress in surveillance, diagnostics, and clinical research
Journal article
Blacksell SD. et al, (2026), PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 20, e0014318 - e0014318
Predicting referral need for febrile children in low-resource community settings in South and Southeast Asia
Journal article
Chandna A. et al, (2026), Nature Medicine
A repetitive nucleotide insertion in the rplV gene is associated with in vitro resistance to azithromycin in Rickettsia typhi.
Journal article
Phuklia W. et al, (2026), PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 20
Bacterial communities in Thai ticks: revealing geographical and methodological gaps in surveillance-a 25-year scoping review.
Journal article
Rungrojn A. et al, (2026), Tropical medicine and health, 54
Addressing pandemic-wide systematic errors in the SARS-CoV-2 phylogeny
Journal article
Hunt M. et al, (2026), Nature Methods, 23, 653 - 662