Research Area(s)
- Bacterial pathogenesis, vaccinology
Academic Credentials
- BSc (Biology) 1977 Carleton University, Ottawa ON
- PhD (Microbiology) 1981 University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- NSERC Senior Industrial Research Chair
- CEO, Pan-Provincial Vaccine Enterprise (PREVENT)
Dr. Andrew Potter is internationally recognized for his work in the area of vaccine development. He is a graduate of Carleton University and the University of Otago in New Zealand. He has worked at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) for the past 22 years, serving as a research scientist, Associate Director (Research) and Director. He currently holds an NSERC Senior Industrial Research Chair in the area of vaccine development.
Research Interests
Dr. Potter is known for his research in the area of bacterial pathogenesis and for his groundbreaking vaccine work that has resulted in five commercially-available vaccines (two "world firsts") and more than 50 patents for vaccine development and therapeutics. He initiated VIDO's partnership with the University of British Columbia in developing the world's first vaccine to protect food and water from E. coli O157:H7, and he was the first North American scientist to develop a licensed animal vaccine through the use of biotechnology.
Dr. Potter is skilled at maintaining an effective team culture in a complex environment, bridging the academic and commercial arenas, and ensuring that investments in research benefit society. He leads VIDO/InterVac's participation in the University of Saskatchewan School of Public Health and has fostered linkages with researchers in other Canadian universities and with industry in order to enhance the capacity of Canada's infectious disease research community.
He currently runs a successful research program that's well-funded by competitive grants at the national level. Recently, he has been working on the application of genomics to the animal health field, as well as forging links between the animal and human infectious disease research communities to ensure that technologies common to both fields can be leveraged to their greatest benefit.
He has mentored more than 30 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who currently hold positions in industry, academia and government worldwide.
Dr. Potter has served on a number of public and private sector committees, and has been instrumental in transferring VIDO technology from the laboratory to the private sector, as evidenced by numerous license agreements negotiated over the years. He interacts frequently with major animal health companies and serves as a consultant to numerous smaller ones.