Brian Dixon

Dr. Brian Dixon is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo. Research in his laboratory is directed towards characterizing fish immune systems at the molecular level.

Dixon’s research provides detailed knowledge of the molecules used as signals and receptors in the immune system. While this understanding in mammals has enabled effective disease control through vaccines and drugs, only a handful of immunologically important molecules have been isolated from fish, despite the growing need for vaccines and treatments in aquaculture. A deeper knowledge of the molecules involved in teleost immune systems also provides insight into the evolution and function of equivalent molecules in mammalian immune systems. His work focuses on fish immunity and the influence of environmental factors, such as temperature, on immune responses, the development of diagnostic assays to assess fish health status, antimicrobial peptides and the application of fish immunology to improve aquaculture production worldwide. His recent work focuses on understanding mechanisms of antigen presentation and coinfections in fish, as well as treatments that reduce antibiotic use in aquaculture, including behavioural fever and therapeutic peptides.

Dixon’s research advances sustainable aquaculture by improving fish and shellfish health while reducing reliance on antibiotics. Working across Canada and food insecure regions such as Cuba and Panama, he helps strengthen salmon, shrimp and tilapia farming to both stabilize global markets and support subsistence communities. By developing vaccine adjacent strategies, probiotics and behaviour-based interventions drawn from fish immune systems, his work addresses antimicrobial resistance and protects both environmental and human health.

• Environment and immunology

• Comparative immunology

• Antigen presentation

• Diagnostic assays

• Viruses in aquatic ecosystems

• Managing the risk of human activity in aquatic ecosystem

• Antimicrobial resistance

• Fish immunology

• 1993, PhD Biology, Dalhousie University, Canada

• 1988, MSc Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of Guelph, Canada

• 1985, BSc Honours Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada

• 2020, Cuban National Academy of Science, Award of Excellence

• 2015, Canadian Society of Zoologists Robert Arnold Wardle Medal

• 2014, Virtual Researchers on Call Participation Award

• 2014, Outstanding Performance Award

• 2013, NSERC Synergy Award

• 2011, Canada Research Chair in Fish and Environmental Immunology

• 2010, Jack Carlson Teaching Award

• 2005, 2009, 2014, Outstanding Performance Award

• 2003, Premier's Research Excellence Award

• Editor-in-Chief - Developmental and Comparative Immunology 

• Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief - Fish and Shellfish Immunology Reports

• VP North America, International Soc. for Developmental and Comparative Immunology

• Organizer of the annual North American Comparative Immunology Workshop

• Canada Research Chair College of Reviewers

• The Water Institute

• Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology

• BIOL 341 - Fundamentals of Immunology
  • Taught in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
• BIOL 441 - Advances in Immunology
  • Taught in 2022, 2024
• BIOL 636 - Advanced Immunology
  • Taught in 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• For the full list of Brian Dixon's publications, please see Google Scholar.

• Maya J. Jacewicz, Noah P. Rogozynski and Brian Dixon. (2026) Strategies and Limitations of the Bat Immune Response to Pseudogymnoascus destructans: the causative agent of White-Nose Syndrome. Frontiers in Immunology 16: 1736823 ID 1736823 https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1736823

• Valentina Wong-Benito, Rochelle Supinski, Tania Rodríguez-Ramos, Maya Zonneveld and Brian Dixon. (2026) Temperature modulates the protein dynamics of the antigen presentation pathway in VHSV IVb-infected rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cell lines. Fish and Shellfish Immunology 168: 110956 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110956

• Manuel Soto-Dávila, Tania Rodríguez-Cornejo, Valentina Wong Benito, Tania Rodríguez-Ramos, Gracen Mahoney, Rochelle Supinski, George Heath, Xiaoqing Dang, Fernando Mesías Valle, Carmen Hurtado, Luis Llanco A., Enrique Serrano-Martinez, Brian Dixon. (2024). Innate and adaptive immune response of Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) naturally infected with Yersinia ruckeri. Fish and Shellfish Immunology 151: 109742 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2024.109742

• Aaron P. Frenette, Tania Rodríguez-Ramos, Fabio Zanuzzo, Devyn Ramsay, Shawna L. Semple, Cheryl Soullière, Tania Rodríguez-Cornejo, George Heath, Emily McKenzie, Jack Iwanczyk, Mark Bruder, Marc G. Aucoin, A. Kurt Gamperl and Brian Dixon. (2023). Expression of Interleukin-1Beta protein in in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo salmonid models. Developmental and Comparative Immunology 147:104767 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2023.104767

• Figueroa, C., Bustos, P., Torrealba, D., Dixon, B., Conejeros, P. and Gallardo, J.A. (2017). Coinfection takes its toll: Caligus rogercresseyi, concurrent with Piscirickettsia salmonis infection, increases  bacterial load and reduces vaccinated fish growth and resistance in Atlantic salmon. Scientific Reports 7: 17817 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-18180-6

• CTV National News Dec 20th 2025 “New research suggests cold air could contribute to illness”
• CTV “Your Morning” TV Interview “What’s cooking? The effect of temperature on the immune response” Dec 17th 2025
• Waterloo Record Does the cold make you sick? UW researchers say yes. Dec 15th 2025
• CBC Radio Kitchener Morning Show “What’s cooking? The effect of temperature on the immune response” Dec 15th 2025
• True love produces healthier pacific salmon. February 14, 2014.