Vinicius Lima is a faculty researcher at the University of Florida whose work focuses on developing innovative vaccines and immunotherapies to reduce foodborne pathogens in poultry. Originally from Brazil, his passion for animal health led him from veterinary training to advanced research on Salmonella, Campylobacter, and other pathogens that impact both animal welfare and human health. His research aims to improve food safety, reduce antibiotic resistance, and support a more sustainable poultry industry.
Read the full interview here:
Can you provide a brief introduction about yourself and your academic background?
I was born and raised in Brazil. From an early age, I was fascinated by animals, especially birds. When I was around six years old, my family moved from the suburbs to a more rural area, where we began raising various types of poultry along with other animals. These experiences solidified my desire to become a veterinarian from a young age.
In 2011, I was admitted to the veterinary medicine program at the Universidade Federal de Goiás. Initially, I was uncertain about which career path to pursue, so I completed internships in small and large animal medicine as well as food processing. In 2013, I interned at the university’s Poultry Diagnostic Laboratory, where I developed a strong interest in poultry medicine. I remained there for nearly two years, providing support to the local industry by performing necropsies, processing samples, identifying diseases, and recommending appropriate preventive and corrective measures. There I also completed my capstone research project, a requirement to fulfill the completion of the BVSc degree, working with Salmonella Gallinarum and Salmonella Pullorum.
Shortly after graduating in 2016, I joined the University of Florida to work in the Large Animal Sciences Department on a research project evaluating a new treatment for metritis, a disease affecting the reproductive tract of dairy cows. During this time, I met Dr. Gary Butcher, UF’s poultry extension veterinarian, who introduced me to Dr. Roy Curtiss. Dr. Curtiss had recently received USDA funding to develop a recombinant attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium vaccine to protect chickens against Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella Enteritidis. I was subsequently hired as a research assistant in Dr. Curtiss’s laboratory.
I worked as a research technician for nearly two years before being admitted to UF’s PhD program in Fall 2019. During the first year of my graduate studies, we collected preliminary data, and Dr. Curtiss and I prepared a USDA grant proposal that funded and supported my doctoral research. In August 2024, we submitted a renewal of the original proposal, which was also recommended for funding. Due to delays in USDA funding for projects approved in 2024, I temporarily left UF to work as a poultry veterinarian on a new egg-laying operation in South Florida. I have since returned to UF as a faculty member, where I continue my research on developing attenuated vaccines and live adjuvants for poultry.
What is the primary focus of your research?
During my graduate studies and now as a faculty member, my work focuses on the development of immunotherapies to reduce the prevalence of pathogens of public health importance in poultry that can be transmitted to humans through the food chain.Our work centers around Salmonella enterica, but we also study pathogens such as Campylobacter jejuni, avian pathogenic E. coli, Clostridium perfringens, and Listeria monocytogenes. Live poultry can serve as a reservoir for these microorganisms who persist for the life of the animals and can contaminate eggs or meat that, if mishandled or undercooked, can cause foodborne illness in humans. Current funding supports the development of self-destructing Protective Immunity Enhanced Vaccines (sd-PIESV) against Campylobacter jejuni and C. perfringens, which causes severe gastrointestinal disease in humans and APEC, which was linked to extraintestinal infections in humans. We are also working on the development of Self-Destructing Attenuated Adjuvant Salmonella (SDAAS) strains, which are designed to induce broad protective innate immune responses against viruses, bacteria and parasites, as well as to enhance immunity to vaccines already administered to poultry in the field.
Why is your research important? What impact does it have on the field or society?
The U.S. is the largest poultry producer in the world, and most of what is produced is consumed domestically. In 2024 the industry generated roughly $70 billion in revenue. Because poultry production is so intensive there is very little room for error. Depending on the management practices adopted at a farm, broilers are slaughtered around 36 to 45 days of age. It’s challenging to induce adequate immunity to animals in such a short window.
Every year, the U.S. reports roughly one million cases of Salmonella infection, most of which are associated with contaminated poultry products. Campylobacter jejuni infections follow a similar trend. Avian pathogenic E. coli also impacts food safety and leads to significant economic losses due to carcass condemnations.
Billions of dollars are spent or lost each year due to premature mortality, disability, medical and productivity costs or condemned carcasses. By developing better vaccines and immunotherapies, our work aims to reduce these losses, improve animal welfare, and enhance public health. It can also diminish the prevalence of drug-resistant microorganisms in live animals. A reduction in the incidence of diseases in poultry also leads to better feed conversion, ensuring animals reach the desired body weight in a shorter time, reducing the carbon footprint generated by the poultry industry.
Can you describe any current research projects you are working on?
In 2019, we developed a technology termed self-destructing attenuated adjuvant Salmonella (SDDAS) strains. These strains were designed to induce strong innate immune responses in the newly hatched chick following in ovo inoculation, leading to broad protection against different pathogens. In ovo vaccination is already a common industry practice, the novelty here is the induction of an immune response that can potentially protect against bacteria, viruses and parasites.
These engineered strains activate different components of the innate immune system by delivering or releasing pathogen- and damage-associated molecular patterns into various tissues. Our goal is to prime the chick’s immune system so that at hatch, it is ready to eliminate pathogens encountered in the environment.A major challenge with in ovo vaccination using commercially available live Salmonella Typhimurium vaccines is a reduction in hatchability and overall chick quality. This is due to prolonged persistence of these strains in the inoculated embryo. We were able to circumvent this issue using the delayed/regulated lysis phenotype that not only improves safety but also enhanced immunogenicity.
What methodologies or approaches do you use in your research?
Our work is multidisciplinary and involves microbiology, molecular genetics, pathology, immunology, poultry husbandry and medicine among others. The chicken is our animal model, and a lot of our work is done with embryos before they hatch. We also use cell/tissue culture, PCR, ELISA, next-generation sequencing among others to characterize different sd-PIESV and SDAAS strains, assess safety and evaluate immune responses.
Are you collaborating with any other researchers or institutions?
Not at the moment, but we are working on setting up collaborations with other groups to prepare proposals for submission in later 2026. One of my goals is to work more closely with the poultry industry in Florida.
Have you received any notable awards or recognitions for your research?
The achievements that stand out to me are the two funded USDA proposals, UF’s Graduate School Funding Award and the University of Florida International Center Certificate for Outstanding Achievement.
I also received travel grants by The Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD), awards for poster presentations and scholarships in Brazil.
Outside of your research, what other interests or hobbies do you have?
I have two young children: a six-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. They are both very curious and inquisitive. I love taking them outside to explore nature, and I often do simple science experiments at home with my daughter. Most of my free time is spent with my wife and children; we enjoy watching movies and shows, going for walks, and spending time together.
How can others learn more about your work or get in touch with you?
Email: v.lima@ufl.edu
Phone: (352) 294-8188
Office: Veterinary Academic Building, V2-108
What is your general advice for anyone who wants to do what you do?
My biggest piece of advice is to keep trying and take advantage of the opportunities available to you. As a veterinary student, you can explore so many different areas of the profession, but many students come in thinking they already know exactly what they want to do. There is so much more to veterinary medicine than people realize. Try different internships, keep opening doors, and eventually you’ll find something that captures your interest. That’s exactly what happened to me.
Interviewer: Julia Martin, UF Undergraduate
Interview with Vinicius Lima, PhD
Transcribed: 12/1/2025
