Program Head, Environmental Microbiology, BCCDC Public Health Laboratory
Co-Program Head, Molecular and Microbial Genomics, BCCDC Public Health Laboratory
Clinical Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia
Dr. Natalie Prystajecky earned her PhD in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2010 and has been a key member of the BCCDC Public Health Laboratory since 2011. She currently oversees two laboratories: the Environmental Microbiology lab, which focuses on foodborne and waterborne illnesses, and the Molecular and Microbial Genomics lab, an R&D program dedicated to the development and deployment of molecular and genomic testing. Under her leadership, these programs leverage emerging technologies, such as genomics, to enhance routine surveillance and outbreak investigations. Dr. Prystajecky is also a Clinical Associate Professor in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UBC. Her research spans diverse areas, from targeted resequencing of wetland sediments to track the emergence of avian influenza strains, to integrating wastewater sequencing and epidemiological data for respiratory virus monitoring. She is passionate about translating research innovations into practical applications for diagnostic and reference laboratories. Recently, she played a pivotal role in expanding sequencing capacity at the BCCDC, launching British Columbia’s wastewater surveillance program, and conducting collaborative research on H5N1 in birds and mammals.