Research Activities
The academic staff at the Faculty of Veterinary Science have a very diverse range of research interests, which do not always correspond with their areas of teaching expertise. If you are interested in doing research in a particular area, use the following headings to guide you when approaching staff about projects.
Or look in the research group websites for more ideas.
See right —>
Animal Production
Dr Russell Bush
Email:
Improving Dairy Production in China and Pakistan through Improved Nutrition
Improving Beef Production in Cambodia through Improved Nutrition
Improving Nutrition for Commercial Crocodile Production in Australia
Financial Modelling the Impact of Ovine Paratuberculosis
Dr Pietro Celi
Email:
Livestock metabolism and endocrinology
Nutrition and reproduction in farm animals
Dr Kendra Davis
Email:
Automatic milking for Australian pasture based dairy systems
Dr Jeff Downing
Email:
Endocrinology and stress physiology
Prof David R. Fraser
Email:
Calcium and vitamin D metabolism in mammals, birds and fish
Prof William J. Fulkerson
Email:
Nutrition of dairy cattle
Dr Sergio (Yani) Garcia
Email:
Pasture-based dairy production systems
Forage production and utilisation
Adjunct Prof Heather Greenfield
Email:
Nutrition and peak bone mass in adolescence
Nutrient composition of animal food products
Chinese dairy industry
Dr Peter Groves
Email:
Epidemiological approaches to poultry disease management
Dr Alison Gunn
Email:
Livestock health and production
Infectious diseases
Assoc Prof John K. House
Email:
Livestock health and production
Infectious diseases
Antimicrobial efficacy and susceptibility
Food safety
Dr R. E. Newman
Email:
+61 2 9351 1639
Avian metabolism and endocrinology
Applied Animal Reproduction
Dr Roslyn Bathgate
Applied reproduction in farm animals and wildlife
Prof Gareth Evans
Applied reproduction in farm animals
Dr Christopher Grupen
Gamete and embryo physiology
Assisted reproductive technologies
Dr Claire Kershaw-Young
Anatomy and physiology of reproduction in farm animals
Assisted reproductive technologies
Human embryonic stem cells
Prof W.M.C "Chis" Maxwell
Applied reproduction in farm, native and wild animals
Companion Animal Health, Behaviour and Welfare
Dr Vanessa Barrs
Email:
Clinical research of infectious diseases in cats
Prevalence studies of genetic diseases amongst Australian cats
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of novel insulins in cats
Associate Professors Julia Beatty
Email:
Infectious diseases of cats.
Neoplastic, genetic and endocrine diseases of small animals
Dr Graeme Brown
Email:
Dogs as reservoirs of human enteric pathogens and Streptococci and Staphylococci and their impact in Aboriginal communities.
Ticks and the rickettsial tick-borne diseases of dogs.
Dr Katrina BoswardEmail:
Veterinary Immunology and Microbiology
Pathogenesis of OJD
Snake envenomation in cats and dogs
Pathogenesis of chronic feline renal failure
Wound Healing in the Mulesing Operation
Prof. Paul J Canfield
Email:
Pathogenesis of diseases of domestic animals and wildlife
Laboratory medicine of all species
Dr Robert J Dixon
Email:
Biology of duck hepatitis B virus
Animal welfare education research
The dog and human health and welfare in rural and remote Indigenous communities
Novel approaches to dog welfare education in rural and remote Indigenous communities
Cross-cultural attitudes to animals including in Mainland China, rural Australia and of Indigenous Australians
Dr Christine Hawke
Email:
Veterinary undergraduate education in professional practice (transition to practice, communication, ethics)
Canine immune responses to vaccination; feline immune responses to feline coronaviruses in the pathogenesis of feline infectious peritonitis
Aetiology and pathogenesis of periodontal disease and feline tooth resorption
Assoc Prof Geraldine Hunt
Email:
Small animal surgery
Congenital and developmental diseases of the dog and cat
Dr Corinna Klupiec
Email:
Development of integrated teaching resources
Comparative anatomy and pathophysiology of the eye
Dr Mark B. Krockenberger
Email:
Host-Pathogen-Environment Interactions of Cryptococcosis
Diseases of Australian Wildlife, especially koalas
Diagnostic use of Immunohistochemistry in soft tissue tumours of cats and dogs
Infectious diseases of animals
A/Prof Paul D. McGreevy
Email:
Behaviour and welfare studies in domestic species, especially horses and dogs
Training of domestic and exotic species
Human-animal interactions
Dr Jacqueline M. Norris
Email:
Periodontal disease in cats
Feline infectious peritonitis
Feline immunodeficiency virus
Feline chronic renal failure
Dr Sanaa Zaki
Email:
Anaesthesia and analgesia
Educational Research and Practice Management
Dr John Baguley
Email:
Veterinary economics, law, ethics and business management.
Dr Melanie Collier
Email:
Veterinary science education
Endocrinology
Dr Christine Hawke
Email:
Veterinary undergraduate education in professional practice (transition to practice, communication, ethics)
Canine immune responses to vaccination; feline immune responses to feline coronaviruses in the pathogenesis of feline infectious peritonitis
Aetiology and pathogenesis of periodontal disease and feline tooth resorption
Dr Corinna Klupiec
Email:
Development of integrated teaching resources
Comparative anatomy and pathophysiology of the eye
Dr Susan Matthew
Email:
Students' experiences of learning in professional placements
Placement supervisors' and lecturers' experiences of teaching in Veterinary Science
Leadership in veterinary practice
Assoc Prof Roseanne A. Taylor
Email:
Neurological disease
Stem cells
Gene therapy
Veterinary education
Equine Research
A/Prof Andrew Dart
Email:
Clinical research
Biomedical Research
Equine Surgery
Equine Performance
Camelid medicine and surgery
Dr Christina Dart
Email:
Degenerative joint disease and cartilage healing
Gastrointestinal disease
Surgical management of colic
Prof Leo Jeffcott (Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Science)
Email:
Equine medicine and surgery, especially orthopaedics, paediatrics, internal medicine, clinical pathology and exercise physiology
In particular, back and spinal conditions of horses, and their effects on athletic performance; developmental conditions of horses, and the pathogenesis of Osteochondrosis; climatic effects on horses competing under hot/humid conditions at the Olympic Games.
Peter Knight
Email:
Racehorse physiology and performance
Business management
A/Prof Paul D. McGreevy
Email:
Behaviour and welfare studies in domestic species, especially horses and dogs
Training of domestic and exotic species
Human-animal interactions
Dr Tony Mogg
Email:
Equine internal medicine, ophthalmology, cardiology and clinical pharmacology
Veterinary education
Dr Gary Muscatello
Email:
Equine infectious disease
Epidemiology of Rhodococcus equi
Epidemiology of Equine transport pneumonia
Aerosol culture methods to detect agents associated with respiratory disease in the horse
Sequence identification of unusual pathogens
Dr Christine Smith
Email:
Lameness and poor performance in horses
Degenerative joint disease
Farm Animal Health and Welfare
Dr Joy Becker
Email:
Infectious diseases of fish
Aquatic animal health
Dr Douglas Begg
Email:
Pathogenesis of Johne’s disease in sheep
Dr Katrina L. Bosward
Email:
Veterinary Immunology and Microbiology
Pathogenesis of OJD
Snake envenomation in cats and dogs
Pathogenesis of chronic feline renal failure
Wound Healing in the Mulesing Operation
Dr Michelle Dennis
Email:
Diagnosis and surveillance of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
Pathogenesis of bovine johne’s disease
Dr Navneet Dhand
Email:
Epidemiology of ovine Johne’s disease
Statistical computing and data analysis
Relational databases and animal health information systems
Mathematical modelling
Dr Om Dhungyel
Email:
Ovine Footrot Research - Diagnosis, Molecular Pathogenesis and Vaccine Development
Ovine Johne’s disease
Dr Robert J. Dixon
Email:
Biology of duck hepatitis B virus
Animal welfare education research
The dog and human health and welfare in rural and remote Indigenous communities
Novel approaches to dog welfare education in rural and remote Indigenous communities
Cross-cultural attitudes to animals including in Mainland China, rural Australia and of Indigenous Australians
Dr Kumudika de Silva
Email:
Inflammatory response to injury/inflammation
Apoptosis
Ovine Johne's disease
Dr David Emery
Email:
Ruminant immunology related to infectious diseases
Parasitology and vaccination
Dr Peter Groves
Email:
Epidemiological approaches to poultry disease management
Dr Alison Gunn
Email:
Livestock health and production
Infectious diseases
Dr Marta Hernandez-Jover
Email:
Livestock traceability and biosecurity
Dr Patricia Holyoake
Email:
Pig health, welfare, reproduction and performance
Assoc Prof John K. House
Email:
Livestock health and production
Infectious diseases
Food safety
Animal welfare
Live export
Dr Roy McClements
Email:
Zoo and captive wildlife nutrition
Nutritional biochemistry
Nutrition and reproductive success in egg laying animals
Dr Wendy I. Muir
Email:
Avian immunology
Dr Karren Plain
Cellular and molecular immunology (in particular transplantation
immunology)
Ovine Johne's Disease
Immune regulation
Dr Jenny-Ann Toribio
Email:
Epidemiology of infectious disease
Smallholder livestock systems
Risk assessment
Innovative approaches to education
Prof. Michael P. Ward
Email:
Public health and food safety
Analytical epidemiology
Spatial epidemiology and GIS
Simulation modelling
Prof Richard J. Whittington
Email:
Infectious diseases of livestock, fauna and fish
Prof Peter A. Windsor
Email:
Livestock health diagnosis & management
Neuropathology and reproductive & genetic disease
Genetics and Genomics
Dr Katherine Belov
Email:
Genetics and genomics of Australasian Wildlife
Dr Natasha Ellis
Email:
Equine genetics
Genetics of parasite resistance in sheep
Dr Jaime Gongora
Email:
Wildlife genetics
Co-evolution
Phylogeography
Population genetics
Dr Elisabeth Jonas
Email:
Livestock genomics
Population genetics in sheep, modeling lactation curves, QTL analysis
Dr Seyit Kayis
Email:
Statistical model development for QTL analysis
QTL mapping
Genomics
Dr Mehar Khatkar
Email:
Integrated genomics
Linkage disequilibrium mapping
Marker Assisted Selection
Computing and data analysis
Dr Anne Lehnert
Email:
Anti-rejection of transplanted islets
Pig islet xenotransplantation as a treatment for type I diabetes
Drug metabolizing enzymes in the liver and brain
Gene expression that occurs during a primary Heamonchus contortus infection in sheep
Prof Chris Moran
Email:
Molecular genetics and functional genomics
Crocodile gene mapping and genomics
Platypus population genetics
Prof Herman W. Raadsma
Email:
Livestock genomics
Resistance to disease
Functional genomics
Dr Tony Rowe
Email:
Immunology
Parasitology
Sheep genomics
Dr Mohammad Shariflou
Email:
Molecular genetics focussing on sheep genomics
Dr Paul Sheehy
Email:
Functional Genomics
Gene Discovery
Gene therapy
Cell biology
Molecular diagnostics
Basic cellular biology
Dr Imke Tammen
Email:
Inherited disorders in livestock
Genetics of production traits
Assoc Prof Roseanne A. Taylor
Email:
Neurological disease
Stem cells
Gene therapy
Veterinary education
Dr Peter Thomson
Email:
Statistical genetics
Major gene analysis
Applied statistics
Dr Peter Williamson
Email:
Functional Genomics/Proteomics
Molecular immunology
Signal transduction
Bio-engineering
Lactation
Immunology, Photobiology and Pharmacology
Dr Munif Allanson
Email:
UV-induced skin cancer carcinogenesis.
UVA photoimmunoprotection against UVB radiation
The induction of the inducible heme oxygenase in skin.
Carbon monoxide as a signalling molecule
Cyclic guanosine monophosphate signalling
Phosphodiesterases expression/inhibition in skin
Investigating novel anti-cancer agents in murine skin cancer models
Dr Katrina L. Bosward
Email:
Veterinary Immunology and Microbiology
Pathogenesis of OJD
Snake envenomation in cats and dogs
Pathogenesis of chronic feline renal failure
Wound Healing in the Mulesing Operation
Dr David Emery
Email:
Ruminant immunology related to infectious diseases
Parasitology and vaccination
Dr Merran Govendir
Email:
Veterinary clinical pharmacology
Immunohistochemistry
Dr Christine Hawke
Email:
Veterinary undergraduate education in professional practice (transition to practice, communication, ethics)
Canine immune responses to vaccination; feline immune responses to feline coronaviruses in the pathogenesis of feline infectious peritonitis
Aetiology and pathogenesis of periodontal disease and feline tooth resorption
Dr Susan Hemsley
Email:
Marsupial disease and immunology
Dr Wendy I. Muir
Email:
Avian immunology
Dr Karren Plain
Cellular and molecular immunology (in particular transplantation
immunology)
Ovine Johne's Disease
Immune regulation
Dr Vivienne E. Reeve
Email:
Photobiology
Immunity and skin carcinogenesis
Autoimmune diseases
Dr Tony Rowe
Email:
Immunology
Parasitology
Sheep genomics
Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology
Dr Tiziana Beninati
Email:
Novel infectious diseases in ticks and mammals
Molecular characterization of Chlamydiales and tick-borne diseases
Electron microscopy and in situ hybridization analysis of intracellular bacterium
Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of intracellular symbionts in insects
Dr Katrina L. Bosward
Email:
Veterinary Immunology and Microbiology
Pathogenesis of OJD
Snake envenomation in cats and dogs
Pathogenesis of chronic feline renal failure
Wound Healing in the Mulesing Operation
David Emery
Email:
Ruminant immunology related to infectious diseases
Parasitology and vaccination
Dr Jacqui M. Norris
Email:
Periodontal disease in cats
Feline infectious peritonitis
Feline immunodeficiency virus
Feline chronic renal failure
Dr Jan Slapeta
Email:
Protozoology
Microbial Evolution & Systematics
Diagnostic Applications
Wildlife Biology, Health and Conservation
Dr Tiziana Beninati
Email:
Novel infectious diseases in ticks and mammals
Molecular characterization of Chlamydiales and tick-borne diseases
Electron microscopy and in situ hybridization analysis of intracellular bacterium
Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of intracellular symbionts in insects
Prof Paul J Canfield
Email:
Pathogenesis of diseases of domestic animals and wildlife
Laboratory medicine of all species
Dr Rachael Gray
Email:
Marine mammal health and disease
Dr Susan Hemsley
Email:
Marsupial disease and immunology
Dr Damien Higgins
Email:
Pathogenesis and ecology of wildlife disease
Wildlife immunology
Medicine, surgery and management of terrestrial and marine wildlife
Dr Mark Krockenberger
Email:
Host-Pathogen-Environment Interactions of Cryptococcosis
Diseases of Australian Wildlife, especially koalas
Diagnostic use of Immunohistochemistry in soft tissue tumours of cats and dogs
Infectious diseases of animals
Dr Roy McClements
Email:
Zoo and captive wildlife nutrition
Nutritional biochemistry
Nutrition and reproductive success in egg laying animals
Prof Christopher Moran Email:
Molecular genetics and functional genomics
Crocodile gene mapping and genomics
Platypus population genetics
Dr Adam Munn
Email:
Ecological physiology of native, domestic and feral vertebrates
A/Prof David Phalen
Email:
Infectious diseases of wildlife, particularly birds
Dr Derek Spielman
Email:
Pathology, ecology and epidemiology of diseases affecting wildlife
Exotic, new and emerging diseases that affect wildlife (native and exotic)
Domesticated animal and human interfaces
How the genetics of small populations affects endangered populations and species
Dr Glenn M Shea
Email:
Biology of reptiles