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
Applied Animal Reproduction
Companion Animal Health, Behaviour and Welfare
Educational Research and Practice Management
Equine Research
Farm Animal Health and Welfare
Genetics and Genomics
Immunology, Photobiology and Pharmacology
Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology
Wildlife Biology, Health and Conservation
Please note, some may appear in more than one area.
Dr Russell Bush
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
Livestock metabolism and endocrinology
Nutrition and reproduction in farm animals
Dr Kendra Davis
Automatic milking for Australian pasture based dairy systems
Dr Jeff A. Downing
Endocrinology and stress physiology
Prof David R. Fraser
Calcium and vitamin D metabolism in mammals, birds and fish
Prof William J. Fulkerson
Nutrition of dairy cattle
Dr Sergio (Yani) Garcia
Pasture-based dairy production systems
Forage production and utilisation
Adjunct Prof Heather Greenfield
Nutrition and peak bone mass in adolescence
Nutrient composition of animal food products
Chinese dairy industry
Dr Peter Groves
Epidemiological approaches to poultry disease management
Dr Alison Gunn
Livestock health and production
Infectious diseases
Assoc Prof John K. House
Livestock health and production
Infectious diseases
Antimicrobial efficacy and susceptibility
Food safety
Dr R. E. Newman
+61 2 9351 1639
Avian metabolism and endocrinology
Dr Roslyn Bathgate
Applied reproduction in farm animals and wildlife
Prof Gareth Evans
Applied reproduction in farm animals
Dr Chris 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
Dr Vanessa Barrs
Clinical research of infectious diseases in cats
Prevalence studies of genetic diseases amongst Australian cats
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of novel insulins in cats
A/Prof Julia Beatty
Infectious diseases of cats.
Neoplastic, genetic and endocrine diseases of small animals
Dr Graeme Brown
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 Kate L. Bosward
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
Pathogenesis of diseases of domestic animals and wildlife
Laboratory medicine of all species
Dr Robert J. Dixon
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
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 B. Hunt
Small animal surgery
Congenital and developmental diseases of the dog and cat
Dr Corinna Klupiec
Development of integrated teaching resources
Comparative anatomy and pathophysiology of the eye
Dr Mark B. Krockenberger
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
Behaviour and welfare studies in domestic species, especially horses and dogs
Training of domestic and exotic species
Human-animal interactions
Dr Jacqueline M. Norris
Periodontal disease in cats
Feline infectious peritonitis
Feline immunodeficiency virus
Feline chronic renal failure
Dr Sanaa Zaki
Anaesthesia and analgesia
Dr John Baguley
Veterinary economics, law, ethics and business management.
Dr Melanie Collier
Veterinary science education
Endocrinology
Dr Christine Hawke
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
Development of integrated teaching resources
Comparative anatomy and pathophysiology of the eye
Dr Susan Matthew
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
Neurological disease
Stem cells
Gene therapy
Veterinary education
A/Prof Andrew Dart
Clinical research
Biomedical Research
Equine Surgery
Equine Performance
Camelid medicine and surgery
Dr Christina Dart
Degenerative joint disease and cartilage healing
Gastrointestinal disease
Surgical management of colic
Prof Leo Jeffcott (Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Science)
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.
Dr Peter Knight
Racehorse physiology and performance
Business management
A/Prof Paul D. McGreevy
Behaviour and welfare studies in domestic species, especially horses and dogs
Training of domestic and exotic species
Human-animal interactions
Dr Tony Mogg
Equine internal medicine, ophthalmology, cardiology and clinical pharmacology
Veterinary education
Dr Gary Muscatello
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
Lameness and poor performance in horses
Degenerative joint disease
Dr Joy Becker
Infectious diseases of fish
Aquatic animal health
Dr Douglas Begg
Pathogenesis of Johne’s disease in sheep
Dr Kate L. Bosward
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
Diagnosis and surveillance of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
Pathogenesis of bovine johne’s disease
Dr Navneet Dhand
Epidemiology of ovine Johne’s disease
Statistical computing and data analysis
Relational databases and animal health information systems
Mathematical modelling
Dr Om Dhungyel
Ovine Footrot Research - Diagnosis, Molecular Pathogenesis and Vaccine Development
Ovine Johne’s disease
Dr Robert J. Dixon
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
Inflammatory response to injury/inflammation
Apoptosis
Ovine Johne's disease
Dr David Emery
Ruminant immunology related to infectious diseases
Parasitology and vaccination
Dr Peter Groves
Epidemiological approaches to poultry disease management
Dr Alison Gunn
Livestock health and production
Infectious diseases
Dr Marta Hernandez-Jover
Livestock traceability and biosecurity
Dr Patricia Holyoake
Pig health, welfare, reproduction and performance
Assoc Prof John K. House
Livestock health and production
Infectious diseases
Food safety
Animal welfare
Live export
Dr Roy McClements
Zoo and captive wildlife nutrition
Nutritional biochemistry
Nutrition and reproductive success in egg laying animals
Dr Wendy I. Muir
Avian immunology
Dr Karren Plain
Cellular and molecular immunology (in particular transplantation
immunology)
Ovine Johne's Disease
Immune regulation
Dr Jenny-Ann Toribio
Epidemiology of infectious disease
Smallholder livestock systems
Risk assessment
Innovative approaches to education
Professor Michael Ward
Public health and food safety
Analytical epidemiology
Spatial epidemiology and GIS
Simulation modelling
Prof Richard J. Whittington
Infectious diseases of livestock, fauna and fish
Assoc Prof Peter A. Windsor
Livestock health diagnosis & management
Neuropathology and reproductive & genetic disease
Dr Kathy Belov
Genetics and genomics of Australasian Wildlife
Dr Natasha Ellis
Equine genetics
Genetics of parasite resistance in sheep
Dr Jaime Gongora
Wildlife genetics
Co-evolution
Phylogeography
Population genetics
Dr Elisabeth Jonas
Livestock genomics
Population genetics in sheep, modeling lactation curves, QTL analysis
Dr Seyit Kayis
Statistical model development for QTL analysis
QTL mapping
Genomics
Dr Mehar Khatkar
Integrated genomics
Linkage disequilibrium mapping
Marker Assisted Selection
Computing and data analysis
Dr Anne Lehnert
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
Molecular genetics and functional genomics
Crocodile gene mapping and genomics
Platypus population genetics
Prof Herman W. Raadsma
Livestock genomics
Resistance to disease
Functional genomics
Dr Tony Rowe
Immunology
Parasitology
Sheep genomics
Dr Mohammad Shariflou
Molecular genetics focussing on sheep genomics
Dr Paul Sheehy
Functional Genomics
Gene Discovery
Gene therapy
Cell biology
Molecular diagnostics
Basic cellular biology
Dr Imke Tammen
Inherited disorders in livestock
Genetics of production traits
Assoc Prof Roseanne A. Taylor
Neurological disease
Stem cells
Gene therapy
Veterinary education
Dr Peter Thomson
Statistical genetics
Major gene analysis
Applied statistics
Dr Peter Williamson
Functional Genomics/Proteomics
Molecular immunology
Signal transduction
Bio-engineering
Lactation
Dr Munif Allanson
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 Kate L. Bosward
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
Ruminant immunology related to infectious diseases
Parasitology and vaccination
Dr Merran Govendir
Veterinary clinical pharmacology
Immunohistochemistry
Dr Christine Hawke
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
Marsupial disease and immunology
Dr Wendy I. Muir
Avian immunology
Dr Karren Plain
Cellular and molecular immunology (in particular transplantation
immunology)
Ovine Johne's Disease
Immune regulation
Dr Vivienne E. Reeve
Photobiology
Immunity and skin carcinogenesis
Autoimmune diseases
Dr Tony Rowe
Immunology
Parasitology
Sheep genomics
Dr Tiziana Beninati
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 Kate L. Bosward
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
Ruminant immunology related to infectious diseases
Parasitology and vaccination
Dr Jacqueline M. Norris
Periodontal disease in cats
Feline infectious peritonitis
Feline immunodeficiency virus
Feline chronic renal failure
Dr Jan Slapeta
Protozoology
Microbial Evolution & Systematics
Diagnostic Applications
Dr Tiziana Beninati
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
Pathogenesis of diseases of domestic animals and wildlife
Laboratory medicine of all species
Dr Rachael Gray
Marine mammal health and disease
Dr Susan Hemsley
Marsupial disease and immunology
Dr Damien Higgins
Pathogenesis and ecology of wildlife disease
Wildlife immunology
Medicine, surgery and management of terrestrial and marine wildlife
Dr Mark B. Krockenberger
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
Zoo and captive wildlife nutrition
Nutritional biochemistry
Nutrition and reproductive success in egg laying animals
Prof Chris Moran
Molecular genetics and functional genomics
Crocodile gene mapping and genomics
Platypus population genetics
Dr Adam Munn
Ecological physiology of native, domestic and feral vertebrates
A/Prof David Phalen
Infectious diseases of wildlife, particularly birds
Dr Derek Spielman
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
Biology of reptiles