DrEmily Francis

Molecular epidemiology of gastrointestinal nematodes

Emily’s research focuses on understanding the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of gastrointestinal nematodes affecting livestock production systems. Her work investigates parasite communities in grazing animals and the factors that influence parasite distribution, transmission and persistence in livestock production environments.

Anthelmintic resistance in livestock parasites

A major focus of her research is the emergence and spread of anthelmintic resistance in key ruminant parasites including Haemonchus, Teladorsagia and Trichostrongylus. Her work aims to understand how drug-resistant parasite populations emerge and spread within and between livestock production systems, and how resistance can be detected and monitored using molecular tools.

Molecular diagnostics and nemabiome sequencing

Emily uses next-generation sequencing approaches to characterise parasite communities and detect resistance-associated genetic markers directly from field samples. This includes the use of ITS-2 “nemabiome” metabarcoding and deep amplicon sequencing of resistance loci to investigate parasite diversity and drug resistance at population scale.

Parasite surveillance and decision-support tools

Her research integrates molecular diagnostics with veterinary diagnostic laboratory datasets to develop genomic surveillance tools that support evidence-based parasite management. This includes the development of interactive data visualisation tools, such as the shiny-based WoRM dashboard, which allows veterinarians and livestock producers to explore parasite species composition and anthelmintic resistance marker frequencies across livestock production regions.

Emily's research aligns with the Faculty of Science Research Strengths - Understanding Life on Earth, Healthy Animals, Biosecurity.