DrFrancisca Samsing Pedrals

BVSc, DVM, MSc (Aquaculture), PhD, CertAqV

Francisca is a certified aquatic veterinarian (CertAqV) and Senior Lecturer in Aquatic Animal Health at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, where she joined in 2021. She received her BVSc and DVM from Universidad Mayor (Santiago, Chile) in 2010 and worked in vaccine research and development for the salmon industry at Virbac-Centrovet before relocating to Australia in 2013 to undertake a Master of Science (MSc) in Aquaculture at The University of Melbourne.

She completed her PhD at The University of Melbourne in 2018, investigating the environmental transmission dynamics of the salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis), one of the most significant parasitic challenges facing global salmon aquaculture. Her doctoral research applied computational biology and network theory to improve understanding of parasite spread and inform prevention and control strategies. She subsequently undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at CSIRO, studying pilchard orthomyxovirus (POMV) in the Tasmanian salmon industry, with a focus on host–pathogen interactions and immune responses to support improved detection and control.

At the University of Sydney, Francisca leads an interdisciplinary research program examining the drivers of disease transmission in aquatic systems, developing novel diagnostic approaches, and applying multi-omic tools to aquatic animal health. Her work integrates computational biology, bioinformatics, and molecular microbiology to better understand disease emergence, persistence, and prevention in aquaculture.