University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science

BAnVetBioSc (Hons I) PhD (Science)

Dr Jessica Agius is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, focusing on the integration of disease ecology and epidemiology to investigate microbial spillover risk, particulalry at the wild–domestic animal interface. Previously, she held a postdoctoral appointment in Pathogen Genomics at the Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology – Public Health and the Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID). She served as a project lead for the invasive pneumococcal disease stream within the translational Australian Pathogen Genomics Program (AusPathoGen) and contributed to multiple foundational research initiatives within the program, spanning priority communicable pathogens including Salmonella, Shigella, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and invasive Group A Streptococcus.

Jessica graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Animal and Veterinary Bioscience (Hons I) from the University of Sydney in 2016. She completed a PhD (Science) in 2021 which involved a collaboration with the University of Sydney, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, and the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia. Her research investigated and characterised a novel, emergent Enterococcus bacterium (Enterococcus lacertideformus) threatening two species of critically endangered and extinct in the wild reptiles endemic to Christmas Island, an external territory of Australia. In addition to this novel discovery, her research examined broader health issues of Christmas Island reptiles, with a particular focus on viruses and parasites. During the course of her PhD she spent extended periods undertaking laboratory-based investigations and fieldwork on Christmas Island.

BVSc DECVS GradCertVS MANZCVS MVCS PhD

Rachel is a Specialist and Associate Professor in Small Animal Surgery. She graduated from the University of Sydney and began her career in general practice across several clinics in Sydney. With a longstanding interest in surgery, she undertook a rotating internship followed by a surgical internship at the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital (UVTHS), before commencing a surgical residency.

Rachel obtained her Membership in Small Animal Surgery in 2014 and completed her surgical residency at UVTHS in 2018. She became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons after successfully passing her board examinations in February 2020. During her residency, Rachel also completed a Master of Veterinary Clinical Studies and a PhD focused on improving the management of feline carpal injuries.

In addition to her commitment to clinical research and teaching, Rachel divides her time between the university and private practice, where she consults and performs surgery. Her research interests include feline orthopaedics and musculoskeletal imaging, and she has authored several peer-reviewed publications in these areas. Rachel serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery and Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology.

Rachel is deeply committed to surgical education and is passionate about teaching veterinary students, interns, and surgical residents.

BSc(Hons), Grad Cert Ed (Higher Ed), PhD, SFHEA

Professor Bathgate has built a distinguished career at the intersection of reproductive biology, veterinary science, and agricultural biotechnology. Her research spans a broad array of species and reproductive contexts, with notable contributions to semen cryopreservation, assisted reproductive technologies, and the physiological and behavioural indicators of reproductive states in livestock. Her work on boar semen cryopreservation, and reproductive monitoring in pigs has been widely cited and influential across animal science disciplines.

Her publication record includes more than 60 research outputs, covering topics such as development of sperm cryopreservation protocols in pigs and elephants, iron supplementation for piglets, development of oestrus detection technologies in pigs and understanding parameters of parturition in sows. Her work are highly collaborative, involving international partnerships across universities and research institutes, further highlighting her standing in the global reproductive science community.

In her teaching portfolio, Professor Bathgate has won awards for her teaching into the Bachelor of Veterinary Biolgy, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Biosciences degrees, presenting the material on reproductive physiology and pig husbandry.

She has previously served in roles including Associate Dean for Research Education, and she remains deeply engaged in postgraduate supervision, mentoring emerging researchers in veterinary and animal reproductive science. Her work aligns strongly with global priorities such as food security and sustainable livestock management, and she actively supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger through her research and teaching activities.

Professor Bathgate continues to advance the field of animal reproduction through her scholarship, leadership, and dedication to improving both animal welfare and agricultural productivity.

Dr Carina Blaker is a researcher with a multidisciplinary background spanning Mechanical Biomedical Engineering and Medical Science. She was awarded a PhD in Medicine in 2019 from The University of Sydney for her research on experimental models of ACL injury and osteoarthritis. After completing her doctorate, Dr Blaker undertook a four-year industry-partnered postdoctoral project aimed at improving graft materials for tendon and ligament reconstruction. This work resulted in the devleopment and preclinical evaluation of a novel tendon xenograft.

Dr Blaker's current research is driven by a strong interest in understanding how musculoskeletal injuries and diseases change over time, aiming to uncover the drivers of disease onset and progression, and to identify new ways to prevent or treat these conditions. Operating within a One Health and Comparative Medicine framework, Dr Blaker uses translational human and animal models to better understand the mechanisms underpinning pain and tissue degeneration, with the goal of advancing treatments to improve health outcomes across both human and veterinary populations.

BSc (Vet) Hons 1, BVSc, PhD, Grad Dipl Vet Clin Sci, Grad Cert (Higher Ed), MASM, MASID.

Katrina began her career in veterinary clinical practice which was followed by a PhD in ruminant immunology and an internship in veterinary clinical and anatomical pathology and microbiology. Katrina has been an academic staff member in the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney since 2002 where she teaches in various veterinary pathobiology and public health units of study in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Her overarching teaching and research focus is in the pathogenesis and control of infectious disease of animals especially those considered zoonotic diseases. Katrina has a particular research interest in Coxiella burnetii, and coxiellosis in animals and Q fever in humans.

Katrina is a member of Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID).

BVM&S GCLTHE MPH&TM PhD FHEA FANZCVS (Epidemiology) FRCVS

Victoria graduated as a veterinarian from the University of Edinburgh and worked in practice in the UK and Australia. She has on-the-ground emergency animal-disease response experience from the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the UK and the 2007 outbreak of equine influenza in Australia. Following further training in epidemiology, she completed a PhD at The University of Sydney in 2014, then researched rabies preparedness in Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia for the Australian Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. In 2020, Victoria gained Fellowship in Epidemiology from the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Practitioners (ANZCVS), and in 2021, Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. She is a Section Editor for Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases (One Health) and is a past president of the Epidemiology Chapter of the ANZCVS. Victoria is a member of Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID)

and co-lead for One Health special interest group 

I spent the first 33 years of my life on a mixed grazing and dryland cropping operation comprising 400 stud and commercial beef cattle, 1800 fine wool merino sheep and 800 first cross ewes on the southern tablelands of NSW. During this time I attained the practical skills to produce and finish beef animals destined for high value domestic and export markets as well as breeding bulls and females to meet seedstock demand. The wool and prime lamb enterprises demonstrated the importance of diversification for delivering a highly sustainable, productive and profitable outcome as well as provided valuable insight into the factors influencing both industries.

This on-farm experience proved to be invaluable when undertaking a BScAgr degree with Honours in the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Sydney (1998-2001) as it enabled me to link theory with the practical application. My undergraduate experience in areas such as soils, agronomy and the animal sciences complemented my understanding of the factors influencing product quality for wool, meat and milk. In my final year I specialised in livestock production systems.

I was awarded a PhD in Veterinary Science from the University of Sydney in 2006 titled "The biological and financial impact of ovine Johne's disease in Australia". This Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) funded research required a comprehensive understanding of on-farm production systems. My investigation of the impact of this endemic disease on twelve farms in southern NSW provided evidence of the impact of the disease on farm profitability, with justification for Animal Health Australia (AHA) to introduce a vaccination and risk-based trading system for sheep within Australia. This research established the disease impact on livestock production and the cost for producers based on disease prevalence. Financial modelling, disease investigation and extensive surveying skills were attained during this PhD research.

My academic career enables me to continue contributing to beef, wool and milk production, both domestically and internationally. Hence, my teaching and research are focused on developing skills and knowledge directly applicable to industry. In addition, owning land where I run cattle and sheep have maintained my connection with primary production and the importance of interacting with industry stakeholders.

Nichola Calvani graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Animal and Veterinary Bioscience (Hons) from the University of Sydney in 2016. She subsequently completed her PhD at the University of Sydney in 2020, focusing on the molecular diagnosis and distribution of Fasciola species in Southeast Asia. During her PhD, she worked closely with Australian livestock producers, meat processors, veterinarians, and both commercial and government-run laboratories to collect parasite material and develop a molecular diagnostic workflow enabling ante-mortem differentiation of Fasciola spp. her PhD research included extensive fieldwork in Cambodia and the Lao People's Democratic Republic, where she worked alongside local authorities and smallholder producers on a DFAT-funded project aimed at improving diagnosis and control of Fasciola spp. in cattle and buffalo. This work confirmed the presence of F. hepatica in Lao PDR for the first time and highlighted the role of international livestock movement in the transboundary spread of this parasite. 

In January 2021, Nichola joined Professor John Dalton's Molecular Parasitology Laboratory at the University of Galway, Ireland, as a postdoctoral researcher. There, she broadened her expertise on Fasciola hepatica, developing skills in advanced microscopy, molecular biology, protein expression and characterisation, immunology, enzymatic assays, and in vitro parasite and cell culture. She applied these skills to develop the world's first 3D hepatic co-culture model for F. hepatica infection, providing a transformative new way to study parasite development and invasion outside of an animal host. This model supports efforts to better understand early host:parasite interactions and will streamline drug and vaccine candidate screening, while reducing our reliance on animal models in alignment with the 3Rs (the replacement, reduction, and refinement of the use of animals in scientific research). 

Shortly after returning to the Sydney School of Veterinary Science (SSVS) as a Lecturer in Parasitology in Semester 2, 2023, Nichola was awarded an ARC-funded Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA, 2024-2027). This prestigious grant enables her to explore early parasite-host interactions using advanced 3D cell culture techniques, continuing and expanding on her innovative work conducted in Ireland. Nichola has since established a state-of-the-art 3D cell culture laboratory in the McMaster building, where she grows F. hepatica outside its mammalian hosts. She is actively integrating this fundamental scientific research with practical, farmer-focused approaches, aiming to develop sustainable parasite management strategies that address drug resistance and enhance livestock health through targeted interventions informed by molecular diagnostics.

Nichola is a member of Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID).

Dr Lee Campbell is a comparative immunologist with expertise in innate immunity, cell biology, and wildlife disease. She completed her honours undergraduate degree in Immunology and Infection and her PhD in Physiology, Development, and Cell Biology at the University of Alberta, Canada, where her research focused on innate immune tolerance mechanisms in ducks as natural influenza A reservoirs.

Currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Dr Campbell's research focuses on comparative marsupial immunology, investigating intracellular immune responses and disease mechanisms in Australian wildlife species. Her work includes the development of novel primary cell culture and immortalised cell line methodologies for non-traditional vertebrate species, with a focus on animals of conservation significance. Dr Campbell currently leads active research programs investigating innate immune biology in wombats and koalas, with particular interest in the unique immunological adaptations of marsupials as a distinct mammalian lineage.

Dr Campbell is a member of Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID) 

Michelle is a wildlife, zoo and exotic species veterinarian, researcher and leader with particular interests in animal welfare, ethics and zoological medicine. Her novel work on the outcomes of wildlife rescue efforts in bushfires and other disasters have contributed to improving rehabilitation practices and guidelines. She joined the University of Sydney in 2023 as Associate Professor in Wildlife and Avian Medicine.

Michelle has experience in referral zoo, non-traditional pet and wildlife practice, conservation research, government administration and animal welfare and biosecurity policy development.

Following completion of undergraduate biology and veterinary science degrees at the University of Sydney and several years in private mixed veterinary practice, Michelle completed an exotic animal and wildlife residency program at the University of Edinburgh and became a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeon's Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.

Michelle has since worked in academia (as a lecturer with the University of Edinburgh), in the zoo and wildlife industry (as a clinical veterinarian with Taronga Conservation Society) and in the public sector (as a Team Leader with the Animal Welfare Unit at NSW DPI). She has contributed to leading exotic and wildlife veterinary textbooks and journals and has held a number of leadership positions in veterinary professional organisations.

Michelle is currently enrolled in a PhD exploring the ethics of wildlife health interventions.

BVSc (Hons I), MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats), PhD

Sally graduated from The University of Sydney in 2007 and has been a feline-only veterinarian since 2010. She attained memberships in feline medicine with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) in 2012, was a director at The Cat Clinic Melbourne, an examiner with the ANZCVS, and tutors for the Centre for Veterinary Education. Between 2020 and 2024, Sally completed a PhD on antiviral therapies for feline infectious Peritonitis, conducting both prospective and retrospective studies using remdesivir and GS-441524, and characterized their pharmacokinetics of remdesivir in cats. She has lectured extensively at veterinary conferences both domestically and internationally, upskilling veterinarians on how to integrate new treatment research into daily practice. Sally is continuing her research as Postdoctoral Research Fellow (diseases and treatment of cats) at The University of Sydney.

BAdvSc, MRes, PhD

Dr. Vincenzo Costa is a postdoctoral researcher at The Sydney School of Veterinary Science (SSVS). He received a BAdvSc and MRes from the Department of Biological Sciences at Macquarie University, Australia. His thesis employed metatranscriptomic sequencing to reveal virus diversity and evolution in invasive European carp in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. In 2024, he completed his PhD at The University of Sydney under the supervision of Prof. Edward Holmes, where he explored viral transmission dynamics in teleost fishes from the Great Barrier Reef and Lake Tanganyika. Vincenzo's research focuses on understanding how pathogens emerge in new animal species through cross-species transmission, with a particular emphasis on aquatic ecosystems.

Natalie Courtman is a specialist veterinary clinical pathologist involved in clinical pathology research across a broad range of species and topics. Her primary interests are related to feline and canine health, but she is also interested in wildlife and production animal health.

Natalie Courtman graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from the University of Sydney and spent nine years in small animal practices in Australia and the UK before embarking on her veterinary clinical pathology career. Her passion for continuing professional development led to a Masters from Murdoch University and memberships of the ANZCVS in small animal medicine and pathology, and she became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in clinical pathology in 2012.

Natalie has extensive experience working in private diagnostics as well as academia. She worked at the University of Melbourne from 2014-2021 where she led the clinical pathology service and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) student teaching, trained residents in clinical pathology, was Director of the DVM, and was involved in a diverse range of research projects including coagulation, clinical biochemistry, cytology and oncology, assay validation and reference interval studies across a range of species.

She joined the University of Sydney in May 2023 to continue her passion for teaching and diagnostic clinical pathology through training DVM students and supporting the Veterinary Pathology Diagnostic Service, and to continue to support research in clinical pathology. She is currently also Director of the DVM course.

BVSc&AH, MVSc, MANZCVS (Vet Epi), GradCert(Higher Edu)

Dr Navneet Dhand is a distinguished veterinary epidemiologist with over 20 years of experience in education, research, and professional development. He serves as the Director of the Asia Pacific Consortium of Veterinary Epidemiology (APCOVE), which includes epidemiologists from all veterinary schools in Australia and New Zealand and aims to enhance epidemiological skills in the Asia Pacific region.

Dr Dhand's research focuses on epidemiological investigations into infectious diseases. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers and presented at numerous scientific conferences. His outstanding contributions to veterinary medicine were recognised when he was named the Research Leader in Veterinary Medicine in The Australian Special Research Report 2020.

In addition to his academic and research roles, Dr Dhand has provided consultancy on various animal health projects for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). He currently supports the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergencies Programme in implementing One Health field epidemiology training. Dr Dhand also serves the profession as an Associate Editor of Preventive Veterinary Medicine. Associate Professor Dhand is a member of Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID) 

After completion of BVSC & AH undergraduate degree from the Kerala Agricultural University in India Om worked as a Regional and Zonal Veterinary Officer in his home country Bhutan for five years.

Om was awarded an FAO Fellowship to undertake post graduate studies at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney. On completion of his post graduate studies Om worked on an ACIAR funded project on footrot in sheep and goats in Nepal. He successfully made a recombinant DNA footrot vaccine which was used to control and eradicate endemic footrot in that country. He has also worked on a similar project in Bhutan and other footrot projects and research collaborations in India, China and Malaysia. He has been a Research Leader of the research team looking at molecular pathogenesis of footrot working in collaboration with Monash University and the State Departments of Primary Industries. Om also worked on the Ovine Johne's Disease epidemiology project. He returned to research on diagnostics and vaccines for ovine footrot and leads the research team as principal investigator on a number of Australian Sheep industry funded projects. Om was a member of the NSW Footrot Technical Advisory Committee for a number of years and has been an advisor on technical matters relating to footrot to the state footrot coordinators, district Vets and farmers in Australia and New Zealand.

Om's expertise on footrot research has been well recognised both at the national and the international levels. He is reviewer for a number of international journals like the Vaccine, Veterinary Microbiology, Veterinary Record, Journal of Bacteriology, Australian Veterinary Journal, Journal of Dairy Science and others for scientific publications. He is also recognised as a reviewer for research project evaluations and has reviewed Government funded research projects in Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland. Currently he has research collaborations with EMAI DPI, NSW, Utrecht University in The Netherlands, National Veterinary Research Institute in Uruguay and in New Zealand

David graduated from USyd Vet School in 1973, spent 18 months in mixed practice before doing a PhD on transplantation immunology on bull-heifer twins at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, ANU. He did a postdoctoral at ILRAD, Kenya, working on East Coast fever (Theileriosis) and Trypanosomiasis in cattle and goats from 1978-81confriming the role of cytotoxic T-cells in Theilerial immunity. He returned to CSIRO Animal Health for 19 years working on immunity and vaccination against footrot, foot abscess and livestock nematode parasites. He spent 2 years with Animal biosecurity at DAFF, Canberra, working on import risk analyses (IRAs), before joining USyd in 2001 in Parasitology. Current research interests are livestock parasites, especially intestinal nematodes, ticks and Theileria.

Emily Francis (BAnVetBioSc PhD) is a Lecturer in Veterinary Parasitology at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney. Her research focuses on veterinary infectious diseases of livestock, particularly the molecular epidemiology and diagnostics of gastrointestinal nematodes. Using next-generation sequencing approaches such as nemabiome metabarcoding and deep amplicon sequencing, she investigates parasite community structure and the emergence of anthelmintic resistance in grazing systems. Her work integrates molecular diagnostics with veterinary diagnostic laboratory datasets to develop genomic surveillance tools and decision-support resources that support veterinarians and livestock producers in managing parasite infections and drug resistance. At the University of Sydney, Emily teaches across the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Animal and Veterinary Bioscience programs and coordinates VETS6204 – Principles of Animal Disease A, a core infectious disease unit in the DVM curriculum.

DVM, MSc, PhD, FHEA, DACVP

Dr Marina Gimeno is a board-certified anatomical pathologist (Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Pathologists) whose work integrates diagnostic pathology, research, and veterinary education. She has advanced diagnostic expertise across multiple species and extensive experience managing high diagnostic caseloads in university, private, and government veterinary laboratories.

Her research aims to advance the understanding of the pathogenesis of infectious diseases and their application to animal health, disease surveillance, and comparative pathology. She has contributed to a broad range of collaborative projects involving livestock, wildlife, and animal models. She is committed to advancing veterinary education and diagnostic pathology while contributing to the profession through applied research and the publication of clinically relevant and case-based studies.

Marina is passionate about veterinary education and is committed to developing engaging, evidence-based learning experiences that foster diagnostic reasoning and prepare students for clinical practice. She is actively involved in the supervision of higher degree research students and enjoys mentoring the next generation of veterinary pathologists.

Professor Jaime Góngora is holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology Education from Universidad Libre, a Master of Science in Biology from Universidad Javeriana, and a PhD in Animal Genetics from the University of Sydney. His research focuses on the genetics and genomics of wildlife, including crocodiles, platypuses, and peccaries. He is the founder and leader of the Paz con la Naturaleza (Peace with Nature) initiative, established in 2016 to promote conservation and sustainable development in Colombia, particularly in regions affected by armed conflict. Professor Góngora has published nearly 100 scientific outputs, including articles in leading journals such as Science and PNAS, as well as book chapters and science communication pieces. He has been awarded prestigious international funding to support his research and has received recognition in Australia and the United States for his contributions to education, equity, and inclusion. Professor Góngora has supervised more than 35 research projects across PhD, Master’s, and Honours levels.

Merran Govendir is Professor of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 

BVSc (Hons I), PhD, Diplomate of European College of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology [DECVPT], MANZCVSc (Veterinary Pharmacology; & Medicine of Cats), MEd(Higher Education), FHERDSA

Professor Merran Govendir teaches veterinary pharmacology and toxicology to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science (SSVS) of The University of Sydney. She teaches the basics of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics so that her students know how to safely administer medicines to their animal patients. Her teaching uses many 'real world' examples, many of which come from her pharmacological research projects.

Professor Govendir runs the SSVS Veterinary Pharmacology Laboratory. This is the only laboratory in Australasia that develops and validates drug assays to measure medicine concentrations in the biological tissues of animals. She also conducts research in antimicrobial susceptibility testing and promotes and teaches antimicrobial stewardship.

Current research projects include investigating the pharmacokinetic profiles of several non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in various species to improve dosages so that they have a better therapeutic effect. Professor Govendir and her team are well known for their work to improve the efficacy of medicines for koalas and many other domesticated and non-domesticated species. She has been primary supervisor for eleven completed PhD candidates and four completed research master’s students. She is currently supervising two PhD candidatures and numerous DVM students' research projects.

She has numerous research collaborations with SSVS colleagues and has external collaborations with many Australian wildlife hospitals and zoos. She is a current member of The University of Sydney Animal Ethics Committee and is one of the 13 voting members of the CLSI Veterinary Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Subcommittee (VAST).