DrNichola Calvani

Nichola is interested in all parasites, but particularly enjoys working on parasites at the livestock/human health interface. Her primary areas of interest are anything to do with the common liver flukes; Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. Currently, she is busy establishing a research program that bridges experimental parasitology, in vitro modelling, and translational fieldwork. Her DECRA focuses on applying 3D culture systems to investigate early-stage F. hepatica biology, with a focus on parasite behaviour, invasion dynamics and drug metabolism. These platforms provide new opportunities to interrogate early host:parasite interactions at cellular resolution, reducing our reliance on animal infections.

In parallel, Nichola maintains an active portfolio of collaborative projects that span molecular diagnostics, resistance surveillance, and host:parasite ecology. These include partnerships with local collaborators at the University of Melbourne and Charles Sturt University, as well as international partnerships that extend and validate her parasite co-culture approaches with colleagues at the Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca (IRNASA), Spain and the Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany. Her student-led projects currently focus on zoonotic parasite (liver fluke and hydatid) disease transmission at the wildlife-livestock interface. Producer and end-user engagement remains an important component of her work, and she routinely ensures that her research outputs are grounded in practical application and producer priorities. To do so, she works closely with livestock producers in the New South Wales Southern Tablelands, engaging them at all stages of her work via farmer information days and annual wrap-up sessions, with future projects co-designed based on producer concerns. 

Nichola's research aligns with the Faculty of Science Research Strengths - Healthy Animals, Biosecurity.