Biographical Information
I completed undergraduate studies in agricultural science and veterinary science before working for five years in the veterinary public health division of the Australian Bureau of Animal Health. After completing a PhD in immunology at the Australian National University, I went to the Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland, where I worked for 13 years as a research scientist. In 1998, I became science leader of the Immunoparasitology Team at AgResearch's Wallaceville Animal Research Centre.
My personal research interests have centred on the immune system of ruminants and covered aspects such as the ontogeny, structure and function of immune tissues, the molecular basis of antigen receptor diversity and mechanisms of mucosal immunity to parasites. I have published extensively in scientific journals and books, am on the editorial board of four international science journals and have served on science advisory and review committees in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. I am adjunct Professor of Immunology in the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University.
In January 2007 I became the inaugural Director of the Hopkirk Research Institute I manage the research and development activities of scientific staff whose main aim is to pursue basic and applied research in parasitic and infectious diseases of pastoral livestock.
Focus areas include gastrointestinal parasites, tuberculosis, Johne's disease and mastitis. Research outcomes include vaccines, delivery systems, improved diagnostic tests, drug development, drug target discovery and developing livestock management systems which minimise the impact of animal disease.
Expertise
Information not available
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