I graduated from the University of East London in 1995 with a BSc (Hons) Infectious Diseases and began work at Moredun later that year. In 2008 I was awarded my PhD from Edinburgh University for work on the ‘Prevalence, characterisation and management of anthelmintic resistance in gastro-intestinal nematodes of Scottish sheep’.
I continue to have a keen interest in anthelmintic resistance research, particularly in areas around improving diagnostics and control strategies for nematode infections of ruminants. Currently I have projects looking at a) Transmission risks of animal movement and wildlife in the dissemination of nematodes species; b) the development and generation of genomic resources for sequencing, applying markers of anthelmintic resistance in the field to assess the effectiveness and impact of different control strategies on worm populations; c) identifying and characterisation monepantel resistance and d) the factors that influence farmer’s attitudes and behaviours with respect to nematode control.
I actively participate in the promotion of best practice roundworm control in ruminants and my work has been used to inform and update government, levy board and industry led initiative (e.g. Sustainable Control of Parasites of Sheep; SCOPS and Control of Worms sustainably; COWS) publications on the best practice advice for stakeholders.