Research News

Janne Schoening Successfully Defends her DVMS Thesis

Congratulations to Janne Schoening who successfully defended her Doctor of Veterinary Medical Specialisation (DVMS) thesis entitled ‘Investigations on Environmental Dust Inhalation and Mycobacterial Infection in the European Badger (meles meles).’ Janne has also completed her residency in Veterinary Anatomic Pathology and after recently passing her board exams, she is now a European Specialist in Veterinary Pathology.  Janne’s research, under the supervision of Dr Alan Wolfe and Assoc Professor Joe Cassidy, investigated whether siliceous dust inhalation is a risk factor for tuberculosis in badgers similar to silicosis, an occupational hazard e.g. in miners; it is not. Janne is currently working as a Clinical Fellow in Veterinary Anatomic Pathology at UCD.

Nikki Walshe investigates the relationship between helminths, the host immune system and intestinal dysbiosis in horses in the Veterinary Ireland Journal's April Edition

Nikki Walshe is Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Equine Clinical Studies in the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine and UCDVH Equine Field Service clinician.  From her experience on the Field Service, Nikki developed an interest in the area of equine parasitology and is currently undertaking a PhD on this topic. Working with her supervisors Professor Grace Mulcahy and Associate Professor Vivienne Duggan, Nikki will pursue the investigation of mechanisms behind parasite associated disease in the horse.

This piece appeared in the April edition of the Veterinary Ireland Journal and is part on an ongoing series of features on research in the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine.  The full article can be accessed here:

http://www.ucd.ie/vetmed/t4media/Nikki%20Walsh%20VIJ%20May%202019.pdf

Can bovine TB be eradicated from the Republic of Ireland? - Article by Professor Simon More published in the Irish Veterinary Journal

Professor Simon More, the School’s Associate Dean for Research, Innovation & Impact and Director of the UCD Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology & Risk Analysis, has recently published a paper in the Irish Veterinary Journal on the eradication of bovine TB in Ireland and whether or not this can be achieved by 2030; this paper was adapted from a written submission by Professor More to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine on 26 February 2019.

There has been an ongoing decline in bovine tuberculosis (TB) in the Republic of Ireland, however, TB has yet to be eradicated. Further to a recent commitment by the Irish government to eradicate TB by 2030, Professor More’s paper considers two questions, ‘Can bovine TB be eradicated from the Republic of Ireland?’ and ‘Could this be achieved by 2030?,’ given current knowledge from research.  Professor More outlines that we face a critical decision point in the eradication programme, specifically the scope and intensity of control measures from this point forward. Professor More also makes it clear that decisions made now will have long-term implications both in terms of time-to-eradication and cumulative programme cost.

The full article can be accessed here:

(opens in a new window)https://irishvetjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13620-019-0140-x