My work as an epidemiologist to date has focused on zoonotic pathogens -  including STEC, Lyme borreliosis and Fasciola hepatica - AMR/AMU, smallholder livestock production and vet/farmer mental health.

I have worked on a large consortium project to explore O157 and non-O157 STEC in cattle intended for the food chain, and in the current Strategic Research Programme (2022-27) this area of work is expanding to dairy cattle and sheep, as well as farmed deer (with Moredun Research Institute). 

I participate in projects exploring both AMR and AMU in livestock, some of which aim to understand how best to measure antimicrobial usage, according to the information required from those measurements, and how on-farm usage can adapt to best address the need for conscientious stewardship of antimicrobials whilst preserving animal health and welfare. CEPH is currently managing the delivery of a survey of prime cattle at slaughter to evaluate AMR in particular bacterial species as required by the EU Harmonised Monitoring Programme. 

Also as part of the current SRP I am leading a project to gather data to better understand the structure and function of the camelid and farmed deer sectors in Scotland, in the context of national and international animal health policy and ultimately the management and control of infectious livestock disease.

Before joining SRUC in 2012 I worked for just under five years as a vet in predominantly mixed general practice in Northern Ireland and briefly in Scotland.