My name is Gemma and I am looking forward to starting my PhD at Queen’s University Belfast as part of QUADRAT cohort 5. My research will involve exploring how various species of lungworm move across and through different trophic levels. This area is particularly of interest to me as I have been a practicing companion animal vet for almost a decade. During this time I had the challenge of encountering a wide variety of parasitic diseases as well as the opportunity to treat various wildlife species. Prior to beginning my PhD I completed a Masters in Conservation Biology and Ecological Management also at Queen’s, and it was this that sparked my interest in the ecology of animal diseases. The importance of epidemiological research has been highlighted given the emergence of important infectious zoonotic diseases, and several species of lungworm are responsible for potentially fatal disease in people. This project will help identify areas of high parasite transmission risk, and better allow One health practitioners to protect both human and animal populations globally.
QUADRAT Sponsors and Partners
National Trust
Scottish water
Botanaeco
The Crown Estate
SAERI Falklands Limited
Siskin Asset Management
Marine Scotland
James Hutton Institute
SEPA
Causeway, Coast & Glens Heritage Trust
Shetland Amenity Trust
Environment Agency
SAERI
RSPB NI
Geological Survey NI
NFU Scotland
Ulster Farmers’ Union
RSPB Scotland
National Trust for Scotland
Belfast City Council
Ulster Wildlife
DAERA
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar & Marine Research
Ireland Brownfield Network
Northern Ireland Environment Link
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)
Bioversity International
Forestry and Land Scotland
NOAA Fisheries
Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Arup
Aberdeen City Council
Tilhill Forestry
JNCC
NI Water
Forest Research Scotland
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Carl Zeiss Microscopy Ltd
Volcanic Basin Petroleum Research
Mourne Heritage Trust
BGS
Northern Ireland Environment Agency
Centre for Environmental Data and Recording (CEDaR)
Wildbyte Technologies
Aberdeen Harbour Board
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
3DEO
Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute
National Biodiversity Data Centre Ireland
CB Dennis Trust
Historic Environment Scotland
The R&A
Loughs Agency
Pacific Seafoods Group
Syngenta
National Trust NI