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
Northern Ireland Environment Agency
Shetland Amenity Trust
Ulster Farmers’ Union
Bioversity International
RSPB NI
SEPA
Loughs Agency
Forest Research Scotland
Centre for Environmental Data and Recording (CEDaR)
Volcanic Basin Petroleum Research
James Hutton Institute
JNCC
National Biodiversity Data Centre Ireland
Pacific Seafoods Group
Scottish water
NI Water
Ulster Wildlife
Forestry and Land Scotland
Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Carl Zeiss Microscopy Ltd
BGS
RSPB Scotland
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar & Marine Research
Botanaeco
Tilhill Forestry
Wildbyte Technologies
CB Dennis Trust
Marine Scotland
Syngenta
Mourne Heritage Trust
Historic Environment Scotland
Ireland Brownfield Network
NOAA Fisheries
Siskin Asset Management
Aberdeen Harbour Board
SAERI
NFU Scotland
Geological Survey NI
The R&A
Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
3DEO
SAERI Falklands Limited
Environment Agency
Arup
National Trust for Scotland
Causeway, Coast & Glens Heritage Trust
DAERA
National Trust
Belfast City Council
Aberdeen City Council
National Trust NI
The Crown Estate
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)
Northern Ireland Environment Link