黑料网

Contact details

• Ph: +64 6 356 9099 ext 7571
  Location: 8.21, Vet Tower
  Campus: Manawatu

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Veterinary Science - Warsaw Agricultural University (1994)
• Doctor of Philosophy - 黑料网 (2000)

Certifications and Registrations

• Licence, Supervisor, 黑料网

Research Interests

My current research interests fall into two main categories:

Investigation of novel viral agents: The recent projects under this category include investigation of novel equine respiratory viruses using next generation sequencing platform, characterisation of novel animal papillomavirues, and identification of a novel nidovirus in archival tissues from possums affected by a neurological disease termed wobbly possum disease (WPD). The disease was first described in 1995 in a group of captive possums at a research facility in Invermay. It was subsequently observed in free-living possums, and reproduced under experimental conditions. The early stages of the disease are characterised by behavioural changes (loss of appetite, decreased interest in the environment, temperament changes), followed by progressive ataxia. Results of previous investigations suggested that WPD was caused by a transmissible and filterable agent, most likely a virus. However, all efforts to identify this putative etiological agent of WPD using traditional virological methods over the past 15 years had failed. Recently, we have identified novel viral sequences in archival tissues from WPD-affected possums using a combination of next generation sequencing and traditional molecular tools. We demonstrated that high levels of viral RNA were present in multiple tissue types of WPD-affected possums, consistent with the distribution of the histopathological lesions. We also developed methodology to grow the virus an in-vitro,and reproduced the disease experimentally using a purified viral isolate, thus fullfiling Koch’s postulates for causation.

 WPD virus constitutes one of a very few viruses known to infect possums, and the only one so far that is associated with clinical disease. Based on its genomic sequence, the virus was provisionally classified as a nidovirus with closest relationships to the current members of the family Arteriviridae. Identification of a novel virus associated with a neurological disease of possums opens the possibility of its use in the biological control of this species. However, in order to entertain such an idea, a better understanding of the biology and epidemiology of this novel virus is needed. We are currently working on further characterisation of WPD virus.

Investigation of veterinary diseases endemic in New Zealand: These include several projects focused on viruses of different animal species. Examples include molecular characterization of canine parvoviruses and equine herpesviruses in New Zealand, elucidation of host-virus interactions between cats and the feline immunodeficiency virus, a survey of avian paramyxoviruses in New Zealand, investigation of the effects of injection site on development of immunity following vaccination of cats or determination of the in-vitro effects of different lysine/arginine concentrations on replication of feline herpesvirus 1. I also had a small involvement in the research related to pathogens of importance to aquaculture in New Zealand. This is an emerging problem worldwide and I will likely expand my involvement in this area in the future.

Thematics

21st Century Citizenship, Health and Well-being

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
Agricultural And Veterinary Sciences (070000):
Biological Sciences (060000): Evolutionary Biology (060300): Host-Parasite Interactions (060307): Microbiology (060500): Virology (060506)

Keywords

All aspects of veterinary virology, including investigation of basic properties of viruses, as well as virus-host interations. Laboratory techniques that I am proficient in include traditional virology techniques (virus growth, purification, titration, electron microscopy, serology) and molecular virology techniques (end-point and quantitative PCR, nucleic acid extraction from a variaty of samples, enzymatic manipulation of DNA and RNA, cloning, blotting, preparation of DIG-labelled probes, immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridisation and others).

Completed Projects

Languages

• English
  Last used: current
  Spoken ability: Excellent
  Written ability: Excellent
• Polish
  Last used: current
  Spoken ability: Excellent
  Written ability: Excellent

Teaching Statement

Veterinary Virology (227.302)

Veterinary Infectious and Parasitic Diseases 1 (227.216)

Completed Doctoral Supervision

Main Supervisor of:

• 2024 - Rudolfo Bueno - Doctor of Philosophy
  Development and validation of a field deployable test for the diagnosis of high-priority infectious animal diseases in New Zealand
• 2018 - Julia Giles - Doctor of Philosophy
  Characterization of the putative wobbly possum disease virus

Co-supervisor of:

• 2024 - Nimeshika Pattabiraman - Doctor of Philosophy
  Population Genetics and Genomics of a Marsupial Species: Analysis of Native and Invasive Brushtail Possum Populations (Trichosurus vulpecula)
• 2018 - Gauri More - Doctor of Philosophy
  Canine respiratory viruses in New Zealand dogs
• 2018 - Alison Stickney - Doctor of Philosophy
  Relevance of the Variability of the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus in regard to Pathogenicity and Vaccination in New Zealand
• 2017 - Neroli Thomson - Doctor of Philosophy
  Felis catus Papillomavirus Type 2 Infection and Skin Cancer in Domestic Cats
• 2016 - Cameron Knight - Doctor of Philosophy
  The Association Between Equine Papillomavirus Type 2 and Equine Squamous Cell Carcinoma