Research Podcasts – Veterinary Science on the Move

Today we are delighted to have Dr Dan O’Neill joining Brian and myself in our remote studio. Dan is Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Epidemiology here at the RVC and leader of the VetCompass Programme. Dan eloquently describes his story. After twenty-two years in general practice wanting to find evidence for treating or informing clients on the common conditions that he saw, he took a leap to find those answers. After leaving the keys to his practice as he left one Saturday, he started a Master’s in veterinary epidemiology the following Monday. A PhD followed and he has stayed true to his word to find answers to those problems and with just under 100 papers published so far, he shows no signs of slowing down. A delight to speak to and be in his company, we hope that you enjoy the podcast as much as we did recording it.  To find out more about Dan use the following link: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/dan-o-neill For more about VetCompass: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/vetcompass   Here are some links to some of Dan’s papers: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31660657/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32661183/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33325082/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31037739/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32751913/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33128852/ To Cite this podcast as: Dom Barfield. RVC Research Podcast 62 with Dr Dan O’Neill. Published on Apr 02 2021   If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.

Today we are delighted to have Professor Jim Usherwood remotely recording with Brian and myself all appropriately social distancing in our homes (or shed). Jim is a Welcome Trust Senior Fellow and Professor of Locomotor Biomechanics here at the Structure and Motion Laboratory at the RVC. Jim has examined the locomotion of a variety of different species, from mice to pigeons, horses to barn owls, mayflies, ibis, cockatiels and even dogs and humans. We hope that you enjoy.   To find out more about Jim use the following link: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/jim-usherwood   Here are some links to some of Jim’s papers:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32041775/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31033243/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28910262/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27418386/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24429637/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12000801/ To Cite this podcast as: Dom Barfield. RVC Research Podcast 61 with Prof Jim Usherwood. Published on Feb XX 2021   If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.

Today we are delighted to have Professor Richard Kock remotely recording with Brian and myself all appropriately social distancing in our homes. Richard is Professor here at the RVC in Wildlife Health and Emerging Diseases. Apt timing perhaps to record this perhaps. Richard is the last person known to diagnose a case of Rinderpest in the world and assisted with his team to help eradicate this virus. Richard has been involved in many other projects globally and he speaks about a few of them with us today. Humbling and inspiring, Richard speaks modestly about his involvement in One Health, and why we all need to be more involved. We hope that you enjoy, stay safe. To find out more about Richard use the following link: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/richard-kock  Here are some links to some of Richard’s papers: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21724764 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23798687 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25655542 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27094147 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28228144 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25005349  If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.  

Today we are delighted to have Dr Tierney Bennett (nee Kinnison) with Brian and myself in the studio. Tierney is one of our Lecturers in Veterinary Education, based at the LIVE centre here at the RVC (Lifelong, Independent Veterinary Education). Tierney has had an interesting route, a winding path as she refers to her PhD and we are delighted that she spent the time with us to share her thoughts about the different paths available in research and how you never know what you might end up doing.  We hope that you enjoy To find out more about Tierney’s work use the following link: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/tierney-bennett-nee-kinnison Here is a link to some of Tierney’s are papers, the first link is her winding path to a PhD in veterinary education. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25556132/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26494771 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31690641 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26446881 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26489995  If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.

Today we are delighted to have Dr Amy Barstow with Brian and myself in the studio. Amy has been finishing up at the clinical skills centre here after completing her PhD in equine biomechanics investigating shock absorption and load distribution in horses exercising on hard surfaces We discuss that and her interest in farriery which has gone on for her to be involved in the Graduate Diploma in Equine Locomotor, to engage farriers with research and address the dearth of farriery related research.  To find out more about Amy’s work use the following link https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/amy-barstow  If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.

Welcome to the RVC research podcast, where we are joined by Dirk Werling, Professor of Molecular Immunology about the microbiome and why we should all be interested in it. We hope that you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as we enjoyed recording it. To find out more about Prof Werling’s work, use the following link  https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/dirk-werling   If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.

For Episode 56 we talk to Dr Rowena Packer who is a BBSRC Research Fellow here at the RVC. We discuss what led her interest in perusing animal welfare science, and how she came to do her PhD at the RVC and what this has led to along the way.  Her research into breed confirmation and why people might choose those breeds is on-going and fascinating. She has now moved into looking at canine epilepsy and behavioural co-morbidities. We hope that you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as we enjoyed recording it, inspiring, interesting and informative. To find out more about Rowena’s work use the following link https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/rowena-packer For more information about the Big Brainy Border Collie Study please follow this link https://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/research-centres-and-facilities/clinical-investigation-centre/projects/the-big-brainy-border-collie-study-investigating-brain-structure-function-and-behaviour-in-border-collies-with-and-without-idiopathic-epilepsy If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.

For Episode 55 we talk to Dr Troy Gibson who is a senior lecturer here at the RVC in Animal Welfare Science. He discusses his journey from the land of the long white cloud to the RVC. His research is in animal welfare of livestock during routine husbandry, and it is fascinating. We hope that you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as we enjoyed recording it, inspiring, interesting and informative. To find out more about Troy’s work use the following link https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/troy-gibson   If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.

For Episode 54 we talk to Jessica Roach who is currently just beginning her research career here at the RVC, under the supervision of Dr Mandi De Mestre who we spoke to on the last podcast. She discusses her journey so far after starting off as a new graduate with a heavy clinical commitment. We hope that you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as we enjoyed recording it, inspiring, interesting and informative. To find out more about Jess’s work in Dr De Mestre’s team, use the following link https://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/research-centres-and-facilities/equine-pregnancy-laboratory/team If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.

For Episode 53 we talk to Dr Mandi De Mestre, a Reader in Reproductive Immunology here at the RVC. She discusses her career and research that she has followed in three different continents. We hope that you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as we enjoyed recording it, inspiring, interesting and informative. To find out more about Dr De Mestre’s work, use the following link   https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/mandi-de-mestre     If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.  

For Episode 52 we talk to Dr Stuart Patterson, who successfully completed his PhD last year and when we recorded this podcast was working as a lecturer in Dairy Medicine here at the RVC. He has now taken a permanent post at the RVC as a Lecturer in Wild Animal Health. We discuss how he has managed his career and aligned it with his interests as well as taking advantage of opportunities when they presented themselves. We hope that you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as we enjoyed recording it, something for everyone, especially if you like meerkats. To find out more about Dr Patterson’s work, use the following link   https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/stuart-patterson     If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.

Welcome back to the RVC podcast, where we are going to focus on the researchers and their research. For our 51st episode we talk to Dirk Werling, Professor of Molecular Immunology about how he started his research career, what research he is currently involved with and advice to those people interested in pursuing a career in research. We hope that you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as we enjoyed recording it. To find out more about Prof Werling’s work, use the following link  https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/our-people/dirk-werling   If you have any comments about this podcast, please get in touch: email dbarfield@rvc.ac.uk; tweet @dombarfield. We would greatly appreciate your time to rate us on Apple podcast or Acast and kindly write us a review.

A number of diseases arise because the immune system begins to attack the body’s own cells. Here Dr Oliver Garden describes how these diseases arise and his research into the role of a particular type of immune cell, the regulatory T cell, in this phenomenon across species.

The possibility of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) infection is now a concern for many patients receiving hospital treatment. However, accumulating evidence shows that MRSA can also be carried by animals and then passed on to people in contact. Here Professor Katharina Staerk and colleagues describe their research to identify novel methods of preventing MRSA infection and transmission as part of an EU consortium.

Anal furunculosis is a particularly unpleasant disease of the rear end that particularly affects German Shepherd dogs. Here Dr Brian Catchpole and Prof Susan Gregory outline the traditional way the disease is identified and treated, their recent findings on how it may be caused, and how these findings inform current best treatment practices.

Methods of locomotion vary greatly across the animal kingdom according to size, number of legs and evolutionary niche. However, it seems that there are a great many common themes between species. Here Dr Andrew Spence discusses the latest ideas in locomotion research, with particular reference to the dog... and the cockroach!

A foetus presents an immunological, as well as a nutritional, challenge to its mother. Here Dr Mandi de Mestre describes how the equine placenta, hormonal and immune systems interact to handle these challenges and how her research is revealing the mechanisms involved.

Diseases caused by parasitic worms are a common problem in humans and animals, especially in the developing world. Here Dr Rachel Lawrence describes how filarial infections occur and manage to evade the immune response of the host.

Heart murmurs in young dogs are a fairly frequent finding in small animal practice, but in some cases they may reflect severe congenital abnormalities. Here, Professor Dan Brockman describes the treatments available for these dogs, with particular reference to the surgical repair of pulmonic stenosis.

Dr Claire Russell discusses the molecular basis and the clinical impact of a series of inherited degenerative neurological diseases – the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) - of humans and dogs, with particular reference to her studies aimed at identifying the genetic defects implicated and ameliorating their effects.

Badgers are often blamed for the persistence of tuberculosis in cattle herds in parts of the UK. Here Dr Julian Drewe describes his research on the dynamics of UK badger populations and meerkat communities in Africa and the potential importance of this for the spread of TB within and between species.

The prevalence of tuberculosis in cattle is increasing again in the UK. Here, Dr Steven Van Winden discusses the nature of the disease, its epidemiology and current methods of control.

In our second recording on the subject of Swine Flu, Prof Colin Howard describes the nature of the influenza virus, how new strains arise so frequently and how we can ameliorate the impact of new strains through vaccination and antiviral therapy (recorded 10 September 2009).

The latest influenza strain, Swine Flu, has been making headlines around the world in 2009. Professor Katharina Staerk explains the nature of the pandemic and the threat it poses (recorded 01 September 2009).

Endothelial cells line all the blood vessels in our bodies and disease processes culminating in heart attack and stroke start with problems in these cells. Prof Caroline Wheeler-Jones explains her work examining the importance of particular enzymes and signalling pathways in the function of endothelial cells, and how these go wrong or may be protective against cardiovascular diseases.

Maximising milk yield without sacrificing fertility is a key objective of research in the dairy industry. Here, Dr Geoff Pollott describes his methods for analysing herd productivity and discusses the implications of his findings for future cattle breeding strategies.

In this podcast Professor Quintin McKellar, the Principal of the Royal Veterinary College, gives his perspective on the current and projected future changes taking place in veterinary education and in the profession as a whole and their potential impact in a variety of spheres of interest.

Epilepsy is a common condition in dogs and cats and is distressing for pet and owner alike. In this podcast, Dr Holger Volk describes the best treatments currently available for epilepsy and also gives an insight into some promising new alternatives.

Intensive care has long been an important facility in human hospitals. In our latest podcast, Karen Humm describes how facilities and knowledge in this area are also now being developed for our animal patients.

In our latest podcast, Veterinary Radiologist Chris Lamb describes the application of MRI and CT scanning to veterinary practice. In particular he relates the results of two of his studies which emphasise the cost-benefit analysis of their use versus more traditional diagnostic modalities.

In this podcast, Dr Richard Piercy explains the pathology, diagnosis and management of exertional rhabdomyolysis, a common and debilitating muscular disease of working horses.

In this podcast, Adrian Boswood of the RVC’s Small Animal Cardiac referral service reviews mitral valve disease, the commonest cause of heart failure in small breed dogs, and describes the latest advances in methods of diagnosis and treatment of heart failure.

Professor Peter Chantler describes the protein structures that make up the skeleton of living cells and how they ingeniously combine to provide the means for movement of structures at the cellular and sub-cellular level.

In our latest podcast, Dr Kim Whittlestone and Jeff Bullock describe the role of the Lifelong Independent Veterinary Education (LIVE) Centre at the RVC and their VetConnect project - a high tech means of improving case-based clinical learning experiences for students and vets.

We’re constantly told that too much fat in our diet is bad for the health of ourselves and our animals. However it now seems that very particular types of fats are implicated in determining not only animal health but their reproductive performance. Here Dr Robert Abayasekara and Prof Claire Wathes of the Department Of Veterinary Basic Sciences at the RVC explain their work demonstrating the effect of different polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on human and animal fertility.

In the latest RVC podcast, Professor Dirk Werling describes the importance of the Innate Immune System in combating infection by micro-organisms and the tactics that some of these bugs use to evade these defences, with particular reference to his work on immune cell receptors in cattle.

Dr John Hutchinson describes his high tech approaches to investigating the mechanics of how animals move, in particular how elephants walk and run, and how this relates to their unique anatomy.

Mitochondria are cell organelles which play a critical role in energy supply in most higher organisms. But how did that role develop and how do they achieve this function? In the latest episode of the RVC Podcast Dr Michelangelo Campanella discusses these questions and relates his research findings on how poor mitochondrial function can contribute greatly to disease processes.

Syringomyelia is a serious inherited disease which affects the nervous system of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in particular. In her 2nd foray into podcasting, Dr Kate Chandler explains what to look for and what to do about it if you suspect you have a case.

Fits in your four-legged friend can be a very distressing presentation for owner and vet alike. But when is this epilepsy and what can be done about it? Dr Kate Chandler of the RVC’s Small Animal Neurology referral service reveals her insights and suggests how diagnosis and treatment of this condition are improving.

I'm sure everyone has stopped to admire the impressive sight of a stag during the rut. But what is the biology underlying the phenomenon of annual antler growth and shedding? Professor Jo Price explains and describes her research into the mechanisms of this unusual example of mammalian tissue regeneration.

So why is it necessary to get your horse vaccinated? In this podcast Professors Josh Slater and Ken Smith discuss the features and diagnosis of the common disease syndromes caused by Equine Herpesvirus infection and how ongoing research is yielding valuable information about means of preventing them.

Itching is a real nuisance both for animals and humans. No matter whether your dog is affected, if you see 'itchy' dogs every day in the clinics or are merely interested in the topic, this podcast interview with Dr Anke Hendricks, Lecturer in Veterinary Dermatology at the RVC, will provide you with a wealth of information on atopic dermatitis, one of the most common causes of itchy skin. [Apologies for the delay in publishing this latest episode of the RVC Podcast]

Everyone is aware that crows feet, aching joints and forgetfulness are the signs of aging. And not even our animal friends are safe from the grey hairs of old age. But if you have not heard about immunosenesence before, then you should listen to this podcast, where Dr Donald Palmer explains the processes and importance of aging in the immune system.

Have you heard about Chronic Enteropathies before, but don't quite know what they do and how they may be treated? In this week's RVC podcast, Dr Karin Allensbach talks to us about the latest clinical approaches to Chronic Enteropathies and about a new drug which may help to treat this condition in dogs and is currently under investigation in clinical trials at the Queen Mother Hospital.

In the last of our series of podcasts on bluetongue we will be talking to Katharina Staerk, Professor for Veterinary Public Health at the Royal Veterinary College, about the importance of midges in the transmission of bluetongue and how novel surveillance strategies in the future may help to prevent the spread of the disease.

Did the last RVC podcast trigger your interest in Bluetongue disease? Then listen to the new episode, where Prof Joe Brownlie explains why we are still waiting for a vaccine to protect lifestock from serotype 8.

If you think that Bluetongue is the latest trend in body art, then you are are on the wrong track! To find out about the real importance of this viral animal disease, listen to this RVC Podcast, an interview with Yoav Alony Gilboa who works in the RVC farm animal practice and shares with us his knowledge as well as pictures of bluetongue disease in ruminants.

Have you ever been wondering if the efforts of Medecins Sans Frontieres in providing development and emergency aid to developing countries are matched by the veterinary profession? At least since Nick Short co-founded VETAID, the British daughter organisation of the European Veterinaires Sans Frontieres, vets from the UK have actively been trying to help the lives of thousands of Africans by helping them improve the health of the animals they live with. Listen to the podcast to find out more about the work of VETAID and the ways that everyone can help to make a difference.

Have you ever wondered why the veterinary authorities in the UK fight the current outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the way that they do? Then listen to our interview with Prof Brian Aldridge, who has been talking to us about the nature of the disease, the current strategies in fighting FMD and why these strategies have changend since the large outbreak in 2001.

Strangles, a respiratory infection of horses caused by Streptococcus equi bacteria, was acknowledged as a major threat when horses were still used for work and transportation. Despite reduced awareness of strangles, this threat still remains, but recent research shows that it can be contained much more successfully now compared to a century ago. To find out more, listen to our interview with Professors Josh Slater and Ken Smith, who will provide an interesting insight into the pathogenesis, prevalence and possible prevention of Streptococcus equi infections in horses.