Prof James Gilkerson
Professor of Veterinary Microbiology, The University of Melbourne, Australia
IEIDC: Chair of the International Committee
A veterinarian with an interest in infectious diseases James completed his veterinary studies at the University of Sydney, where he was awarded a BVSc, a BSc (Vet) and a PhD. James is currently a Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Director of the Centre for Equine Infectious Disease at the University of Melbourne. James is particularly interested in equine infectious diseases, but has recently become involved in the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship at the University of Melbourne. James’ research interests also include poultry infectious diseases and an increasing amount of wildlife work. Professor Gilkerson is a Past-president of Equine Veterinarians Australia and the Victorian Division of the AVA. He was awarded the 2008 Australian Veterinary Association President’s Prize and in 2009 was made a Fellow of the Australian Veterinary Association. In 2020 James was awarded the Spirit of SAEVA award by the South African Equine Veterinary Association for his outstanding contribution to equine veterinary science.
Dr Julia Kydd BSc, MSc, SFHEA, PhD
Honorary Associate Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, UK
IEIDC: Secretary to the International Committee
Julia is a retired academic who has been fortunate to focus on three areas throughout her research and teaching career. Her PhD explored the mare’s immune response to pregnancy at Equine Fertility Unit in Cambridge, UK. The second post from 1990, at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket involved researching the protective equine immune responses and pathogenesis of equine herpes virus-1. In 2006 Julia joined the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University of Nottingham, where she was a founder member of the academic staff, teaching vet students about a wide variety of topics. In “retirement”, Julia maintains links with her good friends and colleagues in academia by helping them with the organisation of their international conferences.
Prof Martin Nielsen
M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
IEIDC: Treasurer of the International Committee
Dr. Nielsen graduated with his DVM degree from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark in 2001. He spent three years in equine veterinary practice before joining graduate school. He received his Ph.D. in equine parasitology at University of Copenhagen in 2007 and served as assistant professor there until 2011. He then joined the M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center at University of Kentucky where he now serves as professor and holds the title of Schlaikjer Professor in Equine Infectious Disease. He is board certified in veterinary parasitology with European Veterinary Parasitology College (EVPC) and with American College of Veterinary Microbiologists (ACVM). In 2023, he obtained the Doctor of Veterinary Science (DVSc) degree from the University of Copenhagen. Dr. Nielsen is chair of the AAEP Parasite Control Subcommittee which is tasked with providing guidelines for equine parasite control. He has served as co-editor in chief for the scientific journal Veterinary Parasitology since 2017. Dr. Nielsen was recently appointed to Associate Chair of the Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky and he currently serves as Director of Graduate Studies in the department. He has published more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, over 200 conference abstracts, and is co-author of Handbook of Equine Parasite Control.
Dr Hiroshi Bannai, DVM, PhD
Senior Researcher of Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association
IEIDC: International Committee Member
Hiroshi is a virologist working on EHV-1/4, Getah virus, EAV, EIAV and equine coronavirus infections, mainly focusing on the diagnosis and epidemiology. His research works also include herd immunity by vaccination, and evaluation of vaccine efficacies both experimental infection model and natural infections. He and his team, as the racing authority, aim to protect horses from infectious diseases to ensure continuous operation of races as well as reproduction of racehorses.
Prof Ann Cullinane
Head of Virology Unit, Irish Equine Center, Naas, Ireland
IEIDC: International Committee Member
A veterinary graduate from University College Dublin (UCD) with a PhD in equine virology from the University of Glasgow, Ann has been Head of the Virology Unit at the Irish Equine Centre (IEC) since 1987. As a World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE) designated expert for equine influenza and equine herpesvirus, she is responsible for the WOAH reference laboratories located at the IEC. Ann is an Adjunct Professor to UCD and has published over 90 peer reviewed papers that illustrate her commitment to vaccinology, diagnostics and disease control. She chairs the WOAH Expert Surveillance Panel on equine influenza and in 2021 was elected Vice President of the WOAH Biological Standards Commission.
Dr Richard Newton BVSc MSc PhD FRCVS
Director of Epidemiology & Disease Surveillance Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS), Department of Veterinary Medicine University of Cambridge
IEIDC: International Committee Member
Richard was at the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket for more than 25 years where he acquired a breadth of experience in the epidemiology, surveillance and control of a range of equine infectious diseases. When the AHT closed in July 2020 he and his team were immediately retained by the UK’s racing and breeding industry and since November 2021 have been based in the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge. He and his team continue to provide global disease surveillance and advice on disease prevention strategies and management of outbreaks.
Prof Klaus Osterrieder, Dr. med. vet., Dr. med. vet. Habil
Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin
IEIDC: International Committee Member
Klaus is Professor of Virology and Chair at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany (since 2007) and Adjunct Professor of Virology at Cornell University (2007 – present). He served as Dean of the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences at City University (2020 – 2022). After finishing his veterinary degree in 1990, Klaus entered the field of virology, initially working with poxviruses. After his dissertation in 1993, his scientific focus switched to herpesviruses, specifically to work with equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1). He completed his “Habilitation“ in 1997. In the same year, Klaus started to work as a group leader at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute in Insel Riems, and began his investigations of an oncogenic herpesvirus, Marek’s disease virus (MDV) of chickens. He has continued to work on these two herpesviruses during his time on the faculty at Cornell and in Berlin. More recently his research extended into influenza and coronaviruses (SARS- and MERS-CoV, infectious bronchitis virus of chickens, and canine coronaviruses).
Dr Romain Paillot, dEPHE, FEHA, PhD, HDR (D.Sc/habil. Equiv.)
Senior Lecturer in Equine. Faculty of Science & Engineering, School of Agriculture, Animal and Environmental Sciences, ARU Writtle (Anglia Ruskin University), UK
IEIDC: International Committee Member
As a Principal Investigator, my main research focused on immunity and respiratory pathogens (mainly in equids, but also in other veterinary species). My work aimed to improve our understanding of immunity induced by the pathogens during infection and by vaccination and to elucidate specific mechanisms used by pathogens to evade or deregulate the immune response. I have been strongly involved with veterinary vaccine manufacturers, as Study Investigator, in the evaluation of equine vaccines. I have also trained and mentored numerous undergraduate and post-graduate students, and supervised 3 PhD students. I am now a Senior Lecturer at Writtle University College (UK), which allows me to share my passion for veterinary sciences with the next generation of research associates and scientists.
Dr Stéphane Pronost MSc, PhD, HDR (D.Sc/habil. Equiv.)
Deputy Director, R&D Department LABEO Frank Duncombe BIOTARGEN, University of Caen
IEIDC: International Committee Member
As a Principal Investigator, my main topic focused on equine viruses, mainly herpesviruses, EIV and hepaciviruses. My research work aims to diagnose and characterise at the epidemiological level these equine viruses and, more recently, to promote the control of these pathogens by identifying antiviral molecules and improving vaccine protocols. I supervise a screening platform (IMPEDANCELL) of antiviral molecules adapted to several animal species I have also trained and mentored numerous undergraduate and post-graduate students, supervised 8 PhD students and teach at the university of Caen since 1992. I’m also an expert in molecular biology in veterinary area for the COFRAC since 2014.
Dr Macarena Sanz DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM
Associate Professor Equine Medicine, Washington State University Robert B. McEachern Distinguished Professor in Equine Medicine
IEIDC: International Committee Member
Dr. Sanz graduated as a veterinarian in La Plata, Argentina. She completed an Equine Internship, a Large Animal Internal Medicine Residency and a Master of Science degree at Washington State University in the US and she is a Diplomate of the ACVIM College. She also completed a PhD in equine immunology at the Gluck Equine Research Center in Kentucky, US; her research focuses on equine immunology and infectious diseases. She worked as a Senior Lecturer in Equine Medicine at the Onderstepoort Veterinary School in South Africa for 3 years. Dr. Sanz is an Associate Professor in Equine Medicine at Washington State University.
Dr M. Aldana Vissani
Head of the Laboratory of Equine Virology, National Institute of Agrotechnology (INTA), Buenos Aires, Argentina - El Salvador University (USAL)
IEIDC: International Committee Member
Aldana Vissani is a diagnostic virologist and a researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET, Argentina), as well as a university teacher of Infectious Diseases at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of El Salvador. Her main research lines include epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention and control of Equine herpesviruses and Equine Rotaviruses, but also epidemiology of Equine Arteritis virus, Equine Influenza and Equine Infectious Anemia.
Andrew Waller BSc PhD
Chief Scientific Officer, Intervacc AB, Stockholm, Sweden
IEIDC: International Committee Member
Andrew Waller studied the evolution, transmission and prevention of Streptococcus equi and Streptococcus zooepidemicus for over 17 years in his role as Head of Bacteriology at the Animal Health Trust. He collaborates with world-leading researchers in over 20 countries around the world, publishing over 80 peer-reviewed papers on streptococcal infections of animals and utilising these research findings to develop novel diagnostic tests and vaccines with which to improve animal health. Andrew joined Intervacc AB in 2020 where he continues to work towards improving the health of animals.
Prof Xiaojun Wang
Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
IEIDC: International Committee Member
Prof. Xiaojun Wang is the head of Equine Infectious Diseases and Lentiviral Infection Group in Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, CAAS. His group works on pathogenicity, immunology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and vaccine development of equine infectious diseases. His lab is the WOAH Reference Laboratory for EIA, and the National Reference Laboratory for EIA and Glanders of China.