Research in animal health and disease
Our interdisciplinary research spans infectious diseases, mathematical biology, conversation, biological and reproductive systems, wildlife ecology, animal behaviour, genetics, parasitology, and veterinary specialists in epidemiology and pathology. Through a One Health lens, we also work with communities and industry to provide better outcomes for our animals.
Research groups and labs
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Animal Welfare Science Centre
We contribute to improved animal welfare as a world leading provider of expert information, advice and education underpinned by rigorous research.
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Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health (APCAH)
The Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health (APCAH) is an internationally focused research and research training centre that aims to optimise animal production and product quality through improved control of infectious agents.
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BEAM Lab - Behavioural Ecology and Macroevolution
Behavioural Ecology and Macroevolution studies of behavioural ecology from a broad evolutionary perspective. We use comparative analyses and field and lab experiments to answer different questions about nature.
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Bone and Muscle Cell Biology
The Laboratory for Bone and Muscle Cell Biology studies regulation of the behaviour of bone, cartilage and muscle cells during development, regeneration and pathology.
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Centre for Equine Infectious Disease
The Centre for Equine Infectious Disease is a major national resource for the study of equine diseases in Australia.
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CAMEL (Climatic and Metabolic Ecology Lab)
The research focus in the Climatic and Metabolic Ecology Lab is on how physical constraints on heat, water and nutritional balances limit the behaviour, distribution and abundance of species.
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Currie Lab Group - Heart Physiology and Torpor in Bats
Researching how animals cope physiologically with energetic challenges both in controlled settings and in the wild.
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Equine Orthopaedic Research Group
Researchers employ computational modelling, epidemiological studies, detailed investigation of bone microstructure, and bone biomechanical properties to investigate the causes of musculoskeletal injury in athletic horses.
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Jameson Group – Bioinorganic Chemistry
This groups aims to understand the chemical basis of disease through studying how enzymes work at the molecular level and understanding how enzyme malfunction contributes to disease progression.
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Jusuf Lab - Neural Development and Regeneration
Understanding the genetic networks that co-ordinate the generation of different types of neurons in the central nervous system of vertebrates.
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The Mackinnon Project
The Mackinnon Project is an international leader in sheep and beef consultancy offering a unique range of services including farm management consultancies, farmer training programs, contract research and postgraduate training programs.
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Male Infertility and Germ Cell Biology Laboratory
Identifying key mechanisms required for male germ cell development, the aetiology of human male infertility and the interplay between fertility and health.
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Mathematical Biology Group
Mathematical, statistical and computational methods are crucial in many areas of modern biological research. Conversely technological advances in biology allow more data, often of a novel type or at a finer resolution, to be collected resulting in new challenges that are motivating research in mathematics, statistics and computational methods.
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Mulder Lab - Evolutionary Ecology of Birds
Researching the causes and consequences of variability in mating systems, particularly the relative importance of sexual and natural selection, the role of visual and acoustic signals, and the way in which cooperation and conflict interact in complex social groups.
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One Health Research Group
The One Health Research Group (OHRG) provides solutions for wildlife health issues through research, training and extension that benefit humans, animals and the environment, as well as national and international leadership, communication and coordination.
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Parasitology
Understanding parasites and the diseases that they cause, so that we can develop effective treatments, vaccines, diagnostic tests and strategies for effective control.
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People, Animals and the Environment
Taking a transdisciplinary approach to One Health, this group works with the animal owners and communities, and animal-centered businesses and agencies to undertake equid (horses, donkeys and mules) health and welfare research in social and community settings.
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Production Animals
The group has a unique skillset covering a broad range of applied and fundamental research skills in a range of species including pigs, poultry, dairy cattle, sheep, beef cattle and goats.
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Stuart-Fox Lab - Animal Behaviour and Evolution
The Stuart-Fox Lab studies the biology of light and colour, tackling questions at different scales of biological organisation – from optical properties at the nanometre scale to global patterns of colour diversity.
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Taking the Query out of Q Fever
Taking the query out of Q fever is a multidisciplinary research-industry group that aims to improve understanding of Q fever reservoirs, amplification and transmission pathways.
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TIGRR Lab - Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research Lab
Marsupial conservation and de-extinction of the thylacine.
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University of Melbourne Equine Centre
The University of Melbourne Equine Centre Werribee provides state of the art care to horses of all shapes and sizes. Cases are referred to the Centre from all over Victoria and interstate to be examined and treated by veterinary specialists.
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Veterinary Anatomic Pathology
The Veterinary Anatomic Pathology group in the Melbourne Veterinary School combines diagnostic services and anatomic pathology research with teaching in our Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
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Veterinary Epidemiology @ Melbourne
The veterinary epidemiology group aims to generate new knowledge and techniques that can lead to improvements in animal health, with an emphasis on identifying emerging areas of inquiry, particularly those that cross disciplinary boundaries.
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Veterinary Inflammation and Metabolism
The Veterinary Inflammation and Metabolism research group investigates the disease processes and develops novel therapies for inflammatory and metabolic diseases.
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Wallabase - Marsupial Reproductive Biology
Research focusing on understanding reproduction and development in mammals (including humans), primarily using marsupials as biomedical models.
Research centres, partnerships and institutes
More research into life and people
We are solving critical global issues such as human and animal health through food sciences, veterinary medicine, epidemiology, genetics, biology, and human geography.
Explore other research areas
Life, the Universe and everything in between – our discoveries build an understanding of the world around us and help make it a better place.