Personal Chair: Michael Thrusfield
Michael Thrusfield has been made a Personal Chair in Veterinary Epidemiology.
Professor Thrusfield graduated in veterinary medicine from the University of Glasgow in 1970.
He worked in the East Indies as a missionary, and then gained postgraduate qualifications in tropical veterinary medicine from the University of Edinburgh and in virology from the University of Birmingham.
After a period of time in general practice, he returned to the University of Edinburgh in 1976, and was appointed Lecturer in Veterinary Epidemiology.
He has published the only general textbook on veterinary epidemiology, and more than 150 papers, articles, reviews and book chapters.
His recent research interests include chronic and infectious diseases of small animals, clinical trials, the control of tropical diseases and, most recently, animal abuse, foot-and-mouth disease and diseases of tropical coral reefs.
He has travelled extensively advising government veterinary authorities, the European Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency and lecturing at veterinary schools, research institutes and the European Commission.
He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Biology in 1996, was the first Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons recognised specialist in epidemiology, and was a foundation Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Public Health.
In 2012, he was awarded the Dalrymple-Champneys Cup and Medal in recognition of work of outstanding merit that will encourage the advancement of veterinary science.