Prof Danielle Gunn-Moore (MACVSc (Feline), RCVS Specialist (Feline Medicine), FHEA, FRSB, FRCVS)

Personal Chair of Feline Medicine

Background

Danièlle Gunn-Moore graduated with distinction from the R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, in 1991. After a year in small animal practice she joined The Feline Centre, University of Bristol, initially as the Feline Advisory Bureau Scholar, then as the Duphar Feline Fellow, and completed a PhD study into Feline Infectious Peritonitis in 1997. After a short period as Lecturer in Veterinary Pathology, University of Bristol, she returned to Edinburgh to establish the Feline Clinic and is a Professor of Feline Medicine. She is interested in all aspects of feline medicine; she is an internationally recognised expert in her area, lectures extensively and her work has been published widely. In 2009, she was awarded the BSAVA Woodrow Award for outstanding contribution in the field of small animal veterinary medicine; in 2011, she was awarded the International Society for Feline Medicine/Hill’s award for outstanding contributions to Feline Medicine. In 2017 she was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. 

As a RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine, I am interested in all aspects of feline internal medicine. However, I have interests and welcome discussion into the possibility of working (including postgraduate qualifications) on the following areas: 1)All aspects of mycobacterial infections in cats and dogs including, aetiopathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical signs, diagnostics, therapeutic protocols and prognostic indicators. I maintain the national data-base for cases of feline tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections in cats (in collaboration with AHVLA, Drs J Hope, X Donadeu and A Philbey, RDSVS and the Roslin Institute). 2)Other feline infectious diseases including Tritrichomonas foetus, Ehrlichia, Neorickettsia, Anaplasma species, Rickettsia species, haemoplasmas, Bartonella species, and Toxoplasma (in collaboration with Prof. M. Lappin, University of Colorado); the role of Mycoplasma infections in upper and lower respiratory tract disease, with Nicki Reed, RDSVS . I also have interests in newly emerging infectious or potentially zoonotic diseases in cats, and the role of cats as sentinels of infection. 3)Gerontology include multicentre studies looking into aging changes in feline brains, in collaboration with Dr. E. Head of the Institute of Brain Aging and Dementia, University of California and Prof F. Gunn-Moore of the University of St Andrews; studies into diabetes mellitus and lipid disorders in cats, with particular reference to Burmese cats, with Prof. J. Rand, University of Brisbane, Australia; and large epidemiological studies looking at the prevalence and development of cognitive dysfunction syndrome in cats, with Dr Sarah Caney and Vicky Halls. 4)Studies in the pathogenesis and treatment of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). Studies have been supported by funding from Vetri-Science Laboratories, Ceva Animal Health, and Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd. 

Area of Expertise

Research expertise: Feline veterinary medicine, Feline infectious diseases, Mycobacterial infections including TB, Feline dementia and gerentology.

Clinical Expertise and Specialisation

RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine

Qualifications

Bachelor of Science, University of Edinburgh Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, University of Edinburgh Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Bristol Molecular Characterisation of Feline Coronavirus Infection

Professional Qualifications

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, FHEA Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Specialist in Feline Medicine, RCVS Specialist in Feline Medicine Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists (MACVSc), Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB), Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (FRCVS)

 

Responsibilities & affiliations

Specialist

Clinical Services

HFSA

Small Animal Internal Medicine

Feline Medicine

Undergraduate teaching

Year 1

The Animal Body 2

Year GEP

The Animal Body

Year 2

The Animal Body 4

Year 5

Final Year Rotations

Student Selected Component 2

MSC Applied Animal Behaviour & Welfare

Introduction to Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Yes

Current PhD students supervised

Michaela Wegg

Past PhD students supervised

Dr Jenni Irving-McGrath

Dr Lorena Sordo

Dr Jordan Mitchell

Dr Conor O'Halloran

Prof Kerry Rolph

Research summary

As a RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine, I am interested in all aspects of feline internal medicine, though I have current projects on Mycobacterial infections, feline genomics and dementia.

Current research interests

As a RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine, I am interested in all aspects of feline internal medicine. However, I have particular interests and welcome discussion into the possibility of working (including postgraduate qualifications) on the following areas:  1) All aspects of mycobacterial infections in cats and dogs including, aetiopathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical signs, diagnostics, therapeutic protocols and prognostic indicators. I maintain the national data-base for cases of tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections in cats and dogs (in collaboration with AHVLA, Prof J Hope of The Roslin Institute). I am also interested in other feline infectious diseases including Feline Infectious Peritonitis, Tritrichomonas foetus, Ehrlichia, Neorickettsia, Anaplasma species, Rickettsia species, haemoplasmas, Bartonella species, and Toxoplasma (in collaboration with Prof. M. Lappin, University of Colorado). I have particular interests in newly emerging infectious or potentially zoonotic diseases in cats, and the role of cats as sentinels of infection. Past/present PhD students include Conor O’Halloran, Jordan Mitchell and Michaela Wegg (funded by BBSRC-CASE and BBSRC-DTP). 2) Gerontology include multicentre studies looking into aging changes in feline brains, in collaboration with Dr. E. Head of Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky , Sir Prof Simon Lovestone, University of Oxford, and Prof F. Gunn-Moore, University of St Andrews; and large epidemiological studies looking at the prevalence and development of cognitive dysfunction syndrome in cats, with Dr Sarah Caney and Vicky Halls. Past/current staff include Dr Lorena Sordo Sordo (was funded by CONACYT). Research Groups http://www.roslin.ed.ac.uk/jayne-hope/ http://www.roslin.ed.ac.uk/xavier-donadeu/ http://www.roslin.ed.ac.uk/adrian-philbey/ http://www.csuvth.colostate.edu/DirectorySearch/Search/MemberProfile/VTH/904 http://biology.st-andrews.ac.uk/contact/staffProfile.aspx?sunID=fjg1 Research students 1994-2007       Advisor for BVM&S V Year research projects, ~4-12 per annum, principal supervisor in each case. 2000-2001       Co-advisor for MSc Dissertation in Companion Animal Behavioural Counselling for Elizabeth Cameron, “Inappropriate urination in cats”. 2000-2005       Principal PhD supervisorforMrs. K. Simpson (Ne. Thorp), “Ultrasonic myocardial tissue imaging in feline cardiology”. 2002-2004       Advisor for Feline Resident Michiel Kraijer research project investigating feline enteric pathogens. 2004-2007       Advisor for Feline Resident Nicki Reed research project investigating feline respiratory pathogens. 2005-2007       Advisor for Resident Theresa McCann research project investigating diabetes mellitus in cats in the UK. 2005-2008       Advisor for Resident Nick Bonner research project investigating Cox-2 expression and transitional cell carcinomas in cat urinary bladders. 2006-2010       Advisor for Feline Resident Anita Schwartz research project investigating feline lymphoma. 2009-Present   Advisor for Feline Resident Stephanie Lalor research projects investigating the role of vitamin D metabolism in IBD, mycobacterial disease and all-cause mortality in cats; plus studies into the role of probiotics in the management of T. foetus infection and diarrhoea associated with radioactive iodine treatment. 2005-Present   Advisor for Resident Jasmin Paris research project investigating the accuracy of measuring urine specific gravity. 2015-2019 Primary supervisor for BBSRC CASE PhD studenship Conor O'Halloron on mycobacterial infections in companion animals. 2017-2020 Primary supervisor for Conacty PhD studentship Lorena Sordo on dementia in cats  2017-2021 Primary supervisor for BBSRC DTP CASE PhD studnetship for Jordan Mitchell on mycobacterial infections in cats

Past research interests

The Feline genome project in collaboration with Dr J Schoenbeck and Prof R Mellanby, Roslin Institute. Past staff include Research Assistant Dr Jenni Irving-McGrath.