Anna Louise Meredith OBE FRCVS is Professor of Conservation Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where she has previously served as chairperson of zoological conservation medicine at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.
Anna Meredith | |
|---|---|
| Born | Anna Louise Meredith |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford (MA) University of Cambridge (VetMB) University of Edinburgh (PhD) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies University of Edinburgh University of Melbourne |
| Thesis | Evaluation of predators as sentinels for emerging infectious diseases (2012) |
| Doctoral advisor | Sarah Cleaveland[1] |
| Website | pursuit |
Early life and education
editMeredith's mother was a biology teacher.[2] She was inspired by her mother's care for the planet, and joined the World Wide Fund for Nature.[2] Her first job was at an animal and horse practise in Edinburgh. She worked alongside David Shannon, the veterinary surgeon for the Edinburgh Zoo. Meredith studied physiology at the University of Oxford and graduated in 1986.[3] She qualified in veterinary medicine at the University of Cambridge in 1999.[4] Meredith worked in general practice for a year before moving to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (R(D)SVS) as a lecturer.
Research and career
editMeredith established the Exotic Animal and Wildlife Unit at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, which was the first in the United Kingdom.[2] In 1992 she was appointed Head Veterinary Surgeon for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo. She worked to embed exotic animal wildlife into the undergraduate curriculum.[5] She was present for the key hole surgery that took place on a giraffe in 2004.[6]
On the merit of her clinical and teaching work, Meredith was promoted to professor in 2015, before earning her doctorate.[7] She worked on conservation medicine and the intersection of animal and human health.[8] She has worked with Scottish Wildcat Action to protect her favourite species, the Scottish wildcat.[8] She is interested in the diseases that are present in the wildcat population, and was part of the trap, neuter, vaccinate and release project.[8]
Meredith completed a PhD in 2012 supervised by Sarah Cleaveland[1] on the use of carnivores as sentinels – animals which can provide information about the ecosystems they live in.[2] Meredith studied the antibodies inside foxes and used this to understand what animals were eating.[2] Meredith and her research group found bacteria that cause leprosy in red squirrels in the United Kingdom.[9] She also led a project to reintroduce beavers to Scotland, which had been hunted to extinction 300 years ago.[10] Beavers are important in the maintenance of ecosystems; including forests and streams.[2]
In 2010 Meredith was appointed chairperson of the Government of the United Kingdom Zoos Expert Committee.[11] She has also served as a specialist for the European College of Zoological Medicine.[12] Meredith served as director of postgraduate taught programmes.[13] In June 2018 Meredith was made head of the Melbourne Veterinary School in the University of Melbourne Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences.[14][15][16] Meredith left her role at the University of Melbourne in January 2022.
Awards and honours
editHer awards and honours include;
- 2003 British Small Animal Veterinary Association Blaine Award[17]
- 2016 Appointed to the Scottish Science Advisory Council[18]
- 2018 Elected to the council of the Scottish Wildlife Trust[19]
- 2019 Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to veterinary surgery in the 2019 New Year Honours[12][20]
Meredith was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (FRCVS).[when?][5]
Books
editMeredith has contributed to several books, including;
References
edit- ^ a b Meredith, Anna Louise (2012). Evaluation of predators as sentinels for emerging infectious diseases (PhD thesis). University of Edinburgh. hdl:1842/6480. OCLC 827266372. EThOS uk.bl.ethos.563893.
- ^ a b c d e f "Conserving biodiversity to safeguard our future". pursuit.unimelb.edu.au. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "Anna Meredith". theconversation.com. The Conversation. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "Prof Anna Meredith". ed.ac.uk. University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ a b "Professor Anna Meredith". Professionals. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "Key-hole surgery saves giraffe". bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 15 February 2004. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "Personal Chair: Anna Meredith". The University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ a b c "The Vet's Tale of Scottish wildcats". scottishwildcataction.org. Scottish Wildcat Action. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "UK red squirrels are carrying leprosy and have been for decades". newscientist.com. 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ Aldred, Jessica (14 May 2014). "Scotland wild beaver reintroduction trial 'an outstanding success'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "BSAVA Member Anna Meredith awarded OBE". bsava.com. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ a b Woodmansey, David (2 January 2019). "Vet awarded OBE". vettimes.co.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ Anon (2018). "People". Veterinary Record. 182 (24): ii. doi:10.1136/vr.k2633. ISSN 0042-4900.
- ^ Annab, Rachid (5 March 2019). "Anna Meredith". U-Vet. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "PROF Anna Meredith - The University of Melbourne". www.findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- ^ Lawry, Rhys (18 May 2018). "Conservation and wildlife medicine leader to head University of Melbourne veterinary education and research". Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- ^ "Anna Meredith, MA VetMB CertLAS DZooMed MRCVS. RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine". lafeber.com. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "SSAC Past Members". scottishscience.org.uk. The Scottish Science Advisory Council. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "Scottish Wildlife Trust Annual Report" (PDF). scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk. Scottish Wildlife Trust. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "Anna MEREDITH". thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ Meredith, Anna (2010). BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets. 2010. ISBN 9781905319169.
- ^ Meredith, Anna (2011). Wildlife Medicine and Rehabilitation: Self-Assessment Color Review. Manson Publishing Ltd. ISBN 9781840761467.
- ^ Meredith, Anna (2014). BSAVA Manual of Rabbit Medicine. British Small Animal Veterinary Association. ISBN 9781905319497.
- ^ Meredith, Anna (2015). BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets. British Small Animal Veterinary Association. ISBN 9781905319824.
