Comparative epidemiology of parasitic and infectious diseases and general aspects of animal health

I graduated from Sheffield University in 1990 with a BSc in Zoology and Genetics, and completed my PhD in 1994 at the Zoology Department, Cambridge University on the distribution of macroparasites in naturally fluctuating populations. I spent 3½ years at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Gent, Belgium and 18 months at the Centre for Research into the Epidemiology of Disasters at the Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. In 2000 moved up to Edinburgh University’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. In 2004 I took up a position in Veterinary Clinical Epidemiology moving through from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer (2008), to Reader in Comparative Epidemiology in 2019. Since 2025 I hold a Personal Chair as Professor of Comparative Statistics

https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/persons/darren-shaw

I am principally interested in the comparative epidemiology of parasitic and infectious diseases as part a long standing interest in analysing patterns of disease as well as general population dynamics. These diseases include wildlife disease (parasitic infections of wildlife, zoonoses and the role of carnivores as sentinels for disease, Dermocystid infections in palmate newts, Leprosy in red squirrels), and diseases of veterinary and medical importance (TB, FMD, influenza Camplyobacter, Escherichia coli, mastitis, production animal gastrointestinal infections). I also work closely with clinical colleagues on various aspects of animal health (e.g. equine grass sickness, recovery from surgery and cardiology, bovine energy inbalance, feline cardiology and neurology). 

Supervision (principal /university supervisor - PhD) :
Cassandra McGregor. Moredun Research Institute & R(D)SVS . “Characterising gastrointestinal nematode epidemiology and benzimidazole resistance in farmed and wild ruminants” VMD (Awarded 2024).
Heather Bacon. JMICAWE, R(D)SVS. “Zoo animal behaviour and welfare in the international zoo community”. (part-time) (Awarded 2023).
Juliet Duncan. R(D)SVS. “Veterinary and medical undergraduate attitudes to pain in animals and non-verbal humans”. (part-time) (Awarded 2020).
Charlotte Clarke. Institute of Zoology & R(D)SVS. “Investigating the host-parasite dynamics of a novel amphibian Dermocystid disease in an isolated population of palmate newts in the UK”. NERC Case Studentship. (Awarded 2017).
Claire McArthur. Moredun Research Institute & R(D)SVS. “Development of tools to detect the sensitivity of cattle nematodes to anthelmintics”. (Awarded 2015).
Samantha Ellis. Moredun Research Institute & R(D)SVS. “Interactions of Teladorsagia circumcincta with the ovine immune system – mimicry and vaccine development”. Awarded 2014.
Anna Meredith. R(D)SVS. “Evaluation of carnivores and scavengers as sentinels for new and emerging diseases”. DEFRA. (Awarded 2012).

Supervision (co-supervisor - PhD) (current) :
Paul Wood. R(D)SVS. “Investigating key transition periods for veterinary undergraduates with particular focus on the transition into clinical practice” (part-time) (2020 – present) (submitted August 2025).

Supervision (co-supervisor - PhD) :
Chris Hirst. R(D)SVS. “Assessment of diet, gut microbiome, and plant detoxification in roe deer as a tool for forest management” NERC E4DTP Case. (Awarded 2025).
Gabriele Peniche. R(D)SVS. “Raptor health as an indicator of ecosystem health: development of novel surveillance tools for conservation”. NERC Case Studentship. (Awarded 2021).
Paul Bessell. R(D)SVS. “The spatial epidemiology of Foot and Mouth Disease in Great Britain”. BBSRC. (Awarded 2008).
Kate Snedeker. Medical Statistics, University of Edinburgh. “Analysing Escherichia coli O157 outbreaks in Scotland, Canada and the United States of America”. (Awarded 2008).

Supervision (co-supervisor - MSc) :
Avril Dewar. CMVM, University of Edinburgh. “Training and testing a model to predict medical undergraduate finals outcomes”. (Awarded 2017).
Alessandro Seguino. “Epidemiological study of Campylobacter spp. colonisation of wild game pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) processed in Approved Game Handling Establishments in Scotland and its relevance to public health” (part-time). (Awarded 2015).
Claire Wylie. University of Wales, Aberystwyth. “Can the geographical distribution of cases of equine grass sickness be explained by the distribution of various soil factors?” (Awarded 2008).
Kim Lee Tan. “Patterns of sizes of outbreaks of human infection caused by Campylobacter, Escherichia coli 0157 and Salmonella in England and Wales”. (Awarded 2000).

UG

Year 3

Student Research Component

Year 4

Student Research Component

Year 5

Student Research Component

PG

MSc Conservation Medicine

Applied Epidemiology and Surveillance for Conservation Medicine

UG teaching staff

Epidemiology

R(D)SVS & The Roslin Institute

Committees

MSc Global Food Security & Nutrition Exam Board (Exam Board Convenor)

Clinical Sciences Integrated PhD in Precision Medicine Exam Board (Exam Board Convenor)

BVM&S Integrated Clinical Course: Exotics Exam Board (Exam Board Convenor)

R(D)SVS Veterinary Ethical Review Committee (SRC rep)

R(D)SVS Human Ethical Review Committee (SRC rep)

Other administrative duties:

PhD Examinations – external examiner:

• 2013: Rob Critchlow “Ecological patterns and predictors of parasite sharing among domestic and wild mammals” (University of Glasgow)
• 2015: Hannah Lester “Anthelmintic resistance in equine parasites: an epidemiological approach to build a framework for sustainable parasite control” (University of Liverpool)

PhD Examinations – internal examiner:

• 2024: Eilidh Geddes “A practical approach to the sustainable management of gastrointestinal nematodes on extensive sheep farms”
• 2008: Darryn Knobel “Aspects of dog ownership and canine rabies control in Africa and Asia”
• 2015: Jessica Flood “Foot-and-mouth disease epidemiology in relation to the physical, social and demographic farming landscape”
• 2016: Geoffrey Mainda “Molecular epidemiology of antimicrobial (AMR) and Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in dairy herds of central Zambia”