Prof Eric Morgan

I am mainly interested in how climate influences the epidemiology of parasitic infections in animals. Internal parasites, especially helminths (worms), strongly affect the health and fitness of domestic and wild animals, and often have life stages that live away from the main host and are exposed to external environmental conditions. Climate - and climate change - is therefore a key driver of infection patterns. Management of parasites is further challenged by drug resistance, which undermines farming systems that rely on chemical use. Research in my group and with collaborators tries to advance and apply knowledge of the ecology of parasite populations to meet these challenges with better adapted management strategies. We use a combination of experiments on parasite biology, predictive computer modelling, and observations of field epidemiology. The work is global across farmed, companion and wild animal systems, including the troublesome issue of parasite and disease transmission across the wild-domestic interface. The outcomes we seek are more efficient and sustainable ways of managing parasite challenges to animal health, to support livelihoods, animal welfare and conservation in a rapidly changing world.