📣 Help Shape the Future of UKRI's Gateway to Research (GtR)

We're improving UKRI's Gateway to Research and are seeking your input! If you would be interested in being interviewed about the improvements we're making and to have your say about how we can make GtR more user-friendly, impactful, and effective for the Research and Innovation community, please email gateway@ukri.org.

Canada Partnering Award: Combining new epidemiological and molecular tools to manage nematode infections of grazing ruminants under climate change

Lead Research Organisation: Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Biological Sciences

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
 
Description The UK epidemiological model has been successfully applied to Canada and validated using field data. This has led to insights around the seasonality of parasite challenge in cattle, which are relevant to disease control strategies. Results from greenhouse and pasture experiments in Canada have been used to refine model calibration for the UK, which will improve predictions especially under dry summer conditions. This has led to one paper published and one in preparation. Additionally, discussions around molecular species identification have been followed up with material submission and pending laboratory exchange will lead to combined molecular-epidemiological outcomes as envisaged.
Exploitation Route Currently being translated into farmer-directed educational resources to refine control strategies.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink
 
Description Development of the parasite transmission models has led to beta version dashboards intended for decision support and carried forward into new projects.
First Year Of Impact 2024
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink
Impact Types Societal

Economic
 
Title GLOWORM-EQ 
Description An adaptation of the GLOWORM-FL model to equine nematodes, for decision support outputs of this project. 
Type Of Material Computer model/algorithm 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact None to date, but will help to inform parasite control strategies for equine nematodes both as part of project outputs and by giving other researchers access to the model. 
 
Description University of Calgary 
Organisation University of Calgary
Country Canada 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Exchanges of personnel continued after covid-19 restrictions, building on initial visits by Eric Morgan to Calgary and John Gilleard to Belfast. These involved hosting a researcher from Calgary in Belfast to learn modelling methods and return visits by researchers from Belfast to learn sampling and molecular laboratory methods in Calgary. Additional remote activity contributed to model development, and integration of nemabiome methods into ongoing epidemiological work.
Collaborator Contribution Exchanges of personnel continued after covid-19 restrictions, building on initial visits by Eric Morgan to Calgary and John Gilleard to Belfast. These involved hosting a researcher from Calgary in Belfast to learn modelling methods and return visits by researchers from Belfast to learn sampling and molecular laboratory methods in Calgary. Additional remote activity contributed to model development, and integration of nemabiome methods into ongoing epidemiological work.
Impact Publications have arisen and more are planned. Involves disciplines of parasitology, molecular biology, and epidemiological modelling.
Start Year 2018