RVC Podcast

A number of diseases arise because the immune system begins to attack the body’s own cells. Here Dr Oliver Garden describes how these diseases arise and his research into the role of a particular type of immune cell, the regulatory T cell, in this phenomenon across species.

The possibility of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) infection is now a concern for many patients receiving hospital treatment. However, accumulating evidence shows that MRSA can also be carried by animals and then passed on to people in contact. Here Professor Katharina Staerk and colleagues describe their research to identify novel methods of preventing MRSA infection and transmission as part of an EU consortium.

Anal furunculosis is a particularly unpleasant disease of the rear end that particularly affects German Shepherd dogs. Here Dr Brian Catchpole and Prof Susan Gregory outline the traditional way the disease is identified and treated, their recent findings on how it may be caused, and how these findings inform current best treatment practices.

Methods of locomotion vary greatly across the animal kingdom according to size, number of legs and evolutionary niche. However, it seems that there are a great many common themes between species. Here Dr Andrew Spence discusses the latest ideas in locomotion research, with particular reference to the dog... and the cockroach!

A foetus presents an immunological, as well as a nutritional, challenge to its mother. Here Dr Mandi de Mestre describes how the equine placenta, hormonal and immune systems interact to handle these challenges and how her research is revealing the mechanisms involved.

Diseases caused by parasitic worms are a common problem in humans and animals, especially in the developing world. Here Dr Rachel Lawrence describes how filarial infections occur and manage to evade the immune response of the host.

Heart murmurs in young dogs are a fairly frequent finding in small animal practice, but in some cases they may reflect severe congenital abnormalities. Here, Professor Dan Brockman describes the treatments available for these dogs, with particular reference to the surgical repair of pulmonic stenosis.

Dr Claire Russell discusses the molecular basis and the clinical impact of a series of inherited degenerative neurological diseases – the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) - of humans and dogs, with particular reference to her studies aimed at identifying the genetic defects implicated and ameliorating their effects.

Badgers are often blamed for the persistence of tuberculosis in cattle herds in parts of the UK. Here Dr Julian Drewe describes his research on the dynamics of UK badger populations and meerkat communities in Africa and the potential importance of this for the spread of TB within and between species.

The prevalence of tuberculosis in cattle is increasing again in the UK. Here, Dr Steven Van Winden discusses the nature of the disease, its epidemiology and current methods of control.

In our second recording on the subject of Swine Flu, Prof Colin Howard describes the nature of the influenza virus, how new strains arise so frequently and how we can ameliorate the impact of new strains through vaccination and antiviral therapy (recorded 10 September 2009).

The latest influenza strain, Swine Flu, has been making headlines around the world in 2009. Professor Katharina Staerk explains the nature of the pandemic and the threat it poses (recorded 01 September 2009).

Endothelial cells line all the blood vessels in our bodies and disease processes culminating in heart attack and stroke start with problems in these cells. Prof Caroline Wheeler-Jones explains her work examining the importance of particular enzymes and signalling pathways in the function of endothelial cells, and how these go wrong or may be protective against cardiovascular diseases.

Maximising milk yield without sacrificing fertility is a key objective of research in the dairy industry. Here, Dr Geoff Pollott describes his methods for analysing herd productivity and discusses the implications of his findings for future cattle breeding strategies.

In this podcast Professor Quintin McKellar, the Principal of the Royal Veterinary College, gives his perspective on the current and projected future changes taking place in veterinary education and in the profession as a whole and their potential impact in a variety of spheres of interest.