KV Jubb Fellow 2015: Wildlife disease surveillance expert appointed KVF Jubb Fellow
Dr Ted Leighton - KVF Jubb Fellow 2015
The Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences has appointed veterinary pathologist Dr Frederick A. (Ted) Leighton as the inaugural KVF Jubb Fellow.
The KVF Jubb Fellowship was established to honour the remarkable contributions of Professor Ken Jubb to the field of veterinary pathology, the international veterinary profession, and the University of Melbourne.
Dr Leighton shared his expertise in veterinary pathology and wildlife disease surveillance and management with the University and the wider community in August, 2015.
Dr Leighton is a professor emeritus in the Department of Veterinary Pathology at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan.
He was the founding Executive Director of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, and he is a member of the Wildlife Working Group of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
Dr Leighton's research and publications have included pathology and epidemiology of non-infectious and infectious diseases of wild animals, disease surveillance, disease management, the role of veterinary medicine in human society and interpretation of science to the general public.
“It is a terrific honour and opportunity for me to visit the University of Melbourne as the inaugural KVF Jubb Fellow,” Dr Leighton said.
“Dr Jubb had a major impact on my academic career; I am in many ways one of his academic grandchildren, and I am delighted to have this wonderful opportunity to honour Dr Jubb and to spend time in his academic home and with his students and colleagues.”
Dr Leighton presented the inaugural KVF Jubb Fellowship Public Lecture on Thursday 6 August, 2015 titled: “Wildlife Health in the 21st Century.”
He said an unexpected effect of globalisation has been the increased importance of wild animal health and disease to human affairs.
“Infections originating in wild animals now threaten every household: AIDS, Influenza, Ebola, SARS, Hanta, Hendra, Nipah, Zika, Pox, Plague. They threaten livestock, global food security and they threaten wild animal populations.”
In the lecture, Dr Leighton highlighted that veterinary medicine has both the capacity and a major obligation to apply its knowledge and problem-solving skills to understand and manage the wild animal side of the global health equation.
Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences Dean Ken Hinchcliff said Dr Leighton was a fitting choice as first KVF Jubb Fellow in 2015.
“Ken Jubb was a world-renowned veterinary pathologist and educator who helped to establish a number of veterinary schools around Australia,” Professor Hinchcliff said.
“He was also chair of Zoos Victoria and instrumental in founding Werribee Open Range Zoo.
“Dr Ted Leighton shares his strong interest wildlife and animal pathology and is an apt choice as the first KVF Jubb Fellow.”