We are delighted to officially announce the distinguished keynote speakers for our forthcoming 3rd International Conference on Mycoplasma in Poultry.
Dr. Devin Stuart (Cobb Europe)
Devin obtained his Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree (BVSc) from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, in 2013. Following his graduation, he began his career as a companion animal veterinarian in Cape Town. In late 2014, he transitioned to the poultry industry, joining Astral Foods, the largest broiler integrator in Southern Africa, as a poultry veterinarian. His initial position was as an assistant veterinarian for the Goldi subsidiary, before assuming the role of production veterinarian for the Festive division.
To complement his veterinary expertise, Devin pursued additional business education, completing an Advanced Management Programme at North-West University in 2015 and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practices at the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town, in 2016.
In 2017, Devin joined Cobb Europe as an operational veterinarian. His role expanded shortly after in mid-2019 when he was promoted to Veterinary Services Manager, and later went on to lead the QA & Veterinary Services department for Cobb Europe in October 2019. Alongside his professional responsibilities, Devin pursued an Executive MBA at Cranfield University, which he completed in September 2021. He currently holds the position of Associate Director: QA & Veterinary Services at Cobb Europe.
Professor Glenn Browning (University of Melbourne) – Recipient of the Emily Kleinberger Nobel medal of the IOM 2023.
Glenn Browning is a veterinary microbiologist interested in developing novel solutions to problems in animal health through education, research, mentorship and consultation. His research aims to enhance our knowledge about the fundamental pathogenesis and epidemiology of infectious diseases, develop novel diagnostic assays, vaccines and approaches to disease control, and improve our understanding about veterinary prescribing behaviours and the most appropriate interventions to optimise antimicrobial stewardship.
He gained his veterinary degree at the University of Sydney in 1983, worked at the University of Sydney’s Rural Veterinary Centre as a clinical officer in 1984, completed a PhD in veterinary virology at the University of Melbourne in 1988, worked as a Veterinary Research Officer at the Moredun Research Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 1988-1991, and has been a member of staff at the University of Melbourne since 1991, where he is currently a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor and Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, a multidisciplinary research centre within the university committed to improving animal health, welfare and production. Among the Centre’s achievements are the development of novel attenuated vaccines to control bacterial and viral respiratory diseases of poultry, pigs and cattle, the development of diagnostic assays to improve detection of a wide range of viral and bacterial diseases in animals, and the elucidation of reasons for emergence and spread of infectious diseases in livestock. The Centre also has a strong interest in antimicrobial stewardship in animal health.
Professor Miklos Gyuranecz (Vet Medical Research Institute, Budapest) Director of Molliscience Miklós Gyuranecz is keenly interested in infectious diseases, particularly bacterial pathogens. His research work is primarily on mycoplasmosis. He is a DVM, PhD, DSc, habil, Dipl. ECVM, head of a 15-member research group and the vice director of the Veterinary Medical Research Institute, an honorary professor at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary and the director of the Mycoplasma diagnostic, contract service & biotech company, MolliScience (https://molliscience.com/). He is the author of 139 peer-reviewed scientific papers and three book chapters (IF: 345.3, citations: 2142, Hirsch index: 27. He was invited speaker 32 times on different conferences. He won nine different national and international awards. He won as a PI a total of 3,5 million euro research grants in different EU or Hungarian calls between 2012 and 2023. His laboratory served as an OIE reference laboratory between 2015 and 2018. He is the supervisor of seven graduated and three active PhD students.
Dr. Salvatore Catania (IZSP)
Salvatore Catania is the director of the peripheral diagnostic laboratory SCT1 – Verona of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie. Since 2022 is also Director of the WOAH Reference Laboratory for Avian Mycoplasmosis (M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae). He graduated in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Messina (Italy) and obtained a PhD in Morphology of birds and fish at the same University. In 2015, he became de facto recognized Specialist in Poultry Veterinary Science appointed by the European College of Poultry Veterinary Science. In 2004-2005, he cooperated with the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe) through scholarships and in 2006 he worked at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia. Hired by IZSVe in 2007, he works at the peripheral diagnostic laboratory SCT1 – Verona , where he is responsible for the Avian Medicine Laboratory. He is the supervisor of 3 different Units, namely Avian Diagnostic Unit, Mycoplasma Unit and Monoclonal Antibodies Unit. Salvatore Catania’s research interests include gross pathological and bacteriology issues, with particular emphasis on Mycoplasmosis of veterinary species and Avian Pathology. He is currently working on the following activities: development of a sensitive anti-Mycoplasma antigen test; biofilm and avian mycoplasma species as a potential critical point in the containment of pathogens; implementation of methods for mycoplasma detection and genotyping; use of the minimum inhibitory concentration to study sensibility patterns in mycoplasma species.
Dr. Steven Geary
Dr. Geary received his Ph.D. from The University of Connecticut in 1980 and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow in the department of Medical Microbiology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine from 1980-1981. He is a Professor and former Department Head of Pathobiology & Veterinary Science. He was a 2008-2009 Jefferson Science Fellow, serving at the U. S. Department of State in the Arms Control Bureau, Office of Biological Weapons Affairs. Over the years he has received funding for his research from the NIH, USDA, NSF, DHS, BSF, DTRA, and corporate sponsors.
His Current Research profile involves investigations into:
- Comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses of pathogenic Mycoplasmas.
- Cytadherence molecules and host cell receptors, as well as analysis of variably expressed surface lipoproteins.
- Vaccine development and immunologic and genetic means of detection (DIVA tests) of these pathogens.