Veterinary Pathology Team

After qualifying in veterinary medicine at the University of Pisa (Italy) in 1993, Federico served in the Italian Army as a Veterinary Officer for nearly two years before beginning his career as a veterinary practitioner in Tuscany. He became a specialist in small animal medicine in 1998 and joined IDEXX in 2001 as a Veterinary Clinical Pathologist in Wetherby. During a 2003-2004 sabbatical, Federico earned a Masters in bioscience enterprise at the Institute of Biotechnology of the University of Cambridge (England) and rejoined IDEXX as a Senior Clinical Pathologist. He obtained the Diploma of the Royal College of Pathologists in 2007, and the Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Clinical Pathology (DECVP) in 2008. His main areas of scientific interest include cytology, hematology, and canine arthropod-borne diseases.

Larry graduated from Edinburgh University in 1973 as Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, with distinction. After a short spell in mixed general practice in Fife, he was awarded a University Scholarship and returned to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh to study Diagnostic Veterinary Pathology for 12 months. Following this, three years were spent studying for a PhD in the Department of Veterinary Pathology, Edinburgh University, graduating in 1978. This period involved training in both Veterinary Pathology and Veterinary Microbiology. In late 1977, Larry joined the then Scottish Veterinary Investigation Service in Aberdeen, which later became SAC Veterinary Services. During this time, he gained a wide experience in veterinary laboratory diagnostic work in both farm and companion animals. Field investigational and research work was also undertaken resulting in a wide range of publications covering several disciplines. Papers were presented regularly at International meetings. Larry joined IDEXX in January 1994 as head of the Microbiology Section, which offers comprehensive microbiology support in the investigation of individual clinical cases and herd/flock/stable problems. He also works as a Clinical Pathologist reporting on equine, farm and companion animal cases.

Kathleen graduated with a degree in Agriculture from Oklahoma State University. She is a 1981 graduate of Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and received her MS and PhD in Veterinary Pathology is 1984 and 1987, respectively. She is a founding diplomate of the recently established European College of Veterinary Clinical Pathology. Kathleen has served on faculty at Oklahoma State University and Cornell University, as well as working in private laboratories within the United States and United Kingdom. She has been in the United Kingdom for the last 8 years, as Head and Director of the Diagnostic Services, Animal Health Trust and as a Senior Clinical Pathologist at IDEXX Laboratories. Kathleen has special interests in equine laboratory medicine, cytology, quality assurance/ quality control, and customer service. She lectures worldwide on a variety of topics in laboratory medicine.

Tim graduated from Edinburgh University in 1985. Between 1985 and 1992 he gained practical experience in mixed practice in the UK and in Southern Africa, graduating with an MSc in Tropical Veterinary Science (with distinction) from Edinburgh University in 1993. Tim has worked as a veterinary clinical pathologist in UK veterinary laboratories since 1994, gaining his Diploma of the Royal College of Pathologists in Veterinary Clinical Pathology in 2001. Tim joined IDEXX Laboratories in November 2003 and reports on haematology, clinical chemistry, endocrinology and cytology cases. His research interests have included tropical parasitology, immune responses to bacterial infection and bacterial enteritis in cats.

Carola qualified in Veterinary Medicine at the Veterinary School of the University of Milan in 2003. In 2004 she attended a 1-year part time course in Small Animal Clinical Pathology in the University of Milan. After graduation she worked as a veterinarian in a first opinion practice in Milan for a few years before joining IDEXX in October 2006 as a trainee in Clinical Pathology. Carola’s other particular interests in practice including internal medicine and abdominal ultrasonography.

Mariana graduated from the University of Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal in 2006. During her final year she visited the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She then went back to Portugal to complete an internship in Small Animal Medicine where she developed a special interest for dermatology and oncology. At the end of 2007 she started a residency in Veterinary Clinical Pathology at the University College Dublin, Ireland before joining IDEXX Laboratories at the beginning of 2009, where she will complete her training.

Morag Dunlop graduated from Glasgow Vet School in 1983 and returned to Glasgow to study for her PhD in equine reproduction after 2 years in mixed practice. This was followed by 3 years working in the Clinical Research Centre in North London where she was involved working on research projects in mouse genetics as well as the care of the laboratory animals. Morag then returned to practice concentrating on small animal work before leaving to join Vetlab as a clinical pathologist and continued to work for IDEXX Laboratories in 2006.

Kate received her BVetMed degree from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in London in 2000. She spent the next six years in private small animal practice in Coventry and Essex before returning to RVC in 2006 where she completed a residency in clinical pathology. During her residency she was involved in diagnostic service and instruction of final year veterinary students and completed an externship at Texas A&M university. She gained American board certification this year and joined Idexx in October and is based at the Southwater lab in Sussex. Her professional interests include hematopathology and diagnostic cytology.

Fernando was born and raised in Madrid, Spain, where he studied his veterinary degree whilst doing student internships for Anatomic Pathology and the Exotic Animal Clinic. Fernando then went on to pursue a PhD degree focused on pathogenesis of African Swine Fever infections, which allowed him to get more familiar with other disciplines such as virology and immunology. During that time, he was hired as a non-tenured lecturer in the Department of Anatomic Pathology of the University of Madrid, which enabled him to learn more about the discipline of Pathology and to participate actively in the formation of future veterinarians. Fernando then moved to San Diego, California, where he gained a postdoctoral position to work more in the fields of virology and immunology. The strong research and academic environment in the USA motivated him to finalise his training as a pathologist and to prepare for the always-challenging American Pathology Boards. With that in mind, Fernando did a residency training at Texas A&M. His career in the USA took him back to California, where he worked for IDEXX and Pfizer and finally return to Europe in 2006 as head of the Anatomic Pathology team at IDEXX Wetherby.

After qualifying from Liverpool University in 1977, Catherine became a lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Pathology, based mainly at Leahurst. She was awarded an FRCVS on the Pathology of Skin Tumours in dogs and cats in 1982, and obtained her MRCPath (Small Domesticated Animals) by examination in 1989. Latterly she has worked mainly in Liverpool. In 1996 she became an FRCPath and in 2000 was promoted to Senior Lecturer. In addition to primary responsibilities for undergraduate teaching and training of pathology residents, Catherine has held the positions of Academic Sub-Dean and Admissions Sub-Dean for five years. She is a Veterinary Examiner for the Royal College of Pathologists and has held external examining appointments at Glasgow, Bristol and Dublin Veterinary Schools. A former national secretary of AVTRW, she is also a past Treasurer and President of the Lancashire Veterinary Association. Catherine joined IDEXX Laboratories in October 2004. Deriving much satisfaction from professional collaboration, she is looking forward to contributing to the high quality histopathology services provided by IDEXX.

Dr McCandlish graduated from Glasgow Veterinary School in 1973. After a short period in small animal practice, she returned to the Department of Veterinary Pathology at Glasgow as a Wellcome Research Scholar to study infectious respiratory disease in dogs. She was appointed Lecturer in Veterinary Pathology in 1976 and was awarded her PhD in 1977. She has a diploma from the European College of Veterinary Pathologists. As a member of the Canine Infectious Disease Research Unit at Glasgow, Irene has studied a variety of infectious diseases in dogs. Her work has been recognised by the award of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ G Norman Hall Medal for research into animal diseases, the BSAVA’s Blaine Award for outstanding contributions to the advancement of small animal medicine and surgery, and the National Canine Defence League’s Argus Medal for outstanding services to canine welfare. As lecturer, and, subsequently senior lecturer in Veterinary Pathology at Glasgow, Irene was heavily involved in teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate veterinary students and also had a major commitment to the internal and external diagnostic services in pathology provided by the department. Dr McCandlish has published many scientific papers on various aspects of veterinary pathology and chapters in standard textbooks and has spoken at many local, national and international veterinary meetings. In addition to her work in small animal infectious diseases, she has a particular interest in small animal oncology and exotic animal diseases. Dr McCandlish joined IDEXX Laboratories in January 1997 as senior histopathologist.

Kate qualified from Liverpool University in 1974. She was employed firstly in intensive small animal practice and also spent a short term with the Ministry of Agriculture as a TVI during a swine vesicular disease outbreak. Subsequent to a career break for family commitments, Kate has pursued her undergraduate interests in pathology. She joined the professional staff of IDEXX in 1986, where she now concentrates on diagnostic histopathology, cytology and post-mortem examinations. Her particular areas of interest include dermatohistopathology and the correlation of cytological and histological investigations.

Alan qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1995. Subsequently he spent a number of years working in mixed, small and exotic animal practice. In 1997 he gained the MSc in Aquatic Veterinary Studies from the University of Stirling. Following a three year residency in veterinary pathology at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh he gained his DipRCPath qualification in 2004 and moved to sunny Yorkshire to work as an anatomic histopathologist at IDEXX Laboratories. Special interests include exotic animal and fish pathology.

Joyce graduated from University of Pretoria (South Africa) in 1988. She joined the Department of Pathology at the Faculty of Veterinary Science (University of Pretoria) at Onderstepoort shortly after graduation as a lecturer. From 1988 until 2000 she was involved in undergraduate teaching of pathology to students at this facility, which included both lecturing and post mortem training to fifth and final year students. Other duties included diagnostic pathology at the gross and microscopic level, in all domestic species as well as birds, exotic species and game. She was also in charge of the immunohistochemical section of the pathology veterinary laboratory at this facility. She joined IDEXX in 2001 as an anatomical pathologist. She is involved in histological evaluation of biopsy specimens as well as in doing post mortems, mostly on dogs, cats, pet birds and rodents. Her interests are in all areas of pathology, especially the pathology of canine malignant lymphoma and diseases of birds.

Mark qualified from the University of Nairobi, Kenya in 1972 and first worked as a government veterinary officer in charge of animal disease control in a District before joining Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda as a Graduate Assistant in veterinary pathology in 1973. Under its staff development programme, Makerere University sent him off to Bristol University for training in veterinary pathology where he obtained a PhD in 1976 principally on the basis of his thesis on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, lesions and immune response in Yersisia pseudotuberculosis infection. He subsequently lectured in veterinary pathology at Makerere University up to 1983. Mark obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Immunology in 1978 from the then World Health Organisation Immunology Research and Training Centre, University of Nairobi. Between June 1983 and March 1985 he held temporary lectureship positions in veterinary pathology at Bristol University and The University of Liverpool before taking up the post of Lecturer in veterinary pathology in the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Zimbabwe where he worked for 18 years progressing through the ranks of Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor and Professor. Throughout his University career, Mark’s duties included teaching, research and diagnostic service comprising necropsy with follow-up histopathology and examination of biopsies across animal species. He joined IDEXX Laboratories in November 2003 as anatomical pathologist.

Saskia graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Giessen, Germany in 1999, and completed her Dr.med.vet at the University of Berne, Switzerland. She completed her internship and residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. Following her residency, Saskia obtained Diplomat status in both the American and European Colleges of Small Animal Internal Medicine (DACVIM, DECVIM-CA). In 2008, she earned her PhD in pharmacology from the University of Georgia (USA), College of Veterinary Medicine, where her main focus was on non-invasive methods to evaluate glucose metabolism and beta cell function in cats. Most recently, Saskia was a Lecturer in small animal medicine at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London. Outside of work, Saskia enjoys good food and wine, swimming and cross-country running with her wire-haired dachshunds. She has three dogs, two cats, and two ponies.

Charlotte graduated from the veterinary program at the University of Cambridge in 1990 and stayed on for a further 2 years working in the anesthesia department. Subsequently she completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Georgia and a residency in internal medicine at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. She stayed on as a clinical instructor in small animal internal medicine at Virginia-Maryland for another 2 years before going into private small animal referral practice in Richmond Virginia for the next 11 years. Her medical interests include gastroenterology and oncology. She lives in beautiful rural Virginia with her partner, 7 dogs, 5 cats, and numerous chickens and hopes to accumulate fewer dogs and cats now that she is spending less time in clinical practice.

After graduating from the University of Reading in 1994 with a BSc in Animal Science, Sheila went on to study veterinary medicine at the University of London, graduating in 1998. Sheila then spent five years in small animal practice before undertaking a Residency in Feline and Internal Medicine (funded by the Feline Advisory Bureau) at the University of Bristol. During her three years there, Sheila successfully obtained her RCVS Certificate in Small Animal Medicine and shortly after her residency was appointed as the Head of Small Animal Medicine at the Animal Health Trust where she was based for 2 years before joining IDEXX. Her specialist interests include endocrinology, gastroenterology and all aspects of feline medicine. She is currently studying for her ECVIM Diploma having successfully passed the first part of this examination and is a member of the Feline Advisory Bureau’s Feline Expert Panel. Sheila enjoys horse-riding, mountain biking, dining out and spending time with her 3 cats.

Graham Bilbrough qualified (VetMB) at Cambridge University in 2000. After graduation, he spent a year in mixed practice in Oxfordshire before returning to Cambridge to become the BSAVA Petsavers Resident in Anaesthesia and Critical Patient Care. Later he became the Senior Anaesthetist at the Queen’s Veterinary School Hospital, responsible for the clinical anaesthesia service and intensive care unit at the hospital. Graham joined IDEXX in 2006 as a Medical Associate, where his role is to promote the message of good medicine and the co-ordinated use of in-house and out-of-house laboratory testing.