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Dr Elham Assadi Soumeh is a senior lecturer in Animal Science and Production within the School of Agriculture and Food Science. Her background is in monogastric animal nutrition -poultry and swine. Her PhD research was about branched-chain amino acids requirements and metabolism in pig post weaning and characterization of metabolic profile of high performing pigs when were fed with optimum dietary branched-chain amino acid levels. After conducting her PhD in Aarhus University in Denmark and prior to joining UQ, Dr Soumeh worked as a senior scientist in animal feed industry (Cargill BV, Netherlands) for 2 years, where she managed different customer-focused research portfolios within the area of monogastric animal nutrition and production e.g. nutrient requirements and metabolism, gut health, nutritional strategies and management. Dr Soumeh has completed a BSc in Animal Science, MSc in Animal Nutrition and a PhD in Animal Nutrition and Physiology. The scientific outcomes have been published in high-impact journals and/or presented in conferences and symposiums around the world.

As a Senior Lecturer in Animal Science and Production, my research focuses on nutrition and gut microbiology. I completed my Ph.D. through the University of Sydney investigating the effects of various feed additives on performance, and meat quality of sheep. I then went on to complete a Post-doctoral Fellowship in Canada (The University of Alberta), investigating the effects of weaning age and strategy on the development of the ruminal microbiome in dairy calves. Developing this research theme, I was awarded a highly prestigious Marie-Curie Individual Fellowship for a 2-year project in France, to investigate the effects of additives on gut microbiome establishment and programming for lifelong effects in dairy calves to reduce methane emissions. In October 2017, I began my current position as a teaching and research academic at The University of Queensland focusing on feed efficiency, and environmentally sustainable ruminant production systems with a focus on manipulating the rumen for reduced methane emissions and enhanced production. I bring a multidisciplinary approach to my research to examine the effects of nutrition and age on microbiology, production performance and meat quality of an animal.

Primary Areas of Interest: Comparative Animal Physiology, Animal Welfare and Conservation Physiology

I embarked on higher education at the University of the South Pacific, where I earned a Ph.D. in Biology. I conducted research work in non-invasive reproductive and stress endocrinology tools for amphibians, unlocking the secrets of the reproductive hormonal cycles and stress hormone responses of Fijian ground frogs.

My postdoctoral research fellowships took me to institutions across four countries: New Zealand, Australia, India, and Canada. Each destination enriched my knowledge and expertise, adding diverse dimensions to my academic repertoire. In 2010, I joined Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, where I began research on the Conservation Physiology of wildlife in collaboration with leading WIldlife Ecologists. The postdoctoral research has yielded remarkable insights into the physiological regulation of stress in amphibians and I also had opportunity to develop hormone monitoring tools for iconic Australian wildlife such as koalas. This exposure generated my passion to conduct further research on the health and welfare of koalas. Over these years, I have been lucky to work with and supervise over 20 Honours, Masters, and Ph.D. students.

My current research program seeks to bolster animal resilience through a multifaceted approach, involving physiology, behavior, and management practices.

I returned to Australia in 2015 upon completing my international postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Saskatchwen, Canada. Prior to starting Faculty appointment at UQ, I have had the worndeful opportunity to teach at regional universities including Charles Sturt University (Wagga Wagga) and Western Sydney University (Hawkesbury Campus).

I am currently based in the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability (AGFS) as academic member of the Animal Science Discipline Group. I teach primarily Animal Physiology & Anatomy and supervise a dynamic group of research scholars through the Stress Lab. I am Category B member of the UQ Animal Ethics Committee (NEWMA). I also represent the University of Queensland as a LINK member for the Universities Federation of Animal Welfare (UFAW).

International Engagement

In 2024, I was receipient of the Technical University of Munich Global Visiting Professor Fellowship Program and spent 6 weeks at the TUM School of Life Sciences (Bavaria).

https://global-partnerships.uq.edu.au/article/2024/08/university-queensland-and-technical-university-munich-partnership-brings-two-worlds-together

I have engagement through the European Union Funded ClearFarm Research which brings Animal Welfare standards to livestock products from a farm to plate approach, using Smart-Farm and Precision Ag Technologies.

UQ joins €13m project to bring technology to livestock sector

In 2023, my team of scholars from the Stress Lab organised and Chaired the 38th Australia and New Zealand Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry (ANZSCPB) conference at the UQ, Gatton campus.

UQ Gatton hosts successful 38th ANZSCPB Conference

I have presented our research through Conversation Articles

How climate change will affect your pet – and how to help them cope

Testing the stress levels of rescued koalas allows us to tweak their care so more survive in the wild

What does a koala’s nose know? A bit about food, and a lot about making friends

Koalas can learn to live the city life if we give them the trees and safe spaces they need

With the right help, bears can recover from the torture of bile farming

Drop, bears: chronic stress and habitat loss are flooring koalas

Dr Luis Silva is an Associate Professor at QAAFI, University of Queensland, leading research in ruminant nutrition. Luis comes from a coffee and dairy farm and brings perspective from another major producer of beef, Brazil, where he had a previous appointment at the University of Sao Paulo. With large international experience, Luis has spent a sabbatical year at AgriBio, Melbourne, and has completed his PhD at Michigan State University, working with the nutritional/physiological modulation of ruminant development. Luis has considerable research linking cattle nutrition with physiological mechanisms and genomic tools and has coordinated several research projects investigating mechanisms to improve the efficiency of tropical cattle production. His work is published in 51 peer-reviewed scientific articles and several book chapters. Luis has also acted as the main advisor for 7 PhD students and 16 Master students.

Professor Alan Tilbrook is nationally and internationally recognised for leading scientific research in animal science and biomedical science (endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, behaviour, stress, and reproduction). He is a global leader in animal welfare science. Professor Tilbrook has an outstanding balanced portfolio in leadership, strategic planning, research, academia, education and government. He leads Animal Welfare within the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation and the School of Veterinary Science at The University of Queensland. Professor Tilbrook has established and is the Managing Director of The Animal Welfare Collaborative (TAWC), which is a university-facilitated network of individuals, companies, and organisations working together to make evidence-based improvements in animal welfare. TAWC is led by The University of Queensland in partnership with The University of Western Australia, The University of Adelaide and The University of Newcastle. He is Chair and Research Champion of the National Primary Industries Animal Welfare Research, Development and Extension Strategy, represents Universities Australia on the Board of the Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching, was a founder, Deputy Director and Co-Director of the Animal Welfare Science Centre, was the Research Chief of Livestock and Farming Systems at the South Australian Research and Development Institute and was Deputy Head of the Department of Physiology at Monash University. He has held numerous national and local leadership roles. Professor Tilbrook's research is conceptually driven with a multidisciplinary and integrative approach. He has developed cutting edge research programs across a range of species including sheep, pigs, poultry, cattle, goats, rodents, horses and humans. Professor Tilbrook places a huge emphasis on collaboration, training and professional development.