Dr Emma Snarey - head of epidemiological sciences at APHA and RVC honorary professor.

The appointment will strengthen the existing relationship between the two influential organisations.

The RVC has announced its appointment of Dr Emma Snary, head of epidemiological sciences at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), as an honorary professor.

RVC's existing relationship with APHA will be further strengthened by the appointment, and it will reinforce the collaborate efforts of both organisations on significant issues relating to animal and human health.

Commenting on her appointment, Dr Emma Snary said: “Together the APHA and RVC provide all-round expertise in the provision of research, surveillance, education and outbreak response in the area of animal health and veterinary public health.

“Given both institutions’ track record of successful high-impact collaboration in the application of risk analysis and modelling it is incredibly exciting to see the relationship between the RVC and the APHA strengthened further. I am therefore very proud to be appointed as an honorary Professor at the RVC.”

Working closely together for many years, the RVC and APHA's most recent collaboration was through the RVC's Veterinary Epidemiology Economics and Public Health (VEEPH) group, and this collaboration resulted in a joint designation of the two organisations as an OIE Collaborating Centre for Risk Analysis and Modelling in 2019. 

When working collaboratively as an OIE Centre, the RVC and APHA promote and facilitate the use of risk analysis and modelling to inform the development of policies aimed at controlling disease, improving animal welfare, and protecting public health. The two organisations work together to provide training and expertise to other OIE Collaborating Centre, Reference laboratories, and organisations within the European region. 

Professor Javier Guitian, consultant epidemiologist at APHA and professor of veterinary public health at the RVC, said of the relationship between the RCV and APHA: “The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has shown how important it is that public health officials, policymakers and scientists work closely together to achieve better public health outcomes for everyone. 

“This relationship between the RVC and APHA – two global leaders in our shared field of animal health – will allow us to further progress this aspect of the RVC’s work, while also opening opportunities for our students to better understand and experience the policy development process.”

The appointment of Dr Emma Snary, alongside strengthening the relationship between the RVC and APHA, will also provide RVC students with the opportunity to gain real-life experience in the way in which epidemiological science is used in the development of evidence-based policy.