Sandy Trees to deliver prestigious McCall Lecture at Glasgow University

Professor Sandy Trees, Senior Vice-President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and Professor of Veterinary Parasitology at the University of Liverpool, has been invited to give the prestigious McCall Lecture on Monday 8 November at the University of Glasgow’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

Entitled ‘Human River Blindness, cows and some remarkable bacteria', Professor Trees’s lecture will highlight the links between bovine Onchocerciasis and Human River Blindness in sub-Saharan Africa, human and animal health.

It will focus on a severely debilitating disease which has been the focus of control efforts for many years. Both the human and bovine diseases are caused by different types of Onchocerca worms and transmitted by blackfly.

“Human River Blindness is not zoonotic, however, the human Onchocerca worm is transmitted by a blackfly species which also feeds on cattle,” says Professor Trees (pictured). “This species of blackfly also carries at least one of the several bovine Onchocerca species which can infect cattle.”

Using the bovine infection, several key research findings have been made of relevance to Human River Blindness. In particular, tetracycline antibiotic treatment has been found to kill adult Onchocerca worms in cattle.

Professor Trees will focus on this discovery and also existing research into the relationship between the host, worms and bacteria, and the implications for controlling Human River Blindness.

Professor Trees was invited to deliver the lecture by Professor Stuart Reid from the university. He said: “A long standing friend of the University of Glasgow, Sandy Trees is a veterinarian who has been a professional leader, an academic leader and a research leader in a career that has spanned both public and private sectors.

“Sandy is a role model for the next generation of veterinary surgeons, whether as a Vice-President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, a former Dean of the Liverpool School or as a scientist involved in cutting-edge parasitology of direct relevance to society.

"His talk promises to be entertaining, educational and inspirational - attributes that are most fitting tributes to James McCall, Glasgow Vet School's founder.”

The lecture will take place at 3pm on Monday 8 November in the Robertson Trust Lecture Theatre at the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow.

It is open to the public; however, it would be helpful if those planning to attend could contact Caroline Hutchinson, Glasgow University (0141 330 5704 or [email protected]) in advance.