Dr Sam McCullough: managing diagnostic services
Dr Sam McCullough is Manager of Diagnostic Services for the Diagnosis, Surveillance and Response Group (DSR) at CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) in Geelong, Victoria.
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30 October 2009 | Updated 14 October 2011
Current activities
As Manager of Diagnostic Services, Dr McCullough works closely with AAHL director Dr Martyn Jeggo and DSR Theme Leader Dr Peter Daniels to ensure the delivery of accurate, timely and quality assured test results.
He is responsible for a range of virus isolation, serological and molecular diagnostic procedures that underpin emergency transboundary and zoonotic animal disease preparedness and quarantine testing at AAHL.
The DSR Group is the scientific unit designated by CSIRO to deliver AAHL's national obligations with respect to:
Dr McCullough has expertise in transboundary and zoonotic animal diseases such as:
Dr McCullough is responsible for a range of virus isolation, serological and molecular diagnostic procedures at AAHL.
Background
Dr McCullough has more than 28 years' experience in virology laboratories in the UK and USA.
Prior to joining CSIRO in 2009, Dr McCullough worked as a senior veterinary scientist for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Stormont, Belfast, UK.
He was responsible for the coordination of the epizootic disease emergency capability at Stormont and managed successful responses to a series of animal disease emergencies, including Newcastle disease in 1997 and FMD in 2001.
Dr McCullough was also closely involved with industry groups in developing surveillance and control programs for endemic animal diseases.
In the early 1990s Dr McCullough worked as a visiting scientist at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, USA, supervising postgraduate students and contributing to research programs on Aujeszky's disease and the use of simulation models to test strategies for the control and eradication of the disease.
Academic qualifications
Dr McCullough has completed a:
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Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) from Liverpool University, England, 1980
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Doctor of Philosophy from Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1990.
His PhD thesis is titled The Epidemiology of Aujeszky’s disease in pigs.
Achievements
Dr McCullough was a member of national and international expert groups in the UK where he provided advice on transboundary and zoonotic animal diseases to government and industry.
He is also member of a number of professional associations, including:
Learn more about AAHL's Diagnostic Services and the DSR Group.
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