Renowned Surrey veterinary scientist awarded prestigious accolade

In a career that has spanned nearly 30 years, Professor La Ragione is the current Chair of the Royal College of Pathologists’ Veterinary Pathology Specialty Advisory Committee. He is also Chair of Humanimal Trust, a Trustee of the Houghton Trust, and has held leadership positions at the Animal and Plant Health Agency before joining the University of Surrey in 2009. At Surrey, Professor La Ragione is Head of the School of Biosciences – one of the largest schools at the University – and he is Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology in the School of Veterinary Medicine. 

Professor La Ragione said:  

“I am delighted and honoured to have received this medal. Following the COVID-19 crisis, the world of veterinary and medical pathology has grown in importance as the need to avoid another pandemic is paramount. My research and that of my colleagues at the University of Surrey is helping us to understand more about the causes and effects of infectious diseases so that we can better protect human, environmental and animal health.” 

His ground-breaking research is leading the way in tackling infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), currently one of the greatest threats to human and animal health. Through this work, he has recently developed several innovative treatments to reduce AMR in poultry and livestock. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was instrumental in developing a rapid COVID-19 test that could detect the virus in under 20 minutes.