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Dr Joy Becker

Dr Joy Becker

Lecturer in Aquatic Animal Health & Production
University of Sydney
Faculty of Veterinary Science
Private Mailbag 3
425 Werombi Road
Camden, NSW
2570 Australia
Tel: +61 2 9036 7731
Fax: +61 2 9351 1618
Email:

Qualifications

BSc (Zoology), University of Western Ontario, Canada 1999
PhD (Fish Health), Atlantic Veterinary College, Canada 2004

Professional Distinctions

  • 2005 Governor General of Canada Academic Gold Medal

Teaching Areas

  • Aquaculture
  • Aquatic Animal Health

Administration

Lecturer Aquatic animal Health & Production

Research Interests

Research interest pertains to the pathobiology (including aspects of disease transmission, control strategies and epidemiology) of pathogens affecting the commercial culture of aquatic species, specializing in salmonids.

Joy has extensive academic training in fish physiology and health, epidemiology and biostatistics. Previously, her research has centred on protozoan parasites of farmed salmon and since joining the team at Camden, Joy has been researching viral pathogens and their impact on farmed and wild fish health.

Joy is currently involved in research collaboration with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and the Murray Darling Basin Commission investigating the epidemiology and susceptibility of native fish to EHN virus, an OIE listed pathogen with the potential to significantly affect native populations of fish in the Murray system.

Joy is the Unit Co-ordinator for the Aquaculture unit of study (AVBS 4009) and is involved in teaching aquaculture health and production in both the Bachelors of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience and Veterinary Science programs.

Selected Publications

  1. Becker JA. Speare DJ. Transmission of the microsporidian gill parasite, Loma salmonae. Animal Health Research Reviews 8:59-68. 2007
  2. Lovy J. Becker JA. Speare DJ. Wadowska DW. Wright GM. Powell MD. Ultrastructural examination of the host cellular response in the gills of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, with amoebic gill disease. Veterinary Pathology 44:663-671. 2007
  3. Florent RL. Becker JA. Powell MD. Evaluation of bithionol as a bath treatment for amoebic gill disease caused by Neoparamoeba spp. Veterinary Parasitology 144: 197-207. 2007
  4. Jones MA. Powell M.D. Becker JA. Carter CG. The effect of Tenacibaculum maritimum and feed deprivation on the metabolic rate of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 78:29-36. 2007
  5. Florent RL. Becker JA. Powell MD. Efficacy of bithionol as an oral treatment for amoebic gill disease in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar (L.). Aquaculture 270:15-22. 2007
  6. Rodriguez-Tovar LE. Becker JA. Markham RJF. Speare DJ. Induction time for resistance to Microsporidial Gill Disease caused by Loma salmonae following vaccination of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with a spore-based vaccine. Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 21:170-175. 2006
  7. Becker JA. Speare DJ. Dohoo IR. Interaction of water temperature and challenge model on xenoma development rates for Loma salmonae (Microspora) in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum). Journal of Fish Diseases, 29: 139-145. 2006
  8. Becker JA. Speare DJ. Dohoo IR. Effect of the number of infected fish and acute exposure period on the horizontal transmission of Loma salmonae (Microsporidia) in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Aquaculture 244: 1-9. 2005