Medicine Staff
Associate Professor Vanessa Barrs - Head of Small Animal Medicine
BVSc (Hon), MVetClinStud, FACVSc (Specialist in Feline Medicine)
Associate Professor in Small Animal Medicine
Head of Small Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine Specialist
Associate Professor Vanessa Barrs is a University of Sydney graduate. She is a registered Specialist in Feline Medicine and has worked in University and Private Referral Practices in London and Sydney. A/Professor Barrs returned to the University of Sydney to lead the Small Animal Medicine Unit in 2004. She has represented the profession in many roles including as President of the Feline Chapter of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists, Specialist representative of the NSW Board of Veterinary Practitioners and trustee of the Australian Feline Health Research Fund. A/Professor Barrs is passionate about teaching and was awarded the Australian Veterinary Association Excellence in Teaching Award in 2007. Her research interests include feline alimentary lymphoma and fungal respiratory infections, for which she was awarded Distinguished Scientific Award in 2009 by the Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association. A/Professor Barrs loves helping sick cats get better and welcomes new case referrals of any nature. Faculty Web Profile
Associate Professor Julia Beatty - Feline Medicine Specialist
BSc (Hons) BVetMed PhD FACVSc (feline medicine) MRCVS
Associate Professor in Small Animal Medicine
Associate Professor Julia Beatty co-runs the busy feline medicine referral service at the Valentine Charlton Cat Centre. Her career has been devoted to improving the health of cats. Jules graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1989 then, after a period in practice, moved to the University of Glasgow where she completed a PhD and post-doctoral studies on Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. She has practiced feline medicine in primary and referral facilities and is a registered Specialist in Feline Medicine. She is currently Associate Professor in small animal medicine at the University of Sydney. Her group’s main clinical research interests are feline infectious diseases. Jules has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. She presents clinical research and continuing education seminars internationally. Faculty Web Profile
Dr Niek Beijerink - Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine
DVM PhD Dipl. ECVIM-CA (Cardiology)
Specialist in Small Animal Medicine (Cardiology)
Niek is a Utrecht (The Netherlands) graduate. After graduation in 2005 he started a residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Utrecht University. Meanwhile, in 2007 he completed a PhD in canine reproductive endocrinology. Since 2010 Niek is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (sub-speciality Cardiology). Niek commenced employment at the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital in August 2011.
Faculty Web Profile
Dr Peter Bennett - Specialist in Oncology & Internal Medicine
BVSc FANZCVS (Canine Medicine) DACVIM(Oncology, Small Animal Medicine)
Peter is a graduate of the University of Melbourne. After a period working in general practice, he undertook training in small animal medicine via a non-traditional route. His training was undertaken at Massey University, the University of Melbourne, the University of Tennessee and the University of Georgia. He then attained Fellowship status from the Australia and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists as well as Diplomate status from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Peter then moved to Purdue University in Indiana as a clinical instructor and in his time there attained his speciality qualification in Oncology.
On his return to Australia, Peter was one of the founding specialists of the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre. He has been involved in training residents in both Small Animal Internal Medicine and Veterinary Oncology. He is a tutor for the Centre for Veterinary Education at the University of Sydney as well as for the Masters of Veterinary Medicine program at Massey University.
Peter has moved to the University of Sydney to establish a comparative oncology program. To help establish collaborative research he has a part time appointment at the NHMRC clinical trials centre. Peter is an established author in the veterinary literature and presents at national and international meetings as an invited speaker.
Peter’s main interest is in advancing the compassionate care of pets with cancer and to improve their quality of life for as long as possible.
Dr Elissa Kadar – Specialist in Small Animal Medicine
Dr Graham Swinney – Specialist in Small Animal Medicine
Dr Joanna Whitney – Resident in Small Animal Medicine
BSc (Vet) (Hons) BVSc (Hons) MVetstud MANZCVS(SmAnimMed,ECC)
Jo graduated from the University of Sydney in 2004. Whilst undertaking her veterinary degree she also completed an honors degree in "stress and reproduction in captive gorillas". Since graduating Jo has worked in a small animal practice in Sydney's Inner West and completed a postgraduate internship at the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Sydney.
Dr Geoff Nicolson – Resident in Small Animal Medicine - Cardiology
BVSc (Hons I)
Geoff graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in 2011. He has always been very passionate about cardiology and knew from the early years of veterinary school he would pursue specialisation in this field. He completed a one year general rotating internship at the University of Queensland Small Animal Clinic and Veterinary Teaching Hospital in 2012. Geoff joined the UVTHS in 2013 and is enrolled in a 3 year residency program in Small Animal Cardiology under the supervision of Dr Niek Beijerink. Geoff also consults on internal medicine cases in the referral medicine service.
Dr Amanda Taylor – Resident in Small Animal Medicine
BVSc (Hons) MANZCVS
Amanda grew up in far North Queensland and graduated from University of Queensland in 2007. Since graduation she increased her skills in small animal medicine by completing an internship at a private specialist centre in Brisbane and attaining Membership of the Small Animal Medicine Chapter of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. She has also worked in several small animal practices around Brisbane. Amanda is passionately interested in all aspects of small animal medicine and is undertaking residency in small animal medicine under the supervision of Dr Peter Bennett and A/Professor Vanessa Barrs.