First Newsletter Article from the New Director

I commenced my role at the University of Sydney on 3 March 2025. It is both an honour and a pleasure to serve in this position. I must say that the staff at the Poultry Research Foundation (PRF) have been incredibly welcoming as I settle into the role, and I thank each and every one of them. From the moment I joined, I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the dedication and expertise of the PRF team. A large number of research activities are currently underway, operating close to the full capacity of our facilities and resources. I am on a steep learning curve, and I expect this will continue for some time as I work towards gaining a comprehensive understanding of PRF operations.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Dean of Science, Professor Marcel Dinger, and the Head of the Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Professor Jacqui Norris, for their support and for allowing me the space and time to transition smoothly into this role.

I would also like to acknowledge the contributions of our former Director, Professor Mingan Choct, who retired from the University in March 2025. During his relatively short and part-time tenure from 2023 to 2025, and with the support of staff and management, Mingan successfully led the transition of the PRF to a Level 2 Centre within the University—a remarkable achievement completed under his watch. In my first week, I had the opportunity to spend several days with Mingan to familiarise myself with various aspects of PRF operations. I am deeply grateful for his academic and administrative insights and wisdom and wish him all the very best with his well-earned retirement.

With the support of PRF staff, I have begun developing additional scientific capacity at the Centre, particularly in the areas of gut health research and molecular biology. We are already working in these areas through student projects and the development of new research proposals. Other strategic developments for the PRF are also progressing which I can report on in the future as we make progress.

Finally, as you’ll see in this newsletter, planning for the 2026 Australian Poultry Science Symposium (APSS) is well underway and ahead of schedule. The organising committee has already met and has selected the overarching theme for the conference: “Poultry Production Through a Futuristic Lens”. We have identified 10 potential invited speakers, including 7 international experts. Their topics will span key areas such as welfare, nutrition, artificial intelligence, gut health, and avian influenza. The names of the invited speakers will be announced via PRF communication channels in due course, and we warmly invite all colleagues, partners, and stakeholders to attend and support the conference.