Vanessa qualified in 1994 at Queensland University, Brisbane, Australia. After several years in both mixed and small animal practice in Australia and the UK, she gained the European Diploma of Veterinary Dermatology in 2009, and was granted RCVS specialisation in 2014. Vanessa completed a four-year PhD at the start of 2014 before taking up her current position of Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Dermatology at the University of Liverpool. Vanessa is currently head of the dermatology service and enjoys her involvement in clinical work, teaching and research. Her research interests include infectious and zoonotic disease.