Staff Spotlight: Anne Seaton

Head Of Veterinary Diagnostic Services And Livestock Health Schemes

Specialist expertise

• Livestock health and welfare

• Veterinary diagnostics

• Livestock disease surveillance

What was your career journey into this role?

This is my second spell of working with SRUC! The first came after being in practice when I joined as a Veterinary Investigation Officer in Dumfries. That was a great learning experience for me. I then moved to what became APHA, working in the field team and involved in everything from animal by-products to notifiable disease outbreaks. I also took on a leadership role and gained experience working with a great multi-disciplinary team across south west Scotland. Returning to SRUC in 2016, I was initially based in Perth before moving to Pentlands Science Park in 2020 and becoming involved in the running of the diagnostic labs there.

Why did you come to work at SRUC?

I took on my current role at the start of the year because I love the buzz of high-throughput diagnostic laboratory. It is a really exciting time in diagnostics with a range of new technologies and approaches on the horizon. I was also keen to work more closely with commercial colleagues to help develop our services to better support vet practices and livestock farmers.

If you could do anyone else’s job, who would it be and why?

I would like to work in the validation team. The scientists in that team work across microbiology and molecular biology improving and developing the tests we run and developing and validating new test methods. They also get to work with other companies running projects which assist with validating new technologies and techniques against some of the ‘gold standard’ established methods.

What work are you most proud of and why?

The thing I am most proud of is Vet Services being awarded the Queens Anniversary Prize. The prize is highest possible national recognition for an education institution and was awarded for Vet Services impact on animal health and welfare and particularly the development of the health schemes. This work by colleagues over decades is a great example of what Vet Services does best which is working with the industry to create what was a novel approach to disease control. I was really proud to be part of the group accepting the award on behalf of colleagues past and present.

If you had one wish, to be used to better the industry, what would you wish for?

I would wish for everyone to be able to access the data they need easily and in ways it can be understood and shared. There is so much information that can help decision making on farms, in practices and in the testing laboratories, but we seem to be simultaneously drowning in it and having to work really hard to dig for the bits we need. If it could be a bit more ‘handed to us on a plate’, we could all get on with the work we need to do!