The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has awarded one of its most prestigious accolades to Professor Roberto La Ragione from the University of Surrey’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

Professor La Ragione is one of only three recipients this year to be awarded an Honorary Associateship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, which is bestowed upon those who have made a considerable impact on the veterinary sector. Gaining his PhD on the pathogenesis ofE. coli infection in poultry, Professor La Ragione’s expertise in this area has grown, and he is an international authority on veterinary microbiology, and has published extensively in the area of host-microbe interactions, with a particular emphasis on foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance.

Joining the University of Surrey from the APHA in 2009 and appointed as Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology in 2010, Professor La Ragione was instrumental in setting up the School of Veterinary Medicine. The School, of which he is Deputy Head, continues to go from strength to strength, recently receiving accreditation from the RCVS and having its second cohort of veterinary students graduate this summer.

Professor Roberto La Ragione said: “I am delighted to have received this prestigious award. Combining my interests in veterinary research and education has been a career highlight for me, and I am pleased my work has been recognised in this way.”

Nominating Professor La Ragione for this award was Dr Daniel Horton MRCVS who noted: “Very few veterinary scientists, who have made such outstanding contributions to research, have also simultaneously been so instrumental in shaping veterinary education. His commitment to nurturing emerging talent is manifest in the 25 plus PhD students he has mentored. In 2012 he was appointed Associate Dean for Veterinary Strategy at the University of Surrey and together with colleagues was tasked with leading the development of the new School of Veterinary Medicine at Surrey.”