Dr Andrea Short

Andrea has worked across the divide of human and non-human (veterinary) medical research for more than twenty years. She has a Master’s from her work on the genetics of antifungal drug resistance in Candida albicans, the organism that causes thrush, and a PhD from her research on the genetics of canine diabetes mellitus in ‘pet’ dogs with naturally occurring (spontaneous) disease. She has a postgraduate diploma in animal welfare policy and legislation, a postgraduate certificate for higher education teaching and is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy; she has taught undergraduate medicine, postgraduate evidence-based practice and supervised PhD students.  

Andrea supported a clinical trial for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and set up NHS-academic partnerships as a Wellcome Trust Translational Research Facilitator. She evaluated the effects of policy change on newborn screening, identified how policies are implemented in care home – NHS partnerships (integrated healthcare) and has investigated professional decision making in primary care and community pharmacy prescribing. As a senior scientific and policy officer for the RSPCA, she developed an evidence-based human behaviour change strategy to protect and improve companion animal welfare. 

Andrea has a passion for fairness, transparency and good ethical practice, as demonstrated by her commitment to a university research ethics committee for more than five years. She is on the editorial board of Canine Medicine and Genetics journal, has been a genetics advisor for the BSAVA and a breed club health coordinator. 

Andrea shares her life with a rescue dog, volunteers at her local dog shelter and has previously volunteered as an education officer and pet bereavement support officer for the Blue Cross.