Vito is a Senior Research Fellow in One Health and Senior Lecturer in Veterinary and Medical Parasitology. He earned his PhD at the University of Bari (Italy) with a thesis on neglected zoonotic parasitic infections in dogs and cats.

In 2019, he joined the University of Melbourne as a McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow. Since then, he has established a strong network with public and private institutions through the design and implementation of studies addressing zoonotic diseases affecting both animal and human health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Soulsby Fellowship in 2020 and the Odile Bain Memorial Prize in 2019.

He serves as Associate or Specialist Editor for several international journals, including PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Scientific Reports, Frontiers in Tropical Medicine, Current Research in Parasitology & Vector-Borne Diseases, Frontiers in Veterinary Science, and Frontiers in Neglected Tropical Diseases.

His research group, Translational Research in Parasitology & NTDs, aims to advance the control of zoonotic parasitic and vector-borne diseases affecting animals and humans within a One Health framework. Much of the group’s work focuses on diseases that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including Indigenous communities in the Asia-Pacific region. The team integrates field epidemiology, advanced molecular diagnostics, and genetic/genomic approaches to characterise parasite populations, identify emerging zoonoses, and inform surveillance and control strategies.

A key focus of this research is supporting neglected tropical disease control programmes in achieving their elimination goals, particularly for infections involving animal reservoirs that may compromise elimination efforts.

This work is conducted through multidisciplinary collaborations involving public health specialists, veterinarians, epidemiologists, and social scientists. By working closely with local communities, ministries of health, NGOs, and international partners, the group translates research findings into practical interventions that support sustainable disease control and elimination.

Dr

Vito Colella

Senior Lecturer (One Health)

Melbourne Veterinary School

Dr

Vito Colella

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Faculty of Science

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Public Health

Dr

Vito Colella

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