Professor James Gilkerson is an internationally recognised expert in veterinary virology and microbiology who has been a faculty member at the Melbourne Veterinary School since 2002. Professor Gilkerson’s research is predominantly in the area of host-pathogen interaction and the epidemiology of infectious disease in animal populations. In recent years this research has included the use of big data to describe antimicrobial use in companion animal veterinary practice and antimicrobial stewardship in the veterinary sector.