Dominique Blache

Dr. Dominique Blache is an Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia (UWA), affiliated with the School of Agriculture and Environment and the UWA Institute of Agriculture. He holds roles including Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainable Ruminant Systems in China and Founding Member of the Animal Welfare Collaborative in Brisbane. His expertise spans animal welfare, stress physiology, endocrinology, and the gut microbiome's role in temperament.

Education: PhD in Neurosciences from INRA (France) and AFRC Neuroendocrine Laboratory (UK), followed by postdoctoral fellowships at UWA. His research includes pioneering work on leptin assays in cattle, emotional reactivity in sheep, and thermoregulation mechanisms. Current projects investigate microbiome-temperament interactions and welfare indicators in livestock.

Research Interests: Animal emotional reactivity, gut microbiome effects on behavior, thermoregulation, and heat stress mitigation. Notable contributions include developing non-commercial leptin assays and linking nervousness to energy utilization in livestock.

Advising & Grants: Supervised 16+ PhD students across topics like sheep welfare biomarkers, vitamin E effects, and microbiome studies. Secured funding from ARC, NHMRC, MLA, and international agencies. Active in grants focusing on predator-free conservation, livestock welfare, and northern Australia agriculture.

Labs & Collaborations: Director of UWA Radioimmunoassay Laboratory. Collaborates globally on herbivore genomics (HTIRDB project) and stress biomarkers. Teaches courses on animal welfare ethics and neuroscience in society.