Andrea McWhorter

Dr. Andrea McWhorter is a Grant-Funded Researcher (B) at the School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide, within the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology. Her research focuses on microbial pathogens in poultry and egg production systems, with particular emphasis on Salmonella virulence, vaccine efficacy, and food safety. She has collaborated with industry partners such as Bioproperties to evaluate live attenuated vaccines and sanitizers in poultry.

Her work explores how Salmonella enters egg-laying systems, persists in hens, and contaminates eggs. Key projects include studying the viability of Salmonella in egg-based foods (e.g., mayonnaise) and the role of viable-but-nonculturable (VBNC) states in human disease. She has demonstrated that commercial sanitizers and vaccines have limited efficacy in long-term layer hen protection but continues to refine control strategies.

Research interests span poultry health, zoonotic pathogens, and One Health approaches to antimicrobial resistance. She is eligible to supervise Masters and PhD students in these areas.