Claire Witham

Dr Claire Witham is a Research Fellow at Newcastle University specializing in primate neuroscience and animal welfare research. Her work focuses on rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), addressing critical challenges in laboratory animal management through innovative approaches including machine learning and behavioral analysis. Active since 2007, she maintains a prolific publication record with recent contributions in 2024.

Her research spans Neuroscience, Primate Behavior, and Machine Learning Applications, with emphasis on enrichment evaluation, pain assessment, and sensorimotor control mechanisms. Key contributions include developing automated face recognition systems for primates, establishing positive reinforcement training protocols, and investigating neural oscillations in motor control. Her work bridges basic neuroscience with practical welfare refinements.

Publication trends reveal an evolution from foundational neurophysiological studies (2007-2012) examining corticospinal pathways and neural oscillations toward applied welfare science (2017-2024). Recent work integrates computational methods for enrichment assessment and behavioral monitoring, reflecting a strategic shift toward technology-driven solutions for laboratory animal welfare. Her 2024 machine learning approach for enrichment evaluation exemplifies this trajectory.