About
Niraj Meisuria
PhD candidate in disease ecology · The University of Sydney
Niraj Meisuria is a PhD candidate in disease ecology at the University of Sydney's School of Veterinary Science, studying scavengers, carrion and how wildlife disease moves between wild and domestic animals. A University Medallist and founding chair of the Ecological Society of Australia's One Health and Wildlife Disease Ecology Special Interest Network.
Bio
I’m an ecologist interested in the parts of ecosystems most people would rather not look at: carcasses, and the animals that eat them.
I’m a PhD candidate in disease ecology at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science (2025–2028), supported by a University of Sydney Postgraduate Award. My PhD asks how carrion shapes disease risk where wild and domestic animals meet, with fieldwork in Cape York, Queensland.
Before that, I completed a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Animal and Veterinary Bioscience) with First Class Honours and the University Medal. My honours research in the Global Ecology Lab used camera traps on kangaroo carcasses across desert, forest and alpine Australia to show how bioregion and season govern wedge-tailed eagle scavenging, and I stayed on as a research assistant in the lab until 2025.
In 2026 I founded, and now co-chair, the Ecological Society of Australia’s One Health and Wildlife
Disease Ecology Special Interest Network. I teach first- and second-year biology, co-supervise
Honours students working on scavenging in tropical north Queensland, and talk and write about
scavengers and biosecurity for general audiences, including for The Conversation and the Wildlife
Health Talks podcast.
Away from carcasses, you’ll find me playing football or cricket, or out with a camera.
Grants & awards
Research grants
- 2026One Health Investigation Fund (Co-PI)Wildlife Health AustraliaAUD 42,000
- 2026Animal Disease Genomics Initiative (Co-PI)AUD 30,000
Scholarships
- 2025 – 2028Postgraduate Award PhD ScholarshipThe University of Sydney
- 2025 – 2028Postgraduate Research Supplementary Scholarship in Disease Ecology and Spillover RiskThe University of Sydney
- 2023Honours ScholarshipThe University of SydneyAUD 6,000
Awards & prizes
- 2024Faculty of Science Teacher Commendation AwardThe University of Sydney
- 2023The University MedalThe University of Sydney
- 2023Dean's List of Excellence in Academic PerformanceThe University of Sydney
- 2023Academic Merit PrizeThe University of Sydney
- 2021John Gurner & Frederick Ebsworth Award in Animal Energetics and HomeostasisSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of SydneyAUD 480
Travel funding
- 2024Travel GrantInternational Society for Behavioural EcologyUSD 1,200
- 2022Honours and Undergraduate Student Travel ScholarshipAustralasian Wildlife Management SocietyAUD 3,000
Positions & education
Positions
- 2026 – presentFounder and Co-Chair, One Health and Wildlife Disease Ecology Special Interest NetworkEcological Society of Australia
- 2024 – presentCasual Academic (Demonstrator)The University of Sydney
- 2024 – 2025Tutor, Indigenous Tutorial Assistance SchemeThe University of Sydney
- 2023 – 2025Research Assistant, Global Ecology LabThe University of Sydney
- 2021 – 2024Learning Support TeacherSt Mary's Cathedral College
Education
- 2025 – 2028Doctor of Philosophy (Disease Ecology)Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney
- 2020 – 2023Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Animal and Veterinary Bioscience)The University of SydneyHonours Class I and the University Medal
Teaching & supervision
Teaching
- BIOL1009From Molecules to Cells and Organisms (first-year biology)2024, 2025
- BIOL2021Zoology (second-year biology)2024, 2025
- ENVX1002Introduction to Statistical Methods (first-year statistics)2024
Supervision
I currently co-supervise three Honours students working on scavenging in tropical north Queensland.
- HonoursScavenging dynamics across an urban–remote gradient in tropical far North Queensland
- HonoursThe ecology of decay: scavenger community dynamics to pig carcass presence and removal in tropical Queensland
- HonoursFree-roaming domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) as bridge scavengers across an urbanisation gradient in tropical north Queensland
Talks & presentations
2027Upcoming
- TalkThe role of carrion in disease dynamics and its potential to bridge the wild–domestic interfaceInternational Mammal Conference, Bonito, BrazilInvited
- TalkDisease and One Health risks of feral pig scavenging activity in AustraliaNational Feral Pig Conference, Sunshine Coast, AustraliaInvited
2026
- PosterCarrion: consumption, competition, and contaminationGordon Research Conference, Lucca, Italy
- WebinarOne Health and biodiversity threats of plague proportionsOne Health Wonders webinar (Australian Centre for Disease Control & CSIRO), Online
2025
- TalkCarrion – a disease risk?Australasian Wildlife Management Society, Queenstown, New Zealand
- TalkCarrion – a disease risk?Ecological Society of Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- TalkCarrion – a disease risk?Wildlife Disease Association, Australasian Chapter, Adelaide, Australia
2024
- TalkThe scavenging dynamics and social interactions of the wedge-tailed eagleEcological Society of Australia, Melbourne, Australia
- TalkThe scavenging dynamics and social interactions of the wedge-tailed eagleInternational Society of Behavioural Ecology Congress, Melbourne, Australia
2023
- TalkThe scavenging dynamics and social interactions of the wedge-tailed eagle across 3 contrasting Australian bioregionsAustralasian Wildlife Management Society, Melbourne, Australia
Service & memberships
- 2026 – presentFounder and Chair, One Health and Wildlife Disease Ecology Special Interest NetworkEcological Society of Australia
- 2023 – presentStudent RepresentativeAustralasian Wildlife Management Society
- 2025 – presentMemberWildlife Disease Association (Australasian Chapter)
- 2023 – presentMemberRoyal Zoological Society of NSW
Media kit
A short bio for event programs, articles and introductions.
Niraj Meisuria is a PhD candidate in disease ecology at the University of Sydney's School of Veterinary Science, studying scavengers, carrion and how wildlife disease moves between wild and domestic animals. A University Medallist and founding chair of the Ecological Society of Australia's One Health and Wildlife Disease Ecology Special Interest Network.