Alan obtained his veterinary degree at the University of Sydney and worked as a vet before undertaking his PhD in wildlife epidemiology investigating hookworm infection in free-ranging Australia sea lion pups. After spending an inordinate amount of time camping on remote islands, he worked in the pharmaceutical industry for a few years as a research scientist and study manager conducting GLP/GCP studies for animal drug R&D. He then joined the Center for Translational Pain Medicine in the Department of Anesthesiology at Duke University, North Carolina, as a research scientist, focused on the development of countermeasures for cardiopulmonary injuries following toxic chemical exposures.
His areas of interest remain broad, including parasitology, pain, cardiology, and emerging-infectious/wildlife disease.
Outside of work, his hobbies include scuba diving, photography, drone piloting, hiking, and walking his cat Batty (pictured).