Dr Nicky-Lee Willson

Dr Nicky-Lee Willson

Lecturer

School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences

College of Science

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Nicky-Lee is a lecturer and researcher in animal production, health, and food safety, commencing her current academic appointment in 2024, where she combines research with undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. Nicky-Lee's research foundations are in poultry production, microbiology, and food safety, however her interests now extend across livestock production systems, biosecurity, epidemiology and animal health. She is passionate about translating research into practical outcomes for industry and enjoys working closely with students, producers, and industry stakeholders to address contemporary challenges in animal agriculture.

Nicky-Lee's research career began in poultry production, microbiology and food safety, and has since evolved to include broader interests in livestock production systems, biosecurity, epidemiology, animal health and sustainable agriculture. She is particularly interested in applied research that delivers meaningful outcomes for industry and contributes to improved animal health, welfare and productivity.

Date Position Institution name
2024 - ongoing Lecturer University of Adelaide
2020 - 2023 Postdoctoral Researcher University of Adelaide

Date Institution name Country Title
2009 - 2012 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Animal Science (Hons)

Date Title Institution Country
2013 - 2017 PhD in Animal Science University of Adelaide Australia

Year Citation
2025 Khan, S., Mcwhorter, A. R., Willson, N. -L., Andrews, D. M., Underwood, G. J., Moore, R. J., . . . Chousalkar, K. K. (2025). Vaccine protection of broilers against various doses of wild-type Salmonella Typhimurium and changes in gut microbiota. VETERINARY QUARTERLY, 45(1), 1-14.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC4
2025 Zhang, J., McWhorter, A. R., Khan, S., Willson, N. -L., & Chousalkar, K. K. (2025). Characterization of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from layer hens as probiotic candidates.. BMC Vet Res, 21(1), 416.
DOI Scopus4 WoS6 Europe PMC2
2024 Forder, R. E. A., Willson, N. -L., Angove, J. A., McWhorter, T. J., McQueen, M. A., & Cadogan, D. J. (2024). Dietary inclusion of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolite improved reproductive performance but did not affect intestinal permeability in two chicken meat breeder lines. Poultry Science, 103(5), 103595-1-103595-9.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2024 Jia, S., McWhorter, A. R., Khan, S., Willson, N. L., Andrews, D. M., Underwood, G. J., & Chousalkar, K. K. (2024). Effect of vaccine diluents on the colonization of Salmonella Typhimurium vaccine in chickens. Veterinary and Animal Science, 26, 100409-1-100409-8.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2023 Angove, J., Willson, N. -L., Barekatain, R., Rosenzweig, D., & Forder, R. (2023). In ovo corticosterone exposure does not influence yolk steroid hormone relative abundance or skeletal muscle development in the embryonic chicken. Poultry Science, 102(7), 102735-1-102735-14.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2023 Willson, N. -L., & Chousalkar, K. (2023). Dominant Salmonella Serovars in Australian Broiler Breeder Flocks and Hatcheries: a Longitudinal Study.. Appl Environ Microbiol, 89(8), e0062723.
DOI Scopus8 WoS11 Europe PMC6
2022 Willson, N. -L., Hughes, R. J., Hynd, P. I., & Forder, R. E. A. (2022). Layers, broiler chickens and their F1 cross develop distinctly different caecal microbial communities when hatched and reared together.. Journal of applied microbiology, 133(2), 448-457.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC5
2022 McWhorter, A. R., Weerasooriya, G., Willson, N. L., & Chousalkar, K. K. (2022). Peroxyacetic acid and acidified sodium chlorite reduce microbial contamination on whole chicken carcasses obtained from two processing points. Food Microbiology, 106, 1-12.
DOI Scopus13 WoS11 Europe PMC6
2022 Chousalkar, K. K., & Willson, N. L. (2022). Nontyphoidal Salmonella infections acquired from poultry. Current opinion in infectious diseases, 35(5), 431-435.
DOI Scopus21 WoS18 Europe PMC15
2020 Gangadoo, S., Dinev, I., Willson, N. L., Moore, R. J., Chapman, J., & Stanley, D. (2020). Nanoparticles of selenium as high bioavailable and non-toxic supplement alternatives for broiler chickens. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27(14), 16159-16166.
DOI Scopus80 WoS71 Europe PMC41
2020 Barekatain, R., Howarth, G. S., Willson, N., Cadogan, D., & Wilkinson, S. (2020). Excreta biomarkers in response to different gut barrier dysfunction models and probiotic supplementation in broiler chickens.. PloS one, 15(8), e0237505.
DOI Scopus27 WoS24 Europe PMC19
2020 Angove, J. L., Willson, N. -L., Cadogan, D., & Forder, R. (2020). In ovo corticosterone administration alters body composition irrespective of arginine supplementation in 35-day-old female chicken meat birds. Animal Production Science, 61(1), 8-16.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3
2019 Willson, N. L., Van, T. T. H., Bhattarai, S. P., Courtice, J. M., McIntyre, J. R., Prasai, T. P., . . . Stanley, D. (2019). Feed supplementation with biochar may reduce poultry pathogens, including Campylobacter hepaticus, the causative agent of Spotty Liver Disease. PLoS ONE, 14(4), e0214471-1-e0214471-16.
DOI Scopus40 WoS36 Europe PMC17
2019 Bauer, B. W., Radovanovic, A., Willson, N. L., Bajagai, Y. S., Hao Van, T. T., Moore, R. J., & Stanley, D. (2019). Oregano: A potential prophylactic treatment for the intestinal microbiota. Heliyon, 5(10), 11 pages.
DOI Scopus22 WoS19 Europe PMC14
2019 Willson, N. -L., Van, T. T. H., Lever, J., Moore, R. J., & Stanley, D. (2019). Characterisation of the intestinal microbiota of commercially farmed saltwater crocodiles, Crocodylus porosus.. Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 103(21-22), 8977-8985.
DOI Scopus25 WoS23 Europe PMC13
2018 Forder, R. (2018). Transcriptional analysis of liver from chickens with fast (meat bird), moderate (F1 layer x meat bird cross) and low (layer bird) growth potential. BMC Genomics, 19(1), 1-12.
DOI Scopus23 WoS22 Europe PMC18
2018 Willson, N., Nattrass, G., Hughes, R., Moore, R., Stanley, D., Hynd, P., & Forder, R. (2018). Correlations between intestinal innate immune genes and cecal microbiota highlight potential for probiotic development for immune modulation in poultry. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 102(21), 9317-9329.
DOI Scopus17 WoS15 Europe PMC12
2017 Willson, N., Forder, R., Tearle, R., Nattrass, G., Hughes, R., & Hynd, P. (2017). Evaluation of fatty acid metabolism and innate immunity interactions between commercial broiler, F1 layer × broiler cross and commercial layer strains selected for different growth potentials. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, 8(1), 70-1-70-11.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC8
2016 Van Wettere, W., Willson, N., Pain, S., & Forder, R. (2016). Effect of oral polyamine supplementation pre-weaning on piglet growth and intestinal characteristics. Animal, 10(10), 1655-1659.
DOI Scopus33 WoS29 Europe PMC22

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2024 Co-Supervisor The effects of food storage on the virulence of Salmonella spp Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Milad Yaghoubi
2024 Co-Supervisor The effects of food storage on the virulence of Salmonella s Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Milad Yaghoubi
2023 Co-Supervisor Mechanisms of Salmonella survival on eggs and in raw egg-based foods. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Lingyun Li
2023 Co-Supervisor Mechanisms of Salmonella survival on eggs and in raw egg-based foods. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Lingyun Li
2022 Co-Supervisor Improving chick hatchability and post-hatch performance through maternal dietary supplementation of guanidino compounds Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Corey-Ann Briggette Firman
2022 Co-Supervisor Improving chick hatchability and post-hatch performance through maternal dietary supplementation of guanidino compounds Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Corey-Ann Briggette Firman

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2020 - 2022 Co-Supervisor The avian maternal environment: Its influence on the physiological mechanisms contributing to progeny production efficiency in chicken meat birds Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Joshua Luke Angove

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