Can trans-disciplinary approaches future-proof Australia’s biosecurity?

The future of biosecurity, from an understanding of the risks posed by diseases and pests, to strong surveillance and implementation of effective systems control, involves questions touching multiple disciplines of natural and social sciences and strong partnership with stakeholders. This panel will present animal health examples of interdisciplinary questions asked to motivate a discussion of successes and failures of current biosecurity efforts and implications for future proofing investments in biosecurity. We will present lessons learned from a transdisciplinary project that looks at transboundary animal disease (TAD) control from early recognition and diagnosis to providing tools that could be used to ensure rapid control and eradication, and fast return to trade. This project brings together biologists, economists, social scientists, modellers, epidemiologists and stakeholders who are responsible for policy. In addition, livestock industry stakeholders are involved as they play a role not only at farm level regarding biosecurity and surveillance, but also because they would be impacted by a disease incursion. The team initially found communicating across the disciplines challenging and meeting face to face was an important way to ensure a holistic approach. In doing so, they discovered surprising areas of interlinks where the different disciplines could strengthen the research outputs.The time necessary to use more collaborative approaches was also evident, especially wher eproducers were involved. The panel will share their learnings while working in an interdisciplinary team and demonstrate how this approach has the potential to ensure Australia will be able to eradicate an incursion of a TAD in a much more rapid way.