I am a veterinarian (University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna Austria) and veterinary pathologist (Iowa State University, Iowa, USA) with an extensive background on pig infectious diseases. My research focus is on pathogenesis, control and diagnosis of infectious pathogens in pigs. My current research focus is on economically important pig pathogens including porcine circovirus type 2, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, and swine hepatitis E virus but I also study novel pathogens or pathogens with little background information including porcine astrovirus and porcine parvovirus.