Since July 2023, I am a PhD student at Utrecht University in Work Package 1 of the OBSeRVeD project, supervised by Dr. Francisca Velkers. My academic journey began at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Sarajevo, where I developed a strong interest in parasitology and poultry health.
My research now focuses on two major challenges in the sector: Poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) infestations in laying hens and coccidiosis (Eimeria spp.) infections in broilers. These issues not only compromise animal health and performance but also cause substantial economic losses for farmers, making early detection and improved monitoring approaches highly valuable. For poultry red mite, I study their spatial and temporal distribution within farms to better understand infestation dynamics and support more effective monitoring and control strategies. In broilers, my focus is on identifying early biomarkers (volatile and non-volatile) that reflect intestinal health disturbances, and on studying how Eimeria infections shape these biomarkers in relation to the microbiome and metabolome.
Through this work, I aim to contribute to the development of practical tools for earlier detection and management of poultry health challenges. The results also provide essential input for the technical work packages of OBSeRVeD, where sensor systems are being developed and tested under farm conditions.