Barbara Padalino

Biography

Dr. Barbara Padalino earned her degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Bari (Italy) in 2002. In 2017, she completed a PhD at the University of Sydney (Australia), with a thesis titled “Transportation of Horses and the Implications for Health and Welfare.” She is currently an Associate Professor specializing in animal behavior, husbandry, and welfare.

Throughout her career, Dr. Padalino has held academic and research positions at several universities, including the University of Bologna and the University of Bari in Italy; City University and Cornell University in Hong Kong; Charles Sturt University, the University of New England, and the University of Sydney in Australia.

Horses have been a central part of her life—as a rider, driver, Standardbred breeder, equine veterinarian, and equine scientist. For over a decade, her research has focused on the impact of animal transport on health and welfare. She is currently a member of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) working group revising the international guidelines on animal welfare during transport.

Dr. Padalino’s work contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals

Research

Dr. Padalino’s broader research interests include animal behavior and welfare, as well as equine internal medicine and sports medicine. She is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Animal Transport Association (ATA), the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES), and the European Association for Animal Production (EAAP). She has authored or presented over 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals and at international conferences, contributing extensively to the field of animal health and welfare.