Larissa Campos Aquino
Pronouns: She/her
About
Biography
Dr Larissa Campos Aquino is Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine at the University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine. Originally graduating as a veterinary surgeon in Brazil, Larissa moved to the UK in 2017 and has since developed experience across veterinary clinical practice, postgraduate education and veterinary teaching. After obtaining MRCVS status through the RCVS statutory examination pathway, she worked in a range of busy first opinion veterinary hospitals in the UK while also developing an interest in clinical teaching and veterinary education within the practice setting.
She later completed a rotating internship in a large referral hospital in London, further broadening her clinical experience and exposure to referral-level veterinary medicine.
Alongside her clinical interests, Larissa has a strong interest in veterinary education, particularly in supporting veterinary surgeons transitioning into UK practice and developing practical, clinically relevant teaching approaches that build confidence, clinical reasoning and professional skills.
In her role as Programme Lead for the Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary General Practice (PGCert), her focus is on creating a supportive and structured learning environment that helps veterinary surgeons from a wide range of backgrounds prepare for the realities of veterinary practice in the UK.
ResearchResearch interests
Larissa’s research interests are closely linked to her clinical and educational work. Her previous research has focused on small animal internal medicine and infectious diseases, particularly feline medicine, haemoplasma infections and molecular diagnostics in dogs and cats. Her doctoral research, completed in collaboration between the University of Brasilia and the University of Bristol, explored the diagnosis and epidemiology of haemoplasma infections in companion animals.
She also has a strong interest in veterinary education, particularly practical skills teaching, clinical reasoning and supportive learning approaches for veterinary students and veterinary surgeons transitioning into UK practice. Her main clinical interests include small animal internal medicine, feline medicine, gastroenterology, nephrology/urology and nutrition.
Research interests
Larissa’s research interests are closely linked to her clinical and educational work. Her previous research has focused on small animal internal medicine and infectious diseases, particularly feline medicine, haemoplasma infections and molecular diagnostics in dogs and cats. Her doctoral research, completed in collaboration between the University of Brasilia and the University of Bristol, explored the diagnosis and epidemiology of haemoplasma infections in companion animals.
She also has a strong interest in veterinary education, particularly practical skills teaching, clinical reasoning and supportive learning approaches for veterinary students and veterinary surgeons transitioning into UK practice. Her main clinical interests include small animal internal medicine, feline medicine, gastroenterology, nephrology/urology and nutrition.
Teaching
Larissa is involved in teaching across both undergraduate and postgraduate veterinary programmes, delivering a combination of theoretical teaching, clinical reasoning and practical skills training. Her teaching interests include small animal medicine, professional skills and hands-on clinical teaching, with a strong focus on creating supportive and clinically relevant learning experiences for veterinary students and veterinary surgeons.
Publications
Additional publications
- Carneiro, F.T; Scalon, M.C; Amorim, G; Silva, W.A.C; Honorato, S.M; Pereira, F.M.A.M; Silva, L.H.R; Aquino, L.C; Paludo, G.R. Hemoplasma infection in wild captive carnivores (2020). Pesq. Vet. Bras. 40 (4) Apr
- Sarvani, E; Tasker, S; Filipovic, M.K; Andric, J.F; Andric, N; Aquino, L.C; English, S; Attipa, C; Leutenegger, C.M; Helps, C.R; Papasouliotis. Prevalence and risk factor analysis for feline haemoplasmas in cats from Northern Serbia, with molecular subtyping of feline immunodeficiency virus (2018). Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Open Rep. Jan- Jun 4 (1)
- Lima, M.A, Aquino, L.C, Paludo, G.R. Evaluation of Anaplasmataceae Family Agents Infection in Domestic Cats (2017). Pakistan Veterinary Journal Mar 18
- Aquino, L.C; Kamani, J; Haruna, A.M; Paludo, G.R; Hicks, C.A; Helps, C.R; Tasker, S. Analysis of risk factors and prevalence of haemoplasma infection in dogs (2016). Veterinary Parasitology, vol. 221; 111-117
- Firmino, F.P; Aquino, L.C; Marcola, T.G; Bittencourt, M.V; McManus, C.M; Paludo, G.R. Frequency and hematological alterations of different hemoplasma infections with retrovirusis co-infections in domestic cats from Brazil (2016). Pesq. Vet. Bras. 36 (8) Aug
- Scalon, M.C; Silva, T.F; Aquino, L.C; Carneiro, F.T; Lima, M.G.M; Lemos, M.S; Paludo,
- G.R. Touchdown polymerase chain reaction detection of polycystic kidney disease and laboratory findings in different cat populations (2014). Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation volume 26 issue 4; 542-546
- Aquino, L.C; Hick, C.A.E; Scalon, M.C; Lima, M.G.M; Lemos, M.S; Paludo, G.R; Helps, C.R; Tasker, S. Prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of haemoplasmas from cats infected with multiple species (2014). Journal of Microbiological Methods, vol. 107; 189 – 196, Dec
- Paludo, G.R; Aquino, L.C; Lopes, B.C.C; Silva, P.H.C; Borges, T.S; Barbeitas, M.M; Carranza-Tomayo, C.O; Bofill, I.R; Castro, M.B. Whole blood PCR test and laboratorial findings in natural canine visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil (2013). Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences 7 (11) 343-348, Sep
- 2012 Investigation about FeLV's role in predisposing infections by FIV, hemoplasmas and T. gondii in domestic cats
11th International Feline Retrovirus Research Symposium, Leipzig, Germany
- 2011 Hematological parameters observed in FeLV infection and the use of PCR as a diagnostic tool to identify FeLV subtypes
ACVP/ASVCP 47 Annual Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- 2010 Feline leukemia virus: PCR as a diagnostic tool and hematological changes ACVP/ASVCP 46 Annual Meeting, Maryland, Baltimore, United States
- 2007 PCR as a tool in diagnostic of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Brasília, Brazil and Laboratorial findings of canine visceral leishmaniasis in Brasília, Brazil The 17th European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine -Companion Animals Congress, Budapest