Staff Profile

Background

I undertook a degree in Zoology at the University of Southampton in 1992, which lead to an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour & Welfare at the the University of Edinburgh in 1995. During this time I developed an interest in animal welfare and behaviour. This initially lead me into research investigating the welfare of captive elephants in the UK. Subsequently, I undertook a PhD in Laboratory Animal Welfare at the University of Birmingham which included research into euthanasia, husbandry and housing of laboratory animals. These research topics have formed the basis of my research career since. At the University of Bristol I undertook projects to develop a welfare benchmarking scheme for laboratory mice, investigate the standard of mouse welfare in the UK and to identify the most critical welfare issues affecting wildlife around the world. I continue to actively participate in these research areas. Since joining Newcastle University I have been involved in further research improving the welfare of laboratory, livestock and companion animal species.

Roles and Responsibilities

My research encompasses various aspects of laboratory, livestock and companion animal welfare. I lecture on multiple aspects of laboratory animals science, ethics and welfare and project design and statistics. I am the Director of the Comparative Biology Centre, which manages and cares for all of the animals that used in research at Newcastle University.

Qualifications:

• BSc (Hons) in Zoology from the University of Southampton
• MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour & Welfare from the University of Edinburgh
• PhD in Laboratory Animal Welfare from the University of Birmingham

Previous Positions:

• Post-doctoral Research Associate at the University of Birmingham (2002)
• Post-doctoral Research Associate at the University of Bristol (2002 to 2005)
• Post-doctoral Research Associate at the Newcastle University (2005 to 2012)
• Lecturer / Senior Lecturer (Animal Sciences) at Newcastle University (2012 to 2022)
• Director of Comparative Biology Centre at Newcastle University (2023 onwards)

Memberships:

• Consensus group on Carbon Dioxide Euthanasia of Laboratory Animals
• Animal Welfare Science, Ethics & Law Veterinary Association (AWSELVA)
• Editorial board member for 'Laboratory Animals' journal
• Ethics committee for the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB)

Honours and Awards:

• Significant contribution to the FELASA Animal Welfare Award 2007
• Significant contribution to the Charles River Animal Welfare Prize 2012

Languages:

• English
• Some German

Informal Interests

• Keeping dogs & cats
• Cycling
• Walking
• Camping
• Rugby
• Technology

For a full list of my publications please see my Google Scholar Profile

Research Interests

Developing methods for assessing and alleviating post-procedure pain and distress in various animal species. Identifying and implementing novel manual and automated methods of assessing welfare, pain and distress in animals, particularly laboratory and companion animal species. Identifying, testing and implementing refinements to improve the welfare of a range of animal species. The development of educational materials to assist those who carry out procedures on animals in both veterinary practice and in animal-based research to refine the procedures that they carry out, improving welfare standards.

Other Expertise

Developing and implementing welfare benchmarking schemes for laboratory, pet and wild animals. The assessment of behaviour and welfare of a wide range of captive and wild animals. The use of experimental models and statistical analysis in animal-based research.

Keywords

Laboratory animal welfare, Companion animal welfare, Pain, Distress, Behaviour, Statistical analysis, Experimental design, Welfare benchmarking, Wildlife welfare

Undergraduate Teaching:

• ACE1041: Animal Science
• ACE1057: Natural Science Research Impact
• CMB2000: Essential Biomedical Research Skills
• MST1204: Academic and Professional Skills for the Biosciences
• PED3007: Drug Discovery and Development

Postgraduate Teaching:

• PIL Courses at Newcastle University
• MMB8045: Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare
• BGM3062: Genetics of Development and its Disorders

External Workshops:

• Research Animal Training (International) - Pain & Distress Workshops
• Karolinska Institute (Sweden) - Experimental Design for In-Vivo Science
• Cephalopod Research Institute (Italy) - Experimental Design for In-Vivo Science

• Articles

  • Clarkson J, Leach MC, McKeegan DEF, Martin JE. The perspectives of UK personnel towards current killing practices for laboratory rodents. Scientific Reports 2023, 13, 4808.
  • Clarkson JM, Martin JE, Sparrey J, Leach MC, McKeegan DEF. Striving for humane deaths for laboratory mice: hypobaric hypoxia provides a potential alternative to carbon dioxide exposure. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2023, 290(1997), 20222446.
  • Barney S, Dlay S, Crowe A, Kyriazakis I, Leach M. Deep learning pose estimation for multi-cattle lameness detection. Scientific Reports 2023, 13, 4499.
  • Prescott MJ, Leach MC, Truelove MA. Harmonisation of welfare indicators for macaques and marmosets used or bred for research. F1000 Research 2022, 11, 272.
  • Miller AL, Clarkson J, Quigley C, Neville V, Krall C, Geijer-Simson A, Flecknell PA, Leach MC. Evaluating pain and analgesia effectiveness following routine castration in rabbits using behaviour and facial expressions. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2022, 9, 782486.
  • Miller AL, Leach MC. Determining the preferred liquid reward in adult C57BL/6 mice. Laboratory Animals 2022, Epub ahead of print.
  • Clarkson JM, McKeegan DEF, Sparrey J, Marchesi F, Leach MC, Martin JE. Determining candidate hypobaric hypoxia profiles for humane killing of laboratory mice. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2022, 9, 834478.
  • Robinson LM, Waran NK, Handel I, Leach MC. Happiness, welfare, and personality in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2021, 236, 105268.
  • Truelove MA, Martin JE, Langford FM, Leach MC. The identification of effective welfare indicators for laboratory‐housed macaques using a Delphi consultation process. Scientific Reports 2020, 10, 20402.
  • Pinho RH, Leach MC, Minto BW, Del Lama Rocha F, Luna SPL. Postoperative pain behaviours in rabbits following orthopaedic surgery and effect of observer presence. PLoS ONE 2020, 15(10), e0240605.
  • Clarkson JM, Leach MC, Flecknell PA, Rowe C. Negative mood affects the expression of negative but not positive emotions in mice. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2020, 287(1933), 1636.
  • Dai F, Leach M, MacRae AM, Minero M, Dalla-Costa E. Does Thirty-Minute Standardised Training Improve the Inter-Observer Reliability of the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS)? A Case Study. Animals 2020, 10(5), 781-788.
  • Campos-Luna I, Miller A, Beard A, Leach M. Validation of mouse welfare indicators: a Delphi consultation survey. Scientific Reports 2019, 9, 10249.
  • Descovich KA, Richmond SE, Leach MC, Buchanan-Smith HM, Flecknell P, Framingham DAH, Witham C, Gates MC, Vick SJ. Opportunities for Refinement in Neuroscience: Indicators of Wellness and Post-operative Pain in Laboratory Macaques1. ALTEX 2019, 36(4), 535-554.
  • Clarkson JM, Dwyer DM, Flecknell PA, Leach MC, Rowe C. Handling method alters the hedonic value of reward in laboratory mice. Scientific Reports 2018, 8(1), 2448.
  • Robinson LM, Waran NK, Leach MC, Morton FB, Paukner A, Lonsdorf E, Handel I, Wilson VAD, Brosnan SF, Weiss A. Corrigendum to “Happiness is positive welfare in brown capuchins (Sapajus apella)” [Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 181 (2016) 145–151]. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2018, 204, 134-134.
  • Costa ED, Pascuzzo R, Leach MC, Dai F, Lebelt D, Vantini S, Minero M. Can grimace scales estimate the pain status in horses and mice? A statistical approach to identify a classifier. PLoS ONE 2018, 13(8), e0200339.
  • Reigwart ML, Schoemaker NJ, Pascuzzo R, Leach MC, Stodel M, deNies L, Hendriksen CFM, vanderMeer M, Vinke CM, vanZeeland YRA. The composition and initial evaluation of a grimace scale in ferrets after surgical implantation of a telemetry probe. PLoS ONE 2017, 12(11), e0187986.
  • Malik A, Leach M. How do we assess pain in rodents in veterinary practice, what do we know and why it is important?. Veterinary Nursing Journal 2017, 32(4), 103-108.
  • Di Giminiani P, Nasirahmadi A, Malcolm EM, Leach MC, Edwards SA. Docking piglet tails: How much does it hurt and for how long?. Physiology and Behaviour 2017, 182, 69-76.
  • Viscardi AV, Hunniford M, Lawlis P, Leach M, Turner PV. Development of a Piglet Grimace Scale to Evaluate Piglet Pain Using Facial Expressions Following Castration and Tail Docking: A Pilot Study. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2017, 4, 51.
  • Robinson LM, Altschul DM, Wallace EK, Úbeda Y, Llorente M, Marchanda Z, Slocombe KE, Leach MC, Waran NK, Weiss A. Chimpanzees with positive welfare are happier, extraverted, and emotionally stable. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2017, 191, 90-97.
  • Di Giminiani P, Edwards SA, Malcolm EM, Leach MC, Herskin MS, Sandercock DA. Characterization of short- and long-term mechanical sensitisation following surgical tail amputation in pigs. Scientific Reports 2017, 7, 4827.
  • Miller AL, Kitson GL, Skalkoyannis B, Flecknell PA, Leach MC. Using the mouse grimace scale and behaviour to assess pain in CBA mice following vasectomy. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2016, 181, 160-165.
  • Dalla-Costa E, Stucke D, Dai F, Minero M, Leach MC, Lebel D. Using the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) to Assess Pain Associated with Acute Laminitis in Horses (Equus caballus). Animals 2016, 6(8).
  • Miller AL, Golledge HDR, Leach MC. The influence of isoflurane anaesthesia on the rat grimace scale. PLoS ONE 2016, 11(11), e0166652.
  • Miller A, Leach MC. The effect of handling method on the mouse grimace scale in two strains of laboratory mice. Laboratory Animals 2016, 50(4), 305-307.
  • Di Giminiani P, Brierley VLMH, Scollo A, Gottardo F, Malcolm EM, Edwards SA, Leach MC. The Assessment of Facial Expressions in Piglets Undergoing Tail Docking and Castration: Toward the Development of the Piglet Grimace Scale. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2016, 3, 100.
  • Robinson LM, Waran NK, Leach MC, Morton FB, Paukner A, Lonsdorf E, Handel I, Wilson VAD, Brosnan SF, Weiss A. Happiness is positive welfare in brown capuchins (Sapajus apella). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2016, 181, 145-151.
  • Ellen Y, Flecknell P, Leach M. Evaluation of Using Behavioural Changes to Assess Post-Operative Pain in the Guinea Pig (Cavia porcellus). PLoS One 2016, 11(9), e0161941.
  • Thomas AA, Miller AL, Roughan JV, Malik A, Haylor KE, Sanderson C, Flecknell PA, Leach M. Efficacy of intrathecal morphine in a model of surgical pain in rats. PLOS One 2016, 11(10), e0163909.
  • Whittaker AL, Leach MC, Preston FL, Lymn KA, Howarth GS. Effects of acute chemotherapy-induced mucositis on spontaneous behaviour and the grimace scale in laboratory rats. Laboratory Animals 2016, 50(2), 108-118.
  • McLennan KM, Rebelo CJB, Corke MJ, Holmes MA, Leach MC, Constantino-Casas F. Development of a facial expression scale using footrot and mastitis as models of pain in sheep. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2016, 176, 19-26.
  • Davies GF, Greenhough BJ, Hobson-West P, Kirk RGW, Applebee K, Bellingan LC, Berdoy M, Buller H, Cassaday HJ, Davies K, Diefenbacher D, Druglitro T, Escobar MP, Friese C, Herrmann K, Hinterberger A, Jarrett WJ, Jayne K, Johnson AM, Johnson ER, Konold T, Leach MC, Leonelli S, Lewis DI, Lilley EJ, Longridge ER, McLeod CM, Miele M, Nelson NC, Ormandy EH, Pallett H, Poort L, Pound P, Ramsden E, Roe E, Scalway H, Schrader A, Scotton CJ, Scudamore CL, Smith JA, Whitfield L, Wolfensohn S. Developing a Collaborative Agenda for Humanities and Social Scientific Research on Laboratory Animal Science and Welfare. PLoS ONE 2016, 11(7), e0158791.
  • McLennan KM, Rebelo CJB, Corke MJ, Holmes MA, Leach MC, Constantino-Casas F. Corrigendum to Development of a facial expression scale using footrot and mastitis as models of pain in sheep (vol 176, pg 19, 2016). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2016, 179, 105-107.
  • Guesgen MA, Beausoleil NJ, Leach M, Minot EO, Stewart M, Stafford KJ. Coding and quantification of a facial expression for pain in lambs. Behavioural Processes 2016, 132, 49-56.
  • DiGiminiani P, Sandercock DA, Malcolm EM, Leach MC, Herskin MS, Edwards SA. Application of a handheld Pressure Application Measurement device for the characterisation of mechanical nociceptive thresholds in intact pig tails. Physiology & Behavior 2016, 165, 119-126.
  • Sneddon LU, Leach MC. Anthropomorphic denial of fish pain. Animal Sentience 2016, 1(3), 1-4.
  • Miller AL, Leach MC. Using the Mouse Grimace Scale to assess pain associated with routine ear notching and the effect of analgesia in laboratory mice. Laboratory Animals 2015, 49(2), 117-120.
  • Miller AL, Leach MC. The Mouse Grimace Scale: A Clinically Useful Tool?. PLoS ONE 2015, 10(9), e0136000.
  • Miller AL, Kitson GL, Skalkoyannis B, Leach MC. The effect of isoflurane anaesthesia and buprenorphine on the mouse grimace scale and behaviour in CBA and DBA/2 mice. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2015, 172, 58-62.
  • Hawkins P, Clutton RE, Dennison N, Guesgen M, Leach M, Sharpe F, Simmons H, Smith AJ, Webster J, Weyer U. Report of an RSPCA/AHVLA meeting on the welfare of agricultural animals in research: Cattle, goats, pigs and sheep. Animal Technology and Welfare 2014, 13(1), 43-56.
  • Dalla Costa E, Minero M, Lebelt D, Stucke D, Canali E, Leach MC. Development of the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) as a Pain Assessment Tool in Horses Undergoing Routine Castration. PLoS ONE 2014, 9(3).
  • Leach MC, Klaus K, Miller AL, Scotto di Perrotolo M, Sotocinal SG, Flecknell PA. The Assessment of Post-Vasectomy Pain in Mice using Behaviour and the Mouse Grimace Scale. PloS One 2012, 7(4), e35656.
  • Brieuc V, Flecknell P, Miller A, Thomas A, Leach M. Peut-on utilliser les expressions faciales pour étudier la douleur chez les rongeurs? (Can we use facial expressions to study pain in rodents?). STAL 2012, 38(3), 33-45.
  • Keating SCJ, Thomas AA, Flecknell PA, Leach MC. Evaluation of EMLA Cream for Preventing Pain during Tattooing of Rabbits: Changes in Physiological, Behavioural and Facial Expression Responses. PLoS One 2012, 7(9), e44437.
  • Thomas AA, Leach MC, Flecknell PA. An alternative method of endotracheal intubation of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Laboratory Animals 2012, 46(1), 71-76.
  • Coulter CA, Flecknell PA, Leach MC, Richardson CA. Reported analgesic administration to rabbits undergoing experimental surgical procedures. BMC Veterinary Research 2011, 7, 12.
  • Farnworth MJ, Walker JK, Schweizer KA, Chuang C-L, Guild S-J, Barrett CJ, Leach MC, Waran NK. Potential behavioural indicators of post-operative pain in male laboratory rabbits following abdominal surgery. Animal Welfare 2011, 20(2), 225-237.
  • Leach MC, Coulter CA, Richardson CA, Flecknell PA. Are We Looking in the Wrong Place? Implications for Behavioural-Based Pain Assessment in Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculi) and Beyond?. PLoS One 2011, 6(3), e13347.
  • Miller AL, Flecknell PA, Leach MC, Roughan JV. A comparison of a manual and an automated behavioural analysis method for assessing post-operative pain in mice. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2011, 131(3-4), 138-144.
  • ScottodiPerrotolo M, Miller AL, Leach MC, Flecknell PA. Mesure de la fiabilité et de la precision des expressions facials pour évaluer la douler chez la souris. STAL 2010, 36(4), 49-58.
  • Leach MC, Bailey HE, Dickinson AL, Roughan JV, Flecknell PA. A preliminary investigation into the practicality of use and duration of action of slow-release preparations of morphine and hydromorphone in laboratory rats. Laboratory Animals 2010, 44(1), 59-65.
  • Dickinson AL, Leach MC, Flecknell PA. Influence of early neonatal experience on nociceptive responses and analgesic effects in rats. Laboratory Animals 2009, 43(1), 11-16.
  • Leach MC, Allweiler S, Richardson C, Roughan JV, Narbe R, Flecknell PA. Behavioural effects of ovariohysterectomy and oral administration of meloxicam in laboratory housed rabbits. Research in Veterinary Science 2009, 87(2), 336-347.
  • Leach MC, Thornton PD, Main DCJ. Identification of appropriate measures for the assessment of laboratory mouse welfare. Animal Welfare 2008, 17(2), 161-170.
  • Leach MC, Main DCJ. An assessment of laboratory mouse welfare in UK animal units. Animal Welfare 2008, 17(2), 171-187.
  • Richardson CA, Niel LE, Leach MC, Flecknell PA. Evaluation of the efficacy of a novel electronic pain assessment device, the Pain Gauge®, for measuring postoperative pain in rats. Laboratory Animals 2007, 41(1), 46-54.
  • Leach MC, Bowell VA, Allan TF, Morton DB. Measurement of aversion to determine humane methods of anaesthesia and euthanasia. Animal Welfare 2004, 13(s1), 77-86.
  • Leach MC, Morton DB. How humane is induction with common agents of anaesthesia an euthanasia in laboratory rodents?. ANZCCART Newsletter 2004, 17, 1-4.
  • Raj ABM, Leach MC, Morton DB. Carbon dioxide for euthanasia of laboratory animals. Comparative Medicine 2004, 54(5), 470-471.
  • Leach MC, Bowell VA, Allan TF, Morton DB. Degrees of aversion shown by rats and mice to different concentrations of inhalational anaesthetics. Veterinary Record 2002, 150(26), 808-815.
  • Leach MC, Bowell VA, Allan TF, Morton DB. Aversion to gaseous euthanasia agents in rats and mice. Comparative Medicine 2002, 52(6), 572.
  • Leach MC, Bowell VA, Allan TF, Morton DB. Aversion to gaseous euthanasia agents in rats and mice. Comparative Medicine 2002, 52(3), 249-257.
  • Leach MC, Bowell VA, Allan TF, Morton DB. Aversion to gaseous anesthesia in rats and mice. Comparative Medicine 2002, 52(6), 498.
  • Leach MC, Ambrose N, Morton DB. The Development of a Novel Form of Mouse Cage Enrichment. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 2000, 3(2), 81-91.
  • Leach MC, Waran N, Young RJ. Olfactory enrichment for asian elephants: Is it as good as it smells?. International Zoo News 1998, 45, 285-291.
  • Leach MC. Animal Training – A controversial form of enrichment. Ratel 1997, 25, 49-58.

• Book Chapters

  • Dennison T, Leach MC. Animals, reseach, ethics and law. In: Pullen, S, ed. Ethics, Animal Law and the Veterinary Nurse. Oxford: Elsevier, 2006, pp.103-116.
  • Morton DB, Ambrose N, Leach MC, Kelly J, Poirier G. Adverse effects - recognition and assessment, and humane endpoints. In: Balls M, van Zeller AM, Halder ME, ed. Progress in the reduction, refinement and replacement of animal experimentation: proceedings of the 3rd World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences, held in Bologna, Italy, from 29 August to 2 September 1999. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2000, pp.1083-1093.
  • Leach MC. Practical environmental enrichment for elephants. In: Field D, Young RJ, ed. Zoo Enrichment Guidelines. Association of British Wild Animal Keepers, 1997.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Harper S, Mehrnezhad M, Leach M. Are Our Animals Leaking Information About Us? Security and Privacy Evaluation of Animal-related Apps. In: 2022 IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy Workshops (EuroS&PW). 2022, Genoa, Italy: IEEE.
  • Di Giminiani P, Malcolm EL, Leach MC, Herskin MS, Sandercock DA, Edwards SA. Temporal changes in mechanical nociceptive thresholds in juvenile pigs subjected to surgical tail amputation: a model of injury induced by tail biting. In: 24th International Pig Veterinary Society Congress. 2016, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Di Giminiani P, Sandercock DA, Malcolm EL, Leach MC, Edwards SA. Assessment of immediate and long-term changes in pain sensitivity following tail-docking in pigs. In: RSPCA/AHVLA Meeting on Welfare of Agricultural Animals in Research. 2015, England, UK.
  • Rocha GS, Roughan J, Leach M, Flecknell P, Ingram CD, Brandt K. Antinociceptive Activities of Hyptis crenata Pohl. In: II International Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants. 2013, New Delhi, India: International Society for Horticultural Science.
  • Leach MC, Klaus K, Miller AL, Scotto di Perrotolo M, Sotocinal SG, Flecknell PA. Are we looking in the right place? - Implications for assessing pain. In: ALTEX: 8th World Congress. 2012, Montreal, Canada: Springer Spektrum.
  • Leach MC, Thornton PD, Main DCJ. Development of a welfare-benchmarking scheme for laboratory mice. In: 9th FELASA Symposium on Internationalisation and harmonisation of laboratory animal care and use issues. 2006, Nantes, France: Laboratory Animals Ltd.

• Editorial

  • Flecknell P, Leach M, Bateson M. Affective state and quality of life in mice. Pain 2011, 152(5), 963-964.

• Letter

  • Sneddon LU, Lopez-Luna J, Wolfenden DCC, Leach MC, Valentim AM, Steenbergen PJ, Bardine N, Currie AD, Broom DM, Brown C. Response to: Responses of larval zebrafish to low pH immersion assay. Comment on Lopez-Luna et al. Journal of Experimental Biology 2017, 220(17), 3192-3194.

• Report

  • Hawkins P, Playle L, Golledge H, Leach M, Banzett R, Coenen A, Cooper J, Danneman P, Flecknell P, Kirkden R, Niel L, Raj M. Newcastle Consensus Meeting on Carbon Dioxide Euthanasia of Laboratory Animals. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: NC3Rs, 2006.

• Reviews

  • Miller AL, Leach MC. Pain Recognition in Rabbits. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice 2023, 26(1), 187-199.
  • McLennan KM, Miller AL, Dalla Costa E, Stucke D, Corke MJ, Broom DM, Leach MC. Conceptual and methodological issues relating to pain assessment in mammals: The development and utilisation of pain facial expression scales. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 2019, 217, 1-15.
  • Descovich KA, Wathan J, Leach MC, Buchanan-Smith HM, Flecknell P, Framingham D, Vick SJ. Facial expression: An under-utilised tool for the assessment of welfare in mammals. ALTEX 2017, 34(3), 409-429.
  • Sneddon LU, Elwood RW, Adamo SA, Leach MC. Defining and assessing animal pain. Animal Behaviour 2014, 97, 201-212.