Dr Renato Previdelli

MIMV MScVetEd PhD CertAVP PgCertVPS SFHEA MRSB MRCVS
Lecturer in Comparative Anatomy and Physiology

Department: Comparative Biomedical Sciences

Campus: Camden

Research Groups: Pedagogy

Renato delivers lectures and practical teaching in veterinary anatomy, histology, and physiology across the BVetMed, Graduate (Accelerated) BVetMed, and BSc Biosciences programmes. He also coordinates and supervises research projects focused on veterinary anatomy and education, and is the supervisor for students undertaking Professional Extra-Mural Studies in Anatomy Education at the RVC.

Renato completed his studies in veterinary medicine at the Universidade de Évora, Portugal, in an integrated master's degree format. Subsequently, he was awarded a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, where he was also affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology. Renato holds an MSc in Veterinary Education from the RVC, a Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice awarded by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Professional Studies from the University of Liverpool, UK.

Alongside his teaching, Renato supervises research projects in veterinary anatomy and education. He also serves as an external examiner for other veterinary schools in the UK, and is an active Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Member of the Royal Society of Biology, Full Member of the Anatomical Society, and a Senior Fellow of the Advance HE. 

In September 2023, Renato received the James Bee Student-led Educator Award in the category of 'Outstanding Teacher' at the RVC. In 2021, Renato and the RVC Anatomy Team received the Inaugural Education Innovation Award from the Anatomical Society for the work entitled 'The Canine Wiki Abdomen Dissection', an innovative and collaborative tool to promote learning of practical anatomy amid the pandemic restrictions.

Renato is a co-founder and researcher in the Support Hub for Anatomy Research Education (SHARE) at the RVC. 

Anatomy

His research focuses on the description and application of anatomy across different veterinary clinical and surgical contexts. He is particularly interested in exploring and describing anatomical features with a focus on anatomophysiological adaptations.

Educational Research

His educational research focuses on the development and evaluation of innovative methods for teaching and assessing anatomy in both individual and collaborative learning settings. This includes the design of physical and virtual educational tools to better support learners’ needs, as well as pedagogical strategies aimed at enhancing motivation, engagement, and self-directed learning. He is especially interested in understanding how these approaches influence students’ overall learning outcomes.

Publications:

Akhtar, S., Channon, S. B., & Previdelli, R. L. (In Press). Digital Learning Interactions in Veterinary Anatomy Education Enhance Self-Directed Learning and Student Satisfaction. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education.

Previdelli, R.L., Driver, E., Tomlin, J., & Channon, S.B.(2026). The veterinarian as educator: Experiences undertaking an anatomy education extra mural studies placement. Anatomical Sciences Education. 2026;00:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.70212

Cressy, H., Nishigaki, A., Gage, M.C., & Previdelli, R.L. (2025). Rethinking brachycephaly: Anatomical implications and health considerations in lagomorphs. The Anatomical Record, 1–15, Dec 22. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.70123 

Nishigaki, A., Marchesi, J. R., & Previdelli, R. L. (2025). Faecal Microbiota Transplantation as an Adjuvant Treatment for Extraintestinal Disorders: Translating Insights from Human Medicine to Veterinary Practice. Veterinary Sciences, 12(6), 541. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12060541

Hardy, L., Kannan, B., Rigon, M., Benton-Hawthorn, G., Previdelli, R.L., Reichler, I.M., Guscetti, F., Kowalewski, M.P. and Campanella, M. (2024). Canine Mammary Tumours (CMTs) exploit mitochondrial cholesterol for aggressive reprogramming. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Molecular Basis of Disease, p.167546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167546

Spiesshofer, P., Hawkins, A.E., Berner, D., Previdelli, R.L., Fiske-Jackson, A.R. (2024). Surgical treatment of headshaking by removal of a paracondylar process fragment via modified hyovertebrotomy approach: A detailed anatomical and surgical description in an adult horse. Veterinary Surgery, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.14102

Norman, M., Jones, C., Watson, K., Previdelli R.L. (2023). Social Network Analysis as a Tool in the Care and Wellbeing of Zoo Animals: A Case Study of a Family Group of Black Lemurs (Eulemur macaco). Animals, Nov 13;13(22):3501. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13223501

Nishigaki, A., Previdelli, R., Alexander, J.L., Balarajah, S., Roberts, L. and Marchesi, J.R. (2023). Identification of a Sub-Clinical Salmonella spp. Infection in a Dairy Cow Using a Commercially Available Stool Storage Kit. Animals, 13(17), p.2807. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13172807

Previdelli, R.L., Boardman, E., Frill, M., Frean, S. and Channon, S.B. (2023). Supporting collaborative dissection through the development of an online wiki positively impacts the learning of veterinary anatomy. Anatomical Sciences Education. Aug 9. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.2324

You, Y., Vychodil, T., Aimola, G., Previdelli, R.L., Göbel, T.W., Bertzbach, L.D., Kaufer, B.B. (2021). A Cell Culture System to Investigate Marek's Disease Virus Integration into Host Chromosomes. Microorganisms, vol. 9, no. 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9122489

Previdelli, R.L., Bertzbach, L.D., Wight, D.J., Vychodil, T., You, Y., Arndt, S. and Kaufer, B.B. (2019). The role of Marek’s disease virus UL12 and UL29 in DNA recombination and the virus lifecycle. Viruses, 11(2), p.111. https://doi.org/10.3390/v11020111

Kheimar, A., Previdelli, R.L., Wight, D.J. and Kaufer, B.B. (2017). Telomeres and telomerase: role in Marek’s disease virus pathogenesis, integration and tumorigenesis. Viruses, 9(7), p.173. https://doi.org/10.3390/v9070173

 

Recent Conference Papers:

Previdelli, R. L.,  Akthar, S. K., Driver, E., Pickles, K., Roscoe, A., Boardman, E., Finding, E., Thurston, L., Nicoll, S., Burt, T., Crook, A., Stewart, W., Macharia, R., Frean, S., Channon, S. B. (2025). From Concept to Practice: The Creation and Development of the Support Hub for Anatomy Research Education (SHARE). International Symposium of the Veterinary Schools Council, 02 - 04 Jul 2025, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.

Pickles, K., Ahktar, S. K., Channon, S. B., Previdelli, R. L., Roscoe, A. (2025). Revealing the Hidden Curriculum: Exploring the Unspoken in Veterinary Education. International Symposium of the Veterinary Schools Council, 02 - 04 Jul 2025, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.

Mason, J., Dickson, J., Gould, L., Kroll, K., MacDonald, S., Miles, A., Channon, S. B., Previdelli, R. L. (2025). Up, up and away! Balloon modelling to reduce cognitive load and enhance learning in anatomy. International Symposium of the Veterinary Schools Council, 02 - 04 Jul 2025, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.

Dickson, J. Channon, S. B., Gould, L., Kroll, K.,. Mason, J., Miles, A., MacDonald, S., Previdelli, R.L., Richardson, E. (2024). Build-o-mentum and Build-o-colon: exploring the bovine and equine gastrointestinal tracts through balloon modelling. International Symposium of the Veterinary Schools Council, 03 - 05 Jul 2024, University College Dublin, Ireland.

Channon, S. B., Driver, E., Previdelli, R.L. (2024). The Vet as Teacher: Student experiences undertaking an Anatomy Peer Teaching Extra Mural Studies Placement (2024). International Symposium of the Veterinary Schools Council, 03 - 05 Jul 2024, University College Dublin, Ireland.

Akhtar, S. & Previdelli, R.L. (2024). Students’ Perspectives on the Use of Innovative Computer-aided Learning Tools in Veterinary Anatomy Education. International Symposium of the Veterinary Schools Council, 03 - 05 Jul 2024, University College Dublin, Ireland.

Previdelli, R.L., Davis, R. & Chan, E. (2024). The impact of transgender identity on the construction of a veterinary professional identity. International Symposium of the Veterinary Schools Council, 03 - 05 Jul 2024, University College Dublin, Ireland.

Previdelli, R. L., Boardman, E., Frean, S., Channon, S. (2021). The Canine Abdomen Wiki Dissection as a novel group activity for learning veterinary anatomy. In: Anatomical Society Summer meeting. 2021, Glasgow and Virtual: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Previdelli, R. L., Boardman, E., Frean, S., Channon, S. (2021). A collaborative sequential dissection and associated wiki creation aid student learning of veterinary anatomy. International Symposium of the Veterinary Schools Council, 07-09 Jul 2021, University of Surrey, United Kingdom.

Renato delivers lectures, practical sessions, and develops teaching materials focused on comparative gastrointestinal anatomy and physiology to first- and second-year BVetMed, Accelerated BVetMed, and BSc Biosciences students. Renato is also a year leader in the BVetMed programme and a tutor for Gateway and BVetMed students.

As an academic and veterinary surgeon, Renato has been actively involved in the following outreach activities:

  • RVC’s Night in the Vet College, promoting biosciences and veterinary medicine to the public.
  • William Ellis Parent Teacher Association (WESPA, Charity No. 1158812), supporting pupils’ career education through the “World of Work” careers day.
  • British Veterinary LGBT+ Society, in collaborating to advancing diversity and inclusion by organizing LGBT+ advocacy and EDI activities at the RVC.

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