Joana Jacinto

Joana Jacinto is a senior clinician and researcher at the Clinic for Ruminants and the Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Switzerland. She is specialized in bovine herd health management, integrating clinical practice with research in genetics and population medicine.
She earned her MSc in Veterinary Medicine from Lusófona University, Portugal, in 2018, and completed a PhD in Veterinary Sciences at the University of Bologna, Italy, in 2022. Her doctoral research focused on genetic disorders in cattle. From 2020 to 2023, she undertook a European College of Bovine Health Management (ECBHM) residency, becoming a Diplomate in 2023.
Her research bridges clinical sciences, genomics, and epidemiology, with the aim of improving health, welfare, and sustainability in ruminant production systems. She has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, addressing topics such as neuromuscular diseases, congenital malformations, and infectious diseases in cattle.
She supervises PhD, DVM, and Master’s students and is actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in population medicine, with a focus on ruminant health. In parallel, she practices as a clinician within the Herd Health Group at the Clinic for Ruminants, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern.
In addition to her academic and clinical roles, Dr. Jacinto contributes to international capacity-building initiatives in Africa within a One Health framework, supporting veterinary education, animal health, and sustainable livestock development.