Peter Bennett

Associate Professor Peter Bennett serves as Associate Professor in Small Animal Clinical Studies within the Melbourne Veterinary School at the University of Melbourne, Faculty of Science, where he also holds the position of Assistant Director for Veterinary Profession Engagement. A graduate of the University of Melbourne with a BVSc, he holds a PhD, Fellowship of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (FANZCVS) in Canine Medicine, and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (DACVIM) in both Oncology and Small Animal Medicine. Following graduation, he engaged in general small animal practice before pursuing advanced training in small animal medicine under mentorship at Massey University in New Zealand, the University of Georgia, and the University of Tennessee, where he developed a keen interest in oncology and achieved specialist certification. Returning to Australia in the late 1990s, he co-founded the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre and practiced small animal medicine and oncology there for approximately 12 years. He subsequently joined the University of Sydney's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, establishing a comparative oncology program, prior to his appointment at the University of Melbourne in early 2024. Bennett also contributes to the editorial board of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

His research focuses on clinical aspects of veterinary oncology, including demographics, treatment outcomes, and prognostic factors for canine and feline lymphoma, as well as chronic enteropathies, serum proteome profiles, exosomes in veterinary medicine, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors in companion animals. Key publications include "Demographics of Feline Lymphoma in Australian Cat Populations: 1705 Cases" (2024), "Review of exosomes and their potential for veterinary medicine" (2024), "Review of Canine Lymphoma Treated with Chemotherapy—Outcomes and Prognostic Factors" (2023), "Serum proteome profiles in cats with chronic enteropathies" (2023), "Serum proteome of dogs with chronic enteropathy" (2023), and "Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) presenting as a multilocular cystic intra-abdominal mass in a dog" (2022). With 56 publications and over 1,250 citations, his work significantly influences comparative oncology bridging veterinary and human medicine. In teaching, he lectures third- and fourth-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students in small animal medicine and oncology, supervises clinical cases in the teaching hospital, and provides continuing professional development through tutoring and invited talks, promoting best practices in compassionate cancer care for dogs and cats.