Professor Hughes has over 20 years of academic teaching experience in the field of veterinary science. His teaching expertise in in the discipline of equine medicine at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels. He also contributes teaching experience to animal science and equine science undergraduate degrees in the School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences. His post-graduate teaching includes supervision of doctorate students and supervision of advanced clinical training for candidates pursing specialist veterinary qualifications in equine medicine and related disciplines. He has served as examiner for the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists and the European College of Equine Internal Medicine.

Professor Hughes’s research interests include parasitology, infectious diseases, Salmonella spp, the intestinal microbiota, lower respiratory tract disorders and intensive care of horses. He has received national and international funding for projects investigating non-infectious lower airway inflammation in horses, endoparasitism of horses, faecal microbiota transplantation in foals and Salmonella shedding in horses. He has more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, 16 book chapters and has over 75 scientific conference presentations. His research and supervisory capacity is demonstrated by successful completion and graduation of numerous Doctorate, Masters by Research and Honours students under his supervision.

He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Professor Hughes is a member of the research committees of the School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences and Faculty of Science and Health.