Dr Lee Morris

DIRECTOR

BVSC DVSC DIPACT, REGISTERED SPECIALIST IN VETERINARY REPRODUCTION

Lee graduated from The University of Sydney in 1992 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. After 2 years in rural veterinary practice in northern NSW, Australia she undertook a 3-year residency programme in Theriogenology at the University of Guelph in Canada during which time she also became a Diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists in 1997, and then graduated with a Doctorate of Veterinary Science in 1998. Her DVSc thesis work encompassed in vitro studies (IVF) on the production of embryos and the assessment of male fertility. From 1998 to 2001 Lee was employed as the Senior Veterinary Research Scientist at the Equine Fertility Unit in Newmarket (UK) where she worked with Professor Twink Allen and developed the hysteroscopic (low dose) insemination procedure for horses. In 2001 Lee was the Senior Registrar at The University of Sydney from where she provided clinical reproductive services for horses and dogs and conducted research into sex-sorted semen.

Lee has been in New Zealand since 2002 and was offering AI and embryo transfer services from Equine Fertility Services in Kihi Kihi with Animal Breeding Services and then MVS EquiBreed in Matamata. In 2004, she became a Registered Specialist in Veterinary Reproduction in Australasia. In 2008 Lee and her husband, Newlands, set up EquiBreed NZ Ltd. In 2023 EquiBreed NZ was sold to Matamata Veterinary Services to become MVS EquiBreed, a full circle! Now Lee and Newlands have retained the equine advanced reproductive technologies business, called EquiBreed ART Ltd.

Lee’s special interests include artificial insemination (AI), embryo transfer (ET), epididymal spermatozoa, hysteroscopy, equine laparoscopy, semen freezing technology, sex-sorted semen and challenging cases of mare or stallion infertility. Lee provides referral consultancy services to equine vet clinics in New Zealand and Australia. In 2019 Lee produced the first foal by ICSI in New Zealand.

In 2004, Lee was elected onto the committee for the International Symposium of Equine Reproduction (ISER) and in 2014 she was the local Chairperson for the ISER XI in 2014 in Hamilton, NZ.

Lee has been an Honorary Associate of The University of Sydney (Australia) and an Honorary Lecturer at The University of Waikato (NZ) in recognition of her contribution to research. She has lectured and provided clinical tuition to veterinary students at The University of Guelph (Canada), Cambridge University (UK), Massey University and The University of Sydney (Australia). She has been the industry supervisor of 5 MSc theses (Waikato University, New Zealand) and 2 PhD theses (The University of Sydney, Australia). Lee has published more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific papers, presented her research internationally and written chapters in the Veterinary Clinics of North America and two textbooks on Equine Reproduction.