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Staff Profile

Dr Aleksei Podturkin

Research Fellow

  • Address: School of Natural and Environmental Sciences
    Agriculture Building
    Â鶹´«Ã½
    Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne
    NE1 7RU
Background

I am a Robert Little Research Fellow in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences at Â鶹´«Ã½. My current research is centred on improving poultry welfare in mobile and rotational grazing systems by combining animal behaviour science with low-cost automated monitoring technologies.


Before this, I was a Visiting Researcher at Â鶹´«Ã½, where I led a research project investigating how different forms of environmental enrichment influence laying hen welfare. This work used behavioural tests, infrared thermography, accelerometer-based tracking and computer vision to assess behaviour, stress responses and physiological indicators of welfare.

I completed my PhD in Biology at Moscow State Pedagogical University, where my research focused on environmental optimisation as a way to improve the welfare of mammals in zoos. Prior to joining Â鶹´«Ã½, I worked for over a decade at Moscow Zoo, where I led research projects on environmental enrichment, animal welfare assessment, uncertainty, novelty and graded welfare indicators. I held visiting researcher roles at Kaliningrad Zoo and San Francisco Zoo. I have also collaborated with researchers at the University of Houston, contributing data analysis and statistical expertise to interdisciplinary publications.


My work combines applied animal welfare science, behavioural research and automated monitoring, including computer vision, accelerometry and infrared thermography. I am particularly interested in developing practical, affordable tools that can help assess and improve animal welfare.


Qualifications

PhD Biology, 2014, Moscow State Pedagogical University

Specialist in Biology, 2009, Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy

Data Scientist training, 2021–2023, including applied projects in data analysis, machine learning and computer vision

Publications

  • Articles

    • Burenkova Olga V, Shurdova Ekaterina M, Manasevich Victoria, Norkina Marina, Pashkina Polina E., Podturkin Aleksei A., Vodneva Alena, Zhukova Marina A., Grigorenko Elena L. . Psychoneuroendocrinology 2026, 188, 107853.
    • Podturkin AA, Krebs BL, Watters JV. . Zoo Biology 2024, 43(2), 125-135.
    • Burenkova, OV, Dolgorukova, TA, An, Iu, Kustova, TA, Podturkin, AA, Shurdova, EM, Talantseva, OI, Zhukova, MA, Grigorenko, EL. . Psychological Bulletin 2023, 149(9-10), 549–579.
    • Podturkin AA, Krebs BL, Watters JV. . Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 2023, 26(3), 463-477.
    • Podturkin AA. . Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 2022, 3(2), 256-270.
    • Burenkova OV, Podturkin AA, Naumova OY, Hein S, Li N, Cicchetti D, Luthar SS, Grigorenko EL. . Developmental Psycobiology 2021, 63(8), e22213.
    • Podturkin AA. . Zoo Biology 2021, 40(6), 527-540.
    • Podturkin, A. Development of an environmental enrichment programme: A case study with a white Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris bengalensis) and a jaguar (Panthera onca) at Moscow Zoo. Journal of Zoo and Aquariums Research (JZAR) 2020, 8(2). In Preparation.