2015 New Faculty

2015 New Faculty Announcement

Jonathan M. Levine, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) Professor & Head of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS) Helen McWhorter Chair in Small Animal Clinical Sciences DVM: Cornell University Recent Affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

department head of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS) in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM). Prior to his appointment, Levine acted as surgery section chief and associate professor of neurology/neurosurgery in VSCS. When contemplating his new role, Levine remarked, “I am grateful to be part of our continued effort to energize and build critical focus areas. As a department, we have the potential to be leaders and to cut new ground in the areas of innovative teaching, novel procedure development, and clinical trials.”

Levine obtained his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He went on to do a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Colorado State University and residencies in neurology/neurosurgery at the University of Missouri and Texas A&M University, which he joined in 2005. He developed the neurology clinical service and a research program focused on naturally occurring neurological diseases.

He has authored over 80 peer-reviewed manuscripts and received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the United States Department of Defense, the Canine Health Foundation, and other groups. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology), a professor of neurology/neurosurgery at Texas A&M University, and holder of the Helen McWhorter Chair in Small Animal Clinical Sciences.

When asked what he is looking forward to most, Levine reflected, “I am really enjoying all of the different perspectives, opportunities for engagement, and potential to grow an already outstanding department.”

Professor & Head, Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Dr. Jonathan M. Levine was recently appointed as the

Larry J. Suva, B.App.Sci., Ph.D. (Medicine) Professor & Head of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology (VTPP) Ph.D.: University of Melbourne, Australia Recent Affiliation: Director, Center for Orthopaedic Research; Carl L. Nelson Endowed Chair in Orthopaedic Creativity; Tenured Professor, Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Physiology and Biophysics; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Little Rock, Arkansas

“I am eager to be part of the CVM and VTPP, working to expand and build critical educational and research focus areas,” Suva said. “As a department, VTPP provides the fundamentals for much of the college’s educational and research aspirations. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to be leaders and pave the way with innovative teaching and groundbreaking research discoveries that improve veterinary and human health.”

Suva earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry and biochemistry at Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia, in 1981, and doctorate in medicine from the University of Melbourne in 1989. He performed postdoctoral research at Merck Research Laboratories during the development of the world’s first osteoporosis treatment, Fosamax. He subsequently accepted a position on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, serving as assistant professor of medicine at the Beth IsraelDeaconess hospital for five years.

Suva also served as associate director of bone and cartilage biology at GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals from 1997–2000, where he was responsible for drug discovery in the area of the stimulation of bone formation. Suva’s internationally recognized research has specifically focused on the skeletal consequences of disease. His laboratory has received continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health, and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), as well as from many private foundations.

He has published more than 140 peer-reviewed articles and has five issued patents describing the skeletal complications of various human diseases, including breast and prostate cancer, myeloma, osteomyelitis, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Suva has been elected as a member of the Council of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), accepted into the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), and elected president of the Advances in Mineral Metabolism Society.

Professor & Head, Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology

Dr. Larry J. Suva, an Australia native, was recently appointed as the head of the Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology (VTPP) in the CVM.

Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Michelle Coleman, DVM Department: Large Animal Clinical Sciences (VLCS) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Texas A&M University

Dr. Michelle Coleman received her B.S. in microbiology from the University of Rochester and her DVM from the University of Georgia.

Following veterinary school, she completed a one-year internship in equine internal medicine and critical care at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Kentucky.

She also completed a three-year residency in large animal internal medicine at Texas A&M University.

During her residency, she developed a keen interest in equine infectious and endocrinologic diseases, and also recognized the importance of patient-based research.

Coleman decided to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical epidemiology under the mentorship of Dr. Noah Cohen. Her current projects include a case-control study of pasture- and endocrinopathy-associated laminitis in horses and a foallevel epidemiologic study of risk factors for development of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in horses.

Utilizing the skills she has gained, she plans to continue patient-based research and hopes to ultimately improve her own skills as a clinician and contribute to the knowledge and understanding of important equine diseases. She looks forward to contributing to the collegiality, professionalism, and exemplary scholarly activity at the CVM.

Department: Large Animal Clinical Sciences (VLCS) Title: Clinical Assistant Professor (starting October 2015) Recent Affiliation: University of Bern, Switzerland

After graduating from veterinary school in 2001 in Valencia, Spain, Dr. Cristobal Navas de Solis worked in an equine ambulatory practice in Spain and completed internships in Ireland and Virginia. Next, he completed a residency in equine internal medicine and a master’s degree in veterinary clinical medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana– Champaign, followed by a Ph.D. program at the University of Barcelona.

Navas has also worked in the Internal Medicine Department of Washington State University and the Cardiology and Ultrasound Service of New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania. During his four years at New Bolton Center, ultrasound and cardiology became his main career interests.

Navas’ career goals include contributing to an equine internal medicine department. “I am an equine internist passionate about horses,” he said. “I thoroughly enjoy working on the clinic floor.”

Navas considers being able to network with driven and highly motivated experts in different fields one of the privileges of working in academia. He is interested in designing teaching strategies and finding effective methods to improve learning.

“Being involved in education is one of the exciting aspects of working in academia,” Navas said. “As an equine internist, my main teaching objectives are to transmit internal medicine knowledge that prepares students to have a successful career and to help develop practical and analytical thinking skills applicable in many other fields.”

Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Cristobal Navas de Solis, LV, Ph.D., DACVIM

Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Cathy Ruoff, DVM, M.S. Department: Large Animal Clinical Sciences (VLCS) Title: Clinical Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Texas A&M University

Dr. Cathy Ruoff is excited to join the faculty at Texas A&M University because of the strong commitment to teaching students in the veterinary curriculum, high quality patient care in the teaching hospital, and collegial faculty.

Prior to joining the Texas A&M veterinary faculty, Ruoff already had strong ties to Texas A&M. She completed a residency at the university in radiology, where she focused on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for articular cartilage imaging in dogs. Prior to her residency, she was a postdoctoral research associate at the Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical Studies (TIPS), working on a variety of studies related to diagnostic imaging, oncology, cardiovascular and orthopedic devices, and neurology.

Ruoff obtained an M.S. in biomedical sciences with an emphasis in anatomy from Texas A&M. For her thesis project, she developed a computer program from computed tomography (CT) images to help students better understand the anatomy of the paranasal sinuses of the horse.

While completing her master’s degree, she also gained valuable experience teaching in the first year veterinary students’ anatomy class. She obtained a B.S. in animal science and her DVM from Texas A&M, as well.

Following graduation from veterinary school, she completed a rotating internship at a private small animal referral practice in Maitland, Florida.

Department: Large Animal Clinical Sciences (VLCS) Title: Associate Professor Recent Affiliation: Veterinary Imaging Center of South Texas Dr. Andra Voges was drawn to Texas A&M University for the opportunity to share her practical experience and knowledge in veterinary radiology with the next generation of veterinarians. Her goal is to teach veterinary students how to be problem solvers, not only in veterinary imaging, but in life.

Voges brings extensive professional and clinical experience to her new academic role. Prior to joining the private sector, Voges spent a short time as a clinical instructor at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. She joined Texas A&M after leaving ownership of a successful and busy referral small animal veterinary imaging center in South Texas, where she worked as a clinical radiologist.

Voges received her DVM from Texas A&M University in 1991 and completed a residency in radiology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. She has been a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Radiology since 1996, is a published author and co-author in multiple veterinary journals, and has been a three-time nominee for the Texas Academy of Veterinary Practice’s Clinical Referral and Consultation Award.

Voges focuses on applying a practical approach to education in veterinary imaging, and she plans to dedicate her research to studies that will aid in everyday clinical veterinary medicine. She feels the time has arrived for her give back to her profession by sharing her knowledge and experience in clinical radiology at Texas A&M, where her career in veterinary medicine began.

Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Andra Voges, DVM, DACVR

Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Canaan Whitfield-Cargile, DVM

Department: Large Animal Clinical Sciences (VLCS) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Texas A&M University

Dr. Canaan Whitfield-Cargile graduated in 2006 with his DVM from the University of Georgia. After graduation, he completed a large animal internship at the University of Georgia, followed by an equine surgery residency at Texas A&M University.

He then worked in private equine practice in both South Carolina and Texas, focusing primarily on surgery and sports medicine. After three years of private practice, he became increasingly aware of the role of and need for research in advancing equine veterinary medicine and surgery.

He decided to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences. His primary research interest is gastrointestinal wound healing, although he has broad interests in all areas of both internal and external wound healing.

Having completed an equine surgery residency at Texas A&M University and now nearing the completion of his Ph.D., he is aware that this institution has innumerable qualities to offer. “An aspect that I find appealing about Texas A&M, and why I have chosen to continue my career here, is the ability to conduct collaborative research that is translatable to the clinical setting. By working collaboratively with multiple areas at the university, we can conduct high-impact, transdisciplinary research that will not only improve animal health but may have an impact on human health as well.�

Department: Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS) Title: Clinical Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Texas A&M University

Dr. Courtney Baetge graduated in 2003 with her DVM from Texas A&M University.

After working in private practice, she returned to Texas A&M to complete a residency in anesthesia. She continued at Texas A&M as a lecturer for the anesthesia department before starting a private consultation business.

Her consultation business has provided her several unique opportunities such as teaching in the West Indies, anesthetizing multi-million dollar race horses, and consulting for clinics all over the United States. The American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia welcomed her in September of 2009.

In 2012, Baetge returned to Texas A&M to provide part-time anesthesia coverage for the Diagnostic Imaging and Cancer Treatment Center.

Her scholarly interests include anesthesia and pain management specifically as it relates to small animal geriatrics, donkey and equine total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), equine post anesthetic myelopathy, equine hyperkalemic periodic paralysis disease (HYPP), and avian anesthesia.

She now calls Texas home and enjoys the outdoors, time with her family, and traveling the world in her spare time.

Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Courtney Baetge, DVM, DACVAA

Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Johanna Heseltine, DVM, M.S., DACVIM Department: Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS) Title: Clinical Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Sugar Land Veterinary Specialists

Dr. Johanna Heseltine has a passion for clinical teaching and strives to challenge her students to develop the important problem solving and critical thinking skills necessary for their future professions. To develop these skills, she utilizes items like clinical cases to help guide the students through a problem-based approach.

She received her DVM from the University of Saskatchewan in 1998 and then completed a rotating small animal internship at the University of Prince Edward Island. She completed her master’s degree and small animal internal medicine residency at Virginia Tech and is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

She has held faculty and teaching positions at Oklahoma State University and the University of Saskatchewan, respectively. She has also practiced in private specialty clinics in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Sugar Land, Texas.

Heseltine’s experience in private practice and academia is an asset as a clinical teacher. She enjoys the challenge of complicated referral cases and appreciates the diversity of the cases at Texas A&M. “I think my experience in academia and private practice helps me equip the students and residents to practice after they graduate,” she said.

Department: Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Texas A&M University Dr. Jonathan Lidbury received his veterinary degree from the University of Glasgow in Scotland and trained as a resident and graduate student at the CVM. “I was initially drawn to the program because of its excellent reputation for small animal internal medicine and gastroenterology,” he said. “Because of the fantastic colleagues I get to interact with and the incredible collegiality in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, the decision to stay on here as faculty was an easy one.”

His clinical and research interests are in small animal gastroenterology and hepatology. “I am particularly interested in the development of noninvasive markers of liver disease in dogs and cats. I hope that novel diagnostic tests can improve the ability to diagnose hepatic disease in our patients.”

Lidbury regularly lectures to veterinarians about the care of dogs and cats with gastrointestinal and liver disease. He has spoken at national and international meetings, including the North American Veterinary Conference and the American Veterinary Association Conference.

His main teaching responsibility is instructing fourthyear veterinary students on clinical rotations. “Making the transition from being a veterinary student to working as a practicing veterinarian is very challenging. My goal is to create a supportive, yet challenging environment where students are required to think for themselves and learn how to apply their knowledge base to patients.”

Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Jonathan Lidbury, BVMS, MRCVS, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA

Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Erin M. Scott, VMD, DACVO Department: Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Dr. Erin M. Scott received a VMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She then completed a rotating internship in companion animal medicine and surgery at Louisiana State University, followed by a fellowship in comparative ocular pathology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Scott recently finished a residency in comparative ophthalmology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and she is excited to help build an ophthalmology service at Texas A&M University.

Scott’s research focus includes glaucoma and ocular pathology. “I am interested in linking the clinical features of ocular disease with their associated histopathological changes, as well as their relevance to comparable human disorders,” she explained. Her work has been published in several journals, including PLOS ONE, the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, Veterinary Ophthalmology, and Clinician’s Brief.

During her residency, Scott was selected as the UW–Madison nominee for the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians Resident Award. She also received the Zoetis Award for Research Excellence by a House Officer, and the Small Animal Resident of the Year Award.

“I am delighted to be associated with Texas A&M and proud to be part of such a highly regarded teaching and research facility that consistently ranks among the country’s top veterinary schools,” Scott said.

Department: Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Ross University Dr. Brad Simon completed his residency training in anesthesiology and analgesia at the University of Pennsylvania and received diplomate status by the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (ACVAA) in 2014.

He is also completing his master’s degree by researching a novel approach to opioid therapy.

“My passion is to focus on the development and training of clinical anesthesiology to students, staff, and faculty,” Simon said. “Texas A&M allows me to incorporate my passion for teaching in didactic and perioperative situations on a daily basis. Through advanced training from the Association for Medical Education, it has fine-tuned my abilities as a medical educator in the veterinary profession to bring clarity, thoughtfulness, and most importantly fun and enthusiasm to every teaching situation.”

Simon’s research focuses on current trends and new developments in opioid analgesia therapy. His work has been published in journals such as the American Journal of Veterinary Research and the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, amongst others. He is also co-authoring a textbook on feline pain management and introducing the use of acupuncture to minimize opioidinduced side effects.

“My interest in teaching and the opportunity to advance pain management in veterinary medicine is what led me to Texas A&M,” Simon said.

Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Bradley Simon, DVM, DACVAA

Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Lucien Vallone, DVM, DACVO Department: Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS) Title: Clinical Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Cornell University

Dr. Lucien Vallone earned his DVM from Mississippi State University and then completed a small animal internship and a residency in comparative ophthalmology, both at Cornell University.

He is interested in advanced imaging of the cornea. “We see infectious, autoimmune, and cancerous diseases of the eye every day, but struggle to safely and effectively diagnose these conditions,” he said. “I would like to see what we can learn from these new technologies in order to find better ways to treat our patients and advance our understanding of these disease processes.”

One of Vallone’s goals at Texas A&M University is to collaborate with colleagues both within the university and at regional human hospitals in order to promote translational research in ophthalmology.

Ultimately, though, he sees his research efforts as supporting the veterinary ophthalmology field by educating Texas A&M veterinary students. His teaching approach is to continually bring the subject matter back to clinical case management and effective communication.

“As enthusiasm for learning is infectious, I hope to pass this interest on to our future veterinarians,” he said. “I’m absolutely thrilled to see so much excitement about the re-establishment of an ophthalmology service at Texas A&M.”

Department: Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS) Title: Professor Recent Affiliation: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Before joining the CVM in January 2015, Dr. Weihsueh A. Chiu was Chief of the Toxicity Pathways Branch at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, National Center for Environmental Assessment.

Chiu earned his Ph.D. in physics from Princeton University and later worked at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), where he conducted investigations for Congress on risk assessment topics.

His research specialties include quantitative health risk assessment, dose-response assessment, statistical modeling of environmental and biological systems, and population toxicokinetics. He is particularly interested in integrating data across disciplines to provide quantitative estimates of risk and/or benefit.

Chiu uses physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling, a mathematical model that allows him to understand how blood carries chemicals throughout different tissues in the body. Computer-based models allow him to learn what happens to chemicals inside the body using data from animalbased and cell-based experiments.

“I don’t actually do the experiments, but I take those data and I analyze them mathematically to see what the increase in severity of effects is as you increase exposure,” he said.

Chiu came to Texas A&M University as a part of the President’s Senior Hires Initiative in One Health.

Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Weihsueh A. Chiu, Ph.D.

Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Dana Gaddy, M.S., Ph.D.

Department: Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS) Title: Professor Recent Affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Dr. Dana Gaddy is an accomplished musculoskeletal and reproductive scientist and educator, with a philosophy of integration, thoughtfulness, and dedication to drive research forward and provide students with an understanding of fundamental biological concepts. “The importance of the skeleton as a physiologic regulator is only now becoming apparent. As such, it provides a new model in which to study hormone action,” she said.

Gaddy has returned to her roots at Texas A&M University, where she initiated her research training in reproductive physiology and received her M.S. in zoology in 1985. She conducted her doctoral research at Baylor College of Medicine, where she received her Ph.D. in cell biology, with a focus on reproductive endocrinology, prior to work as a postdoc at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California. She received her bachelor’s degrees in both biology and chemistry in 1980, from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Gaddy most recently served as a tenured professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where she also held an adjunct appointment as professor of orthopedic surgery.

Her ongoing research program focuses on understanding the skeletal consequences of hormone deficiency, disuse, and most recently, bacterial infection. She served as an elected member of the Council of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), served as president of Women in Endocrinology, and is currently president-elect of the Advances in Mineral Metabolism Society.

Department: Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS) Title: Clinical Associate Professor Recent Affiliation: Kansas State University

Dr. Cheryl Herman received her DVM from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada in 1987. After graduation, she spent 14 years working as a veterinary practitioner in a variety of mixed and small animal private veterinary practices in Canada.

Herman joined the Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS) as lecturer in veterinary gross anatomy in January 2002. In 2009, Herman accepted a position at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine as an anatomy instructor and spent five years developing and teaching a variety of anatomy courses.

Herman returned to the CVM at Texas A&M University in 2014. She is very excited to be back and once again join an incredible team of anatomists. She teaches anatomy in both the large and small animal anatomy courses in the professional DVM program during the fall and spring semesters. She also teaches anatomy during the summer and fall semesters in the Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) undergraduate program.

Herman is passionate about teaching and thoroughly enjoys extensive conversations with students in the anatomy laboratory. It affords her the opportunity to integrate clinical applications as she shares her experiences as a practitioner.

This emphasizes the relevance of understanding the normal form and function of the animal body.

In addition to teaching, Herman’s scholarly interests include comparative anatomy, studying the gross anatomical differences that exist between the donkey and the horse.

Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Cheryl Herman, DVM

Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Vaishali Katju, Ph.D. Department: Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS) Title: Associate Professor Recent Affiliation: University of New Mexico

Dr. Vaishali Katju views it her responsibility, as a scientist and educator, to help students gain a firm grasp of basic biological concepts to pursue scientific careers or actively participate in a democracy that increasingly relies on scientific and technological advances. “The ever-increasing role played by genetics and evolution in everyday life further establishes the need for a scientifically literate citizenry capable of making informed personal and civic choices,” she said. She was drawn to Texas A&M University’s vibrant and integrative community of faculty, scientists, and students in diverse subdisciplines of the biological sciences.

Katju conducted her doctoral research at the University of Oregon and Indiana University–Bloomington, and received her Ph.D. in evolutionary genetics in 2004 from Indiana University. She received her bachelor’s degree in ecology and evolutionary studies in 1993 from the University of Rochester.

Prior to joining Texas A&M, Katju served as an associate (tenured) professor of evolutionary genetics and genomics in the Department of Biology at the University of New Mexico. Her research program focuses on answering basic fundamental questions in biology and evolution by using both bioinformatic and molecular tools to study molecular evolution at the level of populations, as well as genomes.

Katju was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Dissertation Improvement Grant and an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biological Informatics. She received support from NSF as a principal investigator to study the role of gene duplication in evolution and the influence of mutation and natural selection on standing genetic variation.

Department: Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Pfizer

Dr. Peter P. Nghiem is a 2008 graduate of the CVM, where he focused on small animal medicine and surgery. During his time as a veterinary student, he served as class president and was the recipient of the Gentle Doctor Benefit Award and the Pfizer Veterinary Specialty Team Award in Internal Medicine.

After graduation, Nghiem completed a small animal clinical internship in 2009 at the University of Georgia Small Animal Teaching Hospital, at the same time, collaborating with Dr. Joe Kornegay in the field of muscular dystrophy. Under the mentorship of Kornegay and world-renown geneticist, Dr. Eric Hoffman, he completed his Ph.D. in molecular medicine in 2013 at The George Washington University, performing the laboratory-based work in Hoffman’s lab at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. His dissertation detailed the pathogenesis of the golden retriever muscular dystrophy model and the molecular causation of differential muscle involvement.

Nghiem was a postdoc in Hoffman’s lab before moving to Pfizer, Worldwide Research and Development, as a senior scientist in the Comparative Medicine department. Here, he helped established a muscle phenotyping lab, with a focus on optical imaging and functional muscle testing in rodents. He helped manage the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Research unit’s genetically modified rodent program, including new model creation using the gene editing CRISPR/Cas9 system.

Nghiem joins Kornegay’s lab at the CVM, where he will focus on the canine model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Peter P. Nghiem, DVM, Ph.D.

Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Ivan Rusyn, M.D., Ph.D. Department: Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS) Title: Professor Recent Affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Dr. Ivan Rusyn received his M.D. from Ukrainian State Medical University in Kiev and his Ph.D. in toxicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was professor of environmental sciences and engineering before coming to Texas A&M University.

His areas of research include toxicology and environmental health sciences, especially developing highly mechanistic approaches to study the potential effects of environmental pollutants and other anthropogenic stressors on human health. Rusyn is recognized as a national and international authority and leader on complex problems in environmental health and human health assessments.

He is a professor in VIBS at the CVM and a member of the Texas A&M Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology. Rusyn currently collaborates with Dr. Weihsueh Chiu and Dr. David Threadgill on interdisciplinary research in toxicology, genetics, and quantitative health risk assessment.

“This partnership between understanding genetics and understanding toxicology is really how the science should be done today—it’s interdisciplinary,” Rusyn said. “The data that [Threadgill] and my lab generate are exactly what [Chiu] needs to inform regulators much better about human health risks and environmental exposures.”

Rusyn came to Texas A&M University as a part of the President’s Senior Hires Initiative in One Health and Strengthening Democracy, and the Chancellor’s Research Initiative.

Department: Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Texas A&M Health Science Center

Dr. Angela Arenas, a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (Anatomic Pathology), earned her DVM at La Salle University in Columbia and was attracted to Texas A&M University due to her strong interest in zoonotic infectious diseases.

“The extraordinary faculty leaders in the signature program in infectious diseases and biodefense here at Texas A&M provided me the opportunity to work in an area that I am passionate about,” she said.

Arenas served as an assistant research professor at the Texas A&M College of Medicine, holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, and is board certified in veterinary anatomic pathology.

Her research interests include neglected zoonotic infectious diseases and the development of countermeasures that can be used under resource-limited settings, with a strong emphasis in the development of vaccines and diagnostic tests for brucellosis.

“I am interested in the development of products that could potentially be used in the most remote areas of the world where infectious diseases are endemic and pose a tremendous burden to the community,” Arenas said. She believes that strengthening research and technical capacity at the national and international level is one of the most powerful, costeffective, and sustainable means of not only advancing animal and human health, but also improving the livelihood of millions of people around the world.

Veterinary Pathobiology

Angela M. Arenas Gamboa, DVM, Ph.D.

Veterinary Pathobiology

Sankar Chaki, Ph.D. Department: Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) Title: Research Assistant Professor (since 2014) Recent Affiliation: Texas A&M University

Dr. Sankar Chaki enjoys learning and applying updated research models and techniques in his molecular research.

His passion is performing time-lapse live cell imaging to discover novel cellular behavior in real time. “I was lucky to join the CVM to study cell and molecular biology using their state-of-the-art microscope facilities,� he said.

Chaki did his Ph.D. work at the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW) and received a Ph.D. in physiology from Vidyasagar University in India. While at NIHFW, he served as a research assistant and assistant research officer. He published several articles on apoptosis and fertility management and co-authored multiple patents.

His current research focuses on how remodeling of actin cytoskeleton contributes to endothelial dysfunction. His ultimate goal is to identify novel biomarkers and develop mechanism-based intervention strategies to promote healthy aging. His cytoskeletal remodeling work has appeared in journals like Journal of Cell Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Integrative Biology, Molecular Biology of the Cell, and BioArchitecture.

Chaki has received several research and academic awards including the University Silver Medal Award, American Society for Cell Biology Travel Award, and American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship Award. He is an active member of several scientific societies including the American Heart Association, the American Society for Cell Biology, Sigma Xi, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Department: Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center

Dr. Sriveny Dangoudoubiyam is a trained clinical and molecular parasitologist who is passionate about parasites and their biology. Their ability to switch hosts to complete their life cycle has always fascinated her, and her research is targeted toward understanding the molecular mechanisms that help parasites survive and propagate in the host.

“Currently, parasitology is a shrinking discipline,” she said.

“The CVM has a dedicated team of parasitologists committed to further this discipline and I am proud to have become one of them.”

Dangoudoubiyam also researched morphological identification of parasites. She believes that training in clinical parasitology, along with research-led learning, is vital for the growth of the discipline. She served a postdoc at the M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center at the University of Kentucky. She received her doctoral degree in comparative pathobiology from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. It is here where she developed an inclination for teaching parasitology.

Dangoudoubiyam received her MVSc in veterinary parasitology from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute and her BVSc & AH in veterinary science from the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (formerly RAGACOVAS) in India.

Inspiration and words of wisdom from her teachers motivated her to pursue her dream of a career in academia. She strives to be someone who her students can look up to for inspiration and motivation. She believes that “their success is her success.”

Veterinary Pathobiology

Sriveny Dangoudoubiyam, MVSc, Ph.D.

Veterinary Pathobiology

Andrew Hillhouse, Ph.D.

Department: Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) Title: Research Assistant Professor & Associate Director, Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society Recent Affiliation: North Carolina State Univerity Prior to joining Texas A&M University, Dr. Andrew Hillhouse was a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Dr. David Threadgill at North Carolina State University, and then at the Texas A&M Health Science Center.

He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri–Columbia in molecular microbiology and immunology, and a bachelor’s degree in biology and history from McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. “Texas is home, so after being away for over a decade, it is great to be back!” Hillhouse said.

Hillhouse’s research utilizes mouse models to investigate genetic complexity of diseases. Most recently, his work has focused on investigating how host genetic factors and intestinal microbiota interact to contribute to the development of inflammatory bowel disease associated with colorectal cancer.

More broadly, his interests lie in the variety of technologic breakthroughs that have occurred in genomics research and their applications across a wide range of research topics.

“The Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society (TIGSS) is a wonderful resource that will give investigators access to some of the most recent advances in genetics and genomics technologies,” Hillhouse said.

“As the director of the Molecular Genomics Workspace for TIGSS, I am excited for the opportunity to work with researchers around the Texas A&M campus to utilize these technologies in moving their research forward.”

Department: Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) Title: Associate Professor Recent Affiliation: Texas A&M University, Department of Entomology Dr. Albert Mulenga was attracted to the Department of Pathobiology at the CVM because of the very supportive work environment and research infrastructure. Mulenga is excited about teaching parasitology to veterinary students.

His teaching philosophy is interactive and focused on encouraging student participation.

Mulenga received training in veterinary medicine from the University of Zambia, an Integrated Tick Management Certificate from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Nairobi, Kenya, Master of Veterinary Science (parasitology) from the University of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and a Ph.D. in veterinary medicine from Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan.

With a goal of developing anti-tick vaccines, Mulenga’s research interests are broadly based to understand molecular mechanisms that control the three-way interaction cascade involving tick-borne diseases. His research seeks to identify proteins in tick saliva that the tick uses to counter mammalian host’s defenses. These proteins are key to ticks successfully feeding and transmitting diseases. Ultimately, Mulenga hopes to create a vaccine based on these proteins to protect humans and/or animals from these diseases.

Mulenga’s research also looks for tick saliva proteins that might be of medicinal benefit, focusing on proteins that the tick uses to block mammalian hosts’ blood clotting and inflammation pathways.

Veterinary Pathobiology

Albert Mulenga, DVM, Ph.D.

Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology

Artem S. Rogovskyy, Ph.D.

Department: Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) Title: Clinical Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory Dr. Artem S. Rogovskyy came to Texas A&M University following extensive research training at Louisiana State University, mentored research at the University of Georgia, and the completion of a Ph.D. from Washington State University. He also successfully completed a residency in veterinary clinical microbiology at the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, which is accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. He is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists in two specialties: immunology and virology.

In addition to his teaching commitment, Rogovskyy is running a research laboratory. “In my lab, my team studies Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease pathogen,” he said.

“Specifically, we are trying to identify how exactly Lyme spirochetes are able to successfully evade, otherwise potent, host immune responses.”

He is also interested in antimicrobial resistance and has started work on characterization of extended-spectrum betalactamases (ESBL) producing bacteria that are isolated from horses. These ESBL bacteria cause severe infections, but there are very limited therapeutic options available.

Rogovskyy also serves as an associate director of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory in the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. His work on bacterial and viral pathogens has been published in several journals, including Veterinary Microbiology, Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, Infection & Immunity, and PLOS ONE.

Department: Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology (VTPP) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: Texas A&M University

Dr. Ranjeet Dongaonkar says a single insight—that research and education, at their core, share the processes of discovery—informs not only his teaching philosophy, but also the pragmatic decisions he has made as an educator. “If I am to have the greatest impact on the lives of students,” he said, “I believe I must enhance their capacity to discover, so students can learn for a lifetime.”

Dongaonkar takes an approach to teaching that considers students’ interests, academic goals, and skills they need to develop so that learning can be tailored to make material relevant, and help students become independent learners.

An undergraduate research experience program he helped develop integrates research and education to enhance discovery. Serving over 100 students each semester, this is the second-largest program at Texas A&M University.

Dongaonkar received a Ph.D. in physiology and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M. With the main goal to bridge basic edema research with clinical practice, he is interested in better understanding the interdependence of organ function and fluid balance. His research focuses on function, interaction, and adaptation of microvasculature, interstitium, and lymphatics in vital organs.

Dongaonkar takes an integrative approach using the complementary tools of animal experimentation and mathematical modeling for developing and evaluating clinical interventions to prevent or resolve edema. He received an Award for Excellence in Lymphatic Research, an American Heart Association (AHA) fellowship, and the John R. Pappenheimer Award.

Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology

Ranjeet Dongaonkar, M.S., Ph.D.

Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology

Ken Muneoka, Ph.D.

Department: Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology (VTPP) Title: Professor Recent Affiliation: Tulane University

Dr. Ken Muneoka’s research on regeneration focuses on the cellular and molecular factors that can reprogram stem cells to be more embryonic. Doing so may maximize the body’s natural potential to regenerate. Building on previous research in salamanders and on the regenerative responses of mice digits, his lab developed a mammalian model for endogenous regeneration.

“We have been successful in identifying key mechanisms in limb regeneration in those species who are able to do so,” he said. “We have also been able to begin developing a model for this same type of activity in mammalian species.”

Muneoka earned his backelor’s degree in biology from Humboldt State University in 1976. He went on to join the lab of Dr. Susan Bryant, an internationally acclaimed expert on cell biology, at the University of California, Irvine, completing his Ph.D. in developmental and cell biology in 1983.

Prior to moving to Texas A&M University, Muneoka was a professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Tulane University.

Since spring 2015, Muneoka has been a professor in VTPP and works in collaboration with the Texas Heart Institute (THI) and other faculty members at the CVM as a part of the Center for Cell and Organ Biotechnology (CCOB).

Muneoka came to Texas A&M University as a part of the President’s Senior Hires Initiative in One Health and the Chancellor’s Research Initiative.

Department: Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology (VTPP) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Dr. Annie Newell-Fugate seeks to develop methods to combat obesity-induced subfertility and infertility in women.

The long-term goal of her lab is to improve fertility in both humans and animal species by understanding how environmental factors, such as over-nutrition and stress, affect the endocrine system. Through her collaborative, translational research, teaching, and mentorship of students in the Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) program, she strives to progress the field of obesity research..

Prior to joining Texas A&M University, Newell-Fugate was a postdoctoral fellow funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at the University of Illinois at Urbana– Champaign. She received her DVM from North Carolina State University, her M.Sc. in wildlife reproductive physiology from University of Pretoria Faculty of Veterinary Science, and her Ph.D. in reproductive endocrinology from University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. She practiced small animal clinical veterinary medicine for three years prior to her enrollment in a Ph.D. program.

Newell-Fugate is the reproductive adviser for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Wild Pig, Peccary, and Hippo Taxon Advisory Group. She is a member of the Nutrition and Obesity Research Center and the Interdisciplinary Faculty for Reproductive Biology. Most recently, Newell-Fugate was selected as a finalist for the American Veterinary Medical Association/American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMA/AVMF) Young Investigator Award in association with the Merial-NIH Veterinary Scholars Symposium and the Burroughs Wellcome “Becoming Faculty” Workshop.

Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology

Annie Newell-Fugate, DVM, M.S., Ph.D.

Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology

Jay Ramadoss, Ph.D. Department: Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology (VTPP) Title: Assistant Professor Recent Affiliation: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Dr. Jay Ramadoss strives to develop ways to improve the lives of pregnant women and their unborn children. He is committed to promoting interactions with clinician scientists and veterinarians, building multi-investigator projects, and enhancing physiology training programs for undergraduate, graduate, and DVM students.

Prior to joining Texas A&M University, Ramadoss was an assistant professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He trained in integrative physiology during his Ph.D. at Texas A&M University. For his research work, he was awarded the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study Group (FASDSG) Merit Award by the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) and the Outstanding Graduate Student Award by the CVM. For his postdoctoral work, Ramadoss trained in perinatal biology at the University of Wisconsin, where he also received several prestigious awards for his fetal alcohol research.

Ramadoss serves on study sections at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the NIH supports his research. He has also received recognition by the Society for Gynecological Investigation for research mentoring. His lab’s long-term goals are to investigate the role of maternal-fetal interaction in the etiology of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, to develop state-of-the-art, non-invasive biomarkers for maternal alcohol consumption, to investigate fetal alcohol programing of adult-onset disease states, and to discover means to enhance the intrauterine environment that may have life-long health benefits for the offspring.

Dr. Kevin O. Curley, Jr. Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

Promotion to Instructional Assistant Professor

Dr. Michael C. Golding Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology

Dr. Cleet E. Griffin Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

Promotion to Clinical Associate Professor

Dr. Jennifer J. Heatley Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Dr. Sara D. Lawhon Veterinary Pathobiology

Awarded Tenure; Associate Professor with Tenure

Dr. Jonathan M. Levine Small Animal Clinical Sciences Promotion to Professor

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

Dr. Jeffrey M.B. Musser Veterinary Pathobiology Promotion to Clinical Professor

2015 Faculty Tenures & Promotions

Dr. Carolyn E. Arnold Large Animal Clinical Sciences

2015 Faculty Tenures & Promotions

Dr. David A. Nelson Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Dr. Michelle Pine Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Promotion to Clinical Professor

Promotion to Clinical Associate Professor

Dr. Richard D. Posey Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Dr. Christopher M. Quick Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology

Promotion to Clinical Professor

Promotion to Professor

Dr. Gonzalo M. Rivera Veterinary Pathobiology

Dr. Kevin E. Washburn Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

Promotion to Professor

Dr. Beiyan Zhou Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

To support teaching, research, facilities improvements, service, and professional development activities at the college.

Chairs Dr. Kenita Rogers Dr. Charles H. & Mildred Kruse Bridges Chair in Veterinary Medical Education To develop clinical and research components of programs in veterinary medical education, and to advance the scholarship of teaching.

Dr. Jim Heird Glenn Blodgett Endowed Chair in Equine Studies To support and enhance the activities of the Equine Initiative.

Dr. Katrin Hinrichs Link Chair in Mare Reproductive Studies To support mare reproduction, focusing on fertilization and early embryonic development in the horse.

Dr. Sharon Kerwin Tom & Joan Read Chair in Veterinary Surgery To develop and advance the teaching, clinical, and research missions of the college.

Dr. Glen Laine Wiseman-Lewie-Worth Chair in Cardiology To develop clinical and research components of the program in cardiovascular sciences and to advance teaching and research.

Dr. Jonathan Levine Helen McWhorter Chair in Small Animal Clinical Sciences To support the teaching, research, service, and professional development activities of the holder.

Dr. Tim Phillips Reed Endowed Chair in Toxicology To support research and development of the toxicology program.

Dr. Dan Posey Earline & A.P. Wiley Endowed Chair in Veterinary Medicine To enhance scholarship and research in veterinary medicine at the college.

Dr. Stephen Safe Sid Kyle Endowed Chair in Veterinary Toxicology To support the research and teaching programs of Dr. Safe’s laboratory.

Dr. Ian Tizard Schubot Endowed Chair in Avian Health To provide leadership in research, teaching, and diagnostic services in avian health.

Dr. Dickson Varner Pin Oak Stud Chair of Stallion Reproductive Studies To support the teaching, research, service, and professional development activities of the holder.

Dr. Heather Wilson-Robles Dr. Fred A. & Vola N. Palmer Chair in Comparative Oncology To support the teaching, research, service, and professional development activities in oncology of the holder.

Faculty to be Selected John Tom Campbell ‘45 Research Chair To support the highest priority of research needs at the college.

Faculty to be Selected Katherine & Rebecca Rochelle Chair in Oncology To support teaching, research, service, and professional development activities in oncology.

Professorships Dr. Brandon Dominguez Dr. Donald Bruce Lawhorn Endowed Fellowship in Swine Medicine To support a college faculty member in their efforts to educate veterinary students about swine medicine and production.

Dr. James Womack W.P. & Bulah Luse Professorship in Comparative Genomics Research To support comparative genomics research, emphasizing the study of the bovine genome.

Faculty to be Selected Mark L. Morris Endowed Professorship in Veterinary Clinical Nutrition (funded by Hills) To support training efforts to advance our knowledge of companion animal nutrition and support professional and graduate nutrition activities.

Endowed Deanship, Chairs, & Professorships

Deanship Dr. Eleanor M. Green The Carl B. King Deanship in Veterinary Medicine

vetmed.tamu.edu