The Verocai Lab
Director |
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 | Gui VerocaiClinical Assistant Professor gverocai@cvm.tamu.edu | 979-862-4999 Education: • DVM (2005), Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil • MSc (2008), Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil • PhD (2015), University of Calgary, Canada • 2015-2016, University of South Florida, Department of Global Health (Postdoctoral fellow) Credentials: • Director, Parasitology Diagnostic Laboratory • Adjunct Faculty, Department of Infectious Diseases, UGA CVM • Diplomate in Parasitology (2014), American College of Veterinary Microbiologists • Texas Special veterinary License (2019) – S-567 Links: • VTPB profile • ResearchGate • TAMU Scholars |
Assistant Professor |
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 | Meriam SalehAssistant Professor msaleh@cvm.tamu.edu Education: • BS (2011), University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN • PhD (2017), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA Professional Appointments: • 2017–2019, Postdoctoral Fellow, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University • 2019–2020, Project Leader, National Center for Veterinary Parasitology • 2019–2020, Lecturer, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University • 2020–2021, Postdoctoral Fellow, Texas A&M University Links: • Google Scholar Profile • ResearchGate |
Visiting Professor | |
Resident/Postdoc | |
 | Hassan HakimiPostdoctoral Researcher hhakimi@cvm.tamu.edu Education: • DVM (2005), University of Tehran • MSc (2009), Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine • PhD (2013), Gifu University Professional Appointments: • 2014-2019, Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University • 2019–Present, Assistant Professor, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University Links: • Google Scholar Profile • ResearchGate |
 | Pabasara WeerarathnePostdoctoral Researcher pabasaraw@exchange.tamu.edu Education: • BSc (2014), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka • MSc (2017), University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka • PhD (2023), Oklahoma State University Links: • Google Scholar Profile • ResearchGate |
Graduate Student |
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 | Matthew KulpaPhD Student kulpamat@tamu.edu Education: • BS (2011), Michigan State University • MS (2015), Bowling Green State University • DVM (2020), Michigan State University Links: • Personal Website • ResearchGate |
 | Kaylee KippPhD Student kkipp@tamu.edu Education: • BS (2018), Texas A&M University – Commerce • MS (2020), Texas A&M University – Commerce Links: • ResearchGate |
 | Maureen KellyPhD Student mkelly3456@tamu.edu Education: • BS (2018), Barry University • MS (2021), Tulane University Links: • ResearchGate |
 | Ian DanielPhD Student ian.daniel@tamu.edu Education: • BS (2015), Kisii University, Kenya • MS (2021), University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, Arkansas USA Links: • ResearchGate |
 | Tiana SandersPhD Student tlsanders2415@tamu.edu Education: • BS (2015), Oklahoma State University • DVM (2023), Oklahoma State University Links: • ResearchGate |
Staff |
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 | Joe LuksovskyLaboratory Technician jluksovsky@cvm.tamu.edu Education: • BS (2007), Texas A&M University • MS (2011), Texas A&M University Links: • ResearchGate |
 | Likun PandaResearch Associate likun_7_99@tamu.edu Education: • BTech (2010), Vellore institute of technology, Vellore, India • MTech (2012), Vellore institute of technology, Vellore, India • PhD (2022), Université Laval, Canada Professional Appointments: • 2012, Assistant Professor, National institute of technology, Raipur, India • 2021, Research Associate, Université Laval, Canada Links: • Google Scholar • ResearchGate |
DVM Students |
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 | Diane BricenoResearch Assistant diane_briceno@tamu.edu Diane is a second year veterinary student at Texas A&M interested in parasitology and one health. This summer, she will be assisting with various projects at the lab, taking a special interest in vector-borne diseases. |
 | Mary SchechResearch Assistant mschech@cvm.tamu.edu Mary is a second year veterinary student at Texas A&M. She is interested in small animal medicine and incorporating research into clinical practice. This summer she is working through the VMSRTP to develop novel molecular diagnostic approaches for diagnosing heartworm. |
 | Daniela SierraResearch Assistant das20@tamu.edu Dani is a third year veterinary student who is interested in zoo/exotic medicine. Dani completed the Veterinary Medical Student Research Training Program in the summer of 2024 where she conducted a study on the prevalence of the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis at the Houston zoo. |
 | Emily OrrResearch Assistant emily.orr@tamu.edu Emily is a 2nd year veterinary student interested in a surgery residency once she completes vet school. She has been an integral team member and helps on various projects here in the lab. |
Undergraduate Students |
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Visiting Students |
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Collaborators | |
Eric HobergUniversity of New Mexico |
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Susan KutzUniversity of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dept of Ecosystem and Public Health http://people.ucalgary.ca/~kutzrg/index.html |
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Lucienne TrittenUniversity of Zurich Switzerland |
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Ray KaplanUniversity of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Dept of Infectious Diseases |
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Andy MoorheadUniversity of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Dept of Infectious Diseases |
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Former Lab Members |
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 | Former Post-Doc and NCVP Resident Caroline Sobotyk de Oliveira, 2022 Current Employment Assistant Professor of Clinical Parasitology at University of Pennsylvania Links: • NCVP • Research Gate |
 | Former Post-Doc Tatiani V. Harvey, 2022 Links: • Google Scholar Profile • Research Gate |
 | Former Research Associate Elias Topo |
 | Former Research Associate Neha Tyagi Links: • Neha's Google Scholar Profile |
 | Rafael RamosFormer visiting professor rafael.ramos@ufape.edu.br Rafael Ramos is a veterinarian from Brazil, has a master’s degree in Animal Bioscience at Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (Brazil), and Ph.D in Animal Health and Zoonosis at University of Bari (Italy) under supervision of professor Domenico Otranto. Currently, he is professor at Federal University of the Agreste of Pernambuco (Brazil) and came to Texas A&M University through the CAPES-PRINT program sponsored by the Brazilian government. He has collaborated with both Verocai and Hamer teams, contributing to lab meetings, training, and teaching activities. His research focuses on vectors and vector-borne pathogens, especially those of zoonotic concern. Rafael chose to come to Texas A&M University to improve his skills in parasitology and to learn new techniques related to molecular biology. He is developing the project entitled “Characterization of microRNAs derived from filarids of dogs and the assessment of their potential as diagnostic markers”, and has contributed with several other projects ongoing. |
 | Former Visiting Student: Kailey Wichman, 2022 (2nd year DVM Student) |
 | Former Visiting Student: Valerio Sulliotti, 2022 (3rd year PhD student) |
 | Former Visiting Student: Giulia Pilati 2019 |
Cora GarciaResearch Assistant coragarcia1999@tamu.edu Cora is a second-year veterinary student at Texas A&M. As a member of the 2022 VMSRTP cohort, she will be conducting a tick surveillance study of Ornithodoros spp. ticks to assess the potential sylvatic cycle of African Swine Fever, if introduced to the United States. |
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 | Kelsey O'HaraResearch Assistant kao496@tamu.edu Kelsey just finished her 1st year of vet school and is interested in reptile medicine and furthering research on reptiles. Kelsey is part of the Veterinary Medical Student Research Training Program this summer where she will be investigating the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia spp. in captive and wild snakes across Texas. |
 | Former DVM Student: Carmen Volz, 2023 |
 | Sasha AdamsResearch Assistant saadams@cvm.tamu.edu Sasha is a second year veterinary student at Texas A&M interested in wildlife and infectious disease. She is working through the Veterinary Medical Scholars Research Training Program to identify species of black flies that may be a vector for Onchocerca lupi, a zoonotic nematode. |
Jordan GomezResearch Assistant jordangomez363@tamu.edu Jordan is a second year veterinary student who is interested in microbiology and infectious diseases. Jordan is part of the Veterinary Medical Student Research Training Program, where this summer she will be studying parasitic nematodes in Alaskan moose. |
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 | Former DVM Student: Kaitlyn Upton, 2022 |
 | Hannah DanksResearch Assistant hadanks@cvm.tamu.edu Hannah is a second year veterinary student that is interested in parasitology and wildlife. This summer, she will work in the lab to characterize the species of Dictyocaulus present in North American Bison |
 | Former DVM Student: Andrew Brown, 2022 |
 | Former DVM Student: Veronica Negron, 2021 |
 | Former DVM Student: Sarah Jeffreys, 2021 |
| Former Undergraduate Student Brianna Flores, 2023 |
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 | Former Undergraduate Student Gabriella Ferrer, 2022 |
 | Former Undergraduate Student Amanda Varner, 2021 |
 | Former Undergraduate Student Nathalia Nguyen, 2020 |
