Lab Team

The Verocai Lab

Director

Dr. Verocai

Gui Verocai


Associate 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

Meriam Saleh

Meriam Saleh


Assistant 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 Hakimi

Hassan Hakimi


Postdoctoral 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 Weerarathne

Pabasara Weerarathne


Postdoctoral 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

Matthew Kulpa

Matthew Kulpa


PhD 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 Kipp

Kaylee Kipp


PhD Student
kkipp@tamu.edu

Education:
• BS (2018), Texas A&M University – Commerce
• MS (2020), Texas A&M University – Commerce

Links:
ResearchGate
Maureen Kelly

Maureen Kelly


PhD Student
mkelly3456@tamu.edu

Education:
• BS (2018), Barry University
• MS (2021), Tulane University

Links:
ResearchGate
Ian Daniel

Ian Daniel


PhD Student
ian.daniel@tamu.edu

Education:
• BS (2015), Kisii University, Kenya
• MS (2021), University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, Arkansas USA

Links:
ResearchGate
Tiana Sanders

Tiana Sanders


PhD Student
tlsanders2415@tamu.edu

Education:
• BS (2015), Oklahoma State University
• DVM (2023), Oklahoma State University

Links:
ResearchGate

Staff

Joe Luksovsky

Joe Luksovsky


Laboratory Technician
jluksovsky@cvm.tamu.edu

Education:
• BS (2007), Texas A&M University
• MS (2011), Texas A&M University

Links:
ResearchGate
Likun Panda

Likun Panda


Research 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

Diane Briceno

Diane Briceno


Research 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 Schech

Mary Schech


Research 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 Sierra


Research 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 Orr

Emily Orr


Research 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

Alexa Tapia

Alexa Tapia


Research Assistant
alexatapia@tamu.edu

Alexa is a senior Biomedical Sciences major at Texas A&M University interested in attending veterinary school to become a small animal veterinarian. Currently, she assists others with ongoing projects in the lab and continues her studies.
Alexa Tapia

McKenzi Leek


Research Assistant
mckenzileek@exchange.tamu.edu

McKenzi is a second-year veterinary student interested in mixed animal and zoo/exotic animal practice when she graduates. She currently works in the parasite diagnostic laboratory.

Visiting Students

Collaborators

Eric Hoberg


University of New Mexico

Susan Kutz


University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dept of Ecosystem and Public Health

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~kutzrg/index.html

Lucienne Tritten


University of Zurich Switzerland

Ray Kaplan


University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Dept of Infectious Diseases

Andy Moorhead


University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Dept of Infectious Diseases

Former Lab Members

Caroline Sobotyk de OliveiraFormer 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
Tatiani V. HarveyFormer Post-Doc
Tatiani V. Harvey, 2022


Elias Topo Former Research Associate
Elias Topo
Neha Tyagi Former Research Associate
Neha Tyagi


Rafael Ramos<br />
Former visiting professor
Rafael Ramos, 2023

Former Visiting Student:
Kailey Wichman, 2022 (2nd year DVM Student)
Valerio SulliottiFormer Visiting Student:
Valerio Sulliotti, 2022 (3rd year PhD student)
Former Visiting Student:
Giulia Pilati 2019
Former DVM Student:
Cora Garcia, 202
Kelsey O'HaraFormer DVM Student:
Kelsey O'Hara, 2023
Carmen VolzFormer DVM Student:
Carmen Volz, 2023

Sasha AdamsFormer DVM Student:
Sasha Adams
Former DVM Student:
Jordan Gomez, 2022
Kaitlyn UptonFormer DVM Student:
Kaitlyn Upton, 2022
Hannah DanksFormer DVM Student:
Hannah Danks, 2022
Andrew BrownFormer DVM Student:
Andrew Brown, 2022
Veronica NegronFormer DVM Student:
Veronica Negron, 2021
Veronica Negron
Former DVM Student:
Sarah Jeffreys, 2021
Former Undergraduate Student
Brianna Flores, 2023

Gabby FerrerFormer Undergraduate Student
Gabriella Ferrer, 2022
Amanda VarnerFormer Undergraduate Student
Amanda Varner, 2021
Nathalia NguyenFormer Undergraduate Student
Nathalia Nguyen, 2020