The Verocai Lab
Director |
|
|---|---|
 | Gui VerocaiAssociate 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 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 |
|
 | 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 |
|
 | 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 |
|
 | 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 |
|
 | Alexa TapiaResearch 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. |
 | McKenzi LeekResearch 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 HobergUniversity of New Mexico |
|
Susan KutzUniversity of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dept of Ecosystem and Public Health http://people.ucalgary.ca/~kutzrg/index.html |
|
Lucienne TrittenUniversity of Zurich Switzerland |
|
Ray KaplanUniversity of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Dept of Infectious Diseases |
|
Andy MoorheadUniversity of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Dept of Infectious Diseases |
|
Former Lab Members |
|
 | 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 |
 | Former Research Associate Elias Topo |
 | Former Research Associate Neha Tyagi |
 | Former visiting professor Rafael Ramos, 2023 |
 | 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 |
| Former DVM Student: Cora Garcia, 202 |
|
 | Former DVM Student: Kelsey O'Hara, 2023 |
 | Former DVM Student: Carmen Volz, 2023 |
 | Former DVM Student: Sasha Adams |
| Former DVM Student: Jordan Gomez, 2022 |
|
 | Former DVM Student: Kaitlyn Upton, 2022 |
 | Former DVM Student: Hannah Danks, 2022 |
 | Former DVM Student: Andrew Brown, 2022 |
 | Former DVM Student: Veronica Negron, 2021 |
 | Former DVM Student: Sarah Jeffreys, 2021 |
| Former Undergraduate Student Brianna Flores, 2023 |
|
 | Former Undergraduate Student Gabriella Ferrer, 2022 |
 | Former Undergraduate Student Amanda Varner, 2021 |
 | Former Undergraduate Student Nathalia Nguyen, 2020 |
