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Faculty Mentors

Faculty mentors

*The following is by no means a complete list of possible mentors. Mentors may also be selected from other colleges across the university or from outside Texas A&M University with prior approval.

VMBS DEPARTMENTS:

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Mentor, DepartmentEmailProjects in Clinical and Translational Science, Physiology, Pathophysiology and Developmental Biology
Dr. Kate Aicher, VSCSkaicher@cvm.tamu.eduStudy of Heterobilharzia americana in dogs.
Dr. Jeffrey Cirillo, Microbial Path & Imm, COMjdcirillo@tamu.edu1. Mechanisms of Mycobacteria communication in response to environmental conditions or changes during host-pathogen interactions
2. developing several novel approaches to treat antimicrobial resistant pathogens using a novel bank of phage, to screen resistant and susceptible bacterial and phage libraries to identify improved cocktails that can be used to treat infection
3. Application of novel detection technologies in pre-clinical and clinical translational studies through optimization for sensitivity and specificity.
Dr. Lindsay Dawson, VTPPldawson@cvm.tamu.eduInvestigating bone regeneration across the lifespan using murine models of Down syndrome.
Dr. Dana Gaddy, VIBSdgaddy@cvm.tamu.edu1. Explaining muscle weakness and bone mineralization defects in sheep hypophosphatasia;
2. Alkaline phosphatase deficiency association with conceptus development defects and lung insufficiency
Dr. Shelby Gasson, VSCSsgasson@cvm.tamu.eduThe Chill Factor: Evaluating the Impact of Postoperative Incision Icing on Recovery Temperature in Veterinary Patients
Dr. Richard Gomer, Biologyrgomer@bio.tamu.eduTesting compounds for efficacy in mouse and rat models of pulmonary fibrosis, and doing pathology and blood chemistry to examine general effects of the compounds. Students will thus get a good exposure to the process of drug development in a lab that previously took a compound into a company formation, raising venture capital funding, and successful human clinical trails.
Dr. Jessica Hokamp, VTPBjhokamp@tamu.eduIdentification of urine and serum biomarkers of renal and urinary diseases in domestic and exotic animals.
Dr. Michelle Hook, COMmichellehook@tamu.edu1. Molecular mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of opioids after spinal cord injury;
2. Test whether changes in parasympathetic innervation contribute to the loss of bone after spinal cord injury
Dr. Mariappan Muthachamy, COMmarim@tamu.edu1. Understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)
2. Investigating the therapeutic roles of lymphatics in several neuromuscular diseases, including DMD and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis animal models. 
Dr. Mary Nabity, VTPBmnabity@cvm.tamu.eduInvestigating renal biomarkers of disease, determine renal involvement in endocrine diseases, or tissue evaluation of specific renal diseases. 
Dr. Weston Porter, VTPPwporter@cvm.tamu.edu1. Molecular mechanisms of mammary carcinogenesis
2. Regulation of mitochondrial dysfunction in mammary gland differentiation
3. Role of circadian rhythms in mammary carcinogenesis
Dr. Ellie Rahbar, BMEN/VTPPerahbar@tamu.eduEvaluation of supercooled and vitrified organs for transplant.
Dr. Joseph Rutkowski, COMrutkowski@tamu.eduIdentify how changes in lymphatic biology alter the adaptive immune response during the transition from an Acute Kidney Injury towards Chronic Kidney Disease. Methods for these projects include measuring kidney function, flow cytometry, qPCR, and imaging techniques with the potential for more detail single cellular studies.
Dr. Steve Safe, VTPPssafe@cvm.tamu.eduDevelopment of ligand for the orphan nuclear receptor 4A and their applications in cancer, endometriosis and neuronal diseases.
Dr. Jianxun (Jim) Song, Microbial Path & Imm, COMjus35@tamu.eduInvestigating immune regulatory mechanisms in metabolic-associated liver disease using both in vitro and in vivo models. This project will provide hands-on experience in cellular immunology techniques and data interpretation, aligning well with the program’s research training goals.
Dr. Alex Walsh, BMENwalshaj@tamu.eduDevelopment of spectral imaging to monitor wound healing in dogs with surgical incisions and traumatic or complex wounds. Multispectral imaging acquires images of visible and near infrared light to assess changes in tissue optical properties that are related to tissue perfusion, blood oxygenation, and bacterial bioload, biomarkers that are informative for wound healing or chronicity.
Dr. Shannon Washburn, VTPPswashburn@cvm.tamu.eduComprehensive evaluation of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the anesthetic alfaxalone in sheep to evaluate its safety and effectiveness and establish a relationship between the plasma concentration and the clinical effect obtained after a single dose of alfaxalone.
Dr. Jane Welsh, VIBSjwelsh@cvm.tamu.eduInvestigation of the Theiler’s virus models of neurological diseases: multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and epilepsy.
Dr. Wei Xu, VTPPwxu1@tamu.edu1. Understanding how nanoplastics get into skin via seawater
2  Biomineralization in invertebrates, specifically using mollusks, including oysters and snails as model organisms
Mentor, DepartmentEmailResearch in Large Animal Medicine
Dr. Angela Bordin, VLCSabordin@cvm.tamu.edu1.  Host-pathogen interaction using equine innate immune cells and Rhodococcus equi
2. Immune development in foals
3. Methods to prevent and control as well as diagnose R. equi pneumonia in foals. The specific project will be chosen to match the students’ interests.
Dr. Noah Cohen, VLCSNCohen@cvm.tamu.edu1. Effects of virulence plasmids on survival during freezing of strains of R. equi
2. Effects of intracellular IgG on survival of R. equi in macrophages
3. Serological responses of mares to R. equi mRNA vaccine
Dr. Becky Legere, VLCSrlegere@cvm.tamu.eduEffect of equine nebulizer design on efficacy of nebulized corticosteroid.
Dr. Sarah White-Springer, ANSCshwhite@exchange.tamu.edu1.Enhancing Quarter Horse Welfare Through Novel Identification of β2-agonist Use
2. Novel predictors of fatigue in Thoroughbred racehorses
3. Does a muscle supplement formula improve measures of mitochondrial function above supplementation with organic minerals?
Mentor, DepartmentEmailResearch in Pathobiology and Infectious Disease
Dr. Laura Bryan, VTPBlbryan@cvm.tamu.eduTargeted Genetic and Functional Investigation of Ceruloplasmin-Associated Iron Dysregulation in Ragdoll and Related Cats: This project involves DNA extraction from FFPE blocks, a Taqman genotyping assay, and possibly a CP functionality assay depending on serum availability.
Dr. Candice Chu, VTPBcchu@cvm.tamu.eduArtificial intelligence in veterinary medicine, bioinformatics, digitalcytology, and AI-assisted diagnostics.
Dr. Albert Mulenga, VTPBamulenga@cvm.tamu.eduInvestigate whether glycosaminoglycans can enhance the activity of a serpin inhibitor of blood clotting from tick saliva that functions similarly to human antithrombin. This serpin is highly secreted by Borrelia burgdorferi infected Ixodes scapularis nymphs (PMC7930271) and conserved across different tick species (PMC4252504).
Dr. Keri Norman, VIBSknorman@cvm.tamu.edu1. Antimicrobial resistance on intestinal and extra-intestinal microbial flora, in particular Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli, in cattle and swine and their environment
2. Uses of traditional benchtop microbiology in combination with molecular techniques such as whole genome sequencing to study the epidemiology of bacterial foodborne pathogens at the interface between agriculture and human health
Dr. Zhilong Yang, VTPByang@cvm.tamu.eduEvaluate anti-poxvirus compounds.
Mentor, Department, VERO, Canyon, TXEmailResearch areas to pursue in Canyon, TX (will participate by zoom in most formal summer weekly VMSRTP training events
Dr. Paul Morley, VTPB, VEROpmorley@cvm.tamu.eduUse sequencing, bioinformatic and statistical analyses to investigate the relationship between microbial community structures and diseases in cattle or horses.
Dr. Matthew Scott, VLCS, VEROmascott@cvm.tamu.eduHigh throughput host transcriptomics to predict risk and severity of bovine respiratory disease in beef cattle.
Dr. Robert Valeris-Chacin, VTPB, VEROrvalerischacin@cvm.tamu.eduUsing adaptive sampling, a long reads sequencing technique, to map the strain diversity of Salmonella in beef cattle feces.
Mentor, InstitutionEmailResearch with TAMU DVM graduates outside College Station
Dr. Tori Baxter, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San AntonioVBaxter@txbiomed.org1. Pathogenesis of neurological chikungunya infection using mouse models
2. Effect of prior infection exposure on the immune system in laboratory mice and guinea pigs