VETERINARY INTEGRATIVE BIOSCIENCES (VIBS

VIBS carries out teaching, research, and service across a wide spectrum of biosciences. Biomedical sciences represents a vital component of the foundation of medical knowledge and includes investigation at molecular, cellular, organismal, and population levels. The faculty teach anatomy and public health courses in the DVM curriculum, as well as core and elective courses in the undergraduate and graduate curricula. Faculty and students are engaged in biomedical genetics, neuroscience, reproductive biology, toxicology, epidemiology, and public health. VIBS is also home to one of the few programs in science and technology journalism in the country. Through various outreach programs, faculty engage local, regional, and international communities.

Highlights from FY20 include:

New Faculty

• Dr. Todd O’Hara joined the CVMBS in January 2020 as a professor and head of VIBS. Dr. O’Hara’s training includes a DVM from the University of Wisconsin and a PhD in Pharmacology/Toxicology from the Medical College of Virginia. He is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology. Dr. O’Hara joins VIBS from the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he was the first Associate Dean for the Department of Veterinary Medicine and DVM training program (2+2) in collaboration with Colorado

State University. Dr. O’Hara’s main research interests are in environmental and wildlife toxicology. Welcome, Dr. O’Hara!

Program Review

• The MS in Science and Technology Journalism (STJR) program underwent a very successful academic program review.

Awards

• Ms. Courtney Adams - CVMBS Outstanding Master’s Student Award (Faculty Advisor: Dr. Barbara Gastel) • Dr. Kristin Chaney - Association of Former Students University Level Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching • Mr. Joseph Dubie - Texas A&M University Montgomery Award (Faculty Advisor: Dr. Vaishali Katju) • Dr. Greg Johnson - Chancellor EDGES Fellowship • Dr. Greg Johnson - Association of Former Students University Level Distinguished Achievement Award for Research • Dr. Lauren Lewis - Association of Former Students Distinguished Graduate Student Awards in Research (Faculty Advisor: Dr.

Ivan Rusyn) • Dr. Bill Murphy - American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow • Dr. Bill Murphy - University Professorship • Dr. Bill Murphy - Chancellor EDGES Fellowship • Dr. Alyssa Myers - Association of Former Students Distinguished Graduate Student Awards in Research (Faculty Advisor: Dr.

Sarah Hamer) • Dr. Weston Porter - Director’s Superior Grantsmanship Award • Dr. Ivan Rusyn - Director’s Superior Grantsmanship Award

Grants

• Dr. James Cai - Awarded a grant from the Data Resource Development Program (funding source: Texas A&M Institute of Data

Science) • Dr. Ivan Rusyn - Texas A&M University: Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity in Biomedical Sciences (funding source: NIH) • Dr. Martial Ndeffo - Collaborative project on modeling community-level transmission and control of COVID-19 in the US (funding source: NSF) • Drs. Nicola Ritter and Molly Gonzales of the Center for Educational Technologies (CET) - Awarded a grant to expand online distance learning efforts (funding source: USDA)