Faculty Mentors & Research Interests

• Clinical Sciences
• agraghav@ksu.edu

Dr. Raghu Amachawadi’s research interests are in antimicrobial resistance among gut commensals and foodborne pathogens of swine and cattle production systems. Specifically, on understanding the mechanisms involved in the propagation and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance and on the role of non-antibiotic alternatives in contribution and mitigation of antimicrobial resistance in gut bacteria, and on microbiome and metagenomics analyses of the gut of cattle and swine. His research interests also include both aerobic and or anaerobic bacterial flora of liver abscesses and its prevention in feedlot cattle.

• mapley@ksu.edu

Dr. Mike Apley's research is focused on food animal pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of veterinary drugs.

• Biology
• kasano@ksu.edu

Dr. Katsura Asano studies regulation of protein biosynthesis, yeast genetics and biochemistry, and molecular and cell biology of insects and cancer.

• Clinical Sciences
• chieko@ksu.edu

Dr. Chieko Azuma's research is focused on investigating the biological effects of radiation therapy and evaluation of treatment response in veterinary patients. She also has interests in palliative care and pain management, and research ethics and compliance.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• mbasel@ksu.edu

Dr. Matt Basel’s research is focused on cancer therapy, especially hyperthermia and nanomedicine, and on designing better models for cancer research.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• bortoluzzi@ksu.edu

Dr. Eduarda Bortoluzzi's research focuses on animal welfare and applied ethology of domestic animals. Her previous research aimed to demonstrate the relationship between neonatal behaviors and the health of piglets and calves. Dr. Bortoluzzi also researched novel technologies to identify pulmonary pathologies in necropsied feedlot cattle. Her future lab projects include using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics to develop new animal welfare metrics.

• Psychology

Dr. Mary Cain studies the neurobiological basis of drug use using a rodent model.

• ncernic@ksu.edu

Dr. Natalia Cernicchiaro's research focus is on veterinary epidemiology, food safety, zoonoses and production medicine. Research interests include the application of epidemiological concepts and methods, including multi-level modeling and knowledge synthesis and translation techniques to design, implement and interpret observational and experimental studies pertaining to food safety, zoonoses, arthropod-borne diseases and production medicine. Current research projects include understanding the distribution and determinants of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli non-O157, Salmonella and respiratory disease organisms in cattle and cattle production systems.

• Diagnostic Medicine & Pathobiology

Dr. Kyeong-Ok Chang studies the development of therapeutic small molecules against various viruses including noroviruses, influenza virus and rotaviruses within vitro screening system and animal models such as (gnotobiotic) pigs and mice.

• USDA Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit
• Lee.cohnstaedt@ars.usda.gov

Dr. Lee Cohnstaedt’s research focuses on mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogens such as Rift Valley fever, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile viruses. He also studies methods to reduce biting midge (culicoides) transmitted epizootic hemorrhagic disease and bluetongue virus transmission on cervid farms. The lab uses both field and lab projects to determine the best methods to reduce disease transmission by mosquito and biting midge disease vectors.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• jeffcomer@ksu.edu

Dr. Jeff Comer studies molecular simulation of interactions between biological molecules and synthetic nanostructures, with a particular focus on the thermodynamics and kinetics of binding, transmembrane transport of nanoparticles, and high-throughput screening.

• Kinesiology
• scopp@k-state.edu

Dr. Steven Copp’s research interest is autonomic control of circulation during exercise in health and cardiovascular disease.

• egdavis@ksu.edu

The primary focus of Dr. Elizabeth Davis' research has involved mechanisms of innate immunity in horses. The current series of investigations involves examining the mechanism of immune activation with specific DNA sequences called CpG DNA. She is examining how bacterial DNA induces these responses and which sequences are the most effective at inducing immune activation. The ultimate goal of such investigations will be to use CpG DNA in combination with vaccine antigens so that she can safely and effectively make vaccines more powerful. Investigations will utilize cellular proliferation, cytokine gene expression and molecular cloning and sequencing assays.

• Diagnostic Medicine & Pathobiology
• sdhakal3@ksu.edu

Dr. Santosh Dhakal's lab works on viral pathogens of animal and human health importance, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2. His research focuses on understanding the effect of host-associated factors, including age, biological sex, preexisting immunity, and different comorbidities on viral pathogenesis and immune responses to vaccines. He is also interested in the development of safe, effective and optimized mucosal vaccines against animal and human viral pathogens.

• Department of Psychological Sciences
• mmdiehl@ksu.edu

Dr. Diehl's research program focuses on the understanding of how social stimuli can alter the neural circuits of fear and avoidance to reduce anxiety-like behaviors and subsequently promote resilient behaviors in rats. She uses a several techniques including single unit recordings and optogenetic manipulations in behaving rats. Research in the Diehl laboratory seeks to understand why some individuals can overcome trauma and develop behavioral resilience, while other individuals go on to develop a neuropsychiatric disease, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• pfong@ksu.edu

Dr. Peying Fong studies the regulation of sodium, chloride and iodide transport by epithelial cells.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• scottfritz@ksu.edu

Dr. Scott Fritz studies issues relating to toxicology as it pertains to animals. His research interest is applied veterinary toxicology and he teaches VAP 871Veterinary Toxicology.

• Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics
• geisbrechtb@ksu.edu

Dr. Brian Geisbrecht studies Staphylococcus aureus with a multidisciplinary approach including innate immunity, molecular basis of infectious diseases and host-pathogen interactions, and structural biology and molecular recognition.

• Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics
• geisbrechte@ksu.edu

Dr. Erika Geisbrecht studies formation and maintenance of muscle and heart tissue, biochemistry and molecular genetics of Drosophila, and cell signaling in development.

• Clinical Sciences
• tggundy@ksu.edu

Dr. Todd Gunderson studies beef production medicine, dairy production medicine, equine medicine, epidemiology, disease outbreak investigation and small animal emergency medicine.

• Anatomy and Physiology
• stephaniehall@ksu.edu

Dr. Stephanie Hall's research focuses on uncovering the mechanisms of exercise protection in one of the most devastating diseases today, Alzheimer’ disease.

• Clinical Sciences
• hallman@ksu.edu

Dr. Clay Hallman's research interests include cardiovascular imaging and teaching.

• Animal Science
• lhulbert@k-state.edu

Dr. Lindsey Hulbert's research is focused on the development and validation of automated technologies to monitor health and welfare of domestic animals, understanding the effects of early-life stressors on nutritive and non-nutritive oral behaviors and immunity in calves, improving resilience to stressors and immunocomptence through housing, management, and feeding strategies in calves and pigs, and determining biomarkers of stress and inflammation for predicting and identifying disease.

• Clinical Sciences
• kapaldo@ksu.edu

Dr. Nate Kapaldo's research interests are in urine partial pressure of oxygen as a marker for acute kidney injury; comparative regional analgesia techniques and pain physiology; sustainability in anesthesia practice; and perioperative teaching environment and methods of veterinary student/nurse instruction.

• Diagnostic Medicine & Pathobiology
• ykim@ksu.edu

Dr. Yunjeong Kim is interested in the development of therapeutic agents for small animal viral diseases including feline infectious peritonitis and feline calicivirus infection as well as understanding the role of host cellular proteases in viral pathogenesis.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• jklingler@ksu.edu

Dr. Jeremy Klingler's research interests are strongly paleontological and paleobiological in nature. He is primarily involved with the world-famous Tanis site of North Dakota, where the dinosaur-killing asteroid hit the Earth ~ 66 Mya, making it one of the most significant fossil sites ever found. At Tanis, rapid burial of the site and its inhabitants has preserved a large number of high-quality fossil finds that capture exquisite details. He is also interested in reconstructing dinosaur anatomy and physiology through a comparative lens with their modern relatives (i.e., crocodilians and birds).

• Anatomy & Physiology
• kukanic@ksu.edu

Dr. Butch KuKanich studies the evaluation and design of rational drug dosages through the use of pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic studies.

• Clinical Sciences
• kstenske@ksu.edu

Dr. Kate KuKanich focuses on One Health research including antimicrobial stewardship, hand hygiene, zoonotic diseases, fungal disease, UTIs, and opioids.

• Beef Cattle Institute
• palancaster@ksu.edu

Dr. Phillip Lancaster studies sustainable beef cattle production; identification of energy efficient cattle; nutritional strategies to reduce methane emissions; and development of sustainable beef production systems.

• Clinical Sciences
• rlarson@ksu.edu

Dr. Robert Larson studies the investigation of the role of disease in beef cattle on production efficiency, evaluation of disease intervention strategies.

• Clinical Sciences
• sdlyon@ksu.edu

• Agriculture Research Service, USDA
• erin.scully@usda.gov

Dr. Bethany McGregor's research focuses on understanding aspects of the biology and ecology of insect vectors of animal pathogens, primarily Culicoides biting midges. The ultimate goal of Bethany’s research program is to use data on biology and ecology to improve surveillance and control of biting midge species that transmit diseases.

• Clinical Sciences
• anastasp@ksu.edu

Dr. Stacy McHaney’s research focuses on novel imaging techniques, especially those utilizing MRI technology. She also researches CT contrast and radiation dose reduction.

• Biology
• kmichel@ksu.edu

Dr. Kristen Michel studies host-pathogen interactions important for malaria and arboviral disease transmission.

• Diagnostic Medicine/Pathology
• lauramiller@ksu.edu

Dr. Laura Miller investigates how viruses infect and manipulate host cells, particularly focusing on the mechanisms that allow viruses to evade the immune response and cause disease. By employing advanced techniques, she aims to identify novel targets for gene-editing, diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccine development.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• musch@ksu.edu

Dr. Tim Musch studies mechanisms associated with the large degree of exercise intolerance that develops in the chronic heart failure.

• Diagnostic Medicine & Pathobiology
• wmwangi@ksu.edu

Dr. Waithaka Mwangi's research is focused on the development of livestock vaccines, immune stimulants for adjuvant development, and antibody-based human and companion animal therapeutics.

• Diagnostic Medicine & Pathobiology
• tnagaraj@ksu.edu

Dr. T.G. Nagaraja's research interest is in the field of gut microbiology of cattle and swine, particularly on the role of microbes in gut function and dysfunction.  Currently, his laboratory is involved in the following research areas: Foodborne pathogens, such as Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter, and antimicrobial resistance of gut bacteria in cattle and swine; bacterial flora of liver abscesses, virulence factors and pathogenic mechanisms of Fusobacterium necrophorum, with the long-term goal of developing an efficacious vaccine.

• Entomology
• colds@ksu.edu

Dr. Cassandra Olds' research focuses on understanding vector-pathogen-host interactions, specifically how these can be managed to reduce the negative impact of arthropod pests and their associated pathogens on animal health and well-being.

• Clinical Sciences
• orchard@ksu.edu

Dr. Ron Orchard is an Assistant Professor of community outreach in the Kansas State University Clinical Sciences department. His research interests include: Shelter Medicine, HQHVSN Techniques, Resource Limited Medicine, Spectrum of Care, Access to Care, Community Engagement, Qualitative Methods, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

• Entomology
• ypark@ksu.edu

Dr. Yoonseong Park studies arthropod signaling peptides and their receptors, signaling pathways for tick salivary secretion, and mechanisms of systemic RNA interference.

• Clinical Sciences
• ppicavet@ksu.edu

Dr. Pierre Picavet is a small animal orthopedic surgery specialist.

• Psychological Sciences
• pickens@ksu.edu

Dr. Charles Pickens studies how exposure to CNS depressants can lead to long-term alterations in the brain circuits involved in learning, memory, and decision making.

• Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology
• rmp1@ksu.edu

Dr. Roman Pogranichniy is a veterinarian with advanced training in veterinary microbiology/virology, and his research interests are on viral infectious diseases, their pathogenesis and the development of new diagnostic and preventive methods for these diseases.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• dcpoole@ksu.edu

Dr. David Poole studies pulmonary gas exchange, O2 transport and muscle microcirculation in health and determining the mechanistic bases for dysfunction in chronic disease (i.e., emphysema, heart failure, diabetes) and aging.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• raev@ksu.edu

Dr. Sergei Raev studies porcine infectious diseases, particularly those caused by Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), Porcine Circoviruses (PCV2 and PCV3), Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV), Rotaviruses (RVA, RVB, RVC), and Influenza A Virus (IAV).

• Diagnostic Medicine & Pathobiology
• drenter@ksu.edu

Dr. David Renter’s research emphasizes the application and extension of epidemiologic principles and methods to enhance health and disease management. His outcomes-based research enables valid data-driven decisions to improve animal health/well-being, food safety, production efficiency, and economic viability of health systems.

• Diagnostic Medicine & Pathobiology
• jricht@ksu.edu

Dr. Juergen Richt studies emerging zoonotic diseases, in particular influenza, rift valley, and prion diseases.

• Diagnostic Medicine & Pathobiology
• sandersn@ksu.edu

The broad focus of Dr. Michael Sanderson's research is the application of epidemiologic principles, analytical methods, risk assessment and simulation modeling to disease risk and facilitate decision making in beef production systems. Much of this research has focused on the epidemiology and ecology of beef safety and security particularly related to E. coli O157 and other shiga-toxin producing E. coli.  His lab also studies Bovine Respiratory Disease and Foot and Mouth Disease.

• Clinical Sciences
• tscherme@ksu.edu

Dr. Thomas Schermerhorn studies comparative glucose metabolism and diabetes.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• bschultz@ksu.edu

Dr. Bruce Schultz research focus is on defining the physiological mechanisms of epithelial ion transport in selected tissues and species.

• stacey.scroggs@usda.gov

Dr. Stacey Scroggs studies the evolution, emergence, and control of arthropod-transmitted viruses that infect livestock, such as vesicular stomatitis virus, bluetongue virus, epizootic hemorrhagic fever virus, and West Nile virus.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• jshi@ksu.edu

Dr. Jishu Shi’s runs the Laboratory of Vaccine Immunology, which develops vaccine adjuvants, novel diagnostic assays and vaccines for swine infectious diseases. Specifically, his lab focuses its research on African swine fever (ASF), Streptococcus suis, swine influenza virus (SIV), classical swine fever (CSF), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), and other emerging infectious diseases of swine.

• USDA
• PHILLIP.SHULTS@USDA.GOV

Dr. Phillip Shults studies insects, primarily biting midges, that transmit disease-causing pathogens in wildlife and livestock systems. His lab applies a broad range of next-generation molecular approaches to better understand the interactions between host, vector, and pathogen.

• Entomology
• ksilver@ksu.edu

Dr. Kris Silver researches the physiological and molecular interactions between insects and insecticides.

• Diagnostic Medicine & Pathology
• jtrimpert@ksu.edu

Dr. Jakob Trimpert is a veterinary virologist whose research focuses on viral evolution, host-pathogen interactions, and the development of next-generation vaccines and antivirals. His work spans a broad range of animal and zoonotic viruses, including herpesviruses, coronaviruses, and influenza viruses. His laboratory combines molecular virology, experimental evolution, and high-throughput sequencing approaches to understand how mutation rates and genome dynamics shape viral adaptation, immune escape, and drug resistance. In addition, his group develops innovative live-attenuated vaccine strategies, including large-scale genomic recoding techniques such as codon-pair deoptimization, with a strong emphasis on mucosal immunity and translational applications in both human and veterinary medicine.

• Clinical Sciences
• upchuda@ksu.edu

Dr. David Upchurch researches suture biomechanics, cutaneous marginal shrinkage and instructional methods.

• Diagnostic Medicine & Pathobiology
• dlvanlan@ksu.edu

Dr. Dana Vanlandingham's research is focused on viruses transmitted by mosquitoes; the interactions between the virus, mosquito vector, and vertebrate host. Her lab's multidisciplinary research encompasses both basic molecular virology and applied research: novel vaccine development/evaluation, diagnostics, and virus transmission potential in vectors and hosts. Current research projects include: Japanese encephalitis, Rift Valley fever, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• aviscardi@ksu.edu

Dr. Abbie Viscardi's research focus is on animal behavior and welfare. She is currently studying analgesia use in piglets to alleviate surgical castration and tail-docking pain.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• lihua@ksu.edu

Dr. Lihua Wang's research is dedicated to developing innovative vaccines, diagnostics, and monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics for high-impact infectious diseases. By leveraging advanced technologies like mRNA, single B cell antibody discovery, and viral vector-based delivery, Dr. Wang’s group are actively addressing critical biological threats such as African swine fever, rabies, canine distemper, feline infectious peritonitis, and antimicrobial resistance.

• Anatomy & Physiology
• mlweiss@ksu.edu

Dr. Mark Weiss' research focus is on stem cell biotechnology. His lab successfully produced various stem cell lines such as rat embryonic stem cells and cells derived from umbilical chord or other tissues with the intent of using this technology to advance cellular therapy and regenerative medicine. His lab is focused upon producing promising cellular therapeutics for regenerative medicine.

• Clinical Sciences
• whiteb@ksu.edu

Dr. Brad White studies preventative and therapeutic options for cattle health, emphasizing bovine respiratory disease.

• Biology
• zinovyeva@ksu.edu

Dr. Anna Zinovyeva studies post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, RNA biology, and microRNA biogenesis and function.