CATALYSTS
Top talent recruited to Texas Biomed and Southwest National Primate Research Center
Texas Biomed has welcomed five new veterinarians. Attending Veterinarian Kathryn Shelton, D.V.M., Ph.D., said that the new recruits bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Institute that will be invaluable to the health and well-being of the animals and the success of our research.
Associate Professor Donna Perry
Veterinary pathologist Donna Perry, D.V.M., Ph.D., was drawn to Texas Biomed by its unique blend of academic research and industry partnerships.
“Texas Biomed has a compelling focus on infectious disease,” she said. “There’s a lot of variety in the research that is performed here. It is academic in spirit, even though it’s not a university, and that was a big draw for me. It is also appealing to work closely with industry, which we do quite frequently.”
Dr. Perry works with investigators to help design and facilitate studies from the earliest stages. She also helps evaluate how well a drug or therapy works through histopathology, the microscopic study of tissues that have been affected by disease. The structure of each tissue is directly related to its function, and histopathology is the gold standard for the diagnosis of many diseases.
Prior to joining Texas Biomed, Dr. Perry studied infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health biosafety level 4 lab at Fort Detrick, Maryland. She completed her anatomic pathology residency at Cornell University and holds a Ph.D. in molecular pathology from Wake Forest University.
“Histology shows us what tissue looks like in its normal state. In different disease states, tissues respond in different patterns. Those patterns tell a story. Looking at tissues under the microscope is like looking at art.” – Dr. Donna Perry
Assistant Professor Erika McAfee
People are intrigued when they hear that Erika McAfee, D.V.M., MLAS, works with primates.
“Everyone assumes that because I’m a veterinarian I work with cats and dogs. The fact that I work with primates is really interesting for a lot of people and I get a chance to educate them about how much care and enrichment our animals receive,” she said.
As a faculty veterinarian at Texas Biomed, Dr. McAfee supports animal welfare with high-quality care and works closely with scientists to refine research techniques and protocols.
Prior to Texas Biomed, Dr. McAfee served as a postdoctoral fellow and laboratory animal medicine veterinary resident at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, CA. She holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine, a Master of Laboratory Animal Science from Drexel College of Medicine, and a Bachelor of Science from Spelman College.
“I am very interested in translational medicine, which is what drew me to working with primates. Coming to Texas Biomed, I’ve been excited to work with vastly different species, especially the baboons, which I am looking forward to getting to know better.” – Dr. Erika McAfee
Assistant Professor Takashi Taguchi
After starting his career as a small animal clinical veterinarian, Takashi Taguchi, D.V.M., Ph.D., left Japan to start an international adventure that would take him to Kansas, California, Louisiana and Texas.
Now an assistant professor at Texas Biomed, Dr. Taguchi says that nonhuman primate research is one of the most impactful fields in biomedical research.
“I knew very quickly that I wanted to be a part of great work done in this area,” Dr. Taguchi said. “Clinical management of colonies is one of the most fulfilling parts of my role.”
Day-to-day, Dr. Taguchi divides his time between helping maintain primate health, overseeing research projects and studying new species. He is interested in maximizing the large datasets available at SNPRC to advance nonhuman primate medicine.
Dr. Taguchi most recently served as a clinical veterinarian at the New Iberia Research Center in Louisiana where he supported the nonhuman primate breeding and research programs. Dr. Taguchi holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from Osaka Prefecture University, a Master of Sciences from Western University of Health Sciences, a Ph.D. from the School of Veterinary Medicine at Louisiana State University and a Master of Applied Statistics from the College of Agriculture at Louisiana State University.
“Everyone I meet at Texas Biomed and SNPRC loves what they do. They care about the animals so much and they are so friendly, fun and respectful.” – Dr. Takashi Taguchi
Clinical Veterinarian Laramie Doyal
Laramie Doyal, D.V.M., is no stranger to working with nonhuman primates. Prior to joining Texas Biomed, Dr. Doyal served as Hospital Director and Clinical Veterinarian at Inotiv, a contract research organization, where he supported a large macaque colony.
“I was drawn to working with primates early on in my career,” Dr. Doyal said.
Dr. Doyal holds a Master of Agriculture Poultry Science from Texas A&M University, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine.
“The extreme compassion, efforts and dedication of every single person here at Texas Biomed is truly heartwarming,” Dr. Doyal said.
“One of the most rewarding parts of working at Texas Biomed has been joining a prestigious team with a shared vision and high expectations.” – Dr. Laramie Doyal
Staff Scientist Henry Jegede
Henry Jegede, D.V.M., MVSc, FCVSN, has extensive experience in primate medicine and has conducted epidemiological studies on primates in both zoo and natural habitats. Dr. Jegede has led multiple wildlife conservation and research projects, focusing on animal health, disease intervention and prevention.
At Texas Biomed, Dr. Jegede works closely with the Institute’s baboon colony and says that their close genetic link to humans makes them vital to One Health: studies that investigate the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.
“My mornings are spent providing hands-on clinical care, while afternoons focus on analyzing disease trends, identifying patterns, and improving diagnostics and clinical processes,” he said.
Dr. Jegede holds a Master of Veterinary Science in small/companion animal surgery and wildlife medicine from the University of Ibadan, and a D.V.M. from Ahmadu Bello University. He also completed the Fellowship of the College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria (FCVSN), specializing in Wildlife and Laboratory Animal Medicine.
“Seeing our work improve the health and welfare of the animals while also contributing to research that benefits human and animal health worldwide is so rewarding.” – Dr. Henry Jegede