Research Mentors

Prospective mentors for the University of Missouri Comparative Medicine Program

Name/DegreeRankAppointmentsRoleResearch Interests
Amos-Landgraf, James / PhDAssociate ProfessorVeterinary PathobiologyMentor, Core FacultyAnimal models of human colon cancer and potential chemotherapeutic development
Anderson, Deborah / PhDProfessorVeterinary PathobiologyMentorHost pathogen interactions involved in plague disease and immunity
Balboula, Ahmed / DVM, PhDAssistant ProfessorAnimal sciencesMentorReproductive biology
Bender, Shawn / PhDAssociate ProfessorBiomedical SciencesMentorMechanisms of coronary and cardiac dysfunction in swine and mouse models
Brown, Pamela / PhDAssociate ProfessorBiological SciencesMentorMicrobial cell biology
Bryda, Elizabeth / PhDCurators’ Distinguished ProfessorVeterinary Pathobiology; Director, Rat Resource and Research CenterProgram Co-Director, MentorMolecular genetics of human disease using animal models 
Chade, Alejandro R. / MDProfessorMedical Pharmacology and PhysiologyMentorSwine Models of Chronic Kidney Disease and Heart Failure. High-Resolution imaging. Therapeutic development to protect the kidney and the heart
Chen, Shiyou / DVM, PhDProfessor, W. Alton Jones Endowed Chair in Surgical ResearchSurgeryMentorVascular diseases, fatty liver disease
Clarke, Lane / DVM, PhDProfessorBiomedical Sciences; Dalton Cardiovascular Research CenterMentorStem cell biology and goblet cell function in  normal and cystic fibrosis small intestine
Coates, Joan / DVM, MSProfessorVeterinary Medicine and SurgeryMentorComparative and translational research of neurodegenerative disease, i.e. ALS
Cook, Jimi / DVM, PhDWilliam and Kathryn Allen Distinguished ProfessorOrthopaedic Surgery (Veterinary Medicine and Surgery)MentorComparative orthopaedic surgery; arthritis
Cornelison, Dawn / PhDProfessorBiological SciencesMentorSkeletal muscle development and regeneration
Cummings, Kevin / PhDAssociate ProfessorBiomedical SciencesMentorCNS control of cardio-respiratory function
Davis, Daniel / PhDAssistant Research ProfessorVeterinary PathobiologyMentorGenetic engineering and gene therapy for rare human diseases
De Figueiredo, Paul / PhDProfessorMolecular Microbiology and Immunology, Veterinary PathobiologyMentorHost mechanisms that control intracellular parasitism by viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens
Domeier, Timothy L. / PhDAssociate ProfessorMedical Pharmacology and PhysiologyMentorChanges in intracellular concentration of calcium within heart muscle during heart disease
Ericsson, Aaron / DVM, PhDAssociate ProfessorVeterinary Pathobiology,   Director; MU Metagenomics CenterMentor; Core FacultyInfluence of gut microbiota on animal models of disease; role of commensal gut microbiota in intestinal inflammation and colitis-associated colorectal cancer; segmented filamentous bacteria and its influence on the development and function of intestinal immune responses
Gil Pagés, Diana / PhDAssociate ProfessorSurgery, MMI, Bio-engineeringMentorImmunology, Cancer immunotherapy
Johnson, Marc / PhDProfessorMolecular Microbiology & ImmunologyMentorViral replication
Kline, David / PhDAssociate ProfessorBiomedical Sciences; Dalton Cardiovascular Research CenterMentorSynaptic and neuronal plasticity in the brain during hypoxia
Lever, Teresa / PhDAssociate ProfessorOtolaryngology – Head and Neck SurgeryMentorMechanisms of cranial neuropathy and neuroplasticity in dysphagia
Lorson, Chris / PhDCurators’ Distinguished ProfessorVeterinary Pathobiology (Molecular Microbiology & Immunology)MentorTranslational research, drug development and gene therapy in neurodegeneration, including Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Ma, Wenjun / PhDAssociate ProfessorVeterinary PathobiologyMentorViral diseases of animals, with an emphasis on emerging zoonotic viral infections
Martinez-Lemus, Luis A. / DVM, PhDProfessorMedical Pharmacology and PhysiologyMentorVascular remodeling
McDonald, Kerry / PhDProfessorMedical Pharmacology and PhysiologyMentorUnderstanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate striated muscle contraction and the ways that these processes are altered by disease and other physiological stresses such as exercise
Mohan, Rajiv / PhDProfessorOphthalmology (Veterinary Medicine and Surgery)MentorCorneal gene therapy, nanomedicine, and wound healing. 
Nichols, Nicole / PhDAssistant ProfessorBiomedical SciencesMentorMechanisms of respiratory plasticity in models of motor neuron death
Padilla, Jaume / PhDAssociate ProfessorNutrition and Exercise Physiology; Dalton Cardiovascular Research CenterMentorPhysiological and molecular links between physical inactivity, metabolic disease and vascular complications
Parks, Elizabeth / PhDProfessorNutrition and Exercise PhysiologyMentorLiver metabolism, body weight regulation
Phillips, Charlotte / PhD ProfessorBiochemistry (Child Health, Dermatology)MentorMuscle and skeletal interactions and related therapeutic agents in inherited and acquired diseases of bone disorders
Picking, Wendy / PhDProfessorVeterinary PathobiologyMentorBacterial protein subunit vaccines
Rector, R. Scott / PhDAssociate ProfessorNutrition and Exercise PhysiologyMentorCauses of the development and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Reinero, Carol / DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Internal Med)ProfessorVeterinary Medicine and SurgeryMentorTranslational models of respiratory disease; microbiome studies of low biomass sites; immunology
Schrum, Adam / PhDAssociate ProfessorMolecular Microbiology and ImmunologyMentorPhysiologic signaling networks and how they function in molecular and cellular immunity
Schulz, Laura / PhDAssociate ProfessorObstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s HealthMentorPlacental development in rodent models
Segal, Steven / PhDMargaret P. Mulligan Distinguished Professor in Medical Research; Chancellor’s Professor of Research ExcellenceMedical Pharmacology and Physiology (Internal Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Bioengineering); Dalton Cardiovascular Research CenterMentorBlood flow control in the microcirculation, skeletal muscle, exercise, aging
Shirwan, Haval / PhDProfessorChild HealthMentorAutoimmunity, transplantation tolerance, vaccines, cancer immunoprevention and therapy
Smith, Jeffrey / PhDProfessorRadiologyMentorDesign, synthesis, purification, characterization and evaluation of peptide-based radiopharmaceuticals for prostate cancer diagnosis and therapy using PET, SPECT, CT and MRI imaging modalities
Teixeiro, Emma / PhDAssociate ProfessorMolecular Microbiology and ImmunologyMentorT cell immune responses against infection and cancer
Thakkar, Mahesh / PhDProfessorNeurologyMentorSleep and sleep disorders
Whiting, Rebecca / PhDAssistant ProfessorOphthalmologyMentorTranslational therapeutics for retinal and neurodegenerative disease in canine models