Dr. Jan Shearer, an internationally renowned leader in dairy production medicine and extension joined the faculty at the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine June 1, 2009.  Dr. Shearer joins us from the University of Florida where he was a Professor and Dairy Extension Veterinarian.  He earned his DVM and MS degrees from The Ohio State University and then spent 4 years in private veterinary practice in Ohio before returning to academia.  Dr. Shearer is an internationally renowned expert in dairy health, bovine lameness and bovine welfare.  He has authored well over 200 publications in scientific proceedings, at least 12 chapters in text books, published over 42 peer-reviewed publications on a wide variety of dairy and beef health topics, and given approximately 375 presentations at state, national and international meetings since 2000.

Dr. Shearer has been recognized recently with several awards including the Superior Service and Innovation Award from the USDA, the Distinguished Service Award from his Alma Mater (The Ohio State University), and the Award of Excellence from the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.  Dr. Shearer’s major responsibility will be dairy extension and outreach with a substantial amount of clinical teaching and applied research.

With the recent additions of Drs. Renee and Grant Dewell from Colorado State University to our beef group, the addition of Dr. Shearer will further strengthen the ability of the Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine Department and the ISU CVM to deliver the pre-eminent, comprehensive program in food supply veterinary medicine to our students and external stakeholders as well as enhance our applied research programs in beef, dairy, food safety, and welfare.

Dr. Greg Stevenson

Effective March 15, 2009, Dr. Greg Stevenson will join the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory as a pathologist.

Dr. Greg Stevenson earned his DVM (1979) and MS (1981) in Veterinary Pathology from ISU. Dr. Stevenson then went into private veterinary practice in southwest (Victor) and northeast (Ireton) Iowa for four years before accepting a position as Vice President for Production and Research at NOBL Laboratories in Sioux Center, Iowa, where he spent two years. Dr. Stevenson then returned to ISU to earn a PhD in Veterinary Pathology in 1990. He is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Dr. Stevenson then joined Purdue University and progressed quickly through the academic ranks to full professor and head of the pathology section in the veterinary diagnostic laboratory at Purdue. He has broad diagnostic skills and is recognized internationally for expertise in food animal diagnostic medicine. He has also been very successful in conducting independent and collaborative research in food animal infectious diseases of high relevance to the livestock industry. Dr. Stevenson has received several awards over his career and most recently was recognized by his peers in academe and swine production medicine with the 2008 Howard Dunne Memorial Award for important contributions and outstanding service to the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and to the swine industry.

Dr. Chong Wang

Dr. Chong Wang started his position as an assistant professor and biostatistician in VDPAM on January 5th.  Dr. Wang has a BS (Peking University in China), MS in Statistics (Cornell) and PhD in Statistics with a minor in Epidemiology (Cornell).  He joins us from the University of Kentucky where he was an Assistant Professor.  Dr. Wang’s research interests include longitudinal data analysis, diagnostic test evaluation, Bayesian statistical modeling, bioinformatics and genomics.  Dr. Wang also has experience teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in statistics and epidemiology at U. of Kentucky.  Dr. Wang’s primary responsibilities at the ISU CVM will be providing statistical support for faculty in VDPAM, conducting research in biostatics, and teaching graduate courses in VDPAM.  He will also do some teaching and research in the Statistics department here at ISU where his wife is an assistant professor.

Jan 2009

Dr. Reneé Dewell earned her BS from Texas A&M, DVM from Colorado State, and MS from the University of Nebraska.  She owned and operated a private veterinary clinic in Nebraska for 3 years and worked as a clinical instructor at the Great Plains Veterinary Education Center (GPVEC) in Nebraska for four years.  Since 2002 she has been a post-doctoral researcher at the Animal Population Health Institute at CSU working with Dr. Mo Salman.  Dr. Salman's group is one of the leading research groups in the world focused on pre- and post-harvest food safety issues in beef and dairy cattle.  Dr. Reneé Dewell serves on several committees and in several leadership roles in the Academy of Veterinary Consultants, the National Institute of Animal Agriculture and the AABP.  She was awarded the James A. Jarrett Young Leader Award in 2006 by the AABP. 

Nov 2008

Dr. Grant Dewell earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State University, operated a private veterinary practice for 2 years, returned to CSU and completed an internship in food animal medicine and surgery, earned a MS in Agriculture Economics from CSU while working for the USDA on the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), worked 4 years as a clinical beef veterinarian at the Great Plains Veterinary Education Center (GPVEC) in Nebraska, and then returned to CSU where he recently completed a PhD in epidemiology while working at the Animal Population Health Institute and at the Horton Research Center.  Dr. Dewell is recognized nationally for his leadership roles in the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) and the Academy of Veterinary Consultants.  He is also a highly productive researcher with his most recent work focused on pre-harvest food safety issues (E. coli, Salmonella, BSE) of high relevance to the beef industry and the public.

Dr. Frana has a DVM (ISU), MS of Environmental Resources (Arizona State University), MPH (University of Arizona), and PhD in Veterinary Microbiology (ISU/VMPM) and is double-board certified by the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and American College of Veterinary Microbiology (specialty in bacteriology and mycology). He has 14 years of practice experience in the Southwest  and comes to the VDL following several years at the Center for Veterinary Biologics including positions as Veterinary Medical Officer in the Virology Laboratory, Biologics Epidemiologist, and Section Leader for Program Information management and Security. Dr. Frana is a highly trained and experienced microbiologist with special interest and background in epidemiology, molecular techniques, and data mining. His expertise will broaden the dimension for service and research from our bacteriology section.

Dr. Sheela Ramamoorthy, VDL, Clinician in Serology

Dr. Ramamoorthy earned her DVM at Madras Veterinary College in India.  She was a private practitioner (large animal with dairy focus) for 3 years in India before working in the biological industry in India for 6 years.  Dr. Ramamoorthy earned a Masters degree in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Oklahoma State University in 2002 and a PhD in Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences from Virginia Tech in 2006.  She is currently a post-doctoral research associate at Virginia Tech where her research has focused on porcine circovirus-associated diseases.

Dr. Erin Strait, VDL, Clinician in Virology and Molecular Diagnostics

Dr. Erin Strait has a veterinary degree from ISU and received her PhD in Immunology in May, 2008. She gained extensive experience working with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, PRRS virus, and other pathogens while in graduate training.  She will be responsible for molecular casework, developing and improving Mycoplasma and bacterial molecular diagnostic techniques and tools, and starting an independent research program.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae diagnostics, clinical trial opportunities and research has been transitioned from VMPM under the guidance of Dr. Eileen Thacker to the VDL where the team of scientists and technicians essentially remains intact with the hiring of Dr. Erin Strait, Barbara Erickson and Nancy Upchurch.  We have added Dr. Alex Ramirez from FSVM to partner with Dr. Strait for clinical trial support and development of innovative research opportunities, provision of expertise in interpretation and application of diagnostic tools, and consultation for intervention and follow-up-testing options for a respiratory disease that continues to impact swine production and profitability. Dr. John Johnson, section leader in serology and Joann Kinyon and Dr. Chris Minion, Mycoplasma expert and molecular microbiologist in VMPM will also be integral members of this team.

• Serology-The Serology Section of the VDL currently performs the IDEXX, Oxoid (formerly DAKO) and Tween 20 M. hyopneumoniae ELISAs as regular tests.
• PCR-The Molecular Section of the VDL will continue to offer their current M. hyopneumoniae PCR as well as the assays previously performed in the Thacker laboratory.
• Culture and identification of Mycoplasma species from swine, cattle, dairy, small ruminants, poultry and companion animals will be conducted in the Bacteriology Section of the VDL.
• Lung inoculum for M. hyopneumoniae strain 232 will continue to be produced and provided upon request.
• Reagents previously offered through the Thacker lab such as monoclonal antibodies and components for the Tween 20 ELISA will continue to be produced and available for purchase through the VDL.
• Expertise concerning diagnostic investigations and test interpretation remains available.
• Research collaborations with partners from industry and academia are welcome and ongoing.

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Dr. John Rathje, VDL Pathologist  

Dr. Rathje brings 11 years of experience in private practice where his focus has been in dairy, beef, small ruminants ad swine.  he was a partner in the Kettle Moraine Large Animal Clinic in Plymouth, Wisconsin for the last 8 years and also has experience doing research in swine and bovine infectious diseases.

Dr. Phil Gauger, VDL Pathologist 

Dr. Gauger has 12 years of experience as a partner in a progressive mixed animal veterinary practice in Northwest Iowa (Marcus-Remsen Veterinary Clinic). He has expertise in swine and beef production medicine. For the past two years, he has worked with one of the leading groups in PRRSV, swine influenza and porcine circovirus research at the National Animal Disease Center.