Cracking the Code

Dr. Hans Coetzee (PhD '05, veterinary microbiology)
Hans Coetzee, university distinguished professor of animal welfare in Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, has dedicated much of his career to assessing and relieving pain in livestock species. His work has been instrumental in clearing the way for the first regulatory approval of livestock analgesics, or pain relief medicine, that has eased the pain of millions of animals. For those contributions, the National Academy of Sciences has awarded Coetzee the 2025 Prize in Food and Agriculture Science. "In assessing pain, we take a comprehensive approach by examining behavior, physiological and neuroendocrine markers,” Coetzee said. "Our goal is to paint a complete picture of how these animals respond to pain, and more importantly, how our pain relief drugs are affecting those responses."