Audrey Ruple

Audrey Ruple, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVPM, MRCVS, is an Associate Professor in Quantitative Epidemiology at the Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech. She also serves as the Metcalf Professor of Veterinary Medical Informatics and Program Director of the Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences Graduate Program. Her research focuses on One Health, the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health, with a particular emphasis on cancer and aging in companion dogs as models for improving human and animal health outcomes. Dr. Ruple has held academic positions at Purdue University (2015–2021) before joining Virginia Tech in 2021.

Education includes a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology (2014) and DVM (2008) from Colorado State University, alongside an MS in Epidemiology (2011) and BS in Microbiology (2002). Board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (2013) and a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, she actively contributes to professional organizations like the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and the American College of Epidemiology.

Her research integrates epidemiological methods and One Health principles to address complex health challenges. Notable work includes the Dog Aging Project, a large-scale initiative leveraging canine models to study aging mechanisms and environmental health impacts. Key areas include cancer biology, environmental contaminant exposure, and the role of diet and lifestyle in canine health. Dr. Ruple’s publications emphasize predictive modeling using veterinary data to inform human public health strategies and advancing evidence-based veterinary practices.

Professional memberships span veterinary epidemiology, public health, and cancer research organizations. Her academic leadership includes roles in graduate program direction and cross-disciplinary initiatives bridging animal and human health research.