معرفی
Kelsey Brakel is an Assistant Professor at the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, where she specializes in veterinary pathology. She earned her DVM from MSU in 2016 and later completed a Ph.D. in Virology at The Ohio State University in 2021, alongside an anatomic pathology residency. Her work spans necropsy analysis, zoonotic disease prevention, and forensic veterinary support for legal cases involving animal abuse.
Her research focuses on diagnosing animal diseases through organ and tissue analysis, with particular attention to conservation efforts for endangered species like rhinoceroses. She integrates environmental and clinical data to identify pathogens, cancers, or congenital defects, often referencing human pathology literature. The lab processes over 300,000 specimens annually, ranging from small samples to entire large animals.
Brakel emphasizes the social impact of veterinary pathology, noting its role in uncovering human abuse linked to animal neglect. Her career path reflects interdisciplinary training, including undergraduate research at Hillsdale College’s G.H. Gordon Biological Station, a summer internship at the Henry Doorly Zoo, and a fellowship at the Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin.
