M. Renee Prater

M. Renee Prater is a Professor at the College of Osteopathic Medicine, Duquesne University. She previously spent 20 years at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), Blacksburg Campus, where she held roles including Assistant Professor of Pathology, Department Chair (Microbiology and Immunology), Associate Dean for Curriculum, and was promoted to full Professor. She also contributed to research at Virginia Tech and the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.

Education: B.S. Biology and M.S. Physiology (University of Akron); D.V.M. with Honors (Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine); Residency in Clinical Pathology and Ph.D. in Immunotoxicology (Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine).

Research focuses on developmental biology, nutritional/environmental impacts on fetal development, long-term metabolic health, and human-animal relationships in wellness. She led federally funded interdisciplinary teams and taught courses in microbiology, immunology, and clinical medicine at VCOM and Bluefield College.

Awards include D.V.M. honors. She has served on committees at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Salem, Virginia.