About the Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Department
Message from the Department Head
Whether you are a veterinarian, animal owner or researcher looking for answers to questions about the health of your animals, an undergraduate student with a goal of becoming a veterinarian, or a graduate student interested in solving one of the mysteries of animal or human health, our Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Department is your starting point.
Our department鈥檚 Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory serves the state, region, and nation as a go-to source for diagnostic information on everything from livestock to pets to food safety issues. Our researchers are hard at work solving the essential problems that hinder animal and human health and well-being. Our teachers and pre-veterinary advisors inspire and prepare students for careers in veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences, and our outreach functions connect veterinarians and animal owners with the indispensable non-biased information they need to ensure the health and productivity of food and companion animals.
Jane Christopher-Hennings DVM, MS
Professor, Head and Director
Department History
The department was originally called the Veterinary Science Department. In 2011, the department changed its name to the Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Department. The new name better reflects the activities of our department, especially relative to our research work with zoonotic pathogens and the training of our students under the One Health concept. The department has always had a strong mission related to preparing undergraduate students for entry into veterinary colleges within the region, training graduate students for careers related to veterinary or human infectious disease research or careers in diagnostic medicine and providing public service through South Dakota鈥檚 only animal health diagnostic laboratory, the South Dakota Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (ADRDL).
Strategic Plan
The Veterinary and Biomedical Science Department is a member of the 海角直播app College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and works diligently to fulfill the tripartite mission of the land-grant university system which consists of teaching, research and service. The department is home to the State Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (ADRDL) which has been providing diagnostic services since 1887 and was established by state statute in 1967. It is South Dakota鈥檚 only accredited animal health laboratory. Scientists working within the department and laboratory 鈥渃onduct studies, research and diagnoses with respect to animal diseases鈥. We work closely with veterinarians, animal owners and scientists, locally, nationally and internationally to advance animal and human health. Participation in several programs also advances this mission. These include the:
- USDA Food Emergency Response Network. This network integrates the nation's food-testing laboratories at the local, state and federal levels into a network that is able to respond to emergencies involving biological, chemical or radiological contamination of food.
- USDA National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). This network is needed for foreign and emerging animal disease testing which provides for a quality national program and same day testing for emergencies.
- FDA GenomeTrakr program for monitoring of food borne pathogens and traceability.
- FDA Veterinary Investigation Response Network (Vet-LIRN). This testing helps the center of Veterinary Medicine investigate potential problems with regulated products such as animal feeds and animal drugs
Our research and diagnostic program focuses heavily on food animal infectious disease issues and includes important zoonotic diseases and basic science directed at controlling and understanding infectious diseases more precisely.
The Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Department does not offer an undergraduate degree, but coordinates the Pre-Veterinary Medicine curriculum for the college. South Dakota residents that wish to pursue a DVM degree spend three to four years at 海角直播app and then apply to veterinary colleges. The department has a '2+2' cooperative program with the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. After acceptance to the program students spend their first two years of Veterinary Education at 海角直播app and then transfer to the University of Minnesota to finish out their DVM curriculum. Our Veterinary Extension program provides vital continuing education opportunities for the state鈥檚 veterinary practitioners and unbiased information for producers and animal owners. Our diagnosticians also make significant contributions to public outreach by spending considerable time discussing submitted cases and results with veterinarians and producers throughout the country.
To protect and improve the health of animals, the viability of the South Dakota agricultural industry and the welfare of society through high quality diagnostic, analytical, research, extension and teaching activities.
Role Specific Missions
- Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (ADRDL) - To provide high quality veterinary diagnostic services as a means to promptly and accurately establish causes of animal health problems. Such diagnoses will aid attending veterinarians and health officials in the treatment, control, prevention and surveillance of animal diseases to the benefit of the South Dakota and national livestock industry, other animal owners and public health.
- Research: To utilize contemporary methods in the biological and life sciences to elucidate mechanisms controlling health and disease in animals and humans by the development of methods to diagnose, moderate and eliminate diseases.
- Teaching and Advising: Provide cutting edge animal health and biomedical science courses for the training of undergraduate and graduate students that incorporate problem solving and critical thinking skills using traditional and applied genomic technology solutions. Effectively advise undergraduate students in the pre-veterinary medicine curriculum, and M.S. and Ph.D. graduate students. Provide degree programs to allow our students to be competitive in the animal health and biomedical science fields. Provide opportunities for practicing veterinarians and non-traditional students in the animal health field to obtain graduate degrees.
- Veterinary Extension: To provide outstanding educational opportunities for veterinarians, the livestock industry, extension educators and other citizens regarding animal health, zoonotic diseases and food safety issues; and position the ADRDL and Veterinary Science Department as primary sources of that information.
Our strategic intent is to achieve national distinction while strengthening local relevance as we strengthen our programs with excellence and become recognized as the leading Veterinary Science Department in the U.S.
Role Specific Visions
- ADRDL Vision: To be a premier AAVLD accredited full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory that is:
- Recognized for excellent, timely and outstanding service to veterinarians, animal owners, animal industries and public health officials.
- Considered a key asset for animal health, livestock production and wildlife services in South Dakota and the nation
- On the cutting edge of technological advances in diagnostic science.
- A national leader in developing and defining quality veterinary diagnostic services for the future.
- Research Vision: To effectively address animal and human health needs with applied and basic research through linkages between research, diagnostics and outreach and to grow its participation in South Dakota鈥檚 economic development.
- Teaching and Advising Vision: Improve current teaching and advising activities to promote preparation for CAFES undergraduate and graduate students in using applied genomic technologies. We will enhance economic development through developing food animal careers for pre-veterinary students and graduate students. We will educate non-traditional graduate students in the biomedical and animal health industry within our areas of expertise to increase their innovation, entrepreneurial and leadership skills to enhance the economic development of livestock/food systems.
- Veterinary Extension Vision: South Dakota veterinarians, livestock producers and citizens will be the best-equipped in the world with information regarding animal health and zoonotic disease.
Mandates Impacting Unit
The department works diligently to fulfill the tripartite mission of the land-grant universities: teaching, research and service. The Veterinary Science Department (VSD) is somewhat unique in that it operates two of the largest public service laboratories in the university and state. The South Dakota Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (ADRDL) was established by SDC law in 1967, and operates under guidance from related SDC laws The ADRDL also works closely with South Dakota and federal government agencies (USDA, FDA, South Dakota Department of Agriculture; South Dakota Animal Industry Board, South Dakota Game Fish and Parks, others) to produce data important to conducting the business of animal and human health management and agriculture in South Dakota and the region we serve.
Our research focuses on food animal infectious disease, zoonotic diseases and basic disease mechanisms. Our research program has focused on food animal infectious diseases because of the importance of food-animal production in this region and from inherent mandates associated with federal and state support of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station which has traditionally funded much of our research activity. Our research program is also the heart of our graduate education program, where students can get M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in biological sciences through the CAFES College.
Our undergraduate teaching program is small; the department leads the pre-veterinary medicine program on campus and has a cooperative DVM program with the University of Minnesota where each year twenty students are admitted to the program and spend their first two years of education at 海角直播app and their last two years at the University of Minnesota.
