Two Faculty Members Named to Lead Animal Resources Program

August 31, 2006

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Janice D. Wagner, D.V.M., Ph.D., has been appointed director of the Animal Resource Program (ARP) and attending veterinarian of Wake Forest University, and Richard W. Young, D.V.M., has been appointed associate director.

The positions encompass all campuses of Wake Forest University.

The announcement came from Sally A. Shumaker, Ph.D., associate dean for research at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “Dr. Wagner’s combination of research and veterinary expertise was determined to best suit the needs of the university,” she said. “At this time of growth within our animal research program, we are fortunate to have someone of Dr. Wagner’s caliber bringing her considerable clinical and research skills to her new role.”

Wagner became interim director in December 2005 following the departure of Jeanne Wallace, D.V.M., for Vanderbilt University where she became assistant vice chancellor for research. “After conducting a national search, we determined that Dr. Wagner was the best candidate for the position,” Shumaker said.

Wagner also is a deputy associate dean for research with emphasis on research programs using animal models. She is a professor of pathology in the Section on Comparative Medicine and has been on the faculty at Wake Forest since 1989. Her research interests are in diabetes, cardiovascular disease and women’s health.

She received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M) degree from the Ohio State University, a M.S. degree in pharmacology from the University of Virginia, and a Ph.D. degree in pathology from Wake Forest. Wagner is also a diplomate in the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine.

On the Young appointment, Shumaker said, “In addition to his previous duties as assistant director for animal care at the Bowman Gray and Reynolda campuses, Dr. Young will be responsible for ARP regulatory oversight for all campuses and will work closely with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.” Since 1985, the committee has had responsibility for overseeing all animal research at the university.

Young received his D.V.M. from Louisiana State University in 1984 and for a time practiced community veterinary medicine, providing health care to pet animals.

He received his resident and post-doctoral training in the Department of Comparative Medicine at Wake Forest. Since then he has been a faculty member and is now assistant professor of pathology in the Section on Comparative Medicine. Young is also a diplomate in the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine.

“WFU has benefited from Dr. Young’s extensive knowledge in the areas of regulations and guidelines on the care and use of laboratory animals and his knowledge of facility construction and design. We are pleased that he will be taking on these additional, critical responsibilities within WFU,” Shumaker said.

Young was involved in the planning and construction of animal facilities at several locations on School of Medicine campuses.

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Media Contacts: Robert Conn, rconn@wfubmc.edu, Shannon Koontz, shkoontz@wfubmc.edu, or Karen Richardson, krchrdsn@wfubmc.edu, at (336) 716-4587.

Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center is an academic health system comprised of North Carolina Baptist Hospital and Wake Forest University Health Sciences, which operates the university’s School of Medicine. U.S. News & World Report ranks Wake Forest University School of Medicine 18th in family medicine, 20th in geriatrics, 25th in primary care and 41st in research among the nation's medical schools. It ranks 32nd in research funding by the National Institutes of Health. Almost 150 members of the medical school faculty are listed in Best Doctors in America.

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