Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

Academic Program Review College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Texas A&M University Self-Study Document April 2019 External Review Team Dr. Kathleen Boris-Lowry, Chair University of Minnesota Dr. Wondwossen A. Gebreyes The Ohio State University Dr. Alan Buckpitt University of California, Davis

Welcome

On behalf of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and the Office of the Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies, we are pleased to welcome you to our campus and thank you for your service as external reviewers of our Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) Graduate Program. This self-study report was prepared for your review and reflects an evaluation of our BIMS Graduate Program during the period of September 1, 2012 through August 31, 2018, since our last academic program review (APR) in March 2012. The review process provides us with an opportunity for self-reflection and critical assessment of our BIMS Graduate Program. We recognize that this review represents a considerable commitment of your time and effort and appreciate your willingness to invest in strengthening our program. We can assure you that we value your review and will utilize it to facilitate our program’s continued progress forward. The 2012 APR identified a list of strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations that created an awareness with college and program leadership of significant opportunities for improvement. Those observations provided a valuable roadmap for the BIMS Graduate Program enhancements that have occurred over the past seven years. I will be happy to answer any questions you might have and provide any additional information you might need. I look forward to meeting with you during your visit on April 14-17, 2019. If you have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Robert C. Burghardt, PhD Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-4461 Tel: 979-847-8555 | Cell: 979-777-3552 rburghardt@cvm.tamu.edu

mailto:rburghardt@cvm.tamu.edu

Table of Contents External Review Team Charge……………………………………………………………………………………………………pg. 1 Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………pg. 2 Introduction to Degree Program………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 4 Mission, Strategic Plan, and Goals……………………………………………………………………………………………. pg. 7 Mission…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 8 Strategic Plan and Goals…………………………………………………………………………………………………pg. 8 Administrative Structure………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 9 Facilities..……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….pg. 13 Finances…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………pg. 20 External Program Accreditation……………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 22 Date of the Last APR ..………………………………………..………………………………………………………….pg. 22 Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….pg. 22 BIMS Graduate Program and CVM Strategic Planning Integration……………….……..pg. 25 Improvements since the Last Program Review in April 2012……………………………….pg. 26 Academic Programs and Curricula……………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 28 Programs Offered…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 28 Program Curricula ....……….…………………………………………………………………………………………….pg. 29 Admissions Criteria and Recruitment……………………………………………………………………………..pg. 33 Number of Degrees Awarded and Average Time to Degree…………………………………….……..pg. 36 Academic Enhancements/High-Impact Opportunities for Students…………………….………….pg. 38 Assessment of Student Learning Outcome …………………………………………………………………pg. 40 Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………………….......…………pg. 42 Faculty Profile……………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………........pg. 43 Core Faculty……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………pg. 43 Number of Core Faculty…………………………………………………………………….............…….pg. 44 Core Faculty/Student Ratio………………………………………………………………………………….pg. 45 Publications…………………………………………………………………………………………………………pg. 45 External Grants……………………………………………………………………………………………………pg. 48 Teaching Load……………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 49 Faculty Other Than Core…………………………………………………………………………………….........……pg. 49 Number of Faculty Other Than Core…………………………………………………………………….pg. 49 Faculty Other Than Core/Student Ratio……………………………………………………………….pg. 50 Faculty Other Than Core Publications………………………………………………………………….pg. 50 Faculty Other Than Core External Grants…………………………………………………………….pg. 50 Faculty Other Than Core Teaching Load………………………………………………………………pg. 50 Faculty Diversity……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 50 Faculty Qualifications……………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 51 Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 51

Student Profile……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………pg. 53 MS in Biomedical Sciences – Non-Thesis Option……………………………………………………………..pg. 53 Enrollment…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 53 Student Demographics and Diversity…………………………………………………………………..pg. 53 Retention and Graduation Rates………………………………………………………………………….pg. 55 Number of Degrees Awarded with Time to Degree Completion…………………………..pg. 56 Institutional Financial Support……………………………………………………………………………..pg. 57 Employment Profile……………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 57 MS Thesis Option and PhD in Biomedical Sciences…………………………………………………………..pg. 58 Enrollment………………………………………………………………………………………………..………….pg. 58 Student Demographics and Diversity…………………………………………………………………….pg. 59 Retention and Graduation Rates…………………………………………………………………….…….pg. 60 Number of Degrees Awarded with Time to Degree Completion……………………………pg. 61 Institutional Financial Support……………………………………………………..……………………….pg. 63 Student Publications and Presentations…………………………………..……………………………pg. 64 Employment Profile……………………..……………………………………………………………………….pg. 64 Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……..pg. 65 Concluding Observations……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..pg. 67 Appendix A: BIMS Graduate Program Strategic Plan July 2014; Revised July 2018 Appendix B: BIMS Graduate Program Academic Program Review – 2012 Appendix C: Texas A&M University Institutional Profile Appendix D: Responses to 2012 APR Appendix E: BIMS Graduate Program 1 Year Post Review Report Appendix F: CVM Graduate Student Oath Appendix G: Holistic Review for Non-Cognitive Attributes Appendix H: Graduate Student Annual Evaluation Tool Appendix I: Core Faculty Biosketches Appendix J: Core Faculty Publications Appendix K: Graduate Student Publications

ABBREVIATIONS TABLE

AAALAC Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care MSL Medical Sciences Library

AAU Association of American Universities NIEHS National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

ADRGS Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies NIH National Institutes of Health

AFS Texas A&M Association of Former Students NSF National Science Foundation APR Academic Program Review NTO Non-thesis option

AY Academic Year OGAPS Office of Graduate Studies and Professional Studies BCD Baylor College of Dentistry ORCID Open Researcher and Contributor ID

BIMS Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program OTC Texas A&M University System Office of Technology and Commercialization CIP Classification of Internal Programs PhD Doctor of Philosophy CMP TAMU Comparative Medicine Program SACS Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

COM College of Medicine SACSCOC Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges COTC Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium SAH Small Animal Hospital CRRC Clinical Research Review Committee SPH School of Public Health

CVM College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences STJR Science and Technology Journalism

CVP Cardiovascular Pathology Laboratory TAMHSC Texas A&M Health Science Centre DAT Dental Admissions Test TERL Trace Element Research Laboratory DOF Dean of Faculties THECB Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

DVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine TIGGS Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society ELPE English Language Placement Exam TIGM Texas A&M Institute for Genomic Medicine FY Fiscal Year TIPS Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical Studies GC Graduate Council TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language GCP Good Clinical Practices TOXI Toxicology (Graduate Degree Program) GHRC Global Health Research Complex URC University Research Council GIC Graduate Instruction Committee USDA United States Department of Agriculture

GLP Good Laboratory Practices VBEC Veterinary & Biomedical Education Complex (VENI,VIDI, and VICI Buildings) GOC Graduate Operations Committee VIBS Veterinary Integrative Biosciences GPA Grade Point Average VLAH Veterinary Large Animal Hospital GSA Graduate Student Association VLCS Large Animal Clinical Sciences IACUC Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee VMA Veterinary Medical Administration Building IAL Image Analysis Laboratory VMP Veterinary Medical Park IBT Institute of Biosciences and Technology VMS Veterinary Medical Sciences Building ICSI Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection VPHE Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology IDP Interdisciplinary Degree Programs VRB Veterinary Research Building IFT Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology VRBA Veterinary Research Building Addition LAH Large Animal Hospital VSCS Small Animal Clinical Sciences LARR Laboratory Animal Resources and Research VTH Veterinary Teaching Hospital MCAT Medical College Admission Test VTPB Veterinary Pathobiology MS Master of Science VTPP Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology

External Review Team Charge The Academic Program Review (APR) process at Texas A&M provides the occasion for academic units to plan strategically, assess the quality and efficacy of their programs, and determine the best courses of action for ongoing improvement. APR is at the heart of our institutional commitment to excellence, and we sincerely thank you for assisting us. This letter provides you with the charge to the committee and a brief overview of the program.

Peer Review Team Charge Please examine the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) BIMS Graduate Program and make recommendations that will help in planning improvements. Your resources are a self-study report prepared by the program, copies of materials from the program’s last review, information you gain through personal interactions while visiting Texas A&M, copies of strategic plans and goal-setting documents at the program, college, and/or university level, and any additional information requested by you that we can provide. Within the broad charge of recommending ways the program can continue to improve are some specific questions that we would like you to address:

• Based on the data / information provided in the self-study report or gathered by the review team, what are the program’s overall strengths and weaknesses?

• How well do the program’s strategic goals align with those of its college and with those of Texas A&M?

• How would you compare this program with its peers? Specifically, is the curriculum directly related and appropriate to the mission and goals of the institution?

• What improvements (including student learning and faculty development) has the program made since the previous program review?

• With only current resources or a modest infusion of new ones, what specific recommendations could improve the program’s performance, marginally or significantly?

We look forward to meeting with you during your time on campus. If you have any questions or require additional information prior to your visit, please contact Ms. Bettyann Zito, APR Program Coordinator, at apr@tamu.edu.

Executive Summary The BIMS Graduate Program was established in 2006 by approval of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) with the creation of PhD and MS degrees in Biomedical Science. It is administered by the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM). This 12-year-old program originated as a decentralized graduate program administered by five individual departments for its first 10 years, with limited academic oversight provided by the Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies (ADRGS) Office. The BIMS PhD program became one of two PhD programs in the college along with the Veterinary Pathobiology PhD program. With the closing of the latter PhD program in 2015, the BIMS Graduate Program became the only PhD degree program in the CVM. In 2016, the BIMS Graduate Program was operationally centralized under the ADRGS Office. Two additional MS programs, Science and Technology Journalism (STJR) and Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology (VPHE), are offered through the Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences. However, they receive centralized administrative and academic advising support through the ADRGS Office.

The mission of the BIMS Graduate Program is to provide a premier degree program for preparing diverse, innovative, globally-competitive biomedical scientists who are committed to the improvement of the health and welfare of animals, humans, and the environment, and who have skill sets necessary to pursue diverse career paths in academic, public, and private sectors. Our goal is to provide a graduate educational experience that emphasizes a strong foundation in biomedical sciences career opportunities emphasizing creativity and innovation.

The CVM has 241 Graduate Teaching Faculty who are credentialed according to the guidelines of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) as verified by the Texas A&M Dean of Faculties (DOF) Office. The CVM has 112 Core Faculty defined as full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty. Core faculty are responsible for teaching nearly all of our upper-division courses and our graduate courses, and who provide meaningful research experiences for our majors in their laboratories. We offer the PhD program in Biomedical Sciences to approximately 92 students, and MS thesis and MS with a non-thesis option to 18, and 70 students, respectively and 7 non-degree seeking students.

The CVM is striving to serve every Texan every day through Global One Health (the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health) with a central emphasis on basic, clinical, and translational research and discovery. Research in the CVM spans the breadth of biomedical sciences and is supported by a wide variety of funding sources. The BIMS Graduate Program aspires to provide transformational learning experiences though leadership and innovation in the alignment of BIMS curricular training tracks with research areas of emphasis identified by a critical mass of extramurally funded faculty.

Notable achievements since the 2012 BIMS Graduate Program Academic Program Review (APR):

• Centralized administration of the BIMS Graduate Program • Established several regional recruiting initiatives • Developed a robust orientation bootcamp • Implemented numerous critical skills training opportunities for graduate students to increase

their preparedness for the job market • Aligned the BIMS Graduate Program curricular training tracks with CVM research areas of

emphasis • Increased the number of fellowship opportunities for graduate students • Implemented the pilot BIMS Rotation Program for four incoming BIMS graduate students

BIMS Graduate Degrees Awarded Annually for the 5-Year Period from Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 To 2017:

Degree Offered BIMS Degrees Awarded Annually

12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17

*B.S 285 326 315 320 404

M.S. NTO 22 24 43 62 68

M.S. THO 7 10 5 9 11

Ph.D. 8 11 7 6 10

Totals 322 361 370 397 493

* The Biomedical Sciences undergraduate program had a separate APR performed in 2018 and will not be a part of the BIMS graduate program review.

Introduction to Degree Program Overview and History

Texas A&M is the oldest public university in Texas, established as a land grant university in 1871 as the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas. It opened for classes in 1876 with six professors and 106 students by the end of the first year. As of the Fall 2018 semester, the university reached record-high enrollment with 69,367 students (64,126 students on the 5,200 acre College Station campus), including 14,988 graduate and professional students, making it the second largest public university campus in the United States. The University changed appreciably in the 1960s, when women were admitted as students, participation in the Corps of Cadets was made optional, and the goals of the institution broadened to pursue status as a comprehensive university. In 1963, the name of the institution was changed to Texas A&M, with the "A" and "M" only remaining to signify the university's past.

Texas A&M serves as a flagship of the Texas A&M University System. The Texas A&M system is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a statewide network of 11 universities, a campus in Doha, Qatar, and seven state agencies. Texas A&M System members educate more than 148,000 students and reach another 22 million people through service each year. With more than 26,000 faculty and staff, the Texas A&M System has a physical presence in 250 of the state’s 254 counties and a programmatic presence in every one. More than one in five students in a public university in Texas is enrolled in a Texas A&M System institution.

Today, Texas A&M ranks 9th among public research universities and 16th overall based upon research and development in the latest survey from NSF, with fiscal year 2017 expenditures of over $905 million. Texas A&M is one of only 62 members of the Association of American Universities and one of only 17 institutions in the nation to hold the triple designation as a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university. Additionally, Texas A&M is an active member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

Since 1999, Texas A&M has pursued the ideals of Vision 2020 (http://vision2020.tamu.edu), a plan built on a foundation of twelve imperatives, to become recognized as a top ten public institution. Prominent among these imperatives are goals of elevating the faculty to national prominence, improving graduate and undergraduate programs, and increasing the campus community’s globalization and diversity. A subsequent complementary university-wide strategic plan for the period 2015-2020, “Texas A&M University: An Ideal 21st Century University” (http://provost.tamu.edu/Provost/media/Assets/pdfs-strategicplan/FINALSTRATPLAN.pdf) specifies the balanced commitment “to the founding principles of the Morrill Act of 1862” with “the modern purposes of Association of American Universities (AAU) research universities.”

The Texas A&M CVM is the only veterinary school in Texas and one of 35 accredited veterinary schools in North America. Twelve years after the opening of the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas, a

http://vision2020.tamu.edu/http://provost.tamu.edu/Provost/media/Assets/pdfs-strategicplan/FINALSTRATPLAN.pdf

state appropriation was awarded for the equipping and operating of a new Department of Veterinary Science and in that year (1888), Dr. Mark Francis received a formal appointment to the faculty as its first trained veterinarian. Dr. Francis was responsible for proving that the tick was the cause of Texas cattle fever (which had plagued Southern livestock since the late 1700s) and developed inoculations against this devastating disease. He was appointed Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine when it opened in September 1916. The College of Veterinary Medicine originally consisted of the Departments of Veterinary Anatomy, Medicine and Surgery; Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology (with Toxicology added in 1917) and Veterinary Pathology. Since that time, the college has attained world-class stature for not only educating and training professional Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students but also graduate and undergraduate students. To reflect the college’s additional commitment to educating future biomedical scientists at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the name of the college was changed from the College of Veterinary Medicine to the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences in 2004. One hundred and one years after beginning with a class of 13 veterinary students, CVM enrollment includes over 552 veterinary students, 259 BIMS graduate students, and 2,518 BIMS undergraduate students (the largest undergraduate major at Texas A&M University), as of the Fall semester 2018.

There are five academic departments in the CVM:

• Large Animal Clinical Sciences (VLCS) • Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS) • Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS)

- Renamed from Veterinary Anatomy & Public Health in 1991, after being derived from an earlier merger of the two departments

• Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) - Formed in 1991 by the merger of the Department of Veterinary Pathology with the

Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology • Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology (VTPP)

The CVM BIMS Graduate Program was established in 2006 by approval of the THECB with the creation of PhD and MS degrees in BIMS that replaced the MS and PhD degrees in Veterinary Anatomy and Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology as well as several other MS degrees. At that time, the BIMS MS and PhD degrees in BIMS became available for use by all five departments. Prior to 2006, students in the clinical departments pursued the graduate degrees through the basic science departments. This change allowed the students in the departments of VLCS and VSCS to pursue BIMS graduate degrees through their home departments.

Following the formation of the VTPB department in 1991, the department offered the PhD in Veterinary Pathobiology and in Veterinary Microbiology as well as an MS degree in Laboratory Animal Medicine. The Laboratory Animal Medicine MS was closed in 2016. The Veterinary Microbiology and Veterinary Pathology degrees folded into a single Veterinary Pathobiology degree in 2011. In November 2015, faculty in the VTPB department voted to close the Veterinary Pathobiology graduate degree, effective Fall 2016, and solely utilize the BIMS graduate degree program. With the closing of

the PhD in Veterinary Pathobiology in 2015, the BIMS Graduate Program became the only PhD degree program in the college, albeit with separate administrative operations of the degree managed by departments (including admissions, advising, course and degree requirements).

From 2006 to 2016, the ADRGS was assigned academic oversight and administration of the decentralized BIMS Graduate Program that was maintained through collaboration with staff, department heads, departmental graduate advisors, and faculty to sustain the program. A designated departmental graduate advisor worked as a liaison between the graduate student and major professor on one side, and the ADRGS Office on the other side. The ADRGS Office provided oversight and help for the functioning of the graduate program within each department through direct contact with the department head, departmental graduate advisor, administrative staff handling graduate affairs, graduate students, and major professor of the students, along with the members of Graduate Advisory Committees. Contact by the ADRGS Office with the latter two groups was relatively limited and happened mainly when situations arose that required guidance or intervention by the ADRGS or university administration. The ADRGS Office also served as the administrative liaison between the above groups (department/college) and the Texas A&M Office of Graduate Studies and Professional Studies (OGAPS). It was this decentralized graduate program that was subjected to its first Academic Program Review in 2012.

In 2016, the BIMS PhD and MS degree programs were integrated into a centralized BIMS umbrella graduate program under the CVM ADRGS Office. As detailed in subsequent sections of this self-study, this centralization process has created significant opportunities to address recommendations made by the Academic Program Review team that evaluated the BIMS Graduate Program for the first time in 2012.

In addition to the BIMS PhD and MS degrees, graduate students in the CVM have access to two additional MS degrees, one in Science & Technology Journalism and the second in Veterinary Epidemiology & Public Health in the VIBS department. The ADRGS Office provides the latter two MS programs academic advising and professional development and experiential training programs. CVM graduate students also have access to eleven campus Interdisciplinary Degree Programs (IDPs) that provide eight PhD and nine MS degrees. The Toxicology IDP originated as a degree program administered by the Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology. Given the interest in Toxicology on the Texas A&M campus in the late 1980s, the toxicology faculty in VTPP and several other academic departments on campus proposed the establishment of an interdisciplinary degree program. Texas A&M established the Interdisciplinary Faulty of Toxicology (IFT) and its Toxicology (TOXI) graduate degree program in 1989. Of the 45 students enrolled in the TOXI IDP from the period 2012-2017, about 77% of these trainees have graduate committee chairs in the CVM. A small number of CVM trainees also participate in the Genetics, Neuroscience, and the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology IDPs.

Mission, Strategic Plan, and Goals The mission, strategic plan, and goals of the BIMS Graduate Program align with the Texas A&M mission (https://www.tamu.edu/statements/mission.html), ideals of Vision 2020, and most recent strategic plan 2015-2020 (http://provost.tamu.edu/Provost/media/Assets/pdfs-strategicplan/FINALSTRATPLAN.pdf).

The BIMS Graduate Program adheres to the Texas A&M learning outcomes for master’s and doctoral students found on the university website: https://provost.tamu.edu/Provost/media/Assets/pdfs-essentials/Access-Graduate-Learning-Outcomes.pdf

For the master’s degree, learning outcomes include:

• Complete of all master degree program requirements, including theories, concepts, principles, and practice, and develop a coherent understanding of the subject matter through synthesis across courses and experiences

• Apply subject matter knowledge in a range of contexts to solve problems and make decisions • Use a variety of sources and evaluate multiple points of view to analyze and integrate

information and to conduct critical, reasoned arguments • Communicate effectively • Use appropriate technologies to communicate, collaborate, conduct research, and solve

problems • Develop clear research plans and conduct valid (data-supported), theoretically consistent and

institutionally appropriate research • Choose ethical courses of action in research and practice

For the doctoral degree, learning outcomes include:

• Complete of all master degree program requirements, including theories, concepts, principles, and practice; develop a coherent understanding of the subject matter through synthesis across courses and experiences; and apply subject matter knowledge to solve problems and make decisions

• Apply a variety of strategies and tools, use a variety of sources, and evaluate multiple points of view to analyze and integrate information and to conduct critical, reasoned arguments

• Communicate effectively • Develop clear research plans, conduct valid, data-supported, theoretically consistent and

institutionally appropriate research and effectively disseminate the results of the research in appropriate venues to a range of audiences

• Use appropriate technologies to communicate, collaborate, conduct research, and solve problems.

• Teach and explain the subject matter in their discipline • Choose ethical courses of action in research and practice

https://www.tamu.edu/statements/mission.htmlhttp://provost.tamu.edu/Provost/media/Assets/pdfs-strategicplan/FINALSTRATPLAN.pdfhttp://provost.tamu.edu/Provost/media/Assets/pdfs-strategicplan/FINALSTRATPLAN.pdfhttps://provost.tamu.edu/Provost/media/Assets/pdfs-essentials/Access-Graduate-Learning-Outcomes.pdfhttps://provost.tamu.edu/Provost/media/Assets/pdfs-essentials/Access-Graduate-Learning-Outcomes.pdf

Mission The BIMS Graduate Program is committed to its mission, first articulated in our 2014 strategic plan and revised in 2018 (Appendix A), which was developed in response to our first Academic Program Review in 2012 (Appendix B):

The mission of the BIMS Graduate Program is to provide a premier degree program for preparing diverse, innovative, globally-competitive biomedical scientists who are committed to the improvement of the health and welfare of animals, humans, and the environment, and who have skill sets necessary to pursue diverse career paths in academic, public, and private sectors. Our goal is to provide a graduate educational experience that emphasizes a strong foundation in biomedical sciences career opportunities emphasizing creativity and innovation.

Strategic Plan and Goals

The BIMS Graduate Program developed its first strategic plan as part of the development of the CVM strategic planning process in 2014. As noted earlier, emphasis in the 2014 BIMS Graduate Program Strategic Plan was focused on developing an improved framework to provide uniformity within a decentralized program managed by individual departments and to address findings and recommendations of the 2012 BIMS Academic Program Review (Appendix B).

Recent strategic planning for the BIMS Graduate Program focused on transformational learning emphasizing leadership, innovation, diversity, and inclusion. Current goals (G) and strategies (S) to accomplish the mission of the BIMS Graduate Program include:

• G1: Graduate the highest quality career-ready scientists with the capacity to address global challenges

° S1: Increase the quality and diversity of students in the applicant pool ° S2: Integrate holistic review practices for admission, retention and progression of the

best trainees ° S3: Increase internal and external funding to enhance graduate education ° S4: Implement a rotation program with dedicated program funding ° S5: Provide an optimal graduate advising support system that supports faculty and their

trainees to provide a sense of community, ensure retention, progression through the program, and timely graduation

• G2: Support faculty in the provision of core elements necessary for MS and PhD STEM education

° S1: Develop scientific and technological literacy and conduct original research ° S2: Develop leadership, communication, and professional competencies ° S3: Facilitate the exploration of diverse career paths in academia, public, and private

sectors and their associated skill sets ° S4: Encourage curricular innovation within the graduate program

Administrative Structure

College administration is led by the Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine (Figure 1). Members of the CVM Executive Committee report to the Dean and include an executive associate dean; associate deans for Professional Programs, Research and Graduate Studies, Global One Health, and Undergraduate Education; assistant deans for Finance and Hospital Operations; and five department heads.

Figure 1. Organizational Chart: CVM Research & Graduate Studies Office

Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Eleanor Green

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate

Studies

Dr. Robert Burghardt

Administrative Coordinator for Research

and Graduate Studies

Lauren Pluhar

Program Manager for Research and Graduate

Studies

Dr. Ashley Seabury

Coordinator of Academic and Student Services

Dr. David Kessler

Academic Advisor

Kathryn Smith

Academic Advisor

Katharina Ojala

Academic Advisor

Demetria Cooper

Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate

Studies

Dr. Michael Criscitiello

Director of Veterinary Medical Park

Dr. Timothy C. Ashley

CVM Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies Office

The ADRGS Office consists of an associate dean, an assistant dean, a program manager, a coordinator of academic and student services, an administrative coordinator, and three academic advisors. The Associate Dean, Assistant Dean, and Program Manager have PhD degrees in biomedical sciences fields and completed several years of postdoctoral training. The Coordinator of Academic Services earned a PhD in higher education and the Administrative Coordinator has an MS in marketing. The academic advisors have extensive experience and training in student support capacities. An additional report to the Associate Dean is the Director of Veterinary Medical Park (VMP), who has a DVM degree.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies (Robert C. Burghardt, PhD)

The Associate Dean works with CVM administration, in concert with other associate and assistant deans across campus, to fulfill the mission of Texas A&M and engage in strategic planning for research and the involvement of trainees in research. This is accomplished in part through membership on the University Research Council (URC), which provides advice and assistance to the Vice President for Research regarding the development of research planning and policy. Through involvement in the URC and interactions with Texas A&M Sponsored Research Services (SRS) and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the Associate Dean facilitates individual and collaborative research opportunities within the college and across the university. The Associate Dean provides administrative oversight for college research compliance, research space allocations, collaborative agreements, and serves as a liaison to support external research partnerships with other universities and professional organizations. Additionally, the Associate Dean serves as an ex officio member of the CVM Research Advisory Council and the Clinical Research Review Committee (CRRC).

The Associate Dean also provides leadership and oversight for the planning and development of programs and educational opportunities related to graduate studies within the CVM. These efforts are especially focused on programmatic design, oversight, and diversity efforts within the BIMS Graduate Program. Through membership on the Texas A&M Graduate Operations Committee (GOC), an advisory body that reports to the Associate Provost for Graduate and Professional Studies, the Associate Dean interacts with other associate deans to discuss issues/concerns of an operational nature, and recommend procedures and policies for resolution. This ultimately contributes to the development of uniform policies and procedures across colleges. The GOC works closely with the Graduate Council (GC) to coordinate all curriculum and policy issues. The Associate Dean provides administrative oversight and ex officio membership on the college Graduate Instruction Committee (GIC), which is charged with advisory programmatic oversight and admissions of the BIMS Graduate Program.

Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies (Michael F. Criscitiello, PhD)

In 2017, Dr. Jane Welsh, who served as the Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies, was appointed Interim Department Head of VIBS. At that time, the Assistant Dean position subsequently was expanded to include research responsibilities and Dr. Michael F. Criscitiello was recruited into this new position. Primary duties of the Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies include service as an ex officio member of CVM RAC, a member of the GC, chair of the CVM GIC, and chair of the BIMS MS Non-Thesis

Option Steering Committee. He also serves as chair of the admissions committees for both the BIMS MS non-thesis degree and BIMS MS thesis and PhD degree programs. Additional responsibilities include leading graduate curriculum review and development, mentoring graduate students, and supporting trainees and faculty through facilitating open communication and conflict management. The Assistant Dean also provides back-up support for the Associate Dean through participation at campus research and/or graduate studies committee meetings.

Program Manager for Research and Graduate Studies (Ashley Gustafson Seabury, PhD, Genetics)

The Program Manager works with the Associate Dean to coordinate and oversee the planning, development, and implementation of activities related to research and graduate education. The Program Manager acts as liaison between the Associate Dean, Office of the Vice President for Research and OGAPS, CVM administration, department heads, faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral associates with the CVM. Duties include oversight of program budgets in coordination with the Assistant Dean for Finance that include distribution of tuition and scholarships, support of faculty with interactions with Texas A&M Sponsored Research Services involving pre- and post-award interactions with campus and federal funding agencies, supervision of the ADRGS Office support staff, event planning and coordination, maintenance of research and graduate studies records and databases for proposals and grant awards. Additional duties include preparation of research and graduate studies annual reports to the Office of the Vice President for Research and OGAPS as well as contributing leadership and coordination of strategic planning with CVM stakeholders.

Coordinator of Academic and Student Services for Graduate Studies (M. David Kessler, PhD, Higher Education)

The Coordinator of Academic and Student Services provides leadership and oversight of academic advising, annual graduate student evaluation system, class scheduling, coordinator of CVM graduate and diversity fellowships, college graduate student policy development, diversity training, and program initiatives. This individual has a PhD in Higher Education and is the lead instructor in the required BIMS Graduate Program core course, VMID 689 – Special Topics: Foundations in Biomedical Graduate Education. Additional major responsibilities include service as the lead Assessment Liaison for the CVM to the Texas A&M Office of Institutional Assessment and coordinator of CVM degree programs assessment process including development, implementation, and continuous improvement of assessment planning and reporting required for University accreditation.

Administrative Coordinator for Research and Graduate Studies (Lauren Pluhar, MS, Marketing)

The Administrative Coordinator provides support to the Associate Dean as an executive assistant and to the ADRGS Office as a logistical manager for activities relating both to research and graduate education. Major responsibilities include serving as the point of contact for the ADRGS Office, planning and executing events, coordinating logistics for professional development opportunities, and providing support for the activities of the Program Manager. The Administrative Coordinator is also the primary logistical contact for invited guests of the ADRGS Office, which include speakers for various events and prospective graduate students for the BIMS Graduate Program; responsibilities include coordinating travel arrangements, preparing itineraries, and processing expense reports. The Administrative

Coordinator also manages marketing activities, which includes planning and developing content for both print and electronic media. Additional responsibilities include administrative support of the GIC and the CRRC.

Academic Advisors

All academic advisors have the primary responsibility of providing academic advising to CVM graduate students for the BIMS, STJR, and VPHE programs. These students are divided evenly among the advisors (~100 graduate students each). The BIMS students are required to meet with their academic advisor at least once (PhD and MS thesis) or twice (MS non-thesis) a year to fulfill the mandatory advising requirement. All advisors participate in a monthly open forum advising event, which is a group advising session with topics generated by graduate students in attendance. Other duties are distributed among advisors based upon their specialized training, expertise, and/or interests.

Academic Advisor II (Kathryn Smith, BS)

In addition to shared advising duties, this advisor has primary responsibilities related to student enrollment processes and academic success. Duties of this advisor include but are not limited to processing annual graduate advisory committee reports, processing graduate course requests, updating the graduate catalog, managing tuition and fees payments, coordinating open forum advising events, managing alumni relations, and representing the CVM at the Texas A&M GC meetings.

Academic Advisor II (Demetria Cooper)

In addition to shared advising duties, this advisor has primary responsibilities in academic support initiatives. Duties of this advisor include but are not limited to serving as the OGAPS liaison and as a graduate degree processor by communicating with students to ensure they meet graduation requirements in the most efficient way. The latter responsibility includes degree plan submission, processing petitions, degree evaluations, requests for final exam and dissertation, and graduate faculty nominations; managing student records; coordinating exit interviews; and managing the MS Regalia Assistance Program.

Academic Advisor II (Katharina Ojala, BS)

In addition to shared advising duties, this advisor has primary responsibilities in recruiting, admissions, and new student programs and services. Duties of this advisor include participating in recruitment fairs; organizing recruitment activities; coordinating admissions logistics; processing letters of intent, offer, and annual reappointment; managing international student issues; coordinating ELPE and Graduate Assistant Teaching reporting for the New Teaching Assistant Training and Evaluation Program; and coordinating orientation bootcamp.

Director, Veterinary Medical Park (Timothy C. Ashley, DVM)

The director of the VMP oversees operations supporting research using traditional agriculture animal species, ultimately ensuring that animals housed in the VMP are cared for according to standards set by various regulatory agencies, which is required for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory

Animal Care (AAALAC) accreditation. The director’s responsibilities are to ensure that: 1) all large animal research and teaching animals used in the CVM receive appropriate veterinary care and reports this at weekly veterinary rounds attended by the University Attending Veterinarian, 2) preventative medicine programs and herd health management programs are provided, and 3) USDA, Texas Animal Health Commission, University Biosafety, and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) concerns regarding biosecurity and biocontainment are fully addressed. Importantly, the director consults with researchers developing grant proposals to provide advice on appropriate animal models and costs associated with conducting research at the VMP. The director also oversees any remodeling and/or replacement of research, testing, and teaching animal holding facilities to ensure that appropriate facilities are available to house the IACUC approved research and teaching animals.

Facilities

The scope and footprint of the CVM facilities reflects both a century of our history as a land grant institution and more recent institutional mandates as an AAU research university (Figure 2). Texas A&M is a land-grant institution mandated to focus on teaching, research, and extension. The CVM has the additional responsibility of providing patient care. The breadth of our facilities reflects our commitment to train veterinarians, residents, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate students in the ever-changing fields of veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences, and execute cutting-edge translational research in both laboratory and clinical settings.

Figure 2. (Left panel) The central part of the 5,200 acre Texas A&M campus, with CVM footprint highlighted in the dashed box. (Right panel) The VM complex includes the Veterinary & Biomedical Education Complex, Large and Small Animal Hospitals, the Texas A&M Institute of Preclinical Studies, and multiple research buildings and Veterinary Medical Park facilities.

VBEC

CVM Buildings, Teaching and Research/Laboratory Space

Veterinary & Biomedical Education Complex, (VBEC) is a 330,000 sq ft, three building complex (Building 1812 VENI; Building 1813 VIDI; and Building 1814 VICI) providing state-of-the-art classroom, teaching laboratory, and collaboration and learning space opened in the Fall semester 2017. The buildings accommodate most of the classroom and specialized laboratory instructional needs for the professional veterinary program, undergraduate, and graduate programs of the college. Offices and suites for college administration, department, programs, and faculty are located within the VBEC Complex.

Veterinary Research Building (VRB, Building 1197) and Veterinary Research Building Addition (VRBA, Building 1811) were constructed in two phases between 1993 and 2010. As a dedicated research facility, the VRB is a four-story, 114,666 sq ft structure that contains 43 laboratories of approximately 600 sq ft each with an additional 250 sq ft flexible work space between main labs (Figure 3).

The flexible space includes rooms for cell culture, analytical equipment, 86 student and postdoc offices (each accommodating 2-3 trainees), 31 faculty offices, common spaces on each floor for instrumentation and freezers, 4 conference rooms of 258 sq ft, and autoclave rooms on two of the floors. Additionally, there is a BSL-3 laboratory suite on the first floor. VRBA is a 3 floor, 52,993 sq ft addition constructed in 2010 that contains 26 laboratories of approximately 750 sq ft each, 29 faculty

offices, 23 student and postdoc offices (each accommodating 2-3 trainees), two conference rooms of 175 sq ft, and one 175 sq ft student office suite containing 10 cubicle workstations, common spaces on each floor for instrumentation and freezers, and self-sufficient autoclave rooms on two floors.

Figure 3. VRB and VRBA includes 167,659 sq ft of research space including 69 laboratory modules, shared laboratory support facilities, 60 faculty offices, numerous postdoc and grad student offices, modular workstation office units, conference rooms, and an open atrium/commons space.

Veterinary Medical Administration Building (VMA, Building 1027, 94,680 sq ft) housed the CVM administrative offices, the CVM Development Office, two department administration offices (VIBS, VTPP), and multiple teaching areas until 2016 when they were relocated to the new VBEC Complex. The vacated CVM administrative offices were subsequently occupied by Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital administration and the Veterinary Emergency Team. The Image Analysis Laboratory, Clinical Parasitology, Clinical Pharmacology, and Immunohistology Laboratories and eight faculty research laboratories continue to function in VMA.

Veterinary Medical Sciences Building (VMS, Building 507, 69,367 sq ft) is a 63 year old building that is on limited Texas A&M deferred maintenance schedule in 2017. VMS contained one departmental administration office (VTPB), multiple research and teaching labs ranging in size from 150 sq ft to 1052 sq ft, several classrooms, and numerous offices. In 2017, everything was moved to the VBEC Complex, except the Trace Element Research Laboratory and five single-PI research labs. Demolition of this building is planned. Therefore, the college has been assigned space in Building 1041, the Veterinary Medical Research Extension (VMRE). The remaining occupants of VMS are expected to relocate to VMRE in 2020 after it receives a new roof and improvements to the HVAC system.

Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) has a principal function of providing primary, emergency, and specialty services for large and small animals, as well as providing hands-on clinical education for veterinarians. VMTH is comprised of the following buildings:

• Veterinary Teaching Hospital (Building 508, 96,416 sq ft) • Diagnostic Imaging and Cancer Treatment Center (Building 1184, 9,00 sq ft) • Large Animal Hospital (VLAH, Building 1194, 140,865 sq ft) • Small Animal Hospital (VSAH, Building 1085, 103,440 sq ft)

Both hospitals conduct extensive clinical and translational research. Faculty researchers in VLCS are recognized leaders in fields of stallion and mare reproduction, equine infectious disease, gastrointestinal disease and microbiome, and regenerative medicine. In VSCS, investigative programs are active in aging, anesthesiology, cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, neurology, oncology, and orthopedic surgery. Clinical trial research is centered on the study of the spontaneously occurring diseases of the small animal patients and on regenerative medicine in large animal patients. Recent CVM clinical trials have focused on oncology, neurology, ophthalmology, internal medicine (aging, GI disease), cardiology and orthopedics.

Veterinary Medical Park (VMP; http://vetmed.tamu.edu/vetmedpark), is an AAALAC-accredited, large animal facility that supports research and teaching. It is comprised of approximately 185 acres of pasture, housing space, and facilities for agricultural animal care services and is located adjacent to the CVM Large Animal Hospital. VMP animal housing and research facilities include:

• Thirty varying-sized paddocks of approximately 100 acres housing horses, cattle, sheep, and goats used for teaching and research

• Five animal barns provide indoor housing for pigs, sheep, goats, horses, and cattle including barns for foaling, surgery, and extension

• Two 2.5 acre horse quarantine pens • Fifteen outdoor concrete slab quarantine pens for ruminants • A swine facility that houses a small farrowing house and pens for 75 breeding pigs • Ten ABSL-2 animal holding buildings support research in a BSL-2 environment • Two large animal surgical suites, one of which is a BSL-2 large animal surgical suite with

mechanical hoists, complete monitoring systems, two anesthesia induction and recovery rooms, and working pens for incoming animals

http://vetmed.tamu.edu/vetmedpark

The VMP also supports an off-campus Reproductive Sciences Lab facility of approximately 75 acres, about 270 acres of pastures on the Texas A&M Rellis campus, and two new animal housing facilities: the Avian Health Complex (11,000 sq ft) and the Multispecies Research Building (35,000 sq ft).

The VMP Director is a veterinarian who works closely with researchers in identifying resources, detailed animal use and oversight protocols, and scheduling of large animal projects for federal and a variety of private foundation grant applications. Other key personnel include a VMP manager, business coordinator, facilities coordinator, surgery veterinary technician, veterinary technician assistant, animal care supervisor, 3.5 animal caretakers, 3.5 research maintenance workers, and 5 student workers who provide 7 days/week support for animal care and facilities operation/maintenance.

Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical Studies (TIPS) is a 112,000 sq ft facility established in 2007 to serve the preclinical needs of academic researchers and industry. TIPS provides large animal Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and translational research studies with access to expertise in major medical and scientific disciplines including surgery, biomedical engineering, advanced imaging, pathology, radiography, interventional cardiology, neurology, animal behavior, chemistry, and engineering. The TIPS facility includes long-term large animal housing for approximately 240 animals, state-of-the-art surgical and imaging suites, clinical diagnostic lab space, support areas, conference rooms, sponsor workrooms, and a large auditorium for meetings/training. The Core Imaging Center houses advanced imaging research technology including 3 Tesla MRI with XMR (interventional capabilities) and 128 slice PET/CT. TIPS maintains a close working relationship with The Texas A&M University System Office of Technology and Commercialization (OTC), which promotes an industry-friendly environment to facilitate industry partnerships and commercialization. In addition, there is strong community support from the Research Valley Partnership economic development group, exemplifying the unlimited economic development opportunities.

CVM Core Research Facilities and Service Labs

Cardiovascular Pathology Laboratory (CVP, Buildings 1040 & 990, http://vetmed.tamu.edu/cvpath) provides pathology laboratory support for Texas A&M and its affiliates. This BSL-2 compliant lab also provides pathology and histology services on a fee-for-service basis to outside investigators and medical device companies. The lab focuses on the development and utilization of integrative pathology techniques for the evaluation of implantable devices in humans and animals. The CVP lab specializes in cardiovascular devices such as circulatory assist devices, implantable leads, and intravascular stents. Texas A&M CVP also conducts toxicology studies and is compliant with GLP and Good Clinical Practices (GCP) guidelines.

DNA Technologies Core Laboratory (VRB Building) provides automated nucleotide sequencing, genotyping, and bacterial and fungal DNA sequence-based identification technologies. It also offers individual identification, parentage testing, and genetic trait testing for livestock producers, wildlife managers, and clinical microbiology labs worldwide. The lab houses shared capital equipment used by researchers and students throughout the college.

http://vetmed.tamu.edu/cvpath

Equine Embryo Laboratory (http://vetmed.tamu.edu/equine-embryo-laboratory) performs both research and clinical work in equine assisted reproduction. The lab is one of the few in the world actively doing research on horse cloning, and is one of two laboratories in the United States performing clinical oocyte recovery and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to produce foals from client mares for which embryo transfer is not an option. In addition to ICSI, other clinical services include ICSI post mortem, cell line processing, embryo vitrification, and biopsy for genetic diagnosis.

Flow Cytometry Laboratory (VRBA Building) provides flow cytometry and cell sorting support for CVM researchers and outside users. Instrumentation includes a Beckman Coulter MoFlo® Astrios™ High-Speed Cell Sorter and a Becton Dickinson FACSCalibur™ Analyzer.

The Gastrointestinal Laboratory (VSAH Building, http://vetmed.tamu.edu/gilab) is the only one of its kind. It has helped to advance our understanding of gastrointestinal (GI) disease in companion animals through research in the study of GI disorders in dogs and cats. The lab also develops new diagnostic tests for diagnosing gastrointestinal disorders and studies new therapeutic strategies for groups of patients with gastrointestinal disease. The GI lab is also a leader in feline and canine intestinal microbiome, metagenome and metabolome research and conducts numerous clinical trials in GI disease.

Image Analysis Laboratory (IAL, VMA Building, http://vetmed.tamu.edu/ial) has supported microscopy and imaging research needs of investigators in the CVM since 1987. It has expanded to serve the Texas A&M System as a shared BSL-2 live cell imaging facility. The IAL has served as an Advanced Imaging Facility Core for interdisciplinary NIEHS-supported P30 Center and P42 Superfund grants and NCATS-supported TEX-VAL: Texas A&M Tissue Chip Validation Center. The IAL provides individualized training for researchers and graduate students as well as a graduate course in Optical Microscopy and Live Cell Imaging. Instruments available for research and instruction include a superresolution microscope, high content imaging system, multiphoton and confocal microscopes, total internal reflection fluorescence microscope, fully automated upright microscope with fluorescence deconvolution and structured illumination image processing, laser capture microscope, microplate reader, and transmission electron microscope.

Molecular Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory (VRB Building) provides a range of cytogenetic, molecular, and DNA-based testing for clinical and research facilities, private companies, veterinarians, breeders, and animal owners. For chromosome analysis, both traditional and state-of-the-art techniques such as karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization are used, and tests are conducted for all domestic animals and a broad range of wild species.

Trace Element Research Laboratory (TERL, VMA Building, http://vetmed.tamu.edu/labs/terl) is a 1,500 sq ft core laboratory providing internal and external users with high quality educational support in environmental chemistry and trace element data collection. It offers a combination of academic research expertise in the environmental monitoring and regulation arenas. All work is conducted under a comprehensive quality assurance/quality control program with experience in the use of clean

http://vetmed.tamu.edu/equine-embryo-laboratoryhttp://vetmed.tamu.edu/gilabhttp://vetmed.tamu.edu/ialhttp://vetmed.tamu.edu/labs/terl

(1 ppb level) and ultra-clean (< 0.1 ppb level) sampling and pre-concentration procedures required to make accurate measurements of trace metals at ambient levels in both freshwater and seawater.

VIBS Histology Laboratory (Vivarium, Building 1010) provides tissue paraffin processing, embedding, sectioning, staining, special stains, and frozen sections for CVM teaching and research. Campus demand for histology services has necessitated that the facility provide support to the broader CVM campus community as time permits.

VTPB Histopathology Laboratory (VMA Building) provides diagnostic and limited research services to the college and the VMTH. Services include routine sectioning and staining of tissues for microscopic examination, performing special stains for diagnostic and research samples, and performing immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry for diagnostic and research samples and applications.

Texas A&M Facilities and Core Laboratories

In addition to CVM core facilities and service laboratories, Texas A&M has over 100 different core laboratories (https://tamu.corefacilities.org/landing/276#/cores) that address the majority of CVM researcher needs for genomics, transcriptomics, bioinformatics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Particular reference here is made to the Texas A&M AgriLife Genomics and Bioinformatics Service (http://www.txgen.tamu.edu/), which has frequently partnered with the BIMS Graduate Program to provide experiential learning opportunities to a broad group of trainees who utilize genomics and bioinformatics tools in their research. In addition, a Molecular Genomics Workspace, located in the CVM VMRA building and managed by The Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society (TIGSS), is a molecular genomics laboratory with shared equipment to support genomics-based research at Texas A&M. TIGSS offers training and experimental support for many technologies upstream of sequence generation. Equipment available for use includes the Fluidigm C1 single-cell system for extraction and isolation of nucleic acids and template preparation for sequencing or qPCR from single cells. The Fluidigm Biomark HD system for high-throughput real-time or end-point PCR in nanoliter volumes is also available for single cell analysis. Further equipment available for the generation of single cell sequencing libraries include the Eppendorf epMotion 5075 robot for library preparation, the Agilent Tape Station and BioTek Cytation 5 for library quality control, and the Illumina MiSeq or NextSeq 500 for generation of up to 400 million single end or 800 million paired end sequencing reads per run.

Texas A&M University Libraries house a rich array of resources assembled to support the research, learning, and teaching at Texas A&M. Comprised of five unique libraries on the College Station campus, the University Libraries serve the entire diverse student, staff, and faculty population at Texas A&M. The University Libraries is currently ranked number 8 among public ARL Universities and sees approximately 4.5 million in-person visitors and 2.5 million digital visitors every year. The primary location of the Medical Sciences Library (MSL) is adjacent to the CVM. It supports the veterinary and agricultural colleges and the medical colleges of the TAMHSC). Two MSL librarians are assigned specifically to support CVM research, programs, and instruction. Heather K. Moberly, MSLS, AHIP,

https://tamu.corefacilities.org/landing/276#/coreshttp://www.txgen.tamu.edu/

FHEA, PgCert (Veterinary Education) holds the Dorothy G. Whitley Professorship in Library Science and is the Coordinator of Veterinary Services at MSL. She is jointly appointed in the Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences and provides the primary support to the BIMS Graduate Program. When the University Libraries received a grant to promote ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) adoption among young researchers, the BIMS Graduate Program was the earliest adopter. Currently, ORCIDs are required of BIMS thesis masters and doctoral students. The early ORCID efforts were presented in a variety of venues including Graduate Student Association meetings and class sessions. These efforts matured and found a place in the curriculum with an interactive session in BIMS 689 class, which explores scholarly identity https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/LM-10-2017-0104.

Other Texas A&M Animal and Research Resources

The following campus research support facilities are located immediately adjacent to the CVM and are used by investigators carrying out biomedical research involving rodents.

Laboratory Animal Resources and Research (LARR) is a university facility managed by the Texas A&M Division of Research Comparative Medicine Program (CMP) that provides molecular phenotyping housing and care for the laboratory animals used by the CVM faculty, graduate students, and trainees. In addition to laboratory housing and care, CMP facilities offer specialized (biohazard and hazardous chemical) animal housing, animal isolation housing, animal procurement and husbandry, veterinary care, surgical facilities, and technical support.

Texas A&M Institute for Genomic Medicine (TIGM) is a facility supported by Texas A&M AgriLife Research supporting researchers wishing to obtain knockout (KO) mice and embryonic stem cells quickly and with favorable intellectual property IP terms. TIGM resources include the world’s largest gene trap library of ES cells in the C57BL/6N mouse strain and access to the largest library of embryonic stem cells in the 129/SvEvBrd mouse strain. TIGM provides both embryonic stem cell clones including lncRNA KO ES cells and mice as well as other transgenic core services including CRISPR/Cas9-based genome modifications within the Texas A&M system and to the public and private international research community.

Global Health Research Complex (GHRC) is a new 102,000 sq ft facility that is currently under construction and will be located immediately adjacent to the VMP with an anticipated opening during Fall 2019. This biocontainment facility will provide advanced laboratories for the study of infectious agents and diseases in plants, animals, and humans. Supporting collaboration within the A&M System, the project will co-locate biomedical, veterinary, engineering, and environmental science research in a single complex to create innovative strategies for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. When the GHRC opens, Texas A&M will be one of only two facilities in the U.S. to have both BSL3Ag and an ACL3 insectary supporting the study of disease transmission.

https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/LM-10-2017-0104

Finances

The CVM receives a financial allocation from OGAPS annually (Table 1). These allocations are distributed in five categories including: Graduate Stipend/Salary Funds, Graduate Tuition Funds, Graduate Merit Fellowship Funds, Enhancement/Strategic Support, and Lechner Graduate Grant Program. College allocations are calculated based upon a three-year average of full-time enrolled graduate students. In 2016, administration of all graduate programs in the college were centralized and this annual budget is now managed by the ADRGS Office.

The Graduate Stipend/Salary Funds are utilized to support college match to fellowship financial packages, graduate student assistantships that support the education mission of the college, and partial staff salary support for our academic advisors.

The Graduate Tuition Funds are utilized to pay tuition (the minimum credit hours required to maintain full-time enrollment) for eligible doctoral graduate students. Eligibility is defined as being enrolled full-time, paid by an assistantship that is sourced from state funds or grants that do not allow tuition payment. These funds are also used to pay the tuition and fees for all Texas A&M Association of Former Students (AFS) Merit, Texas A&M Diversity, CVM Merit Scholars, and CVM Diversity Fellowship recipients. These funds were exhausted each year. For the past two years, we have committed funds from the Graduate Enhancement/Strategic Support accounts to ensure that all eligible graduate student tuition would be covered. These funds allow us to ensure that all of our doctoral graduate student tuition is paid by grants, fellowships, or sponsorships or the Graduate Enhancement/Strategic Support accounts.

For fiscal year (FY) 13-16, the CVM received an allocation of funds to partially fund the CVM Merit Scholars Fellowship program in combination with funds from the Graduate/Stipend Salary account. In FY17, we transitioned to a different program in which the Texas A&M AFS Merit Fellowships were administered through the college and were funded using these funds in combination with funds from the Graduate/Stipend Salary account.

Graduate Enhancement/Strategic Support Funds are used to support all the professional development programmatic offerings for graduate students in the CVM as described in a subsequent Academic Enhancements/High-impact Opportunities for Students section. Additionally, these funds support recruiting and retention programs, as well as a variety of wellness and inclusion programs.

Lechner Graduate Grant Program provides funds to the college to assist in student matriculation to Texas A&M by supporting travel, a commitment bonus, fees, stipends, books, scholarships, etc. The individuals receiving these awards are designated Lechner Scholars.

Table 1. CVM Graduate Program Finances Source FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 Graduate Stipend/Salary Funds $36,531 $26,709 $45,385 $41,885 $79,033 $79,033 Graduate Tuition Funds $224,324 $218,742 $310,944 $305,281 $286,361 $300,198 Graduate Merit Fellowship Funds $118,500 $169,500 $196,000 $182,000 $35,510 $41,344 Graduate Enhancement/ Strategic Support Funds $86,731 $146,294 $209,709 $322,520 $343,799 $398,472 Lechner Graduate Grant Program $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 Total $491,086 $586,245 $787,038 $881,686 $774,703 $849,047

Texas A&M has two primary types of graduate assistantships, research (GAR) and teaching (GAT). The assistantship creates a 50% FTE (20 hours/week) employment relationship between the student and Texas A&M through which the student works in either a research or teaching capacity while concurrently obtaining practical hands-on experience. Both PhD and MS-thesis graduate students are eligible to be on an assistantship, while the MS non-thesis students are not in our college. The assistantship provides the student with a monthly stipend, eligibility to the Texas A&M health insurance plan (where the state contributes a portion of the premium), and creates an out-of-state tuition waiver that allows the students to pay tuition and fees at an in-state rate. The stipend rate varies across departments and investigators as it is often a reflection of the research funding source, student experience, and prior degrees obtained (Tables 2 and 3). All of our PhD and MS-thesis graduate students are funded through an assistantship (research or teaching), fellowship, or sponsorship. Additionally, they all receive tuition payment through their committee chair’s grant, fellowship, sponsorship, or OGAPS graduate tuition funds.

Table 2. Average Annual Assistantship Rates for CVM Graduate Students (excluding tuition & benefits) Department/

Unit FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 TIPS $28,560 $28,560 $28,560 $28,560 $28,560 $28,560 VLCS $18,440 $22,880 $22,371 $16,950 $18,680 $22,800 VTPB $22,213 $22,710 $22,699 $20,720 $22,107 $22,454 VSCS $22,292 $24,983 $24,869 $24,213 $27,601 $31,532 VTPP $22,023 $21,464 $22,093 $20,928 $22,630 $24,956 VIBS $21,319 $18,078 $18,930 $19,255 $21,034 $22,145

Table 3. Average Monthly and Annual Assistantship Rates for the CVM* (excluding tuition and benefits)

FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 Monthly $1,801.98 $1,791.90 $1,811.54 $1,707.97 $1,847.22 $1,960.56 Annually $21,623.76 $21,502.80 $21,738.48 $20,495.64 $22,166.64 $23,526.72

* The 2018 NIH Predoctoral Assistantship Monthly and Annual Stipend is $2,027 and $24,324, respectively.

External Program Accreditation

The BIMS Graduate Program is accredited as part of Texas A&M through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). External program accreditation documents can be found in Appendix C.

Date of the Last APR

The establishment of the BIMS MS and PhD programs occurred in 2006 by mergers of PhD programs in Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology along with several MS programs. The BIMS Graduate Program last underwent an Academic Program Review in 2012; this was the inaugural review of the program. That review, and detailed responses to the recommendations outlined in the review are included in Appendices B and D.

Analysis

The 2012 APR identified a number of strengths of BIMS graduate programs within the CVM including:

• High quality faculty who have been, and are becoming, leaders in their fields in many areas of research

• Faculty who are demographically diverse and include an excellent mix of junior, mid-level, and senior professors

• Excellent facilities in both clinical and laboratory sciences • Multiple, diverse sources of funding • An administration that values graduate education

In the program assessment a number of weaknesses were identified:

• Programs (i.e. individual departments) remain semi-autonomous with varying admissions standards

• Lack of coordinated recruitment strategy • Highly variable standards for qualifying examinations • No clearly articulated mission

The APR Committee offered a number of recommendations that impact standardization of key processes for:

• Recruiting and admissions • Program structure and processes • The student educational experience and sense of community • Laboratory rotations

The major issues identified in the 2012 APR indicated arose due to the lack of an integrated programmatic structure resulting from different departmental policies and practices. The APR highlighted the need for a rigorous internal review of the program to include all structural and functional aspects of the BIMS Graduate Program and its leadership.

At the time of the BIMS Graduate Program 1 year Post Review Report, there were a several substantive improvements to the program (Appendix E). A mission statement was developed. Outreach and recruiting efforts included improvements in the CVM Graduate Studies website incorporating more details about the program requirements, a new link to the website through GradSchools.com, the introduction of an inaugural BIMS Doctoral Student Recruitment Weekend on campus, participation in 7 campus-based graduate program fairs, and development of several CVM Graduate Student Merit Scholars Fellowships.

More substantial improvements in the BIMS Graduate Program were delayed by several events including a one-year leave of absence by the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies during the 2013 academic year followed by a change in leadership the following year. A second, highly impactful situation resulted from the return of the Texas A&M Health Science Center (TAMHSC) to Texas A&M in 2013 following a period beginning in 1999 when the College of Medicine (COM) left Texas A&M to consolidate the COM, the Baylor College of Dentistry (BCD) in Dallas, the Institute of Biosciences and Technology (IBT) in Houston, and a new School of Public Health (SPH). In the late 2000s, the COM/IBT Medical Sciences graduate program merged with the BIMS Graduate Program at BCD creating a single Biomedical Science graduate program in the TAMHSC. The arrangement continued until 2013, when the TAMHSC was brought back under the administrative control of Texas A&M. As part of the merger process, it was initially proposed by the Provost that the TAMHSC and CVM BIMS Graduate Programs (which shared the same Classification of Internal Programs (CIP) code) undertake a two-year transitional period to establish a combined BIMS Graduate Program. A joint steering committee was established and discussions among TAMHSC and CVM graduate leadership about this prospect were initiated early in 2013. After 9 months of meetings, TAMHSC proposed to restore the earlier approved Medical Sciences degree program with agreement from the CVM to retain the separate BIMS Graduate Program.

Dr. Robert C. Burghardt was appointed Acting Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in 2013 and subsequently, Associate Dean in 2014. At that time, as part of a CVM strategic planning process, the new Associate Dean, Program Manager, and Senior Academic Advisor initiated new strategic planning for both the Graduate Studies and Research missions of the college with a focus on preparing for the APR scheduled in April 2019. The decision in November 2015 by the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology to close the Veterinary Pathobiology doctoral degree program and have their trainees move into the BIMS Graduate Program, presented an opportunity to propose a centrally-administered CVM BIMS Graduate Program, managed by the ADRGS Office. This also provided an opportunity to systematically address each of the recommendations of the 2012 BIMS Graduate Program APR. The centralization of the administration of the BIMS Graduate Program by the ADRGS Office was approved in 2016 with support from Dean Eleanor Green, department heads, CVM Executive Committee members, and CVM faculty. The academic advisors from two departments

joined the ADRGS Office and a third academic advisor was recruited. At the same time, a BIMS Graduate Program Task Force, with two representatives from each department, was convened and charged to make recommendations regarding the development of a centralized BIMS graduate. The BIMS Graduate Program Task Force met biweekly to develop recommendations over the ensuing seven months. They participated in regular department and college town hall meetings with faculty to discuss and receive feedback on the construction of the centralized program. The final recommendations were reviewed and approved by the CVM Executive Committee, to be implemented, in the Fall 2016 semester with the first cohort of students.

As the BIMS Graduate Program Task Force was developing recommendations for the centralization of the BIMS Graduate Program, the ADRGS led an assessment of CVM research strengths and priorities. Five major areas were identified that had a critical mass of extramurally-funded faculty, together with impact and relevance to the CVM mission.

Current research areas of emphasis include:

• Biomedical Genomics & Bioinformatics • Diagnostics & Therapeutics • Infection, Immunity & Epidemiology • Physiology & Developmental Biology • Toxicology & Environmental Health

These areas of research specialization incorporate faculty from across multiple departments and represent the curricular training tracks of the BIMS Graduate Program. The opportunity to integrate research areas of emphasis and BIMS curricular training tracks provided an efficient organizational structure to unify the research and graduate programs within the college that promote basic, clinical, and translational research (Figure 4).

Consequently, the BIMS curricular training tracks now include:

• Biomedical Genomics & Bioinformatics • Diagnostics & Therapeutics • Infection, Immunity & Epidemiology • Physiology & Developmental Biology

Figure 4. The basic, clinical, and translational research areas of emphasis in the CVM. These research areas of emphasis now align with the BIMS curricular training tracks and the Toxicology IDP housed in the college.

The Toxicology & Environmental Health research area of emphasis in the CVM also aligns with a Texas A&M IDP that is administratively housed within the CVM. CVM leadership was responsible for organizing a critical mass of NIEHS-funded individual investigator awards that provided the opportunity to compete for NIEHS-funded programs including Toxicology T-32 Training Grants (1992-2009), a NIEHS P30 Center Grants (CERH, 1998-2007; CTEHR, 2014-2018), a NIEHS P42 Superfund Basic Research Program Grants (SBRP, 1989-2007; 2017-2122), and NIH Partnership for Environmental Education and Rural Health program (PEER, 1999-2009). A new a NIEHS P30 Center Grant, the Texas A&M Center for Environmental Health Research, is currently pending.

BIMS Graduate Program and CVM Strategic Planning Integration

The BIMS Graduate Program strategic plan integrates with the CVM strategic plan that is focused on transformational learning; translational, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research; leading-edge patient and client care; and service. Given the integral importance of graduate research as an engine of the CVM research enterprise, the BIMS Graduate Program aspires to provide transformational learning experiences through the alignment of graduate curricular training tracks with research areas of emphasis in a learning environment that promotes climate, diversity, and wellness. This alignment creates a path forward for excellence.

Improvements since the Last Program Review in April 2012

In the previous APR, which was the first for the BIMS Graduate Program, it was noted that the program “has yet to use the broader base of BIMS to its full advantage. Programs remain semi-autonomous with varying admissions standards, no coordinated recruitment strategy, highly variable standards for qualifying examinations and no clearly articulated mission.” In response, the ADRGS Office led a reorganization of the BIMS Graduate Program with support from CVM administration and faculty. With the extensive involvement and contributions from the BIMS Graduate Task Force, major improvements were developed and implemented that addressed these and other recommendations identified in the 2012 review (Appendices B and D) including the following abbreviated list:

1) Replacement of a decentralized, department-centric management plan for the graduate program with a centralized administrative plan that includes oversight of recruitment, admissions, and advising managed by the ADRGS Office. A coordinator of academic and student services for graduate studies and three academic advisors provide consistent academic and student support, mandatory individual advising at least once per year, walk-in advising throughout the year, and monthly optional group advising.

2) Enhanced recruiting activities and establishment of a standardized, holistic admissions process. This includes the assignment of an academic advisor to serve as the recruiting and admissions coordinator, participation in graduate and professional school fairs at universities within Texas and New Mexico, targeted recruitment at universities and events that serve underrepresented minorities, and the development of on-site recruitment events. Both graduate admissions committees (one for MS non-thesis and one for MS thesis and PhD) carries out a holistic review of applicants. Highly qualified doctoral applicants are invited to attend the BIMS Doctoral Student Recruitment Weekend, a recruitment event that is coupled with an annual CVM Trainee Research Symposium.

3) Introduction of an extensive week-long orientation/onboarding program, engaging all incoming BIMS Graduate Program students, to provide important programmatic information and foster a sense of community. The program involves welcome activities, biosafety/compliance training, and other elements that introduce a learning environment that promotes climate, diversity, and wellness. All graduate students are welcomed with short presentations by CVM administration, CVM Graduate Student Association, and current graduate students. All incoming MS thesis and PhD students receive Texas A&M research compliance training (GLP, BSL-2, and Bloodborne Pathogens Training) and Texas A&M teaching assistant training. Other presentations include:

• A half-day workshop on social justice/inclusion/diversity presented by Dr. Vernon Wall Director of Business Development, LeaderShape Inc.

• A seminar “Establishing Strong Connections with Faculty” by Dr. Michael Criscitiello, Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

• A seminar on the BIMS Graduate Program particularly related to program requirements for each of the curricular training tracks

• CVM Graduate Student Oath Ceremony, where trainees receive a BIMS Graduate Program laboratory coat, a magnetic name badge, and publicly recite an oath that expresses awareness of the importance of developing a deep personal commitment to a code of conduct as biomedical scientists (Appendix F)

4) Alignment/integration of BIMS Graduate Program curricular training tracks with CVM research areas of emphasis. The BIMS Graduate Program has a required core curriculum regardless of the selected track. Additionally, each curricular training track has a required course, a list of common elective courses, and a weekly seminar series that is co-branded with the respective research area of emphasis. All curricular training tracks share: a) standardization of preliminary examinations; core competencies for scientific and technological literacy and the conduct of original research; presentation and publication requirements; and b) programs for leadership, communication, and professional competencies training; and exploration of diverse career paths in academia, public, and private sectors and their associated skill sets.

5) Increase in funding options for trainees with the implementation of the BIMS Rotation Program, a one-year rotation system with up to four one-year stipends for highly qualified graduate students.

6) Increase in the number of fellowship opportunities available for incoming CVM graduate students. In conjunction with the CVM Office of Diversity, a new four-year CVM Graduate Diversity Fellowships program was established. Also in