Nagamori named Clinical Assist. Professor

Monday, February 8, 2016

The Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences recently named Yoko Nagamori, DVM, as clinical assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology.

Nagamori teaches a parasitology portion of the fourth year diagnostics rotation. She also lectures in Parasitology I (first year students) and Parasitology II (second year students) as well as in some elective parasitology classes. When she is not teaching, Nagamori examines parasitology cases submitted through the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital.

“It is important to keep diagnostics and teaching both traditional and progressive,” says Nagamori. “I have a growing interest in developing parasitology diagnostics for non-traditional pets, such as reptiles, amphibians and fish. There are not many resources available for exotic pets even though they are getting more popular.”

Originally from Japan, Nagamori earned a BS degree in geosciences from the Shizuoka University in Shizuoka, Japan. In 2013, she earned her DVM degree from Iowa State University.

“I grew up with exotic animals—turtles, hamsters, chipmunks, finches, fish—and always thought I would be a small animal/exotics veterinarian until I took a parasitology class as a vet student at Iowa State University,” adds Nagamori. “I had several excellent mentors who inspired me. I love the moments when I identify some unknown, mysterious parasites from animals. Those tiny pathogens amaze me in how they can cause severe clinical signs in animals and humans that are so much bigger than they are.”

Nagamori is currently finishing a master’s degree in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and completing a residency in veterinary parasitology with the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology, which is housed at OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.