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Deb Miller, DVM, PhD

Professor | Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences
Overview

Dr. Debra Miller is Professor and Director of the Center for Wildlife Health in the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and Director of the UT One Health Initiative. She has a split appointment between the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries. She received her BS in wildlife from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, her MS (wildlife), DVM and PhD (wildlife and veterinary science) from Mississippi State University, and completed a residency and postdoc in comparative pathology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. She spent 10 years at the University of Georgia before making the University of Tennessee her home. Dr. Miller is interested in all aspects of wildlife (including fisheries) health. Her expertise is in pathology, particularly pathology of herpetofauna (especially amphibians). Her primary research areas are amphibian diseases (particularly those caused by ranaviruses and chytrid fungi), sea turtle (especially leatherbacks) hatchling health and the impact of environmental stressors, and the impact of contaminants on marine animals. Her research approach is multidisciplinary, with institutional, national, and international collaborations. Her primary research partner in amphibian disease studies is her husband, Dr. Matthew Gray. Together they conduct experimental challenges combined with field surveillance to identify factors contributing to ranavirus-related mortality events and to identify mitigation strategies to thwart the expansion of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). They were instrumental in launching the Global Ranavirus Reporting System, which provides scientists a portal for uploading information regarding ranavirus-associated mortality events. In collaboration with Dr. Jeanette Wyneken (Florida Atlantic University), Dr. Miller investigates issues related to sea turtle hatchling health. Most recently, the main focus of the sea turtle study has been issues related to climate change, particularly the impacts of elevated beach and ocean temperatures. To date, she has published over 130 peer-reviewed articles, 7 book chapters, served as the editor for 2 books, and delivered over 260 professional presentations. Dr. Miller teaches in the wildlife health program and her teaching philosophy is similar to her research philosophy: It takes a team of experts to investigate issues in One Health. Thus, she provides students opportunities to work as members of teams of experts. This is accomplished at multiple levels, in the classroom for team projects and in the field on research studies. Dr. Miller is dedicated to service. She has served as vice-president, president & past-president of the Wildlife Disease Association; co-chair/member of various regional, national & international committees/task teams focused on herpetofaunal diseases. Visit the Amphisian Disease Laboratory website at https://amphibiandisease.tennessee.edu/

The College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Tennessee
2407 River Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996
Education and Training
  • PhD - Wildlife and Veterinary Science, Mississippi State University
  • DVM - Mississippi State University
  • MS - Wildlife, Mississippi State University
  • BS - Wildlife from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Deb Miller, DVM, PhD

Professor | Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences
The College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Tennessee
2407 River Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996
Education and Training
  • PhD - Wildlife and Veterinary Science, Mississippi State University
  • DVM - Mississippi State University
  • MS - Wildlife, Mississippi State University
  • BS - Wildlife from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Overview

Dr. Debra Miller is Professor and Director of the Center for Wildlife Health in the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and Director of the UT One Health Initiative. She has a split appointment between the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries. She received her BS in wildlife from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, her MS (wildlife), DVM and PhD (wildlife and veterinary science) from Mississippi State University, and completed a residency and postdoc in comparative pathology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. She spent 10 years at the University of Georgia before making the University of Tennessee her home. Dr. Miller is interested in all aspects of wildlife (including fisheries) health. Her expertise is in pathology, particularly pathology of herpetofauna (especially amphibians). Her primary research areas are amphibian diseases (particularly those caused by ranaviruses and chytrid fungi), sea turtle (especially leatherbacks) hatchling health and the impact of environmental stressors, and the impact of contaminants on marine animals. Her research approach is multidisciplinary, with institutional, national, and international collaborations. Her primary research partner in amphibian disease studies is her husband, Dr. Matthew Gray. Together they conduct experimental challenges combined with field surveillance to identify factors contributing to ranavirus-related mortality events and to identify mitigation strategies to thwart the expansion of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal). They were instrumental in launching the Global Ranavirus Reporting System, which provides scientists a portal for uploading information regarding ranavirus-associated mortality events. In collaboration with Dr. Jeanette Wyneken (Florida Atlantic University), Dr. Miller investigates issues related to sea turtle hatchling health. Most recently, the main focus of the sea turtle study has been issues related to climate change, particularly the impacts of elevated beach and ocean temperatures. To date, she has published over 130 peer-reviewed articles, 7 book chapters, served as the editor for 2 books, and delivered over 260 professional presentations. Dr. Miller teaches in the wildlife health program and her teaching philosophy is similar to her research philosophy: It takes a team of experts to investigate issues in One Health. Thus, she provides students opportunities to work as members of teams of experts. This is accomplished at multiple levels, in the classroom for team projects and in the field on research studies. Dr. Miller is dedicated to service. She has served as vice-president, president & past-president of the Wildlife Disease Association; co-chair/member of various regional, national & international committees/task teams focused on herpetofaunal diseases. Visit the Amphisian Disease Laboratory website at https://amphibiandisease.tennessee.edu/