Kari Ekenstedt, DVM, PhD

Contact Info

Associate Professor, Anatomy and Genetics

Department of Basic Medical Sciences
Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine
625 Harrison Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907

765-496-1637
kje0003@purdue.edu

About

Dr. Kari Ekenstedt is an Associate Professor at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in comparative and molecular biosciences with a focus on canine and feline genetics.. She earned both her DVM and PhD from the University of Minnesota, where her doctoral research advanced understanding of inherited diseases in dogs. Dr. Ekenstedt’s career spans veterinary clinical practice and academia, including faculty roles at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and the University of Minnesota before joining Purdue in 2017. Her work integrates veterinary medicine, molecular biology, and genetics to investigate the genetic basis of disease, improve diagnostic tools, and inform breeding practices. In addition to her research, she is committed to educating the next generation of veterinarians and scientists, leveraging her clinical background to connect molecular discoveries with real-world animal health applications.

Education

2010 - PhD | University of Minnesota
2005 - DVM | University of Minnesota

Experience

2024–Present | Associate Professor of Basic Medical Sciences
2017–2024 | Assistant Professor of Basic Medical Sciences