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Purdue Veterinary Medicine Alumnus Named AVP for Animal Resources and Attending Veterinarian

Dr. Patrick Sharp (Purdue University Photo)
Dr. Patrick Sharp (Purdue University Photo)

Purdue University’s Office of Research has announced the appointment of a Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumnus, Dr. Patrick Sharp, as assistant vice president for animal resources and attending veterinarian at Purdue, effective Jan. 6, 2025. Dr. Sharp also will serve as clinical professor of comparative pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Sharp, earned his Purdue DVM degree in 1991. He returns to campus after more than 30 years in diverse leadership positions at several prestigious institutions. Since 2020, he has been at the University of California, Merced, serving as executive director of the Department of Animal Research Services and attending veterinarian for the Office of Research and Economic Development.

At Purdue, Dr. Sharp will assume an AVP role that was created in 2021 to enhance the university’s veterinary medicine research and education programs and align with best practices. As AVP, Dr. Sharp will have direct oversight of animal resources and the Centrally Managed Laboratory Animal Facilities team.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Sharp back to Purdue and look forward to his leadership in advancing our animal care and research programs,” said Jamie Mohler, associate vice president for scientific integrity and research compliance and the research integrity officer within the Office of Research, who led the search. “His extensive experience will be invaluable in ensuring the humane care and use of animals, fostering collaboration within our research community, and maintaining regulatory excellence.”

Before accepting his appointment at the University of California, Merced, Dr. Sharp served as chief executive officer for the Animal Resources Centre (ARC) in Perth, Australia, from 2013 to 2020. He also has served as director of the Laboratory Animals Centre at the National University of Singapore (2006-10), associate director of Animal Care Services at the University of Florida (2004-06), and associate director of the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine at the UCLA Medical Center (1998–2003).

Dr. Sharp succeeds Dr. Amanda Darbyshire, who served for the past year as interim attending veterinarian.

Click here to view a complete news release about Dr. Sharp’s appointment.

Writer(s): Amy Raley | pvmnews@purdue.edu

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