Alumnus and Oncology Specialist Dr. Christopher Fulkerson Appointed as Associate Dean for Purdue Veterinary Hospitals

portrait of a man wearing a blue tie, white shirt, and gray jacket

Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Bret D. Marsh, DVM, has named Dr. Christopher Fulkerson as Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Chief Veterinary Officer for the Purdue Veterinary Hospitals. The appointment was announced July 1, the same day that Dr. Fulkerson’s promotion to full Clinical Professor of Veterinary Medical Oncology took effect.

“Dr. Fulkerson has provided effective leadership as Interim Associate Dean of Hospital Operations since September 2025, and I am very pleased he agreed to move into his new role,” Dean Marsh said. “Please join me in congratulating Dr. Fulkerson on this significant achievement!”

Dr. Fulkerson earned his Purdue DVM degree in 2010 and then completed a small animal internship at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Afterward, he returned to Purdue, completing an Oncology Residency in 2014 before joining the Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty as clinical assistant professor of veterinary medical oncology in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. In 2015, he became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) in the Specialty of Oncology. He was promoted to clinical associate professor in 2021 and the following year was appointed as the head of the Medical Oncology Section.

With 23 peer reviewed publications, Dr. Fulkerson has made significant contributions to the discovery mission of the Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center (WCORC) as a collaborator and a lead investigator. Additionally, he is a member of the Purdue University Institute for Cancer Research and has presented his research at ACVIM and Veterinary Cancer Society meetings.

Dr. Fulkerson also serves as the Chair of the ACVIM Certification Council and the oncology representative. He just recently received the ACVIM William R. Fenner Early Career Award for Outstanding Service, which is presented to a diplomate exemplifying exceptional service in the ACVIM and/or their specialty in a volunteer capacity within the first 15 years following board-certification.

Following the announcement of his appointment, Dr. Fulkerson shared, “Purdue is a great place to work, learn, and bring animals for care. Together, we have made significant progress on the financial health of our hospitals over the last fiscal year. I am looking forward to this opportunity to continue building on that success!”

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

Annual Purdue Veterinary Conference draws veterinary professionals from across the country for learning and fun

The 2026 edition of the annual Purdue Veterinary Conference attracted attendees from around the U.S. for three days of educational sessions covering an array of topics. With the overall theme of “One Health: Modern Veterinary Medicine,” the conference September 23-26 on the Purdue University campus drew more than 450 veterinarians and veterinary technicians, plus faculty, staff and students. Sessions taught by a total of 65 speakers, including many Purdue Veterinary Medicine clinicians and veterinary technicians/technologists, enabled conference-goers to earn up to 23 continuing education credit hours.

Significant Gift from Jordan Smelski Foundation will fuel Purdue Veterinary Medicine research on deadly brain eating amoeba

A researcher in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology has received a generous gift of more than $100,000 from the Jordan Smelski Foundation for Amoeba Awareness and Mr. Steve Smelski to support research of the deadly amoeba Naegleria fowleri. Christopher Rice, PhD, assistant professor of parasitology and principal investigator of the Rice Research Group, leads a research team seeking to discover and repurpose drugs against primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but typically fatal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri.

Purdue veterinary student receives Sir John D. Spurling Scholarship awarded by AKC Humane Fund

The AKC® Humane Fund, Inc.℠ has announced the 2026 recipients of the Sir John D. Spurling Scholarship, celebrating the human-canine bond, and one of the recipients is Purdue veterinary student Tiffany Chang of the Class of 2027. Chang is one of only five students chosen for the scholarships.

Purdue Veterinary Medicine Unites with Purdue United Way Campaign

With the goal of raising $700,000 by November 4 to support local nonprofit organizations that help individuals and families in Greater Lafayette, the Purdue United Way campaign took off September 23 with an official campaign launch on the front lawn of the Purdue Memorial Union. Purdue Veterinary Medicine, along with the university’s other colleges and units, will participate with the help of PVM faculty and staff ambassadors working to make it easy for people in the college to respond, whether by giving, or by indicating that they do not wish to give. As part of the PVM drive to support the campaign, Dean Bret Marsh and his wife, Polly, are contributing a match for campaign contributions from college faculty and staff. Additionally, a drawing will be held to select winners from those who contribute.

“Paws Up” – for Dr. Yasumasa Iimori – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

This week we commend Yasumasa Iimori, DVM, PhD, who is a resident in Emergency and Critical Care in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.