Dr. Abigail Cox Honored for Appointment to Named Comparative Pathology Professorship

Friday, August 30, 2024

Dean Emeritus Willie Reed presented Dr. Abigail Cox with a recognition plaque honoring her selection as the first faculty member appointed to the Dr. William O. Iverson Professorship in Comparative Pathology.

A faculty member in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology (CPB) now holds a professorship named for an accomplished veterinary pathologist and Purdue alumnus. The appointee is Associate Professor Abigail Cox, who was formally recognized August 15 during the annual CPB Departmental retreat held at the Beck Agricultural Center. Her appointment to the Dr. William O. Iverson Professorship in Comparative Pathology was effective July 1.

To honor Dr. Cox for her appointment, PVM Dean Emeritus Willie Reed presented her with a plaque that included an inscription, which read, “…in recognition of her exceptional achievements in biomedical research, unwavering dedication to teaching, and steadfast support of graduate student mentoring.”

Dr. Cox earned her undergraduate degree in biology at Washington University in St. Louis before coming to Purdue University where she earned her DVM degree in 2008. She then completed a residency in anatomic pathology and earned her Master of Science degree in 2011. She went on to pursue graduate study, receiving her PhD at Purdue in 2016. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, Dr. Cox also serves as director of the college’s Histology Research Laboratory, and is the head of the Pathology Section of the Comparative Pathobiology Department. Her research interests include evaluating medical device biocompatibility as well as developing quantitative analyses of a variety of histologic preparations. In particular, she has an interest in developing comparative animal models that investigate the biology and biomechanics of the larynx.

Dr. Cox also teaches general pathology in the veterinary curriculum and has a special interest in stimulating curiosity about veterinary pathology in young scientists and enjoys highlighting the impact veterinary pathology has on biomedical engineering, drug development, veterinary diagnostics, and overall disease research.

The professorship’s namesake, Dr. William (Bill) Iverson, earned his Purdue DVM degree in 1974 and went on to a long and successful career in veterinary pathology. “We did a national search to find someone who would fit the criteria for this named professorship,” Dr. Reed explained as he prepared to hand the recognition plaque to Dr. Cox. “And we looked around and found that the person was already here on the faculty. So I wanted to acknowledge Dr. Cox for all the work she has done.” Dr. Reed then told Dr. Cox, “What Dr. Iverson wanted is a pathologist who would be a Principal Investigator – a pathologist who would serve as major professor for graduate students and would train more pathologists, and you fit that bill. And so I am very pleased that you were awarded this professorship.”

Dr. Reed also shared how, when he was dean and visited Dr. Iverson, they talked about the need for more named professorships in the college. That’s when Dr. Iverson expressed interest in doing something about that. “He was inspired to become a pathologist based on his interactions with our CPB faculty, specifically Dr. John Van Vleet, who played a big role in inspiring him to pursue pathology,” Dean Reed said. “So this is the way he wanted to give back.”

After earning his DVM degree, Dr. Iverson went into private practice as a general mixed practice veterinarian in Florida and then entered a Comparative Pathology Residency at the University of Florida, which he completed in 1980. Board certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, he began his career in industry at Experimental Pathology Laboratories, Inc. in Virginia, where he worked as a staff pathologist before being promoted to director of the company’s Midwest Laboratory in Decatur, Illinois.

Dr. Iverson’s extensive list of career accomplishments also include serving as director and senior pathologist for pathology research at the CIBA-GEIGY Corporation Pharmaceuticals Division, director of pathology and experimental pathology at the Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and executive director of Laboratory Animal Services for the Novartis/Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corporation. In all, Dr. Iverson served nearly 21 years at Novartis. He also worked for AstraZeneca/Medimmune, Inc. in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Charles River Laboratories in Frederick, Maryland.

“We are very grateful that Dr. Iverson decided to endow a named professorship at our college,” Dr. Reed said.

This year marked the third year for the CPB Department’s annual retreat, which provided a fitting opportunity to recognize Dr. Cox. The day-long program was open to CPB faculty, staff and graduate students as well as faculty from the Basic Medical Sciences and Veterinary Clinical Sciences Departments and the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. The retreat attracted some 50 attendees. The agenda included opening comments from Interim Dean Kathy Salisbury, presentations on Commercialization and Entrepreneurship and Sponsored Research Agreements, a lunch session on the myStrengths assessment, and afternoon talks on “Teaching as an Interpersonal Process,” and “Generations Matter!: What we can learn from each other as we work with others from generations different from our own.”