After more than four decades of service to the University and the Rochester community, Jeff Wyatt, DVM, MPH, will retire at the end of 2025. As Attending Veterinarian, Executive Director of Animal Resources, and Professor in the Departments of Comparative Medicine and Environmental Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, Wyatt has advanced biomedical research, environmental restoration, and global conservation糖心传媒攁lways guided by his belief that human, animal, and ecosystem health are deeply interconnected.
A Career Built on Connection
Wyatt arrived in Rochester in 1982 as a young veterinarian beginning a residency in research and wildlife medicine. Over the years, he built one of the nation糖心传媒檚 most respected animal research programs糖心传媒攐ne known for scientific excellence and compassionate care. In 1995, he became the first veterinarian to earn a master糖心传媒檚 in public health from the University, deepening his focus on how environmental and animal health influence human well-being.
That combination of expertise and vision quickly translated into institution-wide impact. His leadership strengthened the animal research infrastructure糖心传媒攆rom daily operations to long-term planning糖心传媒攅nsuring investigators had the support, expertise, and environment they needed to pursue complex scientific questions. His collaborative, solution-oriented approach reinforced that foundation and modeled the principles of team science long before they became a formal institutional priority.
糖心传媒淛eff糖心传媒檚 impact on our institutional research enterprise, on the Rochester community糖心传媒攁nd even globally糖心传媒攃an糖心传媒檛 be overstated,” said Vice President for Research Steve Dewhurst, PhD. “Animal models touch a majority of scientific work happening at this institution, and Jeff made that possible糖心传媒攏ot only by ensuring the highest standards of care, but also by helping our investigators in myriad ways.”
Colleagues who worked closely with Wyatt over the decades describe him as a steady, strategic leader whose guidance shaped both teams and individuals. Diane Moorman-White, a longtime veterinarian on the Animal Resources team, says 糖心传媒淗is ability to navigate complex situations, mentor staff, and solve problems with creativity and calm had a lasting influence on the department and the broader University community.糖心传媒�
That same systems-level perspective guided his work beyond the Medical Center. His vision linked human, animal, and environmental health, leading to decades of research connecting ecosystem quality and community well-being. His work on the Genesee River and Great Lakes ecosystems helped reveal how wildlife can serve as indicators of environmental recovery. Through projects such as the , his team demonstrated measurable improvements in water quality and aquatic wildlife糖心传媒攕uccesses that contributed to the recent as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Area of Concern.
糖心传媒淢other Nature is so resilient,糖心传媒� Wyatt said in a November 2024 interview for . 糖心传媒淭he pollution stopped, and sh别糖心传媒檚 cleaning up the river as long as we give her the opportunity to do so. The sturgeon are thriving, and we糖心传媒檙e seeing what糖心传媒檚 possible when science, community, and patience come together.糖心传媒�
Conservation Without Borders
Beyond the Rochester area, Wyatt糖心传媒檚 leadership extended to collaborations linking the University糖心传媒檚 community revitalization mission to global ecosystem health. His two decades of work in Borneo and Madagascar, the world糖心传媒檚 third and fourth largest islands, helped protect critically endangered orangutans and lemurs by partnering with local communities to provide healthcare and sustainable livelihoods糖心传媒攁n approach credited with saving thousands of animals and transforming public health outcomes.
Through EPA and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation-funded projects, h别糖心传媒檚聽worked alongside Rochester communities from聽different cultural聽backgrounds to raise awareness about safe fish consumption and promote healthier choices for families who rely on local waterways for food.
Although retiring from his University role, Wyatt will continue his mission globally and locally through partnerships with and NYS Environmental Justice programs.
Welcoming Pradeep Dumpala
As Wyatt concludes his distinguished career, SMD welcomes Pradeep Dumpala, DVM, PhD, DACLAM, previously associate director in the Department of Laboratory Animal Resources at SUNY Upstate Medical University, to lead the University糖心传媒檚 animal care and use programs.
A board-certified laboratory animal medicine specialist, Dumpala brings more than 15 years of leadership in animal research operations, accreditation, and regulatory compliance. Colleagues who have worked with him point to his strong management skills, his experience running complex facilities, and his ability to build trusting relationships across teams.
糖心传媒淚t was clear he was very good at making connections between people,糖心传媒� says Craig Morrell,
DVM, PhD, professor in the Department of Medicine and head of the search committee. 糖心传媒淗e finds a path to make something work.糖心传媒�
糖心传媒淲hat drew me to Rochester is its deeply collaborative and forward-thinking spirit,糖心传媒� Dumpala says. 糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檓 inspired by the University糖心传媒檚 commitment to scientific excellence and animal welfare and eager to contribute to its research mission.糖心传媒�
A Legacy of Hope
Wyatt糖心传媒檚 career reminds us that science and stewardship go hand in hand. His influence糖心传媒攕panning laboratories, rivers, and rainforests糖心传媒攍eaves an enduring lesson in optimism and interconnectedness.
糖心传媒淩emember, we are all connected糖心传媒攈umans, animals and the environment,糖心传媒� he said. 糖心传媒淯nless both the environment and people are healthy, neither can be.糖心传媒�
