Dr. Vicki Meyers-Wallen began her career at the University of Pennsylvania where she received doctoral degrees in Veterinary Medicine (VMD, 1976) and Comparative Medical Sciences (PhD, 1986), in addition to obtaining board certification in veterinary reproduction (Diplomate, American College of Theriogenologists).  She began her research program there as an Assistant Professor, but joined Cornell University in 1989. Ultimately, she decided to move to the Baker Institute in 1991, based on its reputation for supporting research that benefited the health of animals.

One disorder of sex development (DSD) she focused on was Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome (PMDS), which causes otherwise normal male dogs to develop a uterus and oviducts. A single causative mutation was discovered as a result of this project (Wu et al 2009). Subsequently, her research group developed a genetic test for PMDS that is now available through commercial labs (Pujar et al 2009).

Another disorder of interest was XX DSD, in which dogs with female chromosomes (78,XX) develop one or two testes. While the condition runs in families, its inheritance is complex and the genetic basis has been difficult to pin down. Through multiple genetic and genomic studies, Meyers-Wallen narrowed it down to a chromosomal region associated with the disorder (Meyers-Wallen et al 2017).

Education

• Board Certification in Veterinary Reproduction (Theriogenology), Diplomate, American College of Theriogenologists, 1986
• Ph.D. Comparative Medical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, College of Arts & Sciences, 1986
• Resident, Genetics, Pediatrics, and Reproduction, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, 1980-1982
• VMD, University of Pennsylvania, 1976
• BS, Zoology, University of Maryland, 1970

Professional Experience

1970-1972 Laboratory Scientist I (Clinical Laboratory Technician) Great Oaks Center, Silver Spring, Maryland

1976-1977 Associate Veterinarian. Butler Animal Hospital, Charlotte, NC

1977-1980 Associate Veterinarian. Rothman Animal Hospital, Collingswood, NJ

1982-1983 Instructor: Genetics, Pediatrics, and Reproduction. Section of Medical Genetics, Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

1983-1986 Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. National Research Service Award 1 F32 HD06396

1986-1989 Assistant Professor of Reproduction, Section of Medical Genetics, Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia, Secondary Appointment: Section of Reproduction, Department of Clinical Studies-New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

1989-1994 Assistant Professor of Theriogenology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Chief, Small Animal Fertility and Infertility Service, Cornell University Hospital for Animals, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University (50% research appointment)

1994-2003 Associate Professor of Genetics and Reproduction, Department of Anatomy (Biomedical Sciences) and Baker Institute for Animal Health. Chief, Small Animal Fertility and Infertility Service, Cornell University Hospital for Animals, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University (50% research appointment)

2003-2018 Associate Professor of Genetics and Reproduction, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University (70% research appointment)

Selected Publications

Links and abstracts for all of Dr. Meyers-Wallen's publications can be found at NCBI.

* Meyers-Wallen, VN; Boyko, AR; Danko, CG; Grenier, JK; Mezey, JG; Hayward, JJ; Shannon, LM; Gao, C; Shafquat, A; Rice, EJ; Pujar, S; Eggers, S; Ohnesorg, T; Sinclair, AH. (2017). XX Disorder of Sex Development is associated with an insertion on chromosome 9 and downregulation of RSPO1 in dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). PLOS One.

* Nagashima, JB; Sylvester, SR; Nelson, JL; Cheong, SH; Mukai, C; Lambo, C; Flanders, JA; Meyers-Wallen, VN; Songsasen, N; Travis, AJ. (2015). Live Births from Domestic Dog (Canis familiaris) Embryos Produced by In Vitro Fertilization. PLOS One, 10(12).

Meyers-Wallen, VN. (2014). Chapter 217: Inherited Disorders of the Reproductive Tract in Dogs and Cats. In: Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XV. Bonagura, JD and Twedt, DC (Eds), WB Saunders, Philadelphia, pp. 993-999.

Meyers-Wallen, VN. (2012). Gonadal and sex differentiation abnormalities of dogs and cats. Sexual Development, 6(1-3), 46-60.

Wu, X; Wan, S; Pujar, S; Haskins, ME; Schlafer, DH; Lee, MM; Meyers-Wallen, VN. (2009). A Single Base Pair Mutation Encoding a Premature Stop Codon in the MIS type II receptor is Responsible for Canine Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome. Journal of Andrology, 30(1), 46-56.

Kim,YH; Travis, A; Meyers-Wallen,VN. (2007). Parturition prediction and timing of canine pregnancy. Theriogenology, 68 (8), 1177-1182.

Meyers-Wallen,VN. (2006). Sex Chromosomes, Sexual Development, and Sex Reversal in the Dog. In: Ostrander EA, Giger U, and Lindblad-Toh K (eds), The Dog and Its Genome. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, pp. 383-405.

* Kutzler, MA; Mohammed, HO; Lamb, SV; Meyers-Wallen, VN.(2003). Accuracy of canine parturition date prediction from the initial rise in preovulatory progesterone concentration. Theriogenology, 60(6), 1187-1196.

Pujar S; Meyers-Wallen, VN. (2009). A Molecular Diagnostic Test for Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome in Miniature Schnauzer Dogs. Sexual Development, 3(6), 326-328.

* Relevant to the Canine Embryonic Atlas.