Carolyn L Hodo, DVM, PhD, DACVP
Department of Comparative Medicine, Division of Discovery Science
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Research Faculty Appointment, Department of Comparative Medicine, Division of Discovery Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas
Veterinary Pathology Section Chief, Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor, Research Faculty Appointment, Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2017 | Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, US, Ph.D. in Veterinary Pathobiology |
| 2011 | University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, US, DVM in Veterinary Medicine |
| 2007 | Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia, US, BS in Animal Science |
Postgraduate Training
| 2017-2018 | Postdoctoral Research, Vector-borne disease ecology and epidemiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas |
| 2011-2014 | Research Residency, Veterinary Anatomic Pathology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas |
Board Certifications
| 2014 | Diplomate American College of Veterinary Pathologists |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Veterinary Pathology Section Chief, Department of Comparative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, 2023 - Present
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Graduate Committee Faculty Member, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 2021 - Present
Institutional Committee Activities
Senator, Faculty Senate, 2021 - Present
Department Representative, Junior Faculty Committee, 2020 - 2022
Honors & Awards
| 2020 | AAZV Linda Munson Pathology Manuscript Award, 2nd place, American Association of Zoological Veterinarians |
| 2017 | American Committee of Medical Entomology Young Investigator Award, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene |
| 2017 | Graduate Student Scholarship, Wildlife Disease Association |
| 2017 | High Impact Achievement Award - First Author Publication, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences |
| 2017 | Outstanding PhD Student Award, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences |
| 2016 | One Health Travel Award, Texas A&M University |
| 2013 | Student Travel Award, American College of Veterinary Pathologists |
| 2013 | Graduate Student Advanced Developmental Training Award, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Mitchell CB, Simmons J, Hodo CL, Neal SJ, Chitta S, Vo C, Bakshi K, Juliani J, Fenske J, Cleveland DC, Cleveland JD. Early Results of an Infant Model of Orthotopic Cardiac Xenotransplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39778609.
- Mitchell CB, Simmons J, Vo C, Bakshi K, Juliani J, Fenske J, Hodo CL, Cleveland DC, Cleveland JD. Preservation of Cardiac Xenografts in a Model of Infant Human Cardiac Transplantation. Xenotransplantation 32(1):e70009, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39786348.
- Achorn AM, Hodo CL, Hensel ME, Magden ER, Buchl SJ, Jones CL, Piatt EA, Hopkins WD. Brain-type natriuretic peptide is a useful biomarker of cardiovascular disease and predictor of cardiac-related mortality in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Am J Vet Res:1-10, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39715590.
- Bacon RL, Hodo CL, Buchl SJ, Hensel ME. Three novel neoplasms in Nancy Ma's owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae). Vet Pathol:3009858241300549, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39692093.
- White BE, Hodo CL, Hamer SA, Saunders AB, Laucella SA, Hall DB, Tarleton RL. Serial 'deep-sampling' PCR of fragmented DNA reveals the wide range of Trypanosoma cruzi burden among chronically infected hosts and allows accurate monitoring of parasite load following treatment. bioRxiv, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39574718.
- Bacon RL, Hodo CL, Wu J, Welch S, Nickodem C, Vinasco J, Threadgill D, Gray SB, Norman KN, Lawhon SD. Diversity of Campylobacter spp. circulating in a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) breeding colony using culture and molecular methods. mSphere 9(11), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39440965.
- Toh Y, Wu L, Tu J, Liang Z, Aldana AM, Li L, Wen JJ, Pan S, Julie RH, Hensel ME, Hodo CL, Finch RA, Carmon KS, Liu QJ. Anti-tumor activity of camptothecin analog conjugate of a RSPO4-based peptibody targeting LGR4/5/6 in preclinical models of colorectal cancer. bioRxiv, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39415992.
- Ramos, RA, Hakimi, H, Salomon, J, Busselman, RE, Curtis-Robles, R, Hodo, CL, Hamer, SA, Verocai, GG. Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria striata (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) detected in wild carnivores from Texas, United States. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 24, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39022402.
- Bacon RL, Norman KN, Nickodem CA, Vinasco JA, Gray SB, Hodo CL, Lawhon SD. Whole-genome sequences of Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni isolates from rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with and without intestinal disease. Microbiol Resour Announc 13(4):e0001824, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38446060.
- Bacon RL, Taylor L, Gray SB, Hodo CL. Analysis of cell populations in the normal rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) lower intestinal tract and diagnostic thresholds for chronic enterocolitis. Veterinary Pathology 61(2):303-315, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 37818978.
- Busselman RE, Curtis-Robles R, Meyers AC, Zecca IB, Auckland LD, Hodo CL, Christopher D, Saunders AB, Hamer SA. Abundant triatomines in Texas dog kennel environments. Acta Trop 250:107087, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38061614.
- Chaves LF, Meyers AC, Hodo CL, Sanders JP, Curtis-Robles R, Hamer GL, Hamer SA. Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs along the US-Mexico border. Epidemics 45, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37935075.
- Kiehl WM, Hodo CL, Hamer GL, Hamer SA, Wilkerson GK. Exclusion of Horizontal and Vertical Transmission as Major Sources of Trypanosoma cruzi Infections in a Breeding Colony of Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta). Comp Med 73(3):229-241, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37268411.
- Bustamante JM, White BE, Wilkerson GK, Hodo CL, Auckland LD, Wang W, McCain S, Hamer SA, Saunders AB, Tarleton RL. Frequency Variation and Dose Modification of Benznidazole Administration for the Treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Mice, Dogs, and Nonhuman Primates. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 67(5):e0013223, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37039666.
- Bustamante JM, White BE, Wilkerson GK, Hodo CL, Auckland LD, Wang W, McCain S, Hamer SA, Saunders AB, Tarleton RL. Frequency variation and dose modification of benznidazole administration for the treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice, dogs and non-human primates. bioRxiv, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36778432.
- Rodriguez JY, Cummings KJ, Hodo CL, Hamer SA. A repeated cross-sectional study of intestinal parasites in Texas shelter dogs using fecal flotation and saline sedimentation. Parasitol Res 122(1):e1-10, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36372803.
- Padilla AM, Wang W, Akama T, Carter DS, Easom E, Freund Y, Halladay JS, Liu Y, Hamer SA, Hodo CL, Wilkerson GK, Orr D, White B, George A, Shen H, Jin Y, Wang MZ, Tse S, Jacobs RT, Tarleton RL. Discovery of an orally active benzoxaborole prodrug effective in the treatment of Chagas disease in non-human primates. Nat Microbiol 7(10):1536-1546, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36065062.
- Ozirmak Lermi N, Gray SB, Bowen CM, Reyes-Uribe L, Dray BK, Deng N, Harris RA, Raveendran M, Benavides F, Hodo CL, Taggart MW, Colbert Maresso K, Sinha KM, Rogers J, Vilar E. Comparative molecular genomic analyses of a spontaneous rhesus macaque model of mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer. PLoS Genet 18(4):e1010163, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35446842.
- Busselman RE, Meyers AC, Zecca IB, Auckland LD, Castro AH, Dowd RE, Curtis-Robles R, Hodo CL, Saunders AB, Hamer SA. High incidence of Trypanosoma cruzi infections in dogs directly detected through longitudinal tracking at 10 multi-dog kennels, Texas, USA. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 15(11):e0009935, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34758049.
- Zecca IB, Hodo CL, Swarts HM, DeMaar TW, Snowden KF, Prestridge HL, Light JE, Hamer SA. Trypanosoma cruzi and Incidental Sarcocystis spp. in Endangered Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) of South Texas, USA. J Wildl Dis 57(3):667-671, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34015810.
- Zecca IB, Hodo CL, Slack S, Auckland L, Hamer SA. Trypanosoma cruzi infections and associated pathology in urban-dwelling Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana). Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 11:287-293, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32215248.
- Zecca IB, Hodo CL, Slack S, Auckland L, Rodgers S, Killets KC, Saunders AB, Hamer SA. Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and associated histologic findings in domestic cats (Felis catus). Vet Parasitol 278:109014, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31972512.
- Hodo CL, Forgacs D, Auckland LD, Bass K, Lindsay C, Bingaman M, Sani T, Colwell K, Hamer GL, Hamer SA. Presence of diverse Rickettsia spp. and absence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks in an East Texas forest with reduced tick density associated with controlled burns. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 11(1):101310, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31704208.
- Hodo CL, Bañuelos RM, Edwards EE, Wozniak EJ, Hamer SA. Pathology and discrete typing unit associations of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in coyotes (Canis latrans) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) of Texas, USA. J Wildl Dis 56(1):134-144, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31567037.
- Hodo CL, Rodriguez JY, Curtis-Robles R, Zecca IB, Snowden KF, Cummings KJ, Hamer SA. Repeated cross-sectional study of Trypanosoma cruzi in shelter dogs in Texas, in the context of Dirofilaria immitis and tick-borne pathogen prevalence. J Vet Intern Med 33(1):158-166, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30499189.
- Hodo CL, Mauldin MR, Light JE, Wilkins K, Tang S, Nakazawa Y, Emerson GL, Ritter JM, Mansell JL, Hamer SA. Novel poxvirus in proliferative lesions of wild rodents in east central Texas, USA. Emerg Infect Dis 24(6):1069-1072, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29774837.
- Hodo CL, Wilkerson GK, Birkner EC, Gray SB, Hamer SA. Trypanosoma cruzi Transmission Among Captive Nonhuman Primates, Wildlife, and Vectors. Ecohealth 15(2):426-436, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29497880.
- Hodo CL, Bertolini NR, Bernal JC, VandeBerg JL, Hamer SA. Lack of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in urban roof rats (Rattus rattus) at a Texas facility housing naturally infected nonhuman primates. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 56(1):57-62, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28905716.
- Hodo CL, Goodwin CC, Mayes BC, Mariscal JA, Waldrup KA, Hamer SA. Trypanosome species, including Trypanosoma cruzi, in sylvatic and peridomestic bats of Texas, USA. Acta Trop 164:259-266, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27647574.
Invited Articles
- Saravanan C, Flandre T, Hodo CL, Lewis AD, Mecklenburg L, Romeike A, Turner OC, Yen HY. Research Relevant Conditions and Pathology in Nonhuman Primates. ILAR J 61(2-3):139-166, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 34129672.
- Hodo CL, Hamer SA. Toward an ecological framework for assessing reservoirs of vector-borne pathogens. ILAR J 58(3):379-392, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29106561.
Other Articles
- Tarleton, RL, Saunders, AB, Lococo, B, Gianni, MA, Laucella, S, Hodo, CL, Wilkerson, GK, Hamer, SA The Unfortunate Abundance of Trypanosoma cruzi in Naturally Infected Dogs and Monkeys Provides Unique Opportunities to Advance Solutions for Chagas Disease. Zoonoses (Ireland) 4(1), 2024.
- Hensel ME, Rodrigues-Hoffmann A, Dray BK, Wilkerson GK, Baze WB, Sulkosky S, Hodo CL Gastrointestinal tract pathology of the owl monkey (Aotus spp.). Veterinary Pathology 61(2):316-323, 2023. PMID: 37830482.
- Balamayooran G, Snook E, Tocidlowski M, Flanagan J, Sims W, Helman G, Hensel M, Hodo CL, Templeton AA, Anguiano M, Edwards EE, Hoffman J, Porter BF, Groch KR, Gomez G, Díaz-Delgado J Retrospective Survey of Amphibian Pathology Cases at Texas A&M University System (2016-2020). J Comp Pathol 185:87-95, 2021. PMID: 34119237.
- Kelley, DE, Hodo, CL, Aceino, A, Lawhon, SD, Hinrichs, K, Brinsko, SP Abortion due to Bacillus safensis in a mare. Equine Veterinary Education 33(2):e28-e30, 2021.
- Aceino A, Jeffery U, Piccione J, Hodo CL Systemic mastocytosis with subcutaneous hemorrhage and edema in a Greyhound dog: case report and review of diagnostic criteria. J Vet Diagn Invest 33(1):95-100, 2021. PMID: 33164718.
- Curtis-Robles R, Auckland LD, Hodo CL, Snowden KF, Nabity MB, Hamer SA Trypanosoma cruzi discrete typing unit TcIV implicated in a case of acute disseminated canine Chagas disease. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 12:85-88, 2018. PMID: 31014814.
- Hodo CL, Whitley DB, Hamer SA, Corapi WV, Snowden K, Heatley JJ, Rodrigues Hoffmann A Histopathologic and molecular characterization of Sarcocystis calchasi encephalitis in white-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica) and eurasian collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto), east-central Texas, USA, 2010–13. J Wildl Dis 52(2):395-9, 2016. PMID: 27124332.
- Bryan LK, Hamer SA, Shaw S, Curtis-Robles R, Auckland LD, Hodo CL, Chaffin K, Rech RR Chagas disease in a Texan horse with neurologic deficits. Vet Parasitol 216:13-7, 2016. PMID: 26801589.
- Taylor A, Eichelberger B, Hodo C, Cooper J, Porter B Imaging diagnosis-spinal cord histiocytic sarcoma in a dog. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 56(2):E17-20, 2015. PMID: 24382300.
Book Chapters
- Hamer SA, Hodo CL. Chagas Disease: wildlife infection with Trypanosoma cruzi in a One Health context. In: Fowler’s Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine Current Therapy. 9. Elsevier, 239-246, 2019.
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2024. Histopathology of non-human primates. Invited. College Station, Texas, US.
- 2023. Histopathology of non-human primates. Invited. College Station, Texas, US.
- 2023. Pathology of nonhuman primates. Invited. Gainsville, Florida, US.
- 2022. Histopathology of non-human primates. Invited. College Station, Texas, US.
- 2021. Review of non-human primate pathology interpretation quiz. Invited. College Station, Texas, US.
- 2021. Histopathology of non-human primates. Invited. College Station, Texas, US.
- 2020. Histopathology of non-human primates. Invited. College Station, Texas, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2019. Canine Chagas Disease in Texas. Invited. CE by the Sea. Port Royal, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2023. Gastrointestinal tract pathology of the owl monkey (Aotus spp.). Poster. American College of Veterinary Pathology. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2023. Cardiovascular Pathology of Nonhuman Primates. Invited. Cardiovascular Pathology of Nonhuman Primates, US.
- 2019. Chagas disease diagnostics, strain typing, and wildlife reservoirs. Invited. American College of Veterinary Pathologists. San Antonio, TX, US.
- 2018. Canine sentinels of vector-borne disease in Texas, USA: high-risk dogs infected with diverse agents including Trypanosoma cruzi, but little evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi. Poster. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. New Orleans, LA, US.
- 2017. Trypanosoma cruzi transmission ecology at non-human primate facilities in Texas. Invited. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Baltimore, MD, US.
International Presentations
- 2024. Naturally-acquired Trypanosoma cruzi in captive rhesus macaques - what we have learned over a decade of study. Conference. 46th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists. Riviera Maya, MX.
- 2018. On and off-host tick abundance and infection with Borrelia and Rickettsia spp. under variable fire management regimes in East Texas. Poster. Wildlife Disease Association. St. Augustine, US.
- 2017. Trypanosoma cruzi infection prevalence and pathology among coyotes (Canis latrans) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) of Texas, USA. Conference. Wildlife Disease Association. San Cristobal de las Casas, MX.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2022 - 2027 |
| Title: | Cancer Immune-Interception in a Spontaneous Non-Human Primate Model of Lynch Syndrome |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2022 - 2023 |
| Title: | Characterization of Campylobacter spp. in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with and without enterocolitis using culture and molecular methods |
| Funding Source: | American College of Laboratory Animal Science Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2022 - 2022 |
| Title: | Methylation profiles for early detection of colorectal cancer in Rhesus macaques |
| Funding Source: | Cattlemen for Cancer Research |
| Role: | PI |
| Date: | 2021 - 2022 |
| Title: | Epigenome and Neoantigen Landscape of a Non-Human Primate Model of MMR-deficient Colorectal Cancer for Vaccine Development |
| Funding Source: | MD Anderson [Institutional Research Grant] |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2018 - 2019 |
| Title: | Transmission ecology of Trypanosoma cruzi within non-human primate facilities |
| Funding Source: | American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine Foundation |
| Role: | Postdoctoral Fellow |
| Date: | 2014 - 2017 |
| Title: | Comparative Biomedical Research Training For Veterinarians |
| Funding Source: | NIH/IMST |
| Role: | Trainee |
| ID: | 2-T32-OD011083-06 |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified March 12, 2025