Martha Hensel
Department of Comparative Medicine, Division of Division of Discovery Science
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Comparative Medicine and Research, Division of Discovery Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2020 | Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, US, Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences |
| 2013 | The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, US, DVM in Veterinary Medicine |
| 2008 | The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, US, M.S. in Animal and Dairy Science |
| 2006 | The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, US, BS in Animal and Biological Sciences |
Postgraduate Training
| 2020-2021 | Postgraduate Fellow, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas |
| 2016-2020 | PhD, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas |
| 2013-2016 | Resident/Assistant Lecturer, Veterinary Anatomic Pathology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2016 | American College of Veterinary Pathologists |
| 2013 | Texas Veterinary License |
Experience & Service
Intramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Faculty Search Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2024 - 2024
Member, Faculty Search Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - 2023
Member, Faculty Search Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - 2023
Honors & Awards
| 2019 - 2021 | Loan Repayment Award, National Institutes of Health, Contraception and Infertility |
| 2019 | Second Place, PostDoc Poster Presentation, Texas A&M University CVM Graduate Student and PostDoc Research Symposium |
| 2018 | Best Oral Presentation by a Graduate Student, International Brucellosis Society |
| 2018 | John Paul Delaplane Award, Texas A&M University |
| 2018 | Second Place, Experimental Disease, American College of Veterinary Pathologists |
| 2017 | Best Oral Presentation by a Graduate Student, Texas Branch of the American Society of Microbiologists |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2024. Histopathology of Nonhuman Primates. Invited. Texas A&M Histopathology Seminar. College Station, Texas, US.
- 2022. Histopathology of New World Monkeys. Invited. College Station, Texas, US.
- 2022. Histopathology of Nonhuman Primates. Invited. College Station, Texas, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2017. Kinetics of intratracheal inoculation in a guinea pig model for Brucella melitensis infection. Conference. Kinetics of intratracheal inoculation in a guinea pig model for Brucella melitensis infection. College Station, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2023. Proliferative Pathology of Nonhuman Primates. Invited. Society of Toxicologic Pathology. Bastrop, Texas, US.
- 2022. Tumors in Neotropical Species. Invited, US.
- 2019. Evaluation of the pregnant guinea pig as a model for vaccine safety and efficacy. Conference. Evaluation of the pregnant guinea pig as a model for vaccine safety and efficacy. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2018. Intratracheal inoculation of the guinea pig as an improved aerosol model for Brucella melitensis infection. Conference. Intratracheal inoculation of the guinea pig as an improved aerosol model for Brucella melitensis infection. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2018. Pathology of intratracheal aerosol inoculation with Brucella melitensis in a guinea pig model. Conference. Pathology of intratracheal aerosol inoculation with Brucella melitensis in a guinea pig model. Washington DC, US.
- 2017. A Tale of Three Texas Toads. Conference. A Tale of Three Texas Toads. Frisco, TX, US.
Formal Peers
- 2023. Gross Pathology of Nonhuman Primates. College Station, Texas, US.
- 2023. Cardiovascular Pathology of Non-human Primates. Bastrop, Texas, US.
- 2022. Tumors in Neotropical Species. Invited, US.
- 2022. Histopathology of Nonhuman Primates. Invited. College Station, TX, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2022 - Present |
| Title: | A Neonatal Monkey Model for Tuberculosis Vaccination |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Co-I |
| Date: | 2016 - 2019 |
| Title: | NO TITLE PROVIDED |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NIAID |
| Role: | Trainee |
| ID: | OD-11083-7 |
| Title: | Novel Recombinant BCG Booster Vaccine for Tuberculosis |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Co-PI |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Toh, Y, Wu, L, Tu, J, Liang, ZD, Aldana, AM, Wen, JJ, Li, L, Pan, S, Rowe, JH, Hensel, ME, Hodo, CL, Finch, RA, Carmon, K, Liu, QJ. Anti-tumor activity of camptothecin analog conjugate of an RSPO4-based peptibody targeting LGR4/5/6 in preclinical models of colorectal cancer. British journal of cancer 133(8):1218-1228, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40825849.
- Bacon RL, Hodo CL, Buchl SJ, Hensel ME. Three novel neoplasms in Nancy Ma's owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae). Vet Pathol 62(3):371-375, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39692093.
- Lawrence WS, Peel JE, de Winter R, Ling LL, Nitti AG, Peoples AJ, Shukla R, MacGillavry HD, Heine HS, Hensel ME, Whorton EB, Weingarth M, Lewis K, Hughes DE. Teixobactin: A Resistance-Evading Antibiotic for Treating Anthrax. ACS Infect Dis 11(3):727-737, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40014033.
- Achorn AM, Hodo CL, Hensel ME, Magden ER, Buchl SJ, Piatt EA, Hopkins WD. Brain-Type Natriuretic Protein as a Biomarker of Cardiovascular Disease and Predictor of Cardiac-Related Mortality in Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Am J Vet Res 86(3), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39715590.
- Kim, E, Erazo-Oliveras, A, Muñoz-Vega, M, Fuentes, NJ, Salinas, ML, George, MJ, Zoh, RS, Hensel, ME, Patil, BS, Ivanov, I, Turner, ND, Chapkin, RS. Diet therapy abates mutant APC and KRas effects by reshaping plasma membrane cholesterol nanodomains. Biophysical journal 124(3):508-527, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39709523.
- Greenberg, J, Wiener, DJ, Buchl, SJ, Hensel, ME. Thyroblastoma in a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). Journal of medical primatology 53(4), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39014527.
- Lawrence, WS, Peel, JE, Slayden, RA, Peterson, JW, Baze, W, Hensel, ME, Whorton, EB, Beasley, DW, Cummings, JE, Macias-Perez, I. Rapid in vitro activity of telavancin against Bacillus anthracis and in vivo protection against inhalation anthrax infection in the rabbit model. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy 68(7), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38888319.
- Hensel ME, Rodrigues-Hoffman A, Dray BK, Wilkerson GK, Wally BB, Sulkosky S, Hodo CL. Gastrointestinal tract pathology of the owl monkey ( Aotus spp.). Vet Pathol 61(2):316-323, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 37830482.
- Ding, Y, Yanagi, K, Yang, F, Callaway, E, Cheng, C, Hensel, ME, Menon, R, Alaniz, RC, Lee, K, Jayaraman, A. Oral supplementation of gut microbial metabolite indole-3-acetate alleviates diet-induced steatosis and inflammation in mice. eLife 12, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38412016.
- Kezar, S, Fowlkes, NW, Hensel, ME. Nerve sheath tumor in the forearm of a common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Journal of medical primatology 53(1), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 37340582.
- Quist, EM, Chamanza, R, Martinot, AJ, Boone, A, Krane, GA, Hensel, ME, Lennix, SV. Proceedings of the 2023 Division of Translational Toxicology Satellite Symposium. Toxicologic pathology 51(7-8):437-464, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 38445604.
- Hensel ME, Landsgaard K, Wang W, Neupane S, Su C, Blue-McClendon A, Porter BF, Uzal FA, Rech R. Toxoplasmosis in ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) and a peahen (Pavo cristatus) in a zoological collection caused by the common toxoplasma genotype in wild animals in the US. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 41:100876, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37208075.
- Landsgaard KA, Milliron SM, Faccin M, Broughton CA, Auckland LD, Edwards JF, Hamer SA, Hensel ME. Protozoal meningoencephalitis and myelitis in 4 dogs associated with Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Vet Pathol 60(2):199-202, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36636956.
- Ding, Y, Yanagi, K, Yang, F, Callaway, E, Cheng, C, Hensel, ME, Menon, R, Alaniz, RC, Lee, K, Jayaraman, A. Microbially-derived indole-3-acetate alleviates diet induced steatosis and inflammation in mice. eLife 12, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Adetunji SA, Hensel ME, Bryan LK, Whitehead MC, Stoica G. Pathology in Practice. J Am Vet Med Assoc 259(S2):1-3, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35066476.
- Hensel ME, Stranahan LW, Edwards JF, Arenas-Gamboa AM. Intratracheal inoculation results in Brucella-associated reproductive disease in male mouse and guinea pig models of infection. Front Microbiol 13:1029199, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36338077.
- Stranahan LW, Garcia-Gonzalez DG, Hensel ME, Arenas-Gamboa AM. Primary and memory immune responses against rough Brucella canis are less robust compared to smooth B. abortus and B. melitensis following intratracheal infection in mice. Front Immunol 13:959328, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36032120.
- Hensel ME, Wiener DJ, Edwards JF. Cutaneous Amelanotic Signet-Ring Melanoma in a Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica). J Comp Pathol 189:141-144, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34886982.
- Chapkin RS, Davidson LA, Park H, Jin UH, Fan YY, Cheng Y, Hensel ME, Landrock KK, Allred C, Menon R, Klemashevich C, Jayaraman A, Safe S. Role of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) in Mediating the Effects of Coffee in the Colon. Mol Nutr Food Res 65(20):e2100539, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34406707.
- 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. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34119237.
- Han H, Davidson LA, Hensel M, Yoon G, Landrock K, Allred C, Jayaraman A, Ivanov I, Safe SH, Chapkin RS. Loss of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Promotes Colon Tumorigenesis in ApcS580/+; KrasG12D/+ Mice. Mol Cancer Res 19(5):771-783, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33495399.
- Camargo-Castañeda AM, Stranahan LW, Edwards JF, Garcia-Gonzalez DG, Roa L, Avila-Granados LM, Hensel ME, Arenas-Gamboa AM. Characterization of epididymal and testicular histologic lesions and use of immunohistochemistry and PCR on formalin-fixed tissues to detect Brucella canis in male dogs. J Vet Diagn Invest 33(2):352-356, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33468036.
- Castaño-Zubieta MR, Rossetti CA, García-González DG, Maurizio E, Hensel ME, Rice-Ficht AC, Ficht TA, ÁM A. Evaluation of the safety profile of the vaccine candidate Brucella melitensis 16M?vjbR strain in goats. Vaccine 39(3):617-625, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33328142.
- Hensel ME, Chaki SP, Stranahan L, Gregory AE, van Schaik EJ, Garcia-Gonzalez DG, Khalaf O, Samuel JE, Arenas-Gamboa AM. Intratracheal Inoculation with Brucella melitensis in the Pregnant Guinea Pig Is an Improved Model for Reproductive Pathogenesis and Vaccine Studies. Infect Immun 88(10), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32690632.
- Adetunji SA, Faustman DL, Adams LG, Garcia-Gonzalez DG, Hensel ME, Khalaf OH, Arenas-Gamboa AM. Brucella abortus and Pregnancy in Mice: Impact of Chronic Infection on Fertility and the Role of Regulatory T Cells in Tissue Colonization. Infect Immun 88(10), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32690635.
- Hensel ME, Garcia-Gonzalez DG, Chaki SP, Hartwig A, Gordy PW, Bowen R, Ficht TA, Arenas-Gamboa AM. Vaccine Candidate Brucella melitensis 16M?vjbR Is Safe in a Pregnant Sheep Model and Confers Protection. mSphere 5(3), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32404509.
- Garcia-Villatoro EL, DeLuca JAA, Callaway ES, Allred KF, Davidson LA, Hensel ME, Menon R, Ivanov I, Safe SH, Jayaraman A, Chapkin RS, Allred CD. Effects of high-fat diet and intestinal aryl hydrocarbon receptor deletion on colon carcinogenesis. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 318(3):G451-G463, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31905023.
- Hensel M, Meason-Smith C, Plumlee QD, Myers AN, Coleman MC, Lawhon S, Rodrigues Hoffmann A, Rech RR. Retrospective Analysis of Aetiological Agents Associated with Pulmonary Mycosis Secondary to Enteric Salmonellosis in Six Horses by Panfungal Polymerase Chain Reaction. J Comp Pathol 174:1-7, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31955794.
- Blick AK, Hensel M, Rodrigues Hoffmann A, Gibbons P, Porter BF. Pathology in Practice. J Am Vet Med Assoc 255(3):313-316, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31298639.
- Hensel M, Hoffmann AR, Gonzales M, Owston MA, Dick EJ. Phylogenetic analysis of Histoplasma capsulatum var duboisii in baboons from archived formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissues. Med Mycol 57(2):256-259, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 29471422.
- Hensel ME, Garcia-Gonzalez DG, Chaki SP, Samuel J, Arenas-Gamboa AM. Characterization of an intratracheal aerosol challenge model of Brucella melitensis in guinea pigs. PLoS One 14(3):e0212457, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30835758.
- Hensel ME, Garcia-Gonzalez DG, Chaki SP, Samuel J, Arenas-Gamboa AM. Correction: Characterization of an intratracheal aerosol challenge model of Brucella melitensis in guinea pigs. PLoS One 14(6):e0218065, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31185039.
- Hensel ME, Negron M, Arenas-Gamboa AM. Brucellosis in Dogs and Public Health Risk. Emerg Infect Dis 24(8):1401-1406, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30014831.
- Hensel, ME, Bertram, M, Rech, RR, Hamer, GL, Hamer, SA. Survey of gross and histopathologic findings in two wintering subpopulations of Sandhill Cranes (Antigone canadensis). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 54(1):156-160, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29053431.
- Hensel, ME, Pashmakova, M, Porter, BF. Fatal caffeine intoxication in a dog. Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Pathology 10(2):65-68, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Kim E, Davidson LA, Zoh RS, Hensel ME, Salinas ML, Patil BS, Jayaprakasha GK, Callaway ES, Allred CD, Turner ND, Weeks BR, Chapkin RS. Rapidly cycling Lgr5+ stem cells are exquisitely sensitive to extrinsic dietary factors that modulate colon cancer risk. Cell Death Dis 7(11):e2460, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27831561.
- Kim E, Davidson LA, Zoh RS, Hensel ME, Patil BS, Jayaprakasha GK, Callaway ES, Allred CD, Turner ND, Weeks BR, Chapkin RS. Homeostatic responses of colonic LGR5+ stem cells following acute in vivo exposure to a genotoxic carcinogen. Carcinogenesis 37(2):206-14, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26717997.
Review Articles
- Hensel ME, Arenas-Gamboa AM. A Neglected Animal Model for a Neglected Disease: Guinea Pigs and the Search for an Improved Animal Model for Human Brucellosis. Front Microbiol 9:2593, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30429834.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified March 10, 2026