Val R. Beasley
Professor, Veterinary
Biosciences
Assistant Department Head, Veterinary Biosciences
Professional Interests: After graduation from Purdue, School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Beasley was in small animal practice for six years in coastal New Jersey and western Ohio. He then completed a residency and PhD in toxicology at the University of Illinois, and has served as Assistant, Associate and Full Professor, and Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology. His expertise involves veterinary, wildlife, and ecological toxicology. His research has addressed mycotoxins, in particular the fate, pathophysiology, and lesions of T-2 toxin and the pathophysiology of fumonisin B1. He has studied blue-green algal toxins extensively, with emphasis on the pathophysiology, clinical pathology, lesions, and cytoskeletal effects of microcystins and the neurotoxic mechanisms of anatoxin-A and anatoxin-A(s). He has also studied poisonous plants, especially the pathophysiology and lesions of black walnut (Juglans nigra) in horses, and the hepatotoxicity of buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) in laboratory animal models. His work on insecticides addressed the hypothermic and neurotoxic effects of citrus oil extracts and the delayed neuropathy caused by high doses of chlorpyrifos. He also studied herbicides, especially the neuromuscular effects and residues of 2,4-D in dogs. More recent studies have focused on heavy metal contaminants and marine mammals; and mass die-offs in flamingos including potential roles of metals, algal toxins, and infectious agents. His major research thrust currently is on causes of amphibian declines, including investigations of interactions among ecosystem integrity, water quality, infectious disease incidence, and contaminants, most notably endocrine disruptors, pesticides, metals, and nutrients—all of which have the potential for direct and indirect impacts on the health and sustainability of amphibian populations. Dr. Beasley is the Executive Director of the Envirovet Program in Wildlife and Ecosystem Health, an international educational program that offers an intensive Summer Institute in multiple locations in the USA and Africa, and is also affiliated with the Envirovet Baltic program in Northern Europe.
Selected Publications:
Rohr JR, Schotthoefer AM, Raffel TR, Carrick HJ, Halstead N, Hoverman JT, Johnson CM, Johnson LB, Lieske C, Piwoni MD, Schoff PK, and Beasley VR. Agrochemicals increase trematode infections in a declining amphibian species. Nature 455:1235-1239 (2008).
Schotthoefer AM, Labak KM, and Beasley VR. Ribeiroia ondatrae cercariae are consumed by aquatic invertebrate predators . J Parasitology 93:1240-1243 (2007).
Levengood JM, and Beasley VR. Principles of Ecotoxicology. In Veterinary Toxicology. Gupta, R. C. ed. Elsevier. pp 689-708. (2007). New York, NY.
Allender M, Mitchell M, Phillips CA, Beasley VR. Hematology, plasma biochemistry, and serology of selected viral diseases in wild-caught eastern massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) from Illinois. J Wildlife Diseases 42:107-114 (2006).
Beasley VR, Bruno SJ, Burner JS, Choi BW, Rinehart KL, Koritz GD and Levengood JM. Fate of tritiated didemnin B in mice: excretion and tissue concentrations after an intraperitoneal dose. Biopharm Drug Dispos 26:341-351 (2005).
Beasley VR, Faeh SA, Wikoff B, Eisold J, Nichols D, Cole R, Schotthoefer AM, Staehle C, Greenwell M and Brown LE. Risk factors and the decline of the northern cricket frog, Acris crepitans: evidence for involvement of herbicides, parasitism, and habitat modifications. Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species. Lannoo, M. (Ed.) University of California Press, pp 75-86 (2005).
Reeder AL, Ruiz MO, Pessier A, Brown LE, Levengood JM, Phillips CA, Wheeler MB, Warner RE and Beasley VR. Intersexuality and the Cricket Frog Decline: Historic and Geographic Trends. Environ Health Perspec 113:261-265 (2005).
Beasley V. Veterinary Toxicology. Online reference for veterinary toxicology. http://www.ivis.org/authorforms/contributor_info.asp?ID=613. International Veterinary Information Service (IVIS), Ithaca, NY. (2004).
Schotthoefer AM, Cole RA and Beasley VR. Relationship of tadpole stage to location of echinostome cercariae encystment and the consequences for tadpole survival. J Parasitol 89:475- 482 (2003 ).
Schoff, PK, Johnson CM, Schotthoefer AM, Murphy JE, Lieske C, Cole RA, Johnson LB and Beasley VR. Prevalence of malformed frogs from the north-central United States: estimations based on collections from randomly selected sites. J Wildlife Diseases 39:510-521 (2003).
Johnson CM, Johnson LB, Richards C and Beasley VR. Predicting the occurrence of amphibians: An assessment of multiple-scale models. In Predicting Species Occurrences: Issues of Scale and Accuracy, (Scott J M, P J Heglund, M Morrison, M Raphael, J Haufler, B Wall, editors). Island Press. Covello, CA. (2002).
