Professional Profile

Dr. Matt Allender received his B.S. in Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution in 2000 from the University of Illinois. After completing a DVM at Illinois in 2004, he worked as an associate veterinarian and concurrently completed a M.S. in Veterinary Biosciences (Illinois '06), focusing on the epidemiology of disease in free-ranging reptiles. He was a veterinary resident in Zoological and Avian Medicine at the University of Tennessee and Knoxville Zoo from 2006 to 2009. He joined the faculty at the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. In 2012, he received his PhD (Illinois '12) in the Depratment of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, focusing on the epidemiology of ranaviral diseases in free-ranging chelonians. He became a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine in 2011. He now directs the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab, a collaborative research lab describing infectious and non-infectious disease of reptiles and amphibians. The lab is a leader on Snake Fungal Disease and ranavirus in chelonians.

American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians
International Association of Aquatic Animal Veterinarians
Wildlife Disease Association
Phi Zeta Veterinary Fraternity, University of Illinois
American College of Zoological Medicine, Diplomate
American Veterinary Medical Association
Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association
Massasauga Recovery Program
Chelonian Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) veterinary consultant
Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Disease Task Team, co-chair

Reptile Medicine and Surgery
Wildlife and Ecosystem Health

2012 Excellent Teacher Rating, University of Illinois, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, VM 603, Anatomy.
2013 Elected by the CVM Class of 2013 as a Hooder for Commencement, University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine.
2013 Dr. Erwin Small Teaching Excellence Award in Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine.
2013 Excellent Teacher Rating, University of Illinois, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, VM 693, Comparative Anatomy.
2014 Elected by the CVM Class of 2014 as a Hooder for Commencement, University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine.
2014 Dr. Erwin Small Teaching Excellence Award in Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine.
2014 Excellent Teacher Rating, University of Illinois, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, VM 603, Anatomy.
2014 Excellent Teacher Rating, University of Illinois, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, VM 601, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology.
2015 Excellent Teacher Rating, University of Illinois, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, VM 603, Anatomy.
2015 Excellent Teacher Rating, University of Illinois, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, CB 540, Ecosystem and Wildlife Health.
2016 Elected by the CVM Class of 2014 as a Hooder for Commencement, University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine.
2017 Excellent Teacher Rating, University of Illinois, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, VM 603, Anatomy.
2017 Excellent Teacher Rating, University of Illinois, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, VCM 678, Reptile Medicine and Surgery.
2018 Reptile and Amphibian Veterinary Excellence Award, Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians
2018 Excellent Teacher Rating, University of Illinois, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, VCM 678, Reptile Medicine and Surgery.
2018 Excellent Teacher Rating, University of Illinois, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, CB 540, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health.

Allender, M.C., A.C. Barthel, J.M. Rayl, K. Terio. 2018. Experimental transmission and molecular detection of frog virus 3-like ranavirus in juvenile chelonians (Trachemys scripta elegans, Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii, Graptemys pseudogeographica, and Pseudemys concinna) at two temperatures. Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

Archer, G.A., C.A. Phillips, L. Adamovicz, M. Band, J. Byrd, M.C. Allender. 2017. Detection of co-pathogens in free-ranging eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) in Illinois and Tennessee. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 48:1127-1134.

Hileman, E.T., M.C. Allender, D.R. Bradke, L.J. Faust, J.A. Moore, M.J. Ravesi, S.J. Tetzlaff. 2017. Estimation of Ophidiomyces prevalence to evaluate snake fungal disease risk. Journal of Wildlife Management, DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21345.

Boers, K., K. Leister, J. Byrd, M. Band, C.A. Phillips, M.C. Allender. 2017. Capture effort, rate, demographics, and potential for disease transmission in wild eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) captured through canine directed searches. Herpetological Review 48: 300-304.

Kane, L.P., M.C. Allender, G. Archer, K. Leister, M. Rzadkowska, K. Boers, M. Souza, S. Cox. 2017. Pharmacokinetics of nebulized and subcutaneously implanted terbinafine in cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorous). Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, DOI: 10.7589/2016-06-138.

Lindemann, D.M., M.C. Allender, M. Rzadkowska, G. Archer, L. Kane, E. Baitchman, E.A. Driskell, C.T. Chu, K. Singh, S-H. Hsiao, J.M. Sykes, S. Cox. 2017. Pharmacokinetics and suspected toxicity associated with triazole antifungal use in healthy cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorous) and massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus) with snake fungal disease. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 48: 757-766.

Rzadkowska, M., M.C. Allender, M. O’Dell, C. Maddox. 2016. Evaluation of common disinfectants against Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, the causative agent of snake fungal disease. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, DOI: 10.7589/2016-01-012.

Allender, M.C., S. Baker, D. Wylie, D. Loper, M.J. Dreslik, C.A. Phillips, C. Maddox, E.A. Driskell. 2015. Development of snake fungal disease after experimental challenge with Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola in cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorous). PLOS One 10: e0140193/ doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140193.

Allender, M.C., D.B. Raudabaugh, F.H. Gleason, A.N. Miller. 2015. The natural history, ecology, and epidemiology of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola and its potential impact on free-ranging snake populations. Fungal Ecology 17:186-190.

Allender, M.C., D. Bunick, E. Dzhaman, L. Burrus, C. Maddox. 2015. Development and use of real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola in snakes. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 27: 217-220.

Allender, M.C., M.A. Mitchell, D. McRuer, S. Christian, J. Byrd. 2013. Prevalence, clinical signs, and natural history characteristics of frog virus 3-like infections in eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina). Herpetological Conservation and Biology: 8: 308-320.

Allender, M.C., M.A. Mitchell, T. Torres, J. Sekowska, E.A. Driskell. Pathogenicity of frog virus 3-like virus in red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) at two environmental temperatures. Journal of Comparative Pathology: 149: 356-367.

Allender, M.C., M.J. Dreslik, S. Wylie, C.A. Phillips, D. Wylie, M.A. Delaney, M. Kinsel. 2011. An Unusual Mortality Event Associated with Chrysosporium in the Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus). Emerging Infectious Diseases 17:2383-2384.

Allender, M.C., J.S. Schumacher, R. George, J. Milam, A. Odoi. 2010. Effects of short- and long-term hypoxia on hemolymph gas values in the American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 41:193-200.

Allender, M.C., M. Mitchell, C.A. Phillips, V.R. Beasley. 2006. Hematology, plasma biochemistry, and serology of selected viral diseases in wild-caught eastern massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) from Illinois. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 42:107-114.

Allender, M.C., M.M. Fry, A.R. Irizarry, L. Craig, A.J. Johnson, M. Jones. 2006. Intracytoplasmic inclusions in circulating leukocytes from an Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) with Iridoviral Infection. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 42:677-684.