Mark C. Bates biography

Dr. Mark C. Bates was employed by VCU as a clinical veterinarian in July 2009 and passed the national board certification exam in 2010 to earn the status of Diplomate in the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DACLAM). Shortly thereafter, he became Interim Director of the Division of Animal Resources (DAR) and Attending Veterinarian (AV) of VCU. The following year he was elevated to full director. He earned an undergraduate degree in Microbiology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1990. As an MS student, he was employed as a research assistant in the Texas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He received his Ph.D. in Fisheries from Louisiana State University in the Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries in 1997. While at LSU as a doctoral student, Dr. Bates designed, built and maintained a variety of flow through and recirculating aquaculture systems. His doctoral research focused on production of transgenic channel catfish with improved disease resistance and on production of hybrid cultured fish species. Dr. Bates was employed by Northwestern State University of Louisiana as an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of Aquaculture Research from 1997 to 2003. While at Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Dr. Bates developed the Red River Aquaculture Research Station. Improvements included design and construction of multiple ponds and development of several recirculating indoor aquaculture systems. He returned to Louisiana State University to attend Veterinary School in 2003. Dr. Bates received his DVM from Louisiana State University in 2007. During his veterinary education, he worked as an animal care technician with non-Human Primates (NHPs) at the New Iberia Research Center (NIRC), New Iberia, LA when classes were not in session. Dr. Bates did a one-month visiting externship in laboratory animal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas. After completing veterinary school, Dr. Bates stayed on at LSU School of Veterinary Medicine as a resident in laboratory animal medicine in their Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine.  During his residency, he was responsible for all aspects of veterinary care for a wide variety of laboratory animals. As a resident, he did one-month rotations through NIRC and the Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana. In his time at VCU, Dr. Bates has overseen explosive growth of the DAR including the opening of two rodent barrier facilities and the design and opening of a completely new research vivarium within the Engineering Research Building on VCU’s Monroe Park Campus. For continuing education, Dr. Bates often attends the annual American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) conference and most years attends the ACLAM Forum. He also attends most animal care and welfare webinars and seminars offered at VCU.