Robert Poppenga

Dr. Robert Poppenga is Professor of Clinical Veterinary Toxicology and Section Head, Toxicology Laboratory at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS), School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis.  He has been at UCD since 2004. 
He received his DVM and PhD (veterinary toxicology) degrees from the University of Illinois.  He is board-certified by the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology and has served that organization in a number of roles including President.  He has almost 33 years of experience as a diagnostic veterinary toxicologist including previous faculty and diagnostic laboratory positions at Michigan State University and the University of Pennsylvania.
The Toxicology Laboratory at CAHFS is one of the busiest of its kind in the world and offers comprehensive diagnostic toxicology testing.  The Laboratory is a member of the Food Emergency Response Network sponsored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FERN is involved in ensuring the safety of human and animal food.  The Laboratory also works closely with the CA Department of Food and Agriculture to provide livestock feed testing for a variety of organic and inorganic chemicals.
His research interests include diagnostic veterinary toxicology, wildlife toxicology, and development of biomarkers for chemical exposure.  He was a member of the Morris Animal Foundation’s Wildlife Scientific Advisory Board.  He teaches veterinary toxicology to veterinary students at the School of Veterinary Medicine, mentors Residents in diagnostic veterinary toxicology at CAHFS and oversees thesis projects of graduate students in the UCD Forensic Science Graduate Group.  He is also a member of the UCD Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Group.