The Texas A&M University System, TAMUS, Board of Regents has recognized Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, Assistant Agency Director for Pathology Gabriel Gomez, DVM, PhD, as a 2024-2025 Regents Fellow Service Award recipient.
The Regents Fellow Service Award Program was established in 1998 to recognize extension, service, and research professionals. Each year, this award is given to individuals who have provided exemplary professional service to society that has created large and lasting benefits to Texas and beyond.
Gomez joined the College Station lab in 2013 as a veterinary pathologist. In 2015, he was promoted necropsy assistant section head and in 2020 he assumed the role of pathology section head. In 2021 was promoted to an assistant agency director.
In his current role, Gomez oversees necropsy, histopathology, and anatomic pathology services at the College Station and Canyon labs. These sections are imperative to TVMDL’s 6,000-plus annual clients and are often the starting point for samples tested across other TVMDL sections. As such, Gomez dedicates much of his day to client communication reviewing reports and “translating” technical, laboratory jargon to ensure clients have a thorough understanding of their testing options and results.
Gomez’s dedication to excellent service has benefited many clients across the world. However, his expertise, patience, and commitment to serving clients have significantly elevated TVMDL’s role in assisting the Texas deer industry, especially the past four years. Most notably, Gomez is lauded for his efforts to support antemortem testing for chronic wasting disease, CWD, a neurologic disease in deer. In 2016, he, along with other experts at TVMDL and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, TPWD, underwent the rigorous process of validating and implementing an antemortem testing method. This method is now considered the gold standard method is used to perform over 40,000 tests for the Texas deer industry each year.
The antemortem testing method proved essential in 2021 following several CWD detections in herds of captive deer in Texas. In June of that year, TPWD enacted an emergency order that would require deer breeders to submit thousands of samples to TVMDL for CWD testing. Gomez led planning and logistical efforts to ensure the anticipated surge in samples were processed and tested quickly. Because of his efforts, Texas deer breeders were able to continue the flow of commerce within their industry knowing their herds were healthy.
Gomez’s work in the lab is also used to support several research efforts across the country. Throughout his time at TVMDL, Dr. Gomez has coordinated or performed testing for some of the largest cattle feedlots in the nation, veterinary schools, and animal feed companies all working toward projects that would make significant strides in animal health. In addition to his work with testing, Gomez also oversees TVMDL’s pathology residency program, ensuring the next generation of veterinary pathologists receive practical, real-world information to support their educational goals.
Gomez is the eleventh TVMDL professional to earn the distinction of Regents Fellow.
