Our Team
Zelmar Rodriguez, DVM, PhD
Assistant Professor - Leading Investigator
I am an epidemiologist and dairy veterinarian serving as an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University. I lead the DRIVE Lab, an integrated research and extension team that supports dairy farmers, veterinarians, and industry stakeholders in addressing critical challenges in animal health and farm sustainability.
My work focuses on applying quantitative epidemiology to inform decision-making and improve dairy farm management. I teach graduate students to use advanced epidemiological tools for disease prevention and control, and I mentor graduate, DVM, undergraduate students, and visiting scholars, helping them build research skills and contribute to meaningful projects in dairy health and management.
Before joining MSU as faculty, I earned my DVM at the University of Uruguay (2013), I worked in animal health and dairy management in Uruguay and New Zealand (2013–2017), completed a PhD in veterinary epidemiology at the University of Minnesota (2021), and conducted postdoctoral research at Michigan State University (2021–2023).
Graduate students
Keya Mohanto
Kakolee Mohanto holds a Master’s in Veterinary Medicine from Sher-E-Bangla Agricultural University and has experience in animal nutrition, feed formulation, and animal health management. Currently at Michigan State University, she studies the intersection between human and animal decision-making in food systems, focusing on how disease prevention practices affect productivity and public health outcomes.
Lucia Martinez Penedo
Lucia Martínez Penedo completed her Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Santiago de Compostela. Before joining MSU she studied fish reproduction and forensic genetics. Her current work at the DRIVE lab involves collecting and analyzing biological samples, using PCR and managing research data. Lucía is interested in practical research that improves animal health and disease prevention..
Isabel Leadbetter
Isabel is a first-year master’s student in the Comparative Medicine and Integrative Biology Program (CMIB). She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Michigan State University. Her background includes experience with both livestock and aquaculture, having worked on a research project with Holstein calves and completed an internship at a Rainbow Trout farm.
Bibin Varghese
Bibin is pursuing a Master’s in Data Science at Michigan State University. He holds a background in Computer Science and has three years of industry experience developing data pipelines, predictive models, and visualization dashboards. Before joining the DRIVE Lab, he worked on ETL automation and model evaluation projects using Python, SQL, Power BI, and PySpark. His interests include machine learning, computer vision, and the application of AI to improve outcomes in healthcare, retail, and sustainability
Andrew John
Andrew is pursuing a Master’s in Data Science at Michigan State University. He has a background in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology. Before joining the DRIVE Lab, he worked at Deloitte as a Data Engineer, where he developed data pipelines, automated cloud workflows, and supported analytics teams. His interests include machine learning, big data systems, and the use of AI to enhance decision-making and efficiency in agriculture and public health.
Current Undergraduate and DVM students
Andrew Plosky (3rd year Bachelor An Sci. student - MSU)
Andrea Juarez Casas (3rd year Bachelor An Sci. student - MSU)
Isabella Stoutenburg (2nd year Bachelor An Sci. student - MSU)
Madison Jimenez (3rd year Bachelor An Sci. student - MSU)
Morgan Childers (2nd year Bachelor An Sci. student - MSU)
Grace Brown (2nd year Bachelor An Sci. student - MSU)
Sydney Duryee (2nd year Bachelor An Sci. student - MSU)
Elena Tanin (2nd year Bachelor An Sci. student - MSU)
Former lab members
Vaishnavi Sundaraganapathi; BS (Visitor scholar - MS student- MSU)
Daniel Rodriguez Jurado; DVM (Visitor scholar - La Salle University; Colombia)
Riley Simmonds (DVM student; MSU Summer Research Program)
Nguyen, Uyen (2nd year DVM student CVM-MSU)
Emily Summers (3rd year DVM student CVM-MSU)
Presley Paperd (2nd year Veterinary nurse student – CVM-MSU)
Kassie Wilson (2nd year Bachelor An Sci. student - MSU)
Toyin Showemimo (1st year DVM student; Summer Research Program)
Olivia Watkins (1st year An Sci. MSU student)
Meghan Perkins (1st year DVM student CVM-MSU)
Christina Whetsel (1st year DVM student CVM-MSU)
Kaylee Herrygers (2nd year DVM student CVM-MSU)
Kaitlyn Krus (4th year DVM student CVM-MSU)
Kara Mosier (2nd year DVM student CVM-MSU)
Hannah Frimodig (2nd year DVM student CVM-MSU)