Dr. Caio Figueiredo joined the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine in 2023 as an assistant professor in the Veterinary Clinical Sciences department and Veterinary Medicine Extension. His research interests include understanding the mechanisms of uterine disease establishment and cure in dairy cows, developing alternative therapy for the treatment of metritis, and implementing precision technology in dairy operations, among others.
Dr. Figueiredo grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Universidade Anhembi Morumbi in 2017. In 2019, he completed a Master of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Florida and a PhD in 2022.
What are your current research interests and what attracted you to that area?
My current research interests revolve around understanding the mechanisms of uterine disease development and their consequences in dairy cow health and production, and the development of alternative strategies to treat uterine diseases in dairy cows. I was attracted to this area of research in the early stages of my academic journey due to its multifactorial nature (the puzzle) and the potential this research area has to positively impact multiple animal, human, and environmental aspects.
What do you ultimately hope to accomplish with your research?
My overarching goal is to help improve sustainability of dairy operations, as well as productive efficiency and health of dairy cows.
How can your research help people and animals?
Overall, our main goal is to reduce the occurrence of uterine diseases in dairy cows, ultimately resulting in improved cow performance and the reduction in the use of antimicrobials and hormones in dairy operations.
What advice would you give to younger people considering a career in science?
I always tell young students three things:
- Set goals and envision who/how/where you want to be in the future.
- Be brave, adventurous, and persistent – nothing will be easy, and you will be tested in every step of the way.
- Be proactive and ask questions. Focus on the why and pursue the answer.
What do you enjoy about working with students?
My favorite thing about working with students is that both parties share knowledge and learn from each other. Students often bring a different perspective of science, which usually leads to a constructive discussion (and sometimes added ideas to research projects). In addition, I feel very fortunate to be able to help students achieve their academic and professional goals.