The Department's mission is to emphasize programs with a strong correlation between structure and function and to focus on integration of cellular and molecular biology with the biology of cell populations organized as tissues, organs, organ systems and organisms. This emphasis includes an appreciation of the responses of cell populations and organisms to environmental quality and homeostatic challenge. Areas of excellence exist in pulmonary toxicology and in aquatic-ecotoxicology and form a potential focus in environmental health of farm and free ranging animals which may provide additional positions for veterinarians trained in environmental health and toxic impairment.
As a second focus, the Department coordinates programs in the School of Veterinary Medicine having an anatomical, physiological, behavioral, biomechanical or cell biological emphasis as they relate to free ranging (wild) populations of vertebrate organisms in addition to domesticated and laboratory animals.