Brian K. Whitlock, MS, DVM, PhD

Professor
The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Brian K. Whitlock was raised in Gravel Switch, Kentucky on a small tobacco and dairy farm. He attended Campbellsville University where he received his B.S. in Chemistry in 1997 and Michigan State University for his M.S. in Animal Science in 1999. After earning his D.V.M. from Auburn University in 2003, Brian worked at Sterner Veterinary Clinic in Ionia, Michigan almost exclusively on dairy and beef cattle. In 2007 he completed a residency at Auburn and became a Diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists (veterinary reproduction specialists). Dr. Whitlock earned his Ph.D. from Auburn (working with Dr. James L. Sartin) with an emphasis in reproductive neuroendocrinology and is now a professor at The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Currently, most of his time is spent with Field Services teaching and mentoring students in the areas of theriogenology, large animal medicine, surgery, and production medicine. His current research interests include (but are not limited to) reproductive neuroendocrinology and physiology with special emphasis on the use of kisspeptin in large domestic animals and central / hypothalamic regulation of appetite in ruminants. Dr. Whitlock utilizes an intracerebroventricular catheterization model in sheep (placing and maintaining a catheter within the lateral ventricles of the brains of sheep) to study the regulation of reproduction, appetite, metabolism, inflammation and the interaction of these systems in ruminants. Dr. Whitlock has two PhD students, Lisa Amelse and Allison Renwick. Lisa is conducting in vitro studies with cells and kisspeptin and Allison is conducting reproductive physiology research related to inflammation and KNDy neurons in sheep and cattle. Dr. Whitlock and his wife Lynette, have three children, Grayson, Lydia, and Truett.