Benjamin J. Weigler, DVM, MPH, Ph.D., DACLAM, DACVPM

Senior Director, Animal Resources & Campus Attending Veterinarian
Benjamin Weigler

Summary

Ben Weigler oversees the campus wide programs of animal welfare compliance, veterinary care, husbandry, and research support for animals used in teaching and research, and advisor to faculty programs in the appropriate and humane use of vertebrate animals to comply with university policies, federal laws, and contemporary standards of practice.

Before joining the University on June 1st, 2015, he served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Comparative Medicine and as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Washington, Seattle. Prior to that, he was a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Companion Animal and Special Species Medicine for the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. For 10 years he served as the Director of Animal Health Resources at the world-renowned Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA, which is home to three Nobel Prize laureates in Physiology or Medicine. Concurrent with his academic appointments, he has 24 years of experience as a professional consultant for biomedical research enterprises throughout Seattle and other areas of the United States.

Ben is a nationally recognized research expert in several areas, including zoonotic disease epidemiology, occupational health and safety in animal research environments, applied biostatistics, and animal welfare compliance. He completed a preceptorship in pathology at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. and was a Fulbright research grant recipient to the University of Queensland, Australia where he studied the epidemiology of Chlamydia in free-ranging koala populations. While in veterinary school, he worked for the CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Ben is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, such as the Pravin N. Bhatt Scientific Investigator Award given by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, the National Outstanding Student Award given by the Conference of Public Health Veterinarians, the Maurice Shahan Award for the Study of Infectious Diseases at Colorado State University, Phi Zeta, Phi Beta Kappa, and several others. He has been an appointed member for two special topic committees at the National Academy of Sciences and as a Steering Committee member for the CDC's National Biosafety Symposium.

Education

  • Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (ACVPM), 1994
  • Diplomate, American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM), 1992
  • Ph.D., Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, 1991
  • M.P.H., Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley, 1988
  • D.V.M., Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, 1986
  • B.S., Zoology (with high distinction and honors), Colorado State University, 1982

Selected Publications

Book Chapters

  • Festing MFW and Weigler BJ. Experimental design and statistical analysis. In, J. Hau and G.L. Van Hoosier (eds). Handbook of Laboratory Animal Science, Vol. 1, Selection and Handling of Animal in Biomedical Research. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2003.
  • Murphy FA, Roberts JA, Bayne KAL, Blanchard JL, Ferguson TJ, Flynn LJ, Geissert J, Hilliard JK, Kiley M, Peters CJ, and Weigler BJ. Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Non-Human Primates. Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, National Research Council. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2003.
  • Benet LZ, Brandt WE, Coller BS, Crooks GM, Douglas RG, Gansler JS, Itteilag AL, Kasper DL, Kelman SJ, Kingham RF, Palese P, Parkman PD, Saldarini RJ, Sisk JE, Tuomanen E, Weigler BJ, Westpheling J. Giving Full Measure to Countermeasures. Addressing problems in the Department of Defense program to develop medical countermeasures against biological warfare agents. Institute of Medicine, National Research Council. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2004.
  • Weigler BJ, Thulin JD, Vandewoude S, and Wolfle TL. The supply and demand for laboratory animal veterinarians from 1980 to 2005. In, Fox J, Harkness J, Hill W, Kelly A, Laber K, Quimby F, Smith A, and Vandenbergh J. National Needs and Priorities for Veterinarians in Biomedical Research. Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, National Research Council. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2004.
  • Rabinowitz PM, Lefkowitz RY, Conti LA, Redlich CA, Weigler BJ. Ch. 30. Occupational Health of Laboratory Animal Workers. In, J.G. Fox et al (eds). Laboratory Animal Medicine, 3rd ed. (American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine). LC Anderson, G Otto, KR Pritchett-Corning, MT Whary, JG Fox (Editors) Academic Press, 2015.

Journal Articles

  • Turner JS, Tracy CR, Weigler BJ, Baynes T. Burst swimming in alligators and the effect of temperature. Journal of Herpetology 1985; 19:450-458.
  • Gifford DH, Shane SM, Hugh-Jones M, Weigler BJ. Evaluation of biosecurity in broiler breeders. Avian Diseases 1987; 31:339-344.
  • Weigler BJ, Booth RJ, Osawa R, Carrick FN. Causes of morbidity and mortality in 75 free-ranging and captive koalas in south east Queensland, Australia. Veterinary Record 1987; 121:571-572.
  • Weigler BJ, Girjes AA, White NA, Kunst ND, Carrick FN, Lavin MF. Aspects of the epidemiology of Chlamydia psittaci infection in a population of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 1988; 24:282-291.
  • Weigler BJ, Baldock FC, Girjes AA, Carrick FN, Lavin MF. Evaluation of an enzyme immuno- assay test for the diagnosis of Chlamydia psittaci infection in free-ranging koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in southeastern Queensland, Australia. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 1988; 24:259-263.
  • Girjes AA, Weigler BJ, Hugall AF, Carrick FN, Lavin MF. Detection of Chlamydia psittaci in free- ranging koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus): DNA hybridization and immuno-slot blot analysis. Veterinary Microbiology 1989; 21:21-30.
  • Weigler BJ, Roberts JA, Hird DW, Lerche NW, Hilliard JK. A cross-sectional survey for B virus antibody in a colony of group-housed rhesus macaques. Laboratory Animal Science 1990; 40:257-261.
  • BonDurant RH, Anderson ML, Blanchard P, Hird DW, Danaye-Elmi C, Palmer CW, Weigler BJ, Sischo WM, Suther D, Utterback WW. Prevalence of trichomoniasis among California beef herds. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 1990; 196:1590-1593.
  • Weigler BJ, Hird DW, Sischo WM, Holmes JC, Danaye-Elmi C, Palmer CW, Utterback WW. Veterinary and non-veterinary costs of disease in 29 California dairies participating in the National Animal Health Monitoring System from 1988 to 1989. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 1990; 196:1945-1949.
  • Hird DW, Weigler BJ, Salman MD, Danaye-Elmi C, Palmer CW, Holmes JC, Utterback WW, Sischo WM. Expenditures for veterinary services and other costs of disease and disease prevention in 57 California beef herds in the National Animal Health Monitoring System. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 1991; 198:554-558.
  • Weigler BJ. Biology of B virus in macaque and human hosts: a review. Clinical Infectious Diseases 1992; 14:555-567.
  • Weigler BJ, Hird DW, Hilliard JK, Lerche NW, Roberts JA, Scott LM. Epidemiology of cercopithecine herpesvirus 1 (B virus) infection and shedding in a large breeding cohort of rhesus macaques. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1993; 167:257-263.
  • Vogel P, Weigler BJ, Kerr H, Hendrickx AG, Barry PA. Seroepidemiologic studies of cytomegalovirus infection in a breeding population of rhesus macaques. Laboratory Animal Science 1994; 44:25-30.
  • Weigler BJ, Feeser PL, Grant SM, Norris CA. Epidemiologic assessment of reproductive success and infant mortality in ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata). Zoo Biology 1994; 13:527-536.
  • Malpass JP, Weigler BJ. A simple and effective environmental enrichment device for ponies in long-term indoor confinement. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 1994; 33:74-76.
  • Weigler BJ, Scinicariello F, Hilliard JK. Risk of venereal B virus (cercopithecine herpesvirus 1) transmission in rhesus monkeys using molecular epidemiology. J of Infectious Diseases 1995; 171:1139-1143.
  • Weigler BJ. Zoonotic hantaviruses: new concerns for the United States. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 1995; 206:979-986.
  • Weigler BJ. Justifying the number of animals in IACUC proposals. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 1995; 34(3):47-50.
  • Weigler BJ and Hilliard JK. B virus (Letter). Lab Animal 1995; 24(5):53.
  • Weigler BJ. Hearing conservation and compact personal stereos in laboratory animal facilities. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 1995; 34(5):70-74.
  • Weigler BJ, Ksiazek TG, Vandenbergh JG, Levin M, Sullivan WT. Serological evidence for zoonotic hantaviruses in North Carolina rodents. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 1996; 32:354-357.
  • Goelz M, Thigpen J, Mahler J, Rogers W, Locklear J, Weigler B, Forsythe D. Efficacy of enrofloxacin in eliminating Pasteurella pneumotropica from the mouse. Laboratory Animal Science 1996; 46(3):280-285.
  • Weigler BJ, Babineau CA, Thigpen JE, Goelz MF, Forsythe DE. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction assay for molecular epidemiologic investigation of Pasteurella pneumotropica in laboratory rodent colonies. Laboratory Animal Science 1996; 46(4):386-92.
  • Weigler BJ, Thulin JD, Vandewoude S, Wolfle TL. The supply and demand for laboratory animal veterinarians from 1980 to 2005. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 1997; 36(2):39-46.
  • Weigler BJ, Babineau CA, Sherry B, Nasisse MP. High sensitivity polymerase chain reaction assay for active and latent feline herpesvirus-1 infections in domestic cats. Veterinary Record 1997; 140(13):335-338.
  • Nasisse MP, Weigler BJ. The diagnosis of ocular feline herpesvirus infection. Veterinary and Comparative Ophthalmology 1997; 7(1):44-51.
  • Nasisse MP, Dorman DE, Jamison K, Weigler B, Hawkins E, Stevens J. Effects of valacyclovir in cats infected with feline herpesvirus-1. American Journal of Veterinary Research 1997; 58:1141-1144.
  • Weigler BJ, Nasisse MP, Guy JS, Hancock SI, Sherry B. Non-neuronal latency and shedding dynamics of FHV-1 in domestic cats following intranasal vaccination. Arch Virology 1997; 142:2389-2400.
  • Weigler BJ, Wiltron LA, Hancock SI, Thigpen JE, Goelz MF, Forsythe DB. Further evaluation of a diagnostic PCR for Pasteurella pneumotropica. Laboratory Animal Science 1998; 48:193-196.
  • Baneth G, Weigler BJ. A Retrospective Case-Control Study of canine hepatozoonosis in Israel. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 1997;11: 365-370.
  • Nasisse MP, Glover TL, Moore CP, Weigler BJ. Detection of feline herpesvirus-1 DNA in corneas of cats with eosinophilic keratitis or corneal sequestration. American Journal of Veterinary Research 1998 59: 856-858.
  • Hilliard JK, Weigler BJ. Commentary: The existence of differing monkey B virus genotypes with possible implications for degree of virulence in humans. Laboratory Animal Science 1999; 49: 10-11.
  • Weigler BJ, Slattum MM. Multivariable regression analysis and other findings from the 1999 joint ASLAP/ACLAM economic survey of laboratory animal veterinarians. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 2001;40(5):9-13.
  • Weigler BJ. A primer in epidemiologic methodology. Comparative Medicine 2001;51:208-217.
  • Hankenson FC, Johnston NA, Weigler BJ, Di Giacomo RF. Zoonoses of occupational health importance in contemporary laboratory animal research. Comparative Medicine 2003;53:579-601.
  • Weigler BJ, Di Giacomo RF, Alexander S. A national survey of laboratory animal workers concerning occupational risks for zoonotic diseases. Comparative Medicine 2005;55:183-191.
  • Lupu M, Sullivan EW, Westfall TE, Little M-T, Weigler BJ, Moore PF, Stroup PA, Zellmer E, Kuhr C, Storb R. Use of multigeneration-family molecular dog leukocyte antigen typing to select a hematopoietic cell transplant donor for a dog with T-cell lymphoma. Journal of the American Veterinary Association 2006;228(5):728-732.
  • Yunusov MY, Kerbauy F, Abrams K, Zellmer E, Spector M, Kuhr CS, Hwang B, Storer B, Georges GE, Weigler BJ, Storb R, Nash RA. Intussusception in canine recipients of hematopoietic cell grafts and surgical correction. Comparative Medicine 2007;57:287-291.
  • Besselsen DG, Myers EL, Franklin CL, Korte SW, Wagner AM, Henderson KS, Weigler BJ. Transmission probabilities of Mouse Parvovirus 1 to sentinel mice chronically exposed to serial dilutions of contaminated bedding. Comparative Medicine 2008;58(2):140-144.
  • Weigler BJ, Cooper DR, Hankenson FC. Risk-based immunization policies and tuberculosis screening practices for animal care and research workers in the united states: survey results and recommendations. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 2012;51(5):561-573.