Welcome back: Dr. India Napier, V20

Dr. India Napier, V20, Ph.D. (she/her), was delighted to return to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in August as an assistant professor of laboratory animal medicine in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology, for many reasons.

“This school has afforded me great opportunities, and I felt we could help each other continue to grow,” she explains. “I felt like it was home to me … also, I’m from Massachusetts and needed to be near the Patriots.”

In addition to earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Cummings School, Napier holds a B.A. in biology from Boston University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from Auburn University. She recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship and laboratory animal residency at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

While conducting research at MIT, including studies that optimize ovarian egg-freezing technology for human patients, Napier gained clinical experience working with cats and dogs at a local Veterinary Centers of America (VCA). 

Napier has absorbed much along her educational path, which she hopes to pass on to others. “I’ve realized the value of mentorship and teaching, and how dedicating your time to students can shape their futures,” she shares. “In veterinary medicine, it’s important to have a support system for a challenging career. I want to mentor and foster a love of teaching for students so that they can carry on the torch.”

Looking forward to working directly with students, Napier aims to get involved as she did during her time as a student and to work toward diversifying the profession. “I was one of only two students that identified as African American in my Cummings School class of 100,” she says. 

“It is hard to feel part of a supportive community when not many people look like you. I want to support students, especially those from underrepresented groups, and let them know that we’re here for them, and to work with faculty and the administration to continue the work on diversifying our field.” 

Alongside her cat, Artemis, Napier enjoys cooking and listening to audiobooks. She hopes to read a biography of every United States President but just started that journey. Napier explains, “I’ve completed just two, but I’d like to resume that quest and accomplish that goal at some point in my life.”