Melissa Mazan
D.V.M., DACVIM (LAIM)
Research/Areas of Interest
• Equine asthma and chronic inflammatory airway disease
• Pulmonary function testing and respiratory physiology
• Bronchoalveolar lavage cytology interpretation
• Environmental determinants of equine respiratory disease
• Comparative and translational pulmonary medicine (One Health)
• Novel therapeutics for respiratory disease
Education
- Doctor of Vet Medicine, Tufts-Cummings School of VM, USA
- BA, Yale University, New Haven, United States
Biography
Melissa Mazan, D.V.M., Diplomate ACVIM, is Professor of Large Animal Medicine and Associate Dean for Professional Education at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. She is an internationally recognized clinician-scientist whose career has focused on advancing the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of equine respiratory disease while integrating research, clinical care, and veterinary education. She is a founding member of the international Equine Asthma Group, and continues to help lead consensus statements that inform veterinary practice and research in equine asthma.
Dr. Mazan's research centers on equine asthma as the most common respiratory disease of horses, as well as a model for chronic inflammatory airway disease in humans. Her work has helped define the mechanisms underlying airway inflammation, improve objective methods for assessing pulmonary function, and identify environmental factors that contribute to respiratory disease in horses. Through clinical investigations and collaborative translational research, she has evaluated innovative diagnostic approaches, explored novel therapeutic strategies, and advanced understanding of the respiratory microbiome, with the goal of improving outcomes for equine patients while generating insights relevant to human respiratory medicine.
Dr. Mazan's laboratory also operates a national bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytology consultation service, receiving respiratory samples from veterinarians across the United States. This unique clinical and research resource supports the diagnosis of equine asthma while providing an unparalleled repository for investigating airway inflammation, environmental risk factors, respiratory biomarkers, and treatment response. Together, these studies have strengthened the role of the horse as a naturally occurring model of chronic airway disease while improving clinical care for equine patients.
Her research program is grounded in a One Health philosophy, using naturally occurring disease in animals to address broader questions in pulmonary biology. By integrating respiratory physiology, clinical epidemiology, and comparative medicine, her work has contributed to evidence-based management of equine asthma and strengthened the role of the horse as a valuable translational model for chronic airway disease.
In addition to her research accomplishments, Dr. Mazan has devoted much of her career to veterinary education and clinical innovation. As Associate Dean for Professional Education, she has led comprehensive curriculum redesign, expansion of simulation-based learning, competency-based clinical education, and new approaches to preparing graduates for contemporary veterinary practice. Her academic career reflects a longstanding commitment to excellence in teaching, mentorship, clinical service, and research, with the goal of advancing both veterinary medicine and the health of animals and people.
Dr. Mazan's research centers on equine asthma as the most common respiratory disease of horses, as well as a model for chronic inflammatory airway disease in humans. Her work has helped define the mechanisms underlying airway inflammation, improve objective methods for assessing pulmonary function, and identify environmental factors that contribute to respiratory disease in horses. Through clinical investigations and collaborative translational research, she has evaluated innovative diagnostic approaches, explored novel therapeutic strategies, and advanced understanding of the respiratory microbiome, with the goal of improving outcomes for equine patients while generating insights relevant to human respiratory medicine.
Dr. Mazan's laboratory also operates a national bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytology consultation service, receiving respiratory samples from veterinarians across the United States. This unique clinical and research resource supports the diagnosis of equine asthma while providing an unparalleled repository for investigating airway inflammation, environmental risk factors, respiratory biomarkers, and treatment response. Together, these studies have strengthened the role of the horse as a naturally occurring model of chronic airway disease while improving clinical care for equine patients.
Her research program is grounded in a One Health philosophy, using naturally occurring disease in animals to address broader questions in pulmonary biology. By integrating respiratory physiology, clinical epidemiology, and comparative medicine, her work has contributed to evidence-based management of equine asthma and strengthened the role of the horse as a valuable translational model for chronic airway disease.
In addition to her research accomplishments, Dr. Mazan has devoted much of her career to veterinary education and clinical innovation. As Associate Dean for Professional Education, she has led comprehensive curriculum redesign, expansion of simulation-based learning, competency-based clinical education, and new approaches to preparing graduates for contemporary veterinary practice. Her academic career reflects a longstanding commitment to excellence in teaching, mentorship, clinical service, and research, with the goal of advancing both veterinary medicine and the health of animals and people.