Contact: Courtney Coufal, 979-845-1542, cacoufal@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Marcel Amstalden, associate professor of physiology of reproduction in the department of animal science at Texas A&M University, died Sept. 3 from injuries sustained in a car accident.
Amstalden, 44, was traveling near Hallettsville when the accident occurred.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan, immediately followed by a memorial service at 1 p.m. An obituary can be found at http://bit.ly/1BnyNJj
“We are incredibly saddened by the loss of Marcel Amstalden,” said Dr. Russell Cross, head of animal science. “Not only was he a brilliant scientist and a rising star, he was a valued member of the animal science family, bringing pleasure to those around him with his caring personality and gentle smile.”
Originally from MarÍlia, São Paulo, Brazil, Amstalden joined the animal science department in 2006 as an assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor in 2013. In addition, Amstalden was currently serving as chair of the interdisciplinary faculty of reproductive biology at Texas A&M and served as a member of the executive committee since 2007.
Dr. Marcel Amstalden (Texas A&M AgriLife photo)
He led an active research and teaching program, mentoring dozens of graduate students. His research program in reproductive neuroendocrinology focused on solving issues related to the fundamental control of reproductive processes by the brain in cattle and sheep, nutritional control of puberty in heifers, seasonal control of reproduction in the mare, and reproductive management of beef cattle.
Amstalden’s teaching interests included reproductive physiology, endocrinology, molecular endocrinology and neuroendocrinology.
During his time as a faculty member at Texas A&M, Amstalden contributed to various interdisciplinary faculty of reproductive biology programs. He coordinated the annual reproductive biology retreat from 2007 to 2010, and the reproductive biology forum from 2010 to 2013.
Amstalden received a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil in 1992, and a masters and doctorate in physiology of reproduction from Texas A&M in 2000 and 2003, respectively. He served as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 2004 and 2005.
Amstalden is survived by his wife, Katia, and two daughters, Sophia, 11, and Clara, 8.
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