Dhani Prakoso joins Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
New section head brings global expertise to molecular diagnostics
Long before he pursued veterinary science, Dhani Prakoso, DVM, Ph.D., was the child who couldn’t ignore an animal in need.
Growing up in Surabaya, Indonesia, the country’s second-largest city, Prakoso saw the challenges facing stray animals in a community with few animal shelters and wondered how he could help. While many of his family members pursued careers in human medicine, he chose a different path.
“My father was surprised when I said I wanted to be a veterinarian,” Prakoso said. “But I wanted to help animals.”
That simple motivation would eventually take him around the world and now to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, in College Station where he serves as the molecular diagnostics section head.
The outbreak that shaped his career
After earning his veterinary degree from Universitas Airlangga in Surabaya, Prakoso opened a small animal clinic and later joined Indonesia’s Disease Investigation Center under the country’s Ministry of Agriculture.
His career changed dramatically during Indonesia’s avian influenza outbreak in the early 2000s. While helping respond to the emerging disease, Prakoso learned polymerase chain reaction, PCR, and real-time PCR techniques from international experts, including scientists from Australia’s Animal Health Laboratory.
“That experience helped me understand the major role that diagnostics plays,” Prakoso said. “I realized that our results could determine if a farm was at risk.”
Growth across continents
Eager to deepen his expertise, Prakoso applied to participate in the Fulbright Scholar program and began studying at the University of Florida, where he completed both his master’s and doctoral degrees.
There, his proficiency evolved beyond running tests as an instrument user. He learned to develop, optimize and troubleshoot molecular assays, skills that equipped him to advance the technology itself.
“Veterinary medicine was the path I chose, but I also thought about becoming a pilot or engineer,” Prakoso said. “I have always enjoyed understanding the mechanics of how things work.”
Whenever a laboratory instrument required service, he would sit alongside the technician, asking questions and learning how the equipment functioned. For him, understanding the technology behind the diagnostics was just as important as understanding the science.
A passion for molecular science that led to TVMDL
Prior to arriving in Texas, Prakoso completed his postdoctoral research and worked in Tennessee, Indonesia and Pennsylvania, where he continued expanding his expertise across molecular diagnostics, virology and diagnostic laboratory operations. Throughout his entire career, he has remained particularly fascinated by molecular diagnostics.
“We learn to see something that cannot be seen with the human eye alone,” Prakoso said. “The sample’s extracted genetic material always looks clear, but when we put it into the instrument, it gives us a lot of data.”
Though captivated by both the technology and biology, Prakoso said the real value of molecular diagnostics is the impact of the answers it brings. Joining TVMDL means continuing the mission that first inspired him to become a veterinarian.
“We can help the animal owners, the veterinarians, the farmers and the animals themselves,” he said. “It might not be directly, but this is the way I know I can help them.”
Committed to diagnostic excellence
Prakoso said he is excited to begin leading TVMDL’s molecular diagnostics section. His goal is to magnify TVMDL among the leading veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the nation by serving clients with meaningful answers.
“For me, every sample carries hope,” Prakoso said. “Hope for the submitter and; hope for the owner that we can answer even the biggest mysteries.”
To learn more about the outstanding employees who support TVMDL’s mission, or for information about diagnostic testing services, visit tvmdl.tamu.edu or call the College Station laboratory at 888-646-5623 or the Canyon laboratory at 888-646-5624.
This story by Maci Guay originally appeared on the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory website.
