Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACT, an internationally renowned expert in equine reproductive medicine, has been appointed the new chair of the Department of Clinical Studies at New Bolton Center in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Vet).
As department chair, Hinrichs will also hold the Dr. Harry Werner Professorship in Equine Medicine. This endowed chair will serve as the centerpiece of a broader program for equine wellness and welfare at New Bolton Center. Established in 2016 through the estate gift of Seth and Lucy Holcombe, the professorship honors the couple’s veterinarian and life-long friend, Dr. Harry Werner, a 1974 Penn Vet graduate.
Hinrichs, who will begin her new role at Penn Vet on March 2, 2020, is currently a faculty member at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science’s Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, where she is professor and Patsy Link Chair in Mare Reproductive Studies. She also holds a joint appointment in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at A&M.
In her role at Penn, she will lead a department of 49 standing and associated faculty members who practice and conduct research efforts in diagnostic and clinical health areas, including laminitis, equine joint trauma, reproductive medicine, pharmacology, food animal health and productivity, large animal medicine, and surgery.
Hinrichs is an international leader in equine reproductive health and reproductive biology, with a special focus on oocyte maturation, fertilization, and early embryo development, as well as sperm capacitation. She has extensive experience in clinical work, research, teaching and administration.
Hinrichs received her PhD from Penn, and her DVM and BS degrees from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California at Davis. She completed her residency in Reproductive Studies at Penn Vet’s Hofmann Center for Animal Reproduction at New Bolton Center, where she also served as lecturer.
In 1988, Hinrichs joined the faculty at Tufts University’s School of Veterinary Medicine as assistant professor. She was later appointed associate professor, heading the Theriogenology and then Large Animal Clinical Sciences sections. Hinrichs went on to join the faculty at Texas A&M, and in 2002, she was named professor of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology. In 2005, Hinrichs became the first Patsy Link Chair in Reproductive Studies, and in 2015, she was appointed Regents Professor, the highest honor in the Texas A&M System, in recognition for her excellence in research, teaching and service.
As an investigator, Hinrichs has authored or contributed to more than 325 research publications. Among her achievements are producing the first cloned horse in North America, and developing the medical standard for effective intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and in vitro culture for embryo production in horses. In addition to serving on the Board of Governors of the International Embryo Technology Society, Hinrichs has been actively involved in a number of other professional and scientific societies, including serving for 16 years on the International Equine Reproduction Symposium Committee.
“Dr. Hinrichs’s expertise, her sophisticated application of technology within equine medicine, and her internationally recognized research credentials make her a natural fit for us here at Penn Vet,” said Andrew M. Hoffman, DVM, DVSC, the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “I’m delighted that she’s returning to Penn Vet to continue her career. She has made many significant contributions to our understanding of equine fertilization and embryonic development, and we are excited to watch the Department of Clinical Studies grow and thrive under her leadership.”
Over the past four decades, Hinrichs has received many awards and honors. These include: Doctor Honoris Causa in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Copenhagen (2007); Outstanding Faculty Award from Tufts University (1997); Richard H. Davis Teaching Award from Texas A&M (2001); Texas Veterinary Medical Association Faculty Achievement Award (2013); Theriogenologist of the Year from the American College Theriogenologists (2003); the Distinguished Achievement Award in Research from Texas A&M (2019); and notably, the 2016 Simmet Prize for Assisted Reproduction from the International Congress of Animal Reproduction, the most prestigious award in the field of animal reproductive science.
“I’m excited to return to Penn Vet, to the institution that launched my career in academia and set me on a course as an equine scientist,” said Hinrichs. “The caliber of faculty, the scope of research, and the quality of the clinical programs at New Bolton are impressive. I look forward to joining the department and to contributing to the continued success of this outstanding institution.”