Santangelo Research Team

The mission of the Kelly Santangelo research team is to enhance healthspan throughout lifespan by aiding and abetting functional, independent, and/or pain-free mobility.

The Santangelo research team is a part of the:

research project

Translational Research

Enhance healthspan throughout lifespan by aiding and abetting functional, independent, and/or pain-free mobility.

research project

Clinical Research

Improve the diagnostic quality (accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and positive/negative predictive values) of antemortem testing for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), while maintaining low cost, minimally invasive and clinically applicable qualities.

Publications

Multiplex fluorescent immunocytochemistry is a complementary test for the diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis: a diagnostic clinical trial.
Evans SJ, Cerna P, Curtis BE, Novicoff WM, Stoltz NL, Ashton L, Valentine M, Epstein S, LaVoy A, Dean G, Santangelo KS. J Feline Med Surg. 2026 Jun;28(6):1098612X261445145. doi: 10.1177/1098612X261445145. Epub 2026 Apr 14. PMID: 41981766; PMCID: PMC13280053.

Dot-blot ELISA assay demonstrates strong agreement with hemagglutination inhibition for the detection of canine parvovirus antibodies in sera of healthy, vaccinated blood-donor dogs.
Talbot CT, Brewer M, Willis M, Kofron K, Shropshire SB, Santangelo KS, Zersen KM, Lappin MR.  J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2026 Apr 8:1-7. doi: 10.2460/javma.25.12.0808. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41950951.

EXPRESS: Multiplex Fluorescent Immunocytochemistry is a Complementary Test for the Diagnosis of Feline Infectious Peritonitis: A Diagnostic Clinical Trial.
Evans S, Cerna P, Curtis B, Novicoff W, Stoltz N, Ashton L, Valentine M, Epstein S, LaVoy A, Dean G, Santangelo K. J Feline Med Surg. 2026 Apr 14:1098612X261445145. doi: 10.1177/1098612X261445145. Online ahead of print. PMID: 41981766

Three-Month Administration of PB125 Modifies Histopathology, Redox Homeostasis, and Mobility in the Hartley Guinea Pig Model of Primary Osteoarthritis.
Andrie KM, Musci RV, Walsh MA, Bork S, Valenti ZJ, Sanford J, Campbell M, F Afzali L, Afzali MF, Hamilton KL, Santangelo KS.  Antioxidants (Basel). 2026 Feb 5;15(2):212. doi: 10.3390/antiox15020212. PMID: 41750593; PMCID: PMC12938315.

A Review of Rodent Behavior, Mobility, and Pain Modifications in Response to Destabilization of the Medial Meniscus Injury
Kloser H, Henao-Tamayo M, Santangelo KS. . Biomedicines. 2025 Nov 26;13(12):2886. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13122886. PMID: 41462900; PMCID: PMC12730671.

more publications

People

Kelly Santangelo headshot.
Kelly Santangelo, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACVP

Lab Principal Investigator [PI]
Professor

Mary Afzali
Mary Afzali, Ph.D.

Research Scientist II

Kate Bukovec, D.V.M.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Michelle Larsen, D.V.M.

Graduate Research Assistant

Andrea Oliver, D.V.M., DACVIM

Joint Advised Graduate Research Assistant

Lauren Smanik
Lauren Smanik, D.V.M., M.S., DACVS

Joint Advised Graduate Research Assistant

Trey Brauchler

NIH T34 MARC Scholar

Lab Collaborators Icon: green globe icon on gold background
Collaborators

news and updates view all

July 1, 2026 Researchers develop new test to diagnose deadly cat disease

Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a new, more accurate test to diagnose feline infectious peritonitis, or FIP, a deadly disease caused by feline coronavirus that impacts an estimated 1-2% of cats, especially younger cats and kittens.
April 27, 2026 CU-Led Project Targets Osteoarthritis Reversal, Human Trials by 2028

Accelerated project, combining expertise from CU Anschutz, CU Boulder and Colorado State University scientists, aims for human clinical trials within 18 months
April 6, 2026 Federal Agency Unveils Three Potential Osteoarthritis Treatments

The Colorado NITRO team, including University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University, have developed injections or infusions that regrow bone and cartilage.

contact information

Office: Pathology room 216

Lab: Pathology room 207
Diagnostic Medical Center lab 140

(970) 491-5015