Areas of Expertise: Conservation Medicine, Epidemiology, Outbreak Investigation, Disease Ecology, Molecular Parasitology, Innovative Diagnostics

Dr. Leah Owens joined the Tennessee Aquarium in March 2026 as Conservation Veterinarian. She was inspired by her experience as a veterinary student extern, during which she fell in love with the Aquarium and its institutional focus on conservation programs.

Dr. Owens’ highly collaborative work bridges clinical medicine, research, and on-the-ground conservation using cutting-edge diagnostic tools. She provides medical care for the animals in the Aquarium’s living collection as well as for aquatic wildlife in human care at the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute. She performs lab and field research focused on wildlife health and disease and studies all types of pathogens. (Parasites are her favorites.)

Dr. Owens’ work previously focused on Chimpanzees in Africa, Polar Bears in the Arctic, and enormous fish in Mongolia. Now, she is excited to turn her attention to the fascinating freshwater ecosystems found in the Southeast. She is also passionate about training the next generation of veterinary scientists and inspiring all people to care for the planet’s amazing aquatic life.

Education:
B.A., Washington University in St. Louis (Biology)
M.S., Princeton University (Molecular Biology)
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison (Comparative Biomedical Sciences)
D.V.M., University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine

Collected Publications:
Google Scholar
ResearchGate