Dr. Daniela Y.

Dr. Yuschenkoff began her academic training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she earned a degree in biology. During her undergraduate summers, she gained broad experience through volunteer work at the Oakland Zoo, the Boston Science Museum, and a wildlife rehabilitation center. She also conducted research on the reproductive patterns of Golden Spiny mice in Israel, building an early foundation in comparative biology, animal behavior, and scientific inquiry.

At the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Yuschenkoff continued developing her interests in zoological and wildlife medicine while earning multiple awards and scholarships. Her honors included the Clark Client Communication Award, the Christine Parker Marino Memorial Wildlife Health Scholarship, the Dr. Robert H. Baker Endowed Scholarship, the Wackie Arnold Scholarship, and the Dr. Viki Krade Memorial Feline Medicine Award.

Following veterinary school, Dr. Yuschenkoff completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University and a specialized internship in zoological medicine at the Phoenix Zoo. She then completed a residency in zoological medicine at the Oklahoma City Zoo and earned Diplomate status with the American College of Zoological Medicine, the highest certification available for zoo veterinarians. Her postgraduate experience also includes work as a contract veterinarian at the San Francisco Zoo and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and as an Associate Veterinarian at Groveway Veterinary Hospital. She is currently an Associate Veterinarian at the Oklahoma City Zoo and has served as lead author on seven publications.

Dr. Yuschenkoff has developed a research portfolio spanning zoo, wildlife, and exotic animal health. Her work includes studies on copper hepatopathy in sugar gliders, tramadol pharmacokinetics in Galapagos tortoises, mortality patterns in Kirk’s dik-diks, and blood gas values in ferrets. She has led approximately 10 research projects and has been recognized for her scientific communication, including receiving first place in the AEMV Poster Presentation Competition at ExoticsCon. Dr. Yuschenkoff’s research has been published in the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, Zoo Biology, and other journals. Her work and professional achievements have also been featured by the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and Visit OKC.

As a research mentor, Dr. Yuschenkoff supports trainees through study development, data interpretation, abstract preparation, and manuscript writing. She has mentored students as a veterinary resident and has helped guide projects resulting in two abstracts accepted for presentation at the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians Conference. Her mentorship style is practical, collaborative, and grounded in helping trainees transform clinical observations into focused, publishable research questions.