About Vicki
Victoria (Vicki) Klimuk is a veterinary student and M.S. graduate in Microbiology at Colorado State University, currently contributing to the VandeWoude Lab’s efforts to better understand feline viral infections. Her research centers on the genetic characterization of historical feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) samples using Oxford Nanopore’s MinION sequencing technology. This project aims to uncover how FIV evolves both within and between infected individuals.
True to her busybody nature, Vicki is an active member of several student organizations, including the Student Chapter of the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, the Honeybee Veterinary Medicine Club, and the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, where she currently serves in leadership roles. She aims to build a career at the intersection of clinical care, infectious disease research, and public service: one that supports animal and community health through curiosity-driven science, compassionate practice, and a commitment to multispecies clinical care.
Outside the lab and classroom, she enjoys reading, collecting obscure teas and vintage teacups, and analyzing the life lessons of magical girl anime like Sailor Moon.