Dr. Dhani Prakoso brings global expertise to lead TVMDL’s molecular diagnostics section

Long before he pursued veterinary science, Dhani Prakoso, DVM, MS, PhD, was the child who couldn’t ignore an animal in need. 

Growing up in Surabaya, Indonesia, the country’s second-largest city, Prakoso saw the challenges facing stray animals in a community with few animal shelters and wondered how he could help. While many of his family members pursued careers in human medicine, Prakoso chose a different path. 

“My father was surprised when I said I wanted to be a veterinarian,” Prakoso said. “But I wanted to help animals.”

That simple motivation would eventually take him around the world and now to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, where he serves as the molecular diagnostics section head.

The outbreak that shaped his career

After earning his veterinary degree from Airlangga University in Surabaya, Prakoso opened a small animal clinic and later joined Indonesia’s Disease Investigation Center under the country’s Ministry of Agriculture. 

His career changed dramatically during Indonesia’s avian influenza outbreak in the early 2000s. While helping respond to the emerging disease, Prakoso learned polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR techniques from international experts, including scientists from Australia’s Animal Health Laboratory.

“That experience helped me understand the big role that diagnostics plays,” Prakoso said. “I realized that our results could determine if a farm was at risk of depopulation.

Growth across continents 

Eager to deepen his expertise, Prakoso applied to participate in the Fulbright Program and began studying at the University of Florida, where he completed both his master’s and doctoral degrees.

There, his proficiency evolved beyond running tests as an instrument user. He learned to develop, optimize, and troubleshoot molecular assays, skills that equipped him to advance the technology itself. 

“Veterinary medicine was the path I chose, but I also thought about becoming a pilot or engineer,” Prakoso said. “I have always enjoyed understanding the mechanics of how things work.” 

Whenever a laboratory instrument required service, he would sit alongside the technician, asking questions and learning how the equipment functioned. For him, understanding the technology behind the diagnostics was just as important as understanding the science.

A passion for molecular science that led to TVMDL

Prakoso later completed postdoctoral research before he began work in Tennessee, Indonesia, and Pennsylvania, where he continued expanding his expertise across molecular diagnostics, virology, and diagnostic laboratory operations. Throughout his entire career, he has remained particularly fascinated by molecular diagnostics.

“We learn to see something that cannot be seen with the human eye alone,” Prakoso said. “The sample’s extracted genetic material always looks clear, but somehow when we put it into the instrument, it gives us a lot of colors and a lot of data.”

Though captivated by both the technology and biology, Prakoso said that the real value of molecular diagnostics is the impact of the answers it brings. Joining TVMDL means continuing the mission that first inspired him to become a veterinarian in the first place. 

“We can help the animal owners, the veterinarians, the farmers, and the animals themselves,” he said. “It might not be directly, but this is the way I know I can help them.”

Committed to diagnostic excellence 

As Prakoso and his family settle into their new home, he is equally excited to begin leading TVMDL’s molecular diagnostics section. His goal is to magnify TVMDL among the leading veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the nation by serving clients with meaningful answers.

“For me, every sample carries hope.” Prakoso said. “Hope for the submitter. Hope for the owner. That we can answer even the biggest mysteries.”

To learn more about the outstanding employees who support TVMDL’s mission, or for information about diagnostic testing services, visit tvmdl.tamu.edu or call the College Station laboratory at 888.646.5623 or the Canyon laboratory at 888.646.5624.