Dr. Ya-Xiong Tao is currently Professor of Physiology at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in Auburn, Alabama, USA. He has been working on several G protein-coupled receptors, including gonadotropin receptors regulating reproduction, and melanocortin receptors regulating energy and glucose homeostasis. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed biomedical journals and obtained funding for his research from National Institutes of Health, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association, among others. He has delivered numerous lectures at universities and research institutes in USA, Canada, China, India, and Mexico. He has edited ten volumes, including seven volumes in Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science. He teaches several courses, including Physiology, Receptorology, Genomics and Personalized Medicine, and Molecular Endocrinology, for veterinarian, graduate, and undergraduate Honors students.

• PrefaceYa-Xiong Tao 1. Sheep as a model for neuroendocrinology researchChad D. Foradori and Laci Mackay2. Relevance of dog as an animal model for urologic diseasesHannah Ruetten and Chad M. Vezina3. Canine models of human cancer: Bridging the gap to improve precision medicineRebecca L. Nance, Abdul Mohin Sajib and Bruce F. Smith4. Bovine models for human ovarian diseasesJohn F. Roberts and Chen-Che Jeff Huang5. Mutations in rhodopsin, endothelin B receptor, and CC chemokine receptor 5 in large animals: Modeling human diseasesRen-Lei Ji and Ya-Xiong Tao6. Melanocortin-1 receptor mutations and pigmentation: Insights from large animalsRen-Lei Ji and Ya-Xiong Tao7. Mutations in melanocortin-4 receptor: From fish to menYa-Xiong Tao8. Patient-derived organoids as a model for tumor researchJia Wang, Xiaoying Feng, Zhichao Li, Wei Chen and Weiren Huang

Dr. Ya-Xiong Tao is currently Professor of Physiology at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in Auburn, Alabama, USA. He has been working on several G protein-coupled receptors, including gonadotropin receptors regulating reproduction, and melanocortin receptors regulating energy and glucose homeostasis. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed biomedical journals and obtained funding for his research from National Institutes of Health, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association, among others. He has delivered numerous lectures at universities and research institutes in USA, Canada, China, India, and Mexico. He has edited ten volumes, including seven volumes in Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science. He teaches several courses, including Physiology, Receptorology, Genomics and Personalized Medicine, and Molecular Endocrinology, for veterinarian, graduate, and undergraduate Honors students.

• PrefaceYa-Xiong Tao 1. Sheep as a model for neuroendocrinology researchChad D. Foradori and Laci Mackay2. Relevance of dog as an animal model for urologic diseasesHannah Ruetten and Chad M. Vezina3. Canine models of human cancer: Bridging the gap to improve precision medicineRebecca L. Nance, Abdul Mohin Sajib and Bruce F. Smith4. Bovine models for human ovarian diseasesJohn F. Roberts and Chen-Che Jeff Huang5. Mutations in rhodopsin, endothelin B receptor, and CC chemokine receptor 5 in large animals: Modeling human diseasesRen-Lei Ji and Ya-Xiong Tao6. Melanocortin-1 receptor mutations and pigmentation: Insights from large animalsRen-Lei Ji and Ya-Xiong Tao7. Mutations in melanocortin-4 receptor: From fish to menYa-Xiong Tao8. Patient-derived organoids as a model for tumor researchJia Wang, Xiaoying Feng, Zhichao Li, Wei Chen and Weiren Huang