Our Team
Dr. Tyler J.M. Jordan, DVM, PhD, DACVD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Jordan grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in 2014. In pursuit of advanced clinical training, Dr. Jordan moved to Columbus, Ohio where he completed a rotating internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the Ohio State University, followed by a three-year residency in Veterinary Dermatology at the University of California, Davis. In 2019, Dr. Jordan became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. Dr. Jordan then enrolled as a graduate student at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine where he received his PhD in Comparative Biomedical Sciences in 2023. Dr. Jordan’s clinical and research interests focus on the mechanisms and management of inflammatory, autoimmune, and neoplastic skin disease in companion animal species.
Dr. António Mendes, DVM, MSc
Dermatology Resident
Dr. Mendes grew up in Sintra, Portugal, and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Lisbon. During his master's training, he focused on the study of canine atopic dermatitis and completed a curricular rotating internship at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. After graduating, he obtained a postgraduate certificate in Veterinary Immunoallergology and began a Veterinary Dermatology Internship at the same hospital. As part of his training, he also completed several dermatology externships at referral centers across Europe. Dr. Mendes is a Veterinary Dermatology resident at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. He has been passionate about veterinary dermatology since veterinary school, with particular interests in skin barrier function and topical therapies.
Dr. Breezy Scranton, DVM
Dermatology Resident
Dr. Breezy Scranton is a Veterinary Dermatology resident at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Dr. Scranton received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2024, and completed a small animal rotating internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at University of Wisconsin thereafter. Since being an undergraduate student in Animal Science at UC Davis, Dr. Scranton has been interested in dermatology as a specialty in veterinary medicine and knew it was what she wanted to pursue. She is particularly excited about expanding her teaching and leadership skills as a new veterinarian.
Diana Polhac, BS
Laboratory Technician
Diana was raised on a farm in Romania and moved to the USA at the age of 8. As a first-generation college graduate, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior at the University of California, Davis. During her undergrad, she cultivated a passion for medical research. After graduating, Diana took a gap year to work as a bioengineering junior specialist at UCSF where she got hands on experience with lab animal medicine. This exposure motivated her to pursue veterinary assistantships in general practice, urgent care, and specialty clinics. These roles allowed her to refine her technical skills and deepen her understanding of companion animal medicine. To honor her love for benchtop research and clinical science, Diana returned to UC Davis to work as a junior specialist in the Jordan lab.
Nicole Udan, BS
Veterinary Student
Nicole is a veterinary student in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, graduating with the Class of 2029. Originally from San Diego, she earned her bachelor's degree in Biology with an emphasis in Zoology and a minor in Psychology (Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience) from San Diego State University. Nicole is currently exploring the many career paths within veterinary medicine, with a particular interest in small animal medicine and veterinary research. She is excited to contribute to research that advances animal health while developing her clinical and scientific skills. Outside of school and research, she enjoys spending time with her British Shorthair kitten, Bunny.
Sana Ota
Undergraduate Volunteer
Sana grew up in San Diego, California for the majority of her life and has had a passion for animals since a young age. She is an undergraduate student at the University of California, Davis pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is currently expanding her interest in veterinary medicine and research, and wishes to pursue a career in the veterinary field.
Myra Watanabe
Undergraduate Student
Myra is an undergraduate student at UC Davis, expecting to complete her major in Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behaviour and minor in Animal Science in 2027. Her primary goal in research is to support veterinary health directly, while identifying fundamental immunological mechanisms that bridge animal and human medicine. Having previously completed traineeships in biomedical research and lab methods, she hopes to continue building her expertise to prepare for a career at the intersection of veterinary and human healthcare.
Pushti Desai
Undergraduate Student
Pushti is a 3rd year Honours Biology Research student at McMaster University in Canada. Pushti has had a love for animals since an early age which has progressed into a passion for animal wellbeing as she grew up. Pushti is currently working on a project categorizing the unmet medical needs of cats with itch and allergic skin diseases with Dr. Jordan. Pushti wishes to pursue a career in the veterinary field in the future!