Reproductive Physiology and Embryo Biology
Dr. Godke heads the LSU Embryo
Biotechnology Laboratory, which is a major research center for Reproductive Physiology and Embryo
Biotechnology in farm, companion, and exotic animal species. His group conducts research in in vitro
fertilization, embryo culture, freezing embryos, embryo microsurgery, embryo reconstruction, gene
incorporation and nuclear transfer using animal gametes and embryos.
Dr. Godke grew up on a livestock farm in northwest Illinois, where he was active in 4-H, FFA and
sports during his high school years. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Southern Illinois
University in Animal Science and then held the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps
serving at Walter Reed Army Hospital and Southeast Asia during the Vietnam Conflict. He completed his
Ph.D. in Reproductive Physiology and Embryology at the University of Missouri, and then joined the
faculty as an Assistant Professor in the fall of 1973.
Some of the honors he has been awarded at LSU include: Outstanding Teacher in the College of
Agriculture, Outstanding Graduate Teacher in the College of Agriculture, Outstanding Professor of
Louisiana, the CASE Professor Award, NACTA Outstanding Teacher of Agriculture in the South,
Outstanding Teacher of Agriculture in the United States by the USDA, Outstanding Researcher in the
College of Agriculture, the University Medal for Research, the University Research Master,
Outstanding Researcher in Agriculture in the United States by the USDA, NACTA Outstanding
Teacher-Researcher in Agriculture in North America, the University Medal for Research, Teaching and
Service, the "Points of Light Award" by the USDA for service to mankind and awarded theuniversity
highest award, a "Boyd Professorship" in 1995.
Dr. Godke has an active graduate training program. Presently, there are 6 M.S. and 6 Ph.D.
students working towards advanced degrees in his graduate program. The research program also supports
three post doctoral students and several visiting scientists. Further information on Dr. Godke's
program, students, and other associated personnel can be obtained through the LSU Embryo Biotechnology
Laboratory homepage.
A Sample of More Recent Publications Dr. Godke's Group (Starting in 1994):
Broussard, J.R., J.K. Thibodeaux, M.M. Myers, J.D. Roussel, S.G. Prough, J. Blackwell and R.A. Godke. 1994. Frozen-thawed cumulus-granulosa cells support bovine embryos developing during co-culture. Fertil. Steril. 62:176-180.
Zhang, L., A.M. Weston, R.S. Denniston, L.L. Goodeaux, R.A. Godke and D.P. Wolf. 1994. The development of IVF-derived Rhesus monkey embryos. Biol. Reprod. 51:433-440.
Rorie, R.W., S.H. Pool, J.F. Prichard, K.J. Betteridge and R.A. Godke. 1994. A simplified procedure for interspecific and intergeneric embryo transfer. Vet. Rec. 115:186-187.
Swanson, W.F. and R.A. Godke. 1994. A technique for transcervical embryo transfer in cats. Lab. Anim. Sci. 44:288-291.
Zhang, L., S. Jiang, P.J. Wozniak, X. Yang and R.A. Godke. 1995. Cumulus cell function during bovine oocyte maturation, fertilization and embryo development in vitro. Molec. Reprod. Develop. 40:338-344.
Meintjes, M., M.S. Bellow, J.R. Broussard, J.B. Paul and R.A. Godke. 1995. Transvaginal aspiration of bovine oocytes from hormone-treated pregnant beef cattle for in vitro fertilization. J. Anim. Sci. 73:967-974.
Loskutoff, N.M., P. Bartels, M. Meintjes, R.A. Godke and M.C. Schiewe. 1995. Assisted reproductive technologies in nondomestic ungulates: A model approach for preserving and managing genetic diversity. Theriogenology 43:3-15.
Meintjes, M., M.S. Bellow, J.B. Paul, J.R. Broussard, L.Y. Li, D. Paccamonti, B.E. Eilts and R.A. Godke. 1995. Transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte recovery in cyclic and pregnant horse and pony mares for in vitro fertilization. Equine Reproduction VI, Biol. Reprod.1:355-366.
Broussard, J.R., J.K. Thibodeaux, M. W. Myers, J.D. Roussel, W. Hansel and R. A. Godke. 1995. Effect of serum substitutes on bovine granulosa cell function and proliferation during in vitro culture. J. Anim. Sci. 73:3287-3293.
Morgan, K., K.Wiemer, N.Steuerwald, D.Hoffman, W.Maxon and R.Godke. 1995. Use of videocinematography to assess morphological qualities of conventionally cultured and cocultured embryos. Human Reprod. 10:2371-2376.
Swanson, W.F., D.W. Horohov and R.A. Godke. 1995. Production of exogenous gonadotrophin- neutralizing immunoglobulins in cats after repeated eCG-hCG treatment and relevance for assisted reproduction in felids. J. Reprod. Fertil. 105:35-41.
Swanson, W.F., K. Valasco, D.W. Horohov, D.L. Thompson, Jr. and R.A. Godke. 1995. Follicle and secondary corpora lutea formation following exogenous gonadotropin treatment in the domestic cat and effect of passive transfer of gonadotropin-neutralizing anti-sera. Theriogenology 45:561-572.
Lim, J. M., B.C. Reggio, R.A. Godke and W. Hansel. 1996. A continuous flow, perifusion culture system for 8- to 16-cell bovine embryos derived from in vitro culture. Theriogenology 46:1441-1450.
Broussard, J.R., J.K. Thibodeaux, M. W. Myers, J.D. Roussel, W. Hansel and R. A. Godke. 1996. Effect of media substitutes on bovine granulosa cell function and proliferation during in vitro culture. J. Anim. Sci. 73:3287-3293.
Swanson, W.F., T. L. Roth and R. A. Godke. 1996. Persistence of the developmental block of invitro fertilized domestic cat embryos to temporal variations in culture conditions. Molec. Reprod. Develop. 43:298-305.
Swanson, W.F., T.L. Roth, K. Velasco, D.W. Horohov and R.A. Godke. 1996. Kinetics of the humoral immune responses of domestic cats stimulated with exogenous gonadotropins at short versus long treatment intervals. Amer. J. Vet. Res.57:302-307.
Broussard, J.R., A. Rocha, J. Sirois, J.D. Roussel, J.K. Thibodeaux, R.A. Godke and W. Hansel. 1997. Effects of dexamethasone administration to diestrus cows on systemic progesterone, estrogen and uterine cyclooxygenase production. Anim. Reprod Sci. 47:263-271.
Meintjes, M., K.G. Graff, D. Paccamonti, B.E. Eilts, J.B.Paul, D.L.Thompson, Jr, M.T. Kerney and R.A. Godke. 1997. Effect of follicular aspiration and flushing, and genotype type of the fetus on circulating progesterone levels during pregnancy in the mare. Equine Vet. J. Suppl. 25:25-32.
Presicce, G.A., S. Jiang, M. Simkin, L. Zhang, C. R. Looney, R. A. Godke and X. Yang. 1997. Age and hormone dependence of acquisition of oocyte competence for embryogenesis in prepubertal calves. Biol. Reprod. 56:386-392.
Vitale, N.J., M.W. Myers, R.S. Denniston, S.P. Leibo and R.A. Godke. 1997. In vitro development of refrozen murine embryos. Human Reprod. 12 (2):310-316.
Lim, J. M., B.C. Reggio, R. A. Godke and W. Hansel. 1997. Perifusion culture system for bovine embryos: Improvement of embryo development by use of bovine oviduct epithelial cells, antioxident and polyvinyl alcohol. Reprod. Fertil. Develop 9:411-418.
Meintjes, M., C. Bezuidenhout, P. Bartels, D. S. Visser, J. Meintjes, N. M. Loskutoff, F. le R. Fourie, D.M. Barry and R.A. Godke. 1997. In vitro fertilization of in vitro matured oocytes recovered from free-ranging Burchell's zebra (Equus burchelli) and Hartmann's zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae). J. Zoo Wildlife Med. 28 (3):251-259.
Rocha, A., R.D. Randel, J.R. Broussard, R.M. Blair, J.M. Lim, J.D. Roussel R.A. Godke and W. Hansel. 1998. High environmental temperature and humidity decreases oocyte quality in Bos tarus but not Bos indicus cows. Theriogenology 49:657-665.
Cochran, R., M. Meintjes, B. Reggio, D. Hylan, J. Carter, C. Pinto, D. Paccamonti and R.A. Godke. 1998. Live foals produced from sperm-injected oocytes derived from pregnant mares. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 18:736-740.
Cochran, R.A., A.A. Leonardi-Cattolica, M. R. Sullivan, L.A. Kincaid, B. S. Leise, D.L. Thompson Jr. and R.A. Godke. 1998. The effects of equine somatotropin (eST) of follicular development and circulating plasma hormone profiles in cyclic mares treated during different stages of the estrous cycle. Dom. Anim. Endocrinol. 16:57-67.
Boediono, A., T. Suzuki and L.Y. Li and R. A. Godke. 1999. Development to term of chimeras re- constructed from parthenogenetic and in vitro fertilized bovine embryos. Molec. Reprod. Develop. 53:159-170.
Lim, J.M. B. C. Reggio, R. A. Godke and W. Hansel. 1999. Development of in vitro-derived bovine embryos cultured in 5% CO2 or in 5% O2 5% CO2 and 90% N2. Human Reprod. 14:458-464.
Behboodi, E., A. Baguis, D. Malican, J. Pollock, M. Destrempes, J. Williams, S. Nims, P. Midura, M. Palacios, S. Ayes, R. Denniston, M. Hayes, C.A. Ziomek, H.M. Meade, R.A. Godke, W. Gavin, E.W. Overstrom and Y. Echelard. 1999. Recombinant protein expression in the milk of transgenic goats generated by somatic cell nuclear transfer. Nature-Biotech (In press).
