Dr. Kathy Hoag retires after 25 years at the BLD Program

By Devlin Beaton | May 29, 2026 |

After more than two decades of dedication to the Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program, Dr. Kathy Hoag will retire this June, closing an incredible chapter of service, mentorship, and impact. Since joining the BLD faculty in 2001, Dr. Hoag has played a lasting role in shaping the educational experience for thousands of MSU students, leaving a meaningful mark on the program, her colleagues, and the many lives she’s influenced along the way.

A native of Michigan, Dr. Hoag was born and raised in Bessemer, a small town in the western Upper Peninsula. Her interest in laboratory science began in high school after a visiting Michigan Technological University student demonstrated blood typing in her Anatomy and Physiology class. “When I saw my blood agglutinate on a glass slide and learned I could have a career doing that kind of patient testing, I was hooked” she said. That early experience set her on a path that led her to Michigan Technological University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in medical technology in 1988.

Dr. Hoag’s academic journey then took her beyond Michigan as she moved to Texas to continue her education. She earned her master’s degree in medical technology from Texas Christian University in 1991, followed by a PhD in Immunology from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas in 1996. She then completed postdoctoral research in Nutritional Immunology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and later served as an Assistant Professor at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. These experiences ultimately brought her back to Michigan.

Dr. Hoag holding a carrot cake made by one of her students. Carrots are a great source of b-carotene, a dietary precursor from which the body can create all-trans retinoic acid, the active form of vitamin A, and the focus of her nutritional immunology research.

After joining the BLD faculty in 2001, Dr. Hoag began her work teaching in MT 213L (now BLD 213L) alongside graduate teaching assistants. She later took over Clinical Immunology (MT 434) and contributed to Parasitology instruction within the Eukaryotic Pathogens course (MT 450) prior to the program’s curriculum revision in 2017. During this time, she also led an NIH-funded research laboratory in North Kedzie Hall, where she mentored undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students, and supported graduate research training through her work as a major advisor and graduate committee member.

In 2008, Dr. Hoag became the BLD Undergraduate Program Director, a role she has held ever since, helping guide the program and support student success. In more recent years, she co-developed BLD 121 with Dr. Kathy Doig (BLD Professor Emeritum) and has continued to teach it since 2017, while also co-teaching advanced courses such as BLD 446 and 447 with Dr. John Gerlach.

Throughout her career, Dr. Hoag’s contributions to the BLD Program have created opportunities for student growth and success, none more so than her work with the SMiLeS program. The SMiLeS (Support in Medical Laboratory Science) program was a grant funded initiative that provided scholarships to disadvantaged and underrepresented students pursuing medical laboratory science degrees at MSU. As Project Director, she led the initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, which required a rapid transition to a fully virtual environment. Despite the challenges, the program flourished, ultimately providing more than $1.1 million in scholarships to over 50 students pursuing careers in medical laboratory science.

Over time, she built strong mentoring relationships, supporting SMiLeS students as they progressed through the program, helping them grow in both confidence and ability. Reflecting on that experience, she described the opportunity to support students throughout their academic journey as especially meaningful, “The greatest privilege was seeing the entire student development from first semester freshman to MLS graduation day.”

Dr. Hoag making her final walk with BLD students at the 2026 College of Natural Science Spring Commencement.

Beyond SMiLeS, her impact extended to the classroom, where she taught Clinical Immunology to thousands of students over two decades, inspiring some to pursue advanced study in the field. Her dedication to teaching was recognized through the Teacher-Scholar Award from Michigan State University in 2005 and the College of Natural Science Excellence in Teaching Award in 2013. She also played a key role in shaping foundational courses like BLD 121, helping create a strong and supportive introduction to the program for incoming students. Together, these efforts reflect a career defined not only by what she accomplished, but by the lasting impact she made on the students she guided.

For generations of BLD students, Dr. Hoag has been a part of their journey from first-year uncertainty to graduation day celebration. Her impact on the program will continue to be felt through the many students she has taught and mentored over the years. Her commitment to fostering critical thinking and supporting student success has helped shape the next generation of laboratory professionals. As she steps into retirement, she looks forward to traveling and embracing a pace of life no longer defined by the academic calendar.