Most people will never be able to say they have an entire species of protozoa named after them. Burk Dehority can say he has two.

Dehority, who is a world leader in microbiology and an honored professor at Ohio State, retired this month after 51 years of research and education.

His research focused mainly on microorganisms responsible for the digestion of feeds in animals such as cattle and sheep.

“If it wasn’t for the microorganisms then the animals would not be able to digest hay,” he said.

His contributions to the field of rumen microbiology are used by companies worldwide. Dehority’s research resulted in the discovery of many new species of protozoa including the two that bear his name: Amylovorax dehorityi and Eudiplodinium dehorityi.

Despite starting out as an art major, Dehority graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from Blackburn College in 1952. He went on to earn his Master of Science in biochemistry from the University of Maine in 1954, and his doctorate in biochemistry from OSU in 1957. He became an assistant professor at the University of Connecticut in 1957, and returned to OSU in 1959. Dehority served as the associate chairman of the Department of Animal Sciences at OSU from 1981 to 1994.

Dehority said he will miss just working the most.

“I enjoyed what I did,” he said. “I think I’ll miss the opportunity to continue those studies.”

He said his career gave him the chance to achieve his boyhood dreams.

“I’ve been able to do some things that most people never have the opportunity to do,” Dehority said. Things including a safari in Kenya and collecting samples of kangaroos in Australia.

Dehority was a teacher who colleagues say had a great impact on many students. He was a major adviser for nine doctorate students and 16 Master of Science students.

James Males, a former Dehority student, is now the head of the Department of Animal Sciences at Oregon State University. Males said Dehority invited him to work with him on his doctorate while he was working on his master’s.

“It totally changed my life because I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing today,” said Males. He said he noticed he has done the same thing with other students and has really helped them to grow.

“With all of his students, and it was true for me, he really helped me to become a good scientist,” he said. Males said one thing he really remembers about Dehority is how dedicated he was to his work.

“He knows more about protozoa more than anyone and he would spend hours on the microscope,” he said.

Dehority’s dedication to his work was evident in publications and awards he earned throughout his career. He published 153 peer-reviewed journal articles, 10 book chapters, a textbook, a lab manual and more than 40 papers on rumen protozoa. He was given The Ohio State University Gamma Sigma Delta Research Award in 1977 and The Departmental Research Award in 2000.

Dehority said, now that he is retired he will most likely spend more time working around the house and continue to do writing on some unfinished research.

Emily Valandingham can be reached at [email protected].