I’m Niki DeValk, AAS, LVT, SRS, RECOVER BLS/ALS, founder of NiKara Preclinical and an independent surgical, interventional, and anesthesia specialist. My career in animal care began in 1998, and I’ve spent more than two decades since in veterinary medicine and preclinical research across small animal, large animal, exotic, and zoo species. Through NiKara Preclinical, I integrate directly into your team and facility, providing surgical and interventional execution, anesthetic management, protocol and SOP development, and on-site training that keep your studies on time, on protocol, and aligned with the highest standards of animal welfare and regulatory compliance.

Since 2018, I’ve served as primary surgeon and interventionalist on GLP and non-GLP studies, performing models across cardiovascular, endovascular, orthopedic, neuromodulation, oncology, gastrointestinal, microsurgical, and wound healing applications. My work spans open, minimally invasive, and hybrid approaches in catheter labs, hybrid ORs, university veterinary medical centers, and contract research facilities. That breadth, and the depth behind it, is what I bring to every engagement.

Anesthesia has been at the core of my work since 2006. I trained under boarded anesthesiologists in academic specialty departments, designed and implemented a post-anesthesia care program, and today manage advanced anesthetic cases including TIVA/PIVA, neuromuscular blockade, regional techniques, and invasive hemodynamic monitoring. Through University of Minnesota collaborations with the Minnesota Zoo and Como Park Zoo, I’ve also anesthetized reptiles, great apes and other non-human primates, and large felids, alongside exotic companion animals in clinical practice. That foundation in species-appropriate anesthetic management informs every procedure I support, and it’s the backbone of the VITALS Academy training modules I teach.

Beyond the procedure room, I’ve run the operational side of preclinical research. As a laboratory manager, I oversaw full facility operations and served as Radiation Safety Officer, Controlled Substance Administrator, and Corporate Safety Manager, while authoring SOPs and maintaining controlled document systems aligned with GLP, IACUC, USDA, and AAALAC standards. I understand what your compliance team and facility need from every case, not just what happens on the table.

For surgical and anesthetic execution, I work directly with you: no layers, no handoffs, no uncertainty about who’s in your procedure room. And when your study needs more, such as IACUC support, advanced cardiac work, NHP model and protocol development, or full study direction, NiKara Preclinical connects you with the same level of hands-on, experienced support through a trusted network of independent Study Directors and specialist collaborators.

Credentials & Affiliations

Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) · Surgical Research Specialist (SRS) · RECOVER Basic and Advanced Life Support · A.A.S., Veterinary Technology

Official professional services vendor, University of Minnesota

Member of the Academy of Surgical Research (ASR), American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), Minnesota Association of Veterinary Technicians (MAVT), Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA), American Association of Veterinary Anatomists (AAVA), and the RECOVER Initiative

Let’s talk about your next study.
niki@nikarapreclinical.com · 612.770.7839