YOUR MONTHLY NEWS & UPDATES |
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Laboratory Diagnosticians' News Matters |
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Shuping Zhang , BVSc. MS, PhD, DACVM
President
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Hope your summer is going well and you are finding time to rest and recharge for another successful annual meeting.
The 2021 AAVLD annual meeting will be held as hybrid conference in Denver, Colorado. Many thanks to Dr. Dave Zeman, the Executive Director, and the administrative staff, the meeting preparations are going well and on-track. Thanks to Dr. Saliki, the President Elect and Program Chair, abstracts are being processed for review by experts in the field. Besides the annual meeting, I have more exciting news to share and will provide a few examples in this edition of the newsletter.
Since the spring 2020, our laboratories have played an important role in protecting America from the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. Of the 37 laboratories testing for SARS-COV-2, 25 laboratories tested human samples, 19 laboratories tested both human and animal samples, and 12 laboratories tested animal samples. These laboratories have tested millions of human and animal samples for Covid-19, in addition to their normal surveillance and diagnostic work for animal diseases, such as ASF, FMD and HPAI. Many of the rest of the NALHN laboratories offered their equipment, personnel, supplies, and expertise to their state’s public health laboratories for SARS-COV-2 testing. In 2021, more NALHN Level 2 labs have achieved the Level 1 status. The increased capacity, capabilities, and responsibilities not only highlight our strength in and commitment to One Health, but also call for appropriate recognition and federal funding.
The AAVLD leadership has been actively engaging the US Congress and Department of Agriculture. It is exciting to know that the 2021 Farm Bill Funding includes $5 million for a joint NAHLN-NDPRP program and $5 million for NAHLN, of which about $2.5 million will be distributed to all laboratories ($50k per lab) as a supplement to the infrastructure funding and $2.5 million for NAHLN competitive grant program. Additional funding will be available for NALHN laboratories through the 2021 Omnibus Appropriations Bill ($20 million designated). With regard to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ($300 million for USDA), Secretary Vilsack has recently responded to our recommendations and stated “USDA values its strong and ongoing partnership with AAVLD. As APHIS moves forward, we’ll be reaching out to our partners to share the framework, solicit feedback, and identify opportunities to collaborate. I hope that you will be a part of that dialogue and provide your input.” I am very hopeful that our laboratories will receive additional funding to support our mission.
Finally, I hope to see and interact with all of you, either on-site or online. Together, we can keep the AAVLD going strong!
Sincerely,
Shuping Zhang
AAVLD President
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AAVLD Diagnostic Pathology Slide Seminar Call for Abstracts |
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If you haven't already, please take a moment to create an account and submit your Diagnostic Pathology Slide Seminar abstract!
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ATTENTION: Vendors Serving Veterinary Diagnostic Labs and the Animal Health Industry |
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2021 AAVLD Hybrid Trade Show
During the AAVLD/USAHA Annual Meeting October 22 -26, 2021
Onsite in Denver CO and Virtual
For details contact our meeting planner Kaylin Taylor
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2001 Awardee's - where are they today? |
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Dr. Christina Wilson-Frank was the AAVLD Foundation Best Student Presentation awardee in 2001 for her paper on “Species comparison of the warfarin-sensitive enzyme vitamin K1 2,3-epoxide reductase” with co-authors G. P. Carlson, J. M. Sauer and S. B. Hooser. She completed her PhD at Purdue University and is currently Clinical Associate Professor of Toxicology and Head Chemist in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology/ Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University and a member of the AAVLD/USAHA Committee on Environment and Toxicology.
Who introduced you to AAVLD?
While I was working as the Assistant Chemist in the Toxicology Section of the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) at Purdue University, I was also working toward a Master’s degree in Toxicology, attending graduate school part-time. Dr. Robert Everson (Head Chemist in the Toxicology Section) and Dr. Stephen Hooser (Section Head of the Toxicology Section) were the individuals who encouraged me to participate in and attend the AAVLD annual meetings.
Were you active in regional AAVLD activities?
During my time in graduate school, and during my tenure as a full-member of AAVLD, I have only been active in the national, annual AAVLD meetings. I would certainly be interested in being more active in regional AAVLD activities when offered.
Did your training program provide travel funds for you to attend the national meeting?
While I was in graduate school, my travel was funded by the ADDL with support from Dr. Leon Thacker (Director of ADDL at that time). This was serendipitous because during that time, the ADDL had historically supported travel to the annual AAVLD meeting for the Assistant Chemist position in the Toxicology Section.
Have you encouraged other students to attend meetings or become involved in AAVLD? Do you have suggestions for other members on how to involve their students in AAVLD?
Because AAVLD has provided opportunities for technical staff to attend the national meeting, I have encouraged my staff to apply for those travel awards which gives them the opportunity to present some of the diagnostic methods development/research they have completed in my laboratory. Specifically regarding toxicology student attendees, I have undergraduate students each year assisting with diagnostic methods development and would certainly encourage them to attend if I had the travel funds available for them to attend. If I had graduate students in my laboratory, they would be encouraged to attend and participate in the AAVLD national meeting. One thing that is challenging for those of us in veterinary toxicology is finding support or funding to train graduate students, residents or interns in the area of veterinary toxicology.
Was your first experience attending an AAVLD national meeting a good one?
My first experience attending an AAVLD national meeting was a very good experience for me for several reasons. It gave me the opportunity to meet other veterinary toxicology colleagues with whom our laboratory collaborated with on cases and leaned on for their expertise. Being able to network and socialize with that group was definitely a rewarding experience for me personally and professionally. I also gave a presentation in the Toxicology Scientific Session at my first AAVLD national meeting. The encouraging and constructive feedback I received from those attending that session was helpful and, since it was my first oral presentation in a venue of that caliber, it helped build my confidence in giving oral presentations as a graduate student.
Do you think AAVLD today is meeting the needs of student attendees? Do you have suggestions to improve their experience?
I have been attending AAVLD annual meetings for a couple decades! And over time, it is evident that AAVLD has made great strides in meeting the needs of graduate student attendees in general. Also commendable, I have been glad to see all that AAVLD has done in providing opportunities for technical staff to attend the national meeting. A suggestion I have that may improve the experience of the student attendees could include establishing a graduate student/resident group or committee (all disciplines) that could provide them with an opportunity to network as a group and coordinate activities for students at the annual meeting.
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AAVLD / USAHA Annual Meeting Tentative Schedule |
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Join CDC's Monthly ZOHU Call |
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Dear colleagues,
As you may know, CDC’s One Health Office hosts monthly webinars, called CDC Zoonoses and One Health Updates, or ZOHU Calls. These webinars cover timely issues related to zoonoses and One Health topics in the United States. The ZOHU Call allows participants to share information and gain knowledge on hot topics in One Health; build partnerships across human, animal, environmental health and other sectors; create networks; and learn about emerging and important issues in One Health. Currently, more than 1,200 people subscribe to the ZOHU Call newsletter, including public health and animal health officials; epidemiologists; veterinarians; physicians; nurses; and other public health practitioners at the federal, state, and local levels as well as professionals from non-governmental organizations, industry, and academia.
ZOHU Calls offer free Continuing Education for a variety of public health, animal health, and human health professionals. Participants can earn CME, CNE, CEU, CECH, CPH and AAVSB/RACE. Each call is recorded and available online for those unable to attend live sessions.
Please help us by letting your colleagues and partners know about this exciting opportunity. We hope that ZOHU Calls will continue to be a valuable educational and professional resource for those involved and interested in One Health work. Suggestions for presentation topics and questions about ZOHU Calls can be directed to zohucall@cdc.gov, and consider subscribing to the monthly ZOHU Call News and Updates email newsletter.
Warm regards,
The One Health Office
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‘Doc’ Graham Center — Including WT / A&M Vet School, Lab — Officially Opens |
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CANYON, Texas — Dignitaries, school administrators and students alike today celebrated the grand opening of two buildings that greatly enhance veterinary medical, education and research missions in the Texas Panhandle.
The Charles W. “Doc” Graham ’53 DVM, The Texas A&M University System Center officially opened on the West Texas A&M University campus with celebratory comments from Chancellor John Sharp, WT President Dr. Walter V. Wendler, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Dean Dr. John August, Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory Director Dr. Bruce Akey, elected officials and more.
The center — located in the northeast corner of WT’s Canyon campus — is home to both the Veterinary Education, Research, & Outreach Building and the Charles W. Graham DVM Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory Building.
Both facilities opened in September, signaling the culmination of The Texas A&M University System’s investment in large animal health in the Texas Panhandle; grand opening celebrations were delayed due to the pandemic. The project is supported by $90 million in capital improvements and $5 million in faculty hires, for a total of $95 million in investment in the region. Ground was broken on both buildings in December 2018.
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“With this partnership at WT, the CVMBS continues to meet both the needs of the state and our students in the most innovative, high-quality, effective and cost-efficient manner possible,” Sharp said in prepared comments. “We have created a two-way superhighway of veterinary education and research activity from Canyon to College Station, and it runs right through the VERO and TVMDL facilities within the Dr. Charles Graham center on the WT campus.”
“I thank Dr. Eleanor Green, the former dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, as a champion of this visionary project, The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents for their wisdom in adopting it, and Chancellor John Sharp for his diligent and meticulous implementation of it,” Wendler said in prepared comments. “This farsighted partnership will greatly impact the enrollment of promising future veterinarians from the Panhandle area who want to return to the Texas Panhandle to live, work and serve.”
The VERO Building is a $22-million 36,000-square-foot facility that now serves as a regional veterinary teaching center that creates a gateway to the CVMBS for students interested in pursuing veterinary medicine from the Texas Panhandle and West Texas, while also facilitating collaborative, multidisciplinary research among scientists from across the region.
Not only are WT pre-veterinary students taught in the facility but it will also serve as the home for the CVMBS’ 2+2 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program, which will enroll its first cohort of 18 first-year DVM students in the fall of 2021.
“Our college’s commitment to educational opportunity for the young people of our state extends from the Panhandle to the Rio Grande Valley,” said Dr. John August, TVMBS dean, in prepared comments. “On May 12, the first three students to receive their degrees from our undergraduate Biomedical Sciences program at the Higher Education Center in McAllen walked the stage in Reed Arena in College Station and we look forward to celebrating the graduation of our first cohort of 2+2 DVM program students from VERO in 2025.”
The TVMDL facility is a $17.6-million, 22,000-square-foot building that features the latest technology for diagnostic services in bacteriology, pathology, serology and virology, as well as spaces for receiving, sample processing, necropsy services and administrative support.
The opening of the building in September signaled a relocation to Canyon from its previous location in Amarillo, which was opened in 1975 to specifically serve the Panhandle’s cattle feedlot industry as an extension of the agency’s College Station-based laboratory.
TVMDL, one of the Texas A&M University System’s eight state agencies and a member of Texas A&M AgriLife, is comprised of four laboratories across the state. Annually, the agency performs over 1 million diagnostic tests for a variety of animal species. The Canyon laboratory has continued the agency’s original commitment to the region’s cattle industry and performs an estimated 160,000 tests for cattle each year.
TVMDL and the center comprised of both buildings are named after Graham, a Texas A&M Distinguished Alumnus and one of Texas’ most renowned equine veterinarians.
The grand opening celebration was scheduled to be attended by U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Amarillo), Rep. August Pfluger (R-San Angelo), members of the TAMUS Board of Regents, faculty, staff and more.
“The financial and human capital investments reflected in this partnership will undoubtedly have an indelible impact on the Panhandle region, the lives of the generations of students who will receive their veterinary education at VERO, and the thousands of animal owners and veterinarians who will benefit from cutting-edge diagnostic testing at TVMDL,” Dr. Todd Rasberry, vice president for philanthropy and external relations and executive director of the WTAMU Foundation, said in prepared comments.
About West Texas A&M University
WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. With enrollment of more than 10,000, WT offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 40 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 15 men’s and women’s athletics programs.
—WTAMU—
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'Doc' Graham Center celebration held at West Texas A&M|...
The Texas A&M University System and Texas A&M AgriLife celebrated the grand opening of two buildings that greatly enhance veterinary medical, education and research missions in the Texas Panhandle. The Charles W. "Doc" Graham '53 DVM, The Texas...
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agrilifetoday.tamu.edu
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Our July focus is an article in JVDI’s upcoming September issue: “SARS-CoV2 spike protein gene variants with N501T and G142D mutation–dominated infections in mink in the United States,” by Hugh Y. Cai, Allison Cai.
J Vet Diagn Invest 2021;33(5). https://doi.org/10.1177/10406387211023481
Abstract. Large numbers of mink have been infected with SARS-CoV2 containing the spike protein Y453F mutation in Europe, causing zoonosis concerns. To evaluate the genetic characteristics of the U.S. and Canadian mink–derived SARS-CoV2 sequences, we analyzed all animal-derived (977) and all Canadian (19,529) and U.S. (173,277) SARS-CoV2 sequences deposited in GISAID from December 2019 to March 12, 2021, and identified 2 dominant novel variants, the N501T-G142D variant and N501T-G142D-F486L variant, in the U.S. mink–derived SARS-CoV2 sequences. These variants were not found in mink from Canada or other countries. The Y453F mutation was not identified in the mink-derived sequences in the United States and Canada. The N501T mutation occurred 2 mo earlier in humans than in mink in the United States, and the novel N501T-G142D and N501T-G142D-F486L variants were found in humans prior to mink. Our results suggest that the novel SARS-CoV2 variants may have evolved during human infection and were then transmitted to mink populations in the United States.
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Figure 1. Timeline of emergence of human-derived (above the timeline) and mink-derived (below the timeline) SARS-CoV2 spike protein N501T-G142D and N501T-G142D-F486L variants in the United States. Timeline scale is not proportional.
JVDI News
We encourage all authors to link your ORCID iD to your ScholarOne account using the following steps. NOTE: If your article is accepted, your ORCID iD will accompany your name in the published article only if your accounts are linked (otherwise, your name will appear without the ORCID icon, and your iD information will not be listed at the end of your article).
1) Log in to the JVDI submission site: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jvdi
2) Click your name at the top-right corner of the page
3) In the drop-down menu select Email/Name
4) Under the ORCID section, you will find two links:
Create an ORCID iD and Associate your existing ORCID iD
—If you already have an ORCID ID, select “Associate your existing ORCID iD”
5) You will be directed to the ORCID site login page where you will need to log in using your ORCID account credentials
—If you have selected to create an account on the ORCID site, click “Register Now”
6) After logging in, you will be automatically redirected to the ScholarOne submission site where it will show a prompt with the following text:
You can update this account with data from your ORCID iD record that is not marked as Private.
Name and e-mail fields will be imported to your account.
Note: this will overwrite existing data. Would you like to update your account now?
7) To complete the process, click OK to UPDATE the journal’s ScholarOne Manuscripts site. Click Cancel to return to ScholarOne Manuscripts without updating the data.
8) Proceed to the User ID & Password step and click Finish to be sure that your account information is properly saved.
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AAVLD New Member Benefit MC l LMS is now here! |
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Take a look, the MC l LMS is now here!
AAVLD has brought you a new membership benefit that is sure to peek your interest. The MC l LMS is a Learning Management System. The MC l LMS will keep certification and training materials in one place. Members can view training videos, scientific presentations and much more. AAVLD is offering the current packages to AAVLD members as a membership benefit.
Some of the MC l LMS features:
- Single-Sign-On (SSO) with Oasis
- Content Upload and Management
- Customized Certificates
- Continuing Education Tracking
- Group-based Permissions
- Progress and Usage Reporting
View 2020 Annual Meeting materials NOW!
- Recordings of Scientific Sessions
- Procceedings booklet (abstracts)
- Plenary Speaker lectures from the 2020 meeting
All are available to AAVLD members at no cost.
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AAVLD Membership Drive Competition – Earn a Free Lunch for yourself or your Lab!! |
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Dear AAVLD Members:
We hope you and your loved ones are staying safe during this unprecedented crisis. We want to reach out to you on behalf of AAVLD as co-chairs of the membership committee. The strength of AAVLD as a corporate body largely depends on the commitment of its members and we want to heartily thank you for support of the organization over the years.
Our vibrancy as an organization depends on a strong involved membership base. In this regard, we remind you of the ongoing membership drive competition which due to COVID issues, we have now extended the competition to September 30, 2021.
Competition Timeframe: January 2020 through September 30, 2021.
How to submit: The competition is open to individual members and to Laboratories. The goal is to grow our organization’s membership through the recruitment of new members and bringing back previous members whose membership has lapsed by two or more years. Each time you successfully sponsor a new member who subscribes, send your name (personal or institution) and the name of the new member to rozuna@aavld.org and burrough@iastate.edu.
Prizes: Winners will be selected based solely on the number of new or renewing (after ≥ 2-year lapse) members recruited. The winners will be recognized at the AAVLD annual meeting during the Foundation Auction. There will be two prizes – one individual and one Lab:
· Individual prize: $100 Visa debit card: treat yourself for being an outstanding supporter!
· Laboratory prize: $500 Visa debit card: use these funds to celebrate with your lab mates!
We wish you continuous safety during the months ahead and look forward to meeting you online at the October annual meeting.
Debra Royal & Eric Burrough
Co-Chairs, Membership Committee
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2021 Hybrid AAVLD / USAHA Annual Meeting |
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In consideration of the 4th of July, some patriotic quotes from both sides of the political aisle…
The essence of America - that which really unites us - is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion - it is an idea - and what an idea it is: That you can come from humble circumstances and do great things.
Condoleezza Rice
Now, as a nation, we don't promise equal outcomes, but we were founded on the idea everybody should have an equal opportunity to succeed. No matter who you are, what you look like, where you come from, you can make it. That's an essential promise of America. Where you start should not determine where you end up.
Barack Obama
America is a Nation with a mission - and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs. We have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace - a peace founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman.
George W. Bush
There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured with what is right in America.
William J. Clinton
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Take advantage of the terrific AAVLD resources offered to our members |
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Veterinary Jobs - American Association of Veterinary...
We use cookies on this site to enhance your experience. By using our website you accept our use of cookies. Yes, I agree More Information Cookies YourMembership uses cookies for your convenience and security. Cookies are text files stored on the...
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aavld-jobs.careerwebsite.com
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Veterinary Jobs - American Association of Veterinary...
The American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians offers the top jobs available in Veterinary diagnostic labs. Search and apply to open positions or post jobs on the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians now.
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2022 Renewals are due by November 15!
'Membership is January to December'
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AAVLD membership is open to any individual interested in the disciplines and activities of veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Membership terms are by calendar year (January-December) and membership dues are payable by November 15th of the preceding year (to ensure inclusion in the annual membership directory, eligibility for committee involvement, and receipt of all six issues of the JVDI). Note: In order to receive a discounted rate for the Annual Meeting registration, you are required to be a current AAVLD Member. |
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Did your membership Lapse? |
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Please select 'Renew Now' to access the Lapsed Membership renewal form. www.aavld.org ->Quick Links->Renew Now->here you can access the Lapsed Membership Form.
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Frequently Asked Questions Regarding AAVLD Membership:
When are my dues fee due?
They are due November 15 for the next calendar year. Many members pay for the next year when they register for the annual meeting. Lead time is needed to finalize committee appointments for the new year.
Does it matter who pays for my dues?
No. Your status will be the same with their respective privileges whether you pay, your employer pays, or your Uncle Vinny.
Are Lab Accreditation dues different than Institutional/Agency membership dues?
Yes
· Laboratory Accreditation dues are different and separate and are related to accreditation only and go to fund the accreditation program only.
· Whether accredited or not, a Laboratory (or Institution/Agency) may additionally become an Institutional/Agency Member. By doing so they are supporting the broad mission of the AAVLD and these funds go to support CE and training and all other activities of the AAVLD. Institutional/Agency Members are highly valued members and are demonstrating leadership and belief in our organizational purpose.
Do Institutional/Agency Member labs have to pay for their employees individual dues?
No. A laboratory, institution, agency or department can become a member under this category even without signing up their employees. They are simply supporting the AAVLD mission with their dues payment. Some states are not allowed to pay for employee dues; and some states have budgetary restrictions.
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2021 Committee Appointments |
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If you wish to serve on a particular committee in 2021, contact the committee chairs now and express your interest. Thank you!
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AAVLD & News Worthy Events |
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- Executive Board Virtual Meeting, August 4, 2021-VIRTUAL
- Accreditation Committee, Meeting August 2-3, 2021-VIRTUAL
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AAVLD/USAHA Hybrid Annual Conference, Gaylord of the Rockies, Denver, Colorado, October 22-October 26, 2021 (Due to the uncertainty with Covid-19, their may be updates to the details of the meeting.)
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Do you have ideas to improve the AAVLD annual meeting? Contact David Zeman dzeman@aavld.org
Would you like to sponsor an event? Contact
What ever your contribution to the AAVLD mission, we need you!
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Thank You to our Exhibitors and Sponsors of the 2021 Annual Meeting!
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The generous contributions and participation by our Exhibitors and Sponsors is a huge part of our conference success year after year. On behalf of the AAVLD, we would like to thank these companies for their commitment to our organization and helping us to achieve our mission.
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Thank you
2021 Annual Meeting Sponsors
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Science and Technology - Clark & Enersen
Our specialized team of experts and thought leaders has been involved in the programming, planning, and design of more than $5 billion worth of science and technology facilities, and were recently ranked #15 on the 2020 Giants 400 rankings of the ...
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www.clarkenersen.com
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Zoetis, the largest global animal health company
At Zoetis, our work is guided by a simple vision - that our products, services and people will be the most valued by animal health customers around the world. Learn more Zoetis delivers quality medicines, vaccines and diagnostic products, which...
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www.zoetis.com
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Perkins&Will
Designing a better, more beautiful world since 1935. Pat Bosch Finds Magic and Meaning in Design Our Designer Spotlight Series highlights some of our top talent from around the world, diving into our team's creative philosophies and design ethos. ...
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perkinswill.com
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Home - Tetracore, Inc.
For over 20 years, Tetracore has been at the forefront of diagnostics innovation. Our mission is to create and develop highly innovative diagnostic reagents, assays, and instruments for the detection of infectious diseases and bioterrorism threat ...
Read more
tetracore.com
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AAVLD Foundation Committee
Brett Webb- Cochair
Francois Elvinger- Cochair
John M. Adaska
Donal O'Toole
Tim Baszler
David Zeman
Bruce Akey
Jerry Saliki
Christie Mayo
Kristy Pabilonia
Beate Crossley
François Elvinger
Pat Halbur
Brett Webb
Jamie Henningson
Kerry Sondgeroth
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The AAVLD Foundation is a non-profit foundation that raises funds for the advancement of veterinary diagnostic laboratory disciplines through scholarship programs, student travel support to our scientific meeting, guest lectures, seminars, professional awards and research programs. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible 501(c)(3), and can be paid when you renew your AAVLD membership. Thank you for remembering your AAVLD Foundation!
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