It's been an exciting start to the semester at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. This past month, on September 10, during the school's annual tailgate, the UW SVM Alumni Association recognized two graduates with 2022 Alumni Awards for advancing the veterinary medical profession, animal and human health, and humanity. Thomas Kennedy MS ‘73, DVM ‘75 received the graduate program Distinguished Service Award for his celebrated career in veterinary pharmaceutical research and development with specific expertise in the control of parasitic diseases. Kurt Sladky MS ‘88, DVM ‘93, a clinical professor and section head of Zoological Medicine and the Special Species Health Service here at the school, received the DVM Distinguished Service Award. I want to congratulate both recipients.
We also held the Dean's Luncheon last month for the school's greatest supporters, including the launch of the Dean's Circle, a new way for our most loyal supporters to connect with the SVM on a closer level. Featured speakers included Freya Mowat, Carrie Schroeder and Kurt Sladky. Kristi Thorson also delivered the presentation for Terri Ollivett, who could not attend.
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On September 16, the school held its all-school kickoff and welcomed Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, who gave introductory remarks for the event. We had over 350 faculty, staff and students in attendance, and it was great to see everyone enjoying the event. We also held the school's fall Board of Visitors meeting that week. Four of our new teaching professors – Chelsea Holschbach, Karen Hershberger-Braker, Paul Merkatoris and Calico Schmidt – highlighted with the board their view of this new title and how it will benefit their professional aspirations.
Then on September 20, the school held its first fall faculty meeting. We launched a new celebratory investiture ceremony for our faculty who occupy endowed professorships or chairs. Over the course of the university’s comprehensive campaign, we grew these endowed professorships and chairs at the school from two to seven, with two more planned with future gifts . At our September meeting, we honored the two most recent recipients: Elizabeth Alvarez, awarded the Ruth M. Skaar Chair in Veterinary Medicine, and Leandro Teixeira, awarded the Richard R. Dubielzig Professorship for Comparative Ocular Pathology. I also had an opportunity to thank Dick and his wife, Doris, for their generous gift that created this professorship.
Over the last month, I’ve been able to welcome each of the classes of 2024, 2025 and 2026 to the academic year. Hospital director Chris Snyder and I have also spent the last several months meeting with each clinical specialty, including faculty, staff, house officers and students, with only a few meetings remaining. These meetings, which we plan to hold annually, are designed for all of us to get to know each other better and to hear highlights or concerns individuals may have within their specialty and the hospital.
I wish each of you a great fall semester and look forward to our return to a “new normal” life at the School of Veterinary Medicine.
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UW Veterinary Care Updates from the Director |
Welcome to new employees Darsh Gibson, pharmacy technician; Michelle Kuyoth, assistant kennel manager; Kate Lafferty, a certified veterinary technician rejoining the anesthesia service; and Leslie Manke and Diana Rionitis, greeters/cashiers with the reception team.
Welcome also to Lee Xiong, a graduate student with the UW-Madison Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work, who joins the hospital as a new social work intern supporting social worker Rhonda Nichols.
Congratulations to Caroline Randy, a veterinary technician with Oncology, and Jan Kenyon from small animal reception, who have both retired after many years of service to UW Veterinary Care.
Keep up the great work, team. Your efforts are appreciated, as evidenced by this comment from a recent client of Small Animal Internal Medicine:
"Fantastic service offered. Follow up calls have been timely. Great veterinarian and a class act facility." -David
Christopher Snyder, DVM, DAVDC
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
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The Halloween season is upon us, which is always a special, festive time at the School of Veterinary Medicine. May this throwback photo from 2001 get your costume and decoration ideas brewing. |
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Teaching and Learning News
An update from Peggy Schmidt, associate dean for professional programs
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Working groups continue to make progress in designing the revised DVM curriculum. For phases 1 and 2, groups have been creating module-level learning outcomes for each of the eight body system modules. Module-level learning outcomes will be further refined down to the unit level. At that point, assessments and content will begin to be layered into the units.
The curriculum revision is a truly collaborative effort. To date, 76 faculty, staff, students and alumni have participated in formal working groups. This number does not include the numerous others who have responded to surveys, participated in interviews, submitted topic inventory forms or shared thoughts in various conversations.
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Courtney Halbach, outreach specialist with the school's Dairyland Initiative, will present a talk titled Happy Houses and Happy Cows at the Dairy Research Foundation Symposium.
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The Office of Academic Affairs hosted a Career Exploration Day for all current DVM students on September 30. The event provided an opportunity for students seeking summer positions, job shadows, externships, residencies or full-time opportunities to meet employers from various areas in veterinary medicine. A pre-event professional development seminar also offered networking information and tips. |
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Researchers in the SVM’s Comparative Genetics and Orthopaedic Research Laboratory have found a way to determine whether a dog is susceptible to cruciate ligament rupture. The genetic screening test is the first of its kind in companion animals. In September, the researchers made the test available for Labrador retrievers and are now working to extend development to other high-risk breeds.
The next WARF Therapeutics proposal deadline is October 15. WARF Therapeutics collaborates with researchers to advance their work closer to clinical testing. The program invests in the development of drug-like molecules using industry-centric drug discovery resources and approaches. Learn more and submit.
The school’s T32 Training Grant for the Comparative Biomedical Sciences training program was funded for five years (approximately $2 million). This postdoctoral fellowship program supports training in biomedical sciences for four veterinarians per year towards a PhD degree. M. Suresh serves as program director and Lauren Trepanier as deputy director.
Members of the Department of Comparative Biosciences celebrated several recent grant successes:
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Rob Lipinski received an R01 grant, DNA Methylation in Orofacial Clefting, from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
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Tyler Beames received an F31 grant, Multifactorial Environmental Inhibition of Sonic Hedgehog Signaling: Impact of Chemical Interactions on Pathway Activity and Craniofacial Development, from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
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Joan Jorgensen received an R01 grant, Iroquois Function in the Female Reproductive Tract, from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and an R25 grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences titled University of Wisconsin-Madison Postbaccalaureate Research Program for Increasing Diversity in STEM.
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Troy Hornberger received an R56 grant, Mechanotransduction and the Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Mass, from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
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Chad Vezina received an R25 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) titled Summer Program in Undergraduate Urology Research and a high-impact interdisciplinary science RC2 grant, Bedside to Bench Resources for Lower Urinary Tract Research, from NIDDK.
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Ted Golos received a Wisconsin National Primate Center pilot grant to develop serial intravascular staining to study gestationally driven trafficking of decidual leukocytes.
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October 21
SVM Fall Research Day
3:30-6:30 p.m.
School of Veterinary Medicine
October 21
Dean’s Get Together
4:30-6:30 p.m.
*Includes a dedication of the school's community mural with artist Tia Richardson
School of Veterinary Medicine
October 27
Veterinary Continuing Education: Getting Started With Wildlife Rehabilitation
Wisconsin Humane Society
6-8 p.m.
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November 18
Dean's Get Together: Breakfast with Sally
7:30-9 a.m.
School of Veterinary Medicine
November 20
Wisconsin Alumni Reception at AAEP Convention
6-8 p.m.
Casa Rio, 430 E. Commerce St., San Antonio
December 16
Dean's Get Together
*Save the date; featuring holiday cookie decorating and hot beverages
School of Veterinary Medicine
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The Atlantic
Hoard's Dairyman
Wisconsin Public Radio
News 3
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“I think this has confirmed that the mRNA vaccines are actually a pretty good deal. We can go forward with this as a common way of making vaccines against new systemic infections.”
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-Suresh Marulasiddappa, professor of immunology and associate dean for research and graduate training, spoke with The Scientist about a recent longitudinal study comparing the immune response elicited by mRNA and traditional COVID-19 vaccines to primary infections.
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