The school's associate dean for research and graduate training will lead this strategic priority and the initiatives supporting each of the goals described above. For greater detail around these initiatives, visit the strategic plan web page.

Welcome to Casey Harden, a certified veterinary technician with the Oncology services; Laura Mikkelsen, the new kennel/small animal hospital facilities manager; Cassie Morris, a certified veterinary technician who has joined the ER/CCU; and Ricardo Rangel, a veterinary assistant with the ER/CCU.

To everyone in the hospital who continues to persevere through all of the challenges the pandemic has presented, thank you. Your efforts mean so much to hospital colleagues, clients and patients. This recent client comment is an example of that:

"Given the limitations imposed by pandemic restrictions, I had a very positive experience. I appreciate the efforts made by the facility to continue to provide treatment while limiting person-to-person contacts." -Tricia, Madison, Wisconsin 

Director, UW Veterinary Care

Driving Wisconsin’s economy: Powered by its highly ranked research program, UW–Madison, its affiliate organizations and the startup companies coming out of the university have a total $30.8 billion annual statewide economic impact, according to a new report. For every $1 taxpayers invest in the university, more than $26 is put back into the state’s economy.

Honored: The School of Veterinary Medicine earned two awards as part of the 2020 Partners in Giving campaign (the state, UW and UW Health employees combined campaign of Dane County). The school received second place in increase in percent participation and third place in percent increase in contributions. Thank you to all who participated.

Alumni awards: Nominations are now open through March 14 for the 2021 School of Veterinary Medicine alumni awards, recognizing graduates who have made significant contributions to society, and whose accomplishments, affiliations and careers have honored the legacy of excellence at the school. Awards are available in three categories, with opportunities for both Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and graduate degree program alumni.

Graduate debt: Among the key findings in the AVMA’s latest annual Economic State of the Veterinary Profession report, student debt remains a concern, but in 2019 the average debt level for new graduates fell by $2,481 nationally as a record-high 18.2 percent of graduates graduated without debt. UW School of Veterinary Medicine graduates had the fifth-lowest median debt and fifth-lowest debt-to-income ratio (measuring what percentage of debt is covered by annual income). Related: SVM staff members Richard Barajas and Jenna Henshue spoke with JAVMA News about admissions challenges facing potential veterinary students.

Art submissions: Corpus Callosum, Ebling Library’s online art journal, is now accepting submissions of original visual, written and multimedia art from students, faculty and staff in UW-Madison’s health sciences schools for their Spring 2021 issue. The deadline is March 12.

Welcome to Sandy Gordon, who joins the school today (March 1) as a furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) coordination specialist to assist with the school’s building expansion project. Sandy will manage the procurement and receipt of furniture and equipment and help coordinate the moves associated with the project. She is an interior designer and brings significant project management experience as owner of Sandy Gordon Interiors.

Also welcome to Kristine Connolly, who begins her role today as SVM onboarding and benefits coordinator. Kristine comes to the school with more than 19 years of benefits and payroll experience, eight of these at UW–Madison. She has been with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the past 10 years.

Thanks and best wishes to Tami Flock, who departed the school in January for a role with the College of Letters & Science. Tami joined the SVM in September 2018 as HR assistant advanced and was a valuable member of the team.

A new study published in Nature Communications by researchers from the SVM, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary and an international team of colleagues reveals that an overlooked bacterial group known as Sarcina is linked to a mysterious illness dubbed epizootic neurologic and gastroenteric syndrome, or ENGS, in chimpanzees. Professor Tony Goldberg led the research and doctoral student Leah Owens was also involved.

As the tallies of COVID-19’s effects have mounted to a dizzying scale, a team of UW–Madison scientists, including School of Veterinary Medicine Professor Thomas Friedrich, has kept its focus on the tiniest shifts in the virus’s genetic material. Beginning with the first known case of the virus in Wisconsin, researchers have been sequencing the genomes of as many virus samples as they can process. Their most pressing concern is surveillance, keeping watch for the arrival of virus variants believed to be more adept at infecting people or possibly carrying mutations that make vaccines and common treatments less effective.

Professor Peter Muir has been awarded funding from the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation to establish racehorse screening using fetlock CT for diagnosis of horses with a high risk of imminent serious injury. Related: Paulick Report, a horse industry publication, recently spotlighted the Equina standing CT developed at UW–Madison and available for patients of UW Veterinary Care's Morrie Waud Large Animal Hospital.

Research by Professors Tony Goldberg and Ted Golos is featured in the National Institutes of Health Office of Research Infrastructure Programs’ 2021-2025 strategic plan.

The UW–Madison Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education has launched a new funding effort to facilitate university research partnerships and graduate student internships in collaboration with the private sector. A cover sheet with a 300-word abstract is due March 5. The complete proposal is due April 9.

The School of Veterinary Medicine has announced a call for proposals for research advancing feline health and welfare, supported by generous donations to the school's growing Feline Health Fund. All SVM tenure- and clinical-track faculty and instructors are eligible to apply if conducting research to advance diagnostics, treatment or prevention of common feline diseases. More information can be found in a Feb. 25 email from Dale Bjorling.

Whenever possible, UW-Madison recommends that events and meetings continue to be held virtually; it is highly recommended that in-person events allow for virtual participation by those who choose not to or are unable to attend in person. Any in-person events must follow campus policy for schools/colleges/divisions and student organizations.