PEGASUS PRESS Summer 2014
M I S S I S S I P P I S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y • C O L L E G E O F V E T E R I N A RY M E D I C I N E
E A R N I N G
R E S P E C T
B Y
E X C E E D I N G
E X P E C T A T I O N S
a message from the
DEAN Dr. Kent Hoblet
In June, we welcomed the Class of 2018 to the CVM. We hosted a reception for CVM alumni attending the annual AVMA meeting, held in July in Denver. In both cases, I found myself thinking again of how much different the veterinary profession is now, and for that matter, how different the world is, than when I was a veterinary student. Also, in both cases, I am struck with the opportunities veterinary professionals—and, in particular, MSUCVM graduates—will have in helping meet the challenges of population growth, emerging diseases, and providing a safe, abundant food supply going forward. The One Health Initiative is often referenced here at the College of Veterinary Medicine, but it is more than just a concept or slogan; it is a real way of working across disciplines and across professions to address the challenges to human, animal, and environmental health. Because the world is “becoming smaller,” the veterinary profession finds itself increasingly reaching across international borders to meet the needs of our everchanging and growing population. In June, the CVM had a team of faculty and students studying in Uganda, led by Dr. Margaret Khaitsa. For four weeks, they worked alongside veterinarians and students from Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia, focusing on issues related to international animal production, disease surveillance, and public health. I certainly did not have an opportunity like this as a veterinary student, but these students are part of the trend of a truly global mindset in veterinary medicine. This global mindset is vital for our young veterinary professionals. It is estimated that at least 75 percent of emerging diseases are zoonotic, and with a very mobile world population topping seven billion and predicted to exceed nine billion by 2050, we must be ready for new challenges. We received updates several times each week from the team in Uganda, and the descriptions and pictures they sent of their “adventures” (as our students refer to their arduous work) provided an inspiring and practical look
at the way veterinary professionals work to make our world a safer, healthier place to live. Some of the villagers are raising food animals on very little land, and our students were able to offer them suggestions on how to dispose of waste without contaminating water supplies, how to raise healthier livestock, and so much more. They vaccinated animals, taught about parasite control as a way to keep children safer and guard-dogs healthier, and educated people on how to handle animals more humanely. They also learned a great deal about the challenges that arise as human populations encroach upon wildlife populations. Experiences like these give our students a head start on working in our ever-shrinking world and give them problem-solving skills that will benefit the world population. Stateside, our CVM researchers continue to work on real-world problems facing Mississippi and our nation, but the solutions they find have a global impact. For example, our recent designation as a Center for Knowledge for Aquatic Health, as recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, will allow the research in aquatics done here at the CVM to help communities around the world with hunger issues, and what our researchers learn internationally will help us continue to sustain and improve our Mississippi aquaculture industry. Associate Dean Mark Lawrence, who leads the Center for Knowledge for Aquatic Health, and his team carry out research, extension, and education activities related to aquaculture sciences. Another example of our One Health work is that of Dr. Keun Seok Seo, whose work with the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus has implications for human healthcare as well as the U.S. dairy industry, where it relates to economic losses from mastitis. As Dr. Seo works toward developing a vaccine for Staphyloccoccus aureus, he is also building international relationships and opportunities for collaborative work on diseases of mutual interest and impact. Building those opportunities for our students is key, and we begin providing them early on. For the past fourteen years, the CVM has provided the National Institutes of Health-funded Summer Research Experience for veterinary students. Responding to the nationwide shortage of veterinarians in research, this program stimulates interest and prepares students for careers in biomedical research, and inspires them to work with One Health concerns such as influenza, food safety, bioinformatics, environmental toxicology, and more. Our College also focuses on outreach efforts, such as our Vet Camp, that teach elementary and high school students about disease prevention, proper animal hygiene, and the wide range of career possibilities in the veterinary and One Health fields. CVM faculty, students, and staff are working toward finding solutions that affect millions, from our catfish farmers in Mississippi to food-insecure populations abroad. It is indeed a collaborative effort, not only between professionals in human medicine, public health, and veterinary medicine, but also between institutions and team members. Several of our current veterinary students also attended our alumni reception. These future alums were in Denver to attend the student AVMA meetings. After interacting with the alumni, these students were as inspired as I was. MSU-CVM alumni have accomplished many great things, from improving the quality of life in local communities across America to participating in the discovery of new pharmaceuticals that have worldwide impact. I can barely imagine how the profession will continue to change in the coming forty years, but I am certain that CVM graduates will continue to respond to emerging needs, staying at the forefront of new research and reaching out to those who need their expertise. It is our mission as a College to ensure that we graduate students who are well prepared to take on whatever the future brings.
Dr. Kent H. Hoblet Dean & Professor | CVM Office of the Dean | (662) 325-1131
PEGASUS PRESS
MISS ISS IPP I STATE UN I VERS IT Y • C OLLEGE OF V ETER INARY ME D I C I NE
Pegasus Press is published three times each year by the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dean Pegasus Press Managing Editor Dr. Kent Hoblet Dr. A. Wayne Groce Interim Associate Dean Pegasus Press is produced by
for Administration the MSU Office of Agricultural
8 c o n t e n t s
Dr. Ron McLaughlin Communications. Associate Dean
Research & Graduate Studies
Dr. Mark Lawrence
Editor Keryn Page
Associate Dean
Academic Affairs Graphic Designer Dr. Margaret Kern Kim Trimm Assistant Dean Photographer Admissions & Student Affairs Tom Thompson Dr. Rich Meiring Writers Director of Outreach Bonnie Coblentz Karen Templeton Susan collins-smith Director of Communications Amelia Killcreas Brandi Van Ormer Keri Collins Lewis
8 Pioneering S t ud e n t
10 C o m a Sc a l e App
12 I n n o v a t iv e C a n c e r T r e a t m e n t
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17 N e w B o vi n e V i r u s
Director
Animal Health Center Direct suggestions, requests,
Dr. Joey Burt comments, and story ideas to: Head Dr. A. Wayne Groce
Department of Basic Sciences (870) 866-5062 (cell)
Dr. Stephen Pruett (662) 325-1131 (MSU) Interim Head
Department of Clinical Sciences
Dr. andrew Mackin
groce@cvm.msstate.edu
www.cvm.msstate.edu www.facebook.com/msucvm
Head
Department of Pathobiology & Population Medicine We are an equal opportunity Dr. Bill Epperson employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, Executive Director color, religion, sex, national origin, Mississippi Veterinary Research disability status, protected veteran & Diagnostic Laboratory System status, or any other characteristic Dr. Lanny Pace protected by law. COVER PHOTOS: (front) Gracie Skaff (Class of 2016) assists an Open House guest in Teddy Bear Surgery. Skaff is one of the seven highly qualified students admitted each year to MSU-CVM from West Virginia University. See page 9 for more information on this program. (back) This year’s Open House featured many “meet and greets” like this one.
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Five Cold Years As comedian George Carlin described so well in his monologue about “our stuff,” in the fall of 1967, I loaded a portion of my “stuff ” into my blue 1966 Chevrolet Impala two-door coupe and headed to East Lansing, Michigan, where I had been accepted to veterinary college at the other MSU-CVM. I had a pretty good idea of what would be involved in the professional veterinary program, but I was sorely unprepared for some of the surprises awaiting a country boy from southeast Arkansas. For instance, with a student population of more than forty thousand, along with several more thousand faculty and staff, Michigan State had more resident souls than did the third-largest city in Arkansas. The huge campus had its own bus system, hordes of bicycles, greater hordes of pedestrians, and a large, professional campus police force. Students were not allowed to drive cars on most of the campus. Commuter lots required a two-mile walk or bus ride to reach campus proper. Breaks between classes were twenty minutes long, which often proved to be inadequate for hoofing it to one’s next academic venue. This was only my second trip to the East Lansing campus. I had driven up the previous June for an admissions interview. The campus I saw then was in glorious, spring-like bloom. The lilacs, cherry trees, and other blooming shrubs were a sight to behold. In hindsight, I probably should have inquired more thoroughly on that June visit about the sixfoot-high block of ice and snow covering several acres of the intramural field complex. As winter approached, I realized that the signs along East Lansing streets attached to eight-foot posts stating “City Ordinances Prohibit Parking on Any City Street Between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.” should have been another hint. My second arrival in East Lansing occurred on September 14, and on the 28th of September, we got four inches of snow! This was more snow than I had ever seen on the ground at one time. When I came out of class that day to a blanket of white, it was very evident to me that I did not have enough “warm stuff ”! This snow event and a few others came and melted that fall, but after around late October to early November each year, any frozen precipitation that fell was there until spring or later. The biggest single snowfall event I experienced there was nineteen inches over one night. Tractors with snowplows clattering down the sidewalks at daybreak served as pretty reliable alarm clocks on campus. Where did the iceberg on the intramural field come from? After so much frozen material accumulated on the streets, parking lots, and sidewalks of campus, plowing was impossible, so they scooped it into dump trucks with front loaders and deposited it on the intramural fields. Nature and the plowing activities created pretty impressive drifts. The campus had thousands of cast metal
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umbrella lights about waist-high along walkways, steps, etc. Cabin fever-plagued students, for sport, often resorted to jumping into the drifts from dormitory balconies, sometimes “finding” an umbrella light, which resulted in orthopedic damage. In July of my senior year, I accompanied the Extension swine veterinarian to the upper peninsula of Michigan to consult with swine producers. Trees were green and leafed out and the wildflowers were abloom, but when I looked out into the shady depths of the forest, the ground still had a few feet of snow cover on it. I asked one of the swine farmers how much snow he got there. “We got 277 inches last year,” he replied. Another statistic for you to ponder: I saw one ten-day stretch while in East Lansing when the daily high temperature never reached zero. It was tough to find a place to stow all your “warm stuff ” in the lecture hall after trekking from one warm building to another. So, what was it with the parking prohibition signs that I should have picked up on? I learned later that this was the time period reserved for plowing snow off of the city streets. They had huge dump trucks (equipped with large snow plows in front and salt spreaders on the back), which they would fill with road salt (the natives called it “fender solvent”) and then charge through the city streets to do battle with the white peril. If in this process your car was buried or rudely flipped onto the sidewalk, you had no recourse because the signs warned you not to leave it there. In June 1968, I married an Arkansas lady and we moved her and some of her “stuff ” to East Lansing. She experienced some of the same climatic and culture shocks that I had endured the previous year. However, the last four winters there did not seem as severe or as prolonged as the first one had. Thanks to her patience and support, coupled with Michigan State’s accelerated veterinary school curriculum, I was able to obtain both DVM and PhD degrees within five cold years. Until we meet again to share reflections and recollections from the tractor seat, please remember, if you are not hurting, you probably are not doing enough. Thank you.
A. Wayne Groce, DVM Professor Emeritus | groce@cvm.msstate.edu
Archer
Receives Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Todd Archer was honored recently for his commitment to advancing veterinary specialty medicine and his outstanding dedicated volunteer service. The assistant professor received the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Foundation’s 2014 Distinguished Service Award. Archer has served as a member of the foundation’s board of directors and scientific review committee and was a program planner for a foundation specialty forum.
He is a University of Mississippi science graduate who went on to receive master’s and DVM degrees at MSU. A member of the CVM faculty since 2010 and a specialist in small animal internal medicine, he currently is president-elect of the MVMA. Archer’s teaching areas include hematology, immunology, endocrinology, and interventional radiology. “Despite multiple other important commitments, Dr. Archer has provided exemplary service to the ACVIM Foundation, the nonprofit arm of our professional organization that is dedicated to pioneering the healthcare of animals,” said Dr. Andrew Mackin, CVM professor and Dr. Hugh G. Ward Endowed Chair. “His service helps veterinary specialists by supporting the work of groundbreaking scientists, raising awareness of specialty medicine, and by mobilizing the animal-loving public in order to revolutionize current treatments and spark the discovery of future cures.”
Years of Service Thank you for your dedicated support of MSU-CVM.
35 Years
10 Years
Robert C. Cooper
Amber H. Angelo Ronald B. Braswell
30 Years Christi D. Watkins
25 Years
Miriam J. Gunter
Patricia A. Gill
Stephanie A. Huffman
Sherman W. Jack
Joseph A. Kellum
Suzette Johnson
Christopher D. McBride
20 Years
Dr. Bill Miller, President Dr. Todd Archer, President-Elect
of Directors
Dr. Rebecca Holifield, Central District Representative
Dr. Nate Moseley, Vice President
Dr. Patricia Hidalgo, Northern District Representative
Dr. Joe Duncan, Secretary/Treasurer
Dr. Susan Thrash, At-Large Representative
Dr. Lanny Pace, Past President
Dr. Jim Brett, AVMA Delegate
Dr. Sara Lott, Southern District Representative
Dr. Tim Fleming, AVMA Alternate Delegate
Shirley X. Guo-Ross
Robert E. Meyer Gregory S. Miller
Michael Brashier
Jana D. Morgan
Russell L. Carr
Bindumadhavi B. Nanduri
Dana X. Gao
Matthew K. Ross
Reynold Johnston
Roy T. Thompson
Leslie W. Pritchard
15 Years
Linda A. Detwiler Stephen C. Fisher
Mark L. Lawrence Dorothy M. McLean
Jerry W. Wolf
Jacquelyn E. Bowser
James R. Butler
Patricia S. Gaunt
Brenda M. Walker
5 Years Gary J. Burt
Karen M. Cook
Maggie L. Horner
2014–15 MVMA Board
John A. Crow Diana L. Eubanks
Jimmy L. Chandler PHOTO: Dr. Todd Archer performs a physical examination on one of his canine patients.
Dana L. Cooper
Matthew J. Griffin Pamela J. Hemphill Karen M. Templeton Henry Wan
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n o i t a u d Gra s s a l Cof
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Meet
The faculty
Suzanne Genova
Passion for Animals Fuels Career Dr. Suzanne Genova turned a childhood dream job into a reality. “When I was four years old, I decided I wanted to work with animals,” said the assistant professor of pathobiology and population medicine. “My cousin was in vet tech school and would bring back pictures for everyone to see, so I decided to be a veterinarian. I never looked back.” Genova, originally from Pueblo, Colorado, used her passion for animals as motivation to complete a bachelor’s degree in animal science, followed by a doctor of veterinary medicine and a master’s degree, all at Oklahoma State University. Genova said she felt drawn to the MSU-CVM, even though she would have to move across the country. “MSU-CVM is a place that has room to grow and to become more nationally recognized for its achievements,” Genova said. “It is a relatively ‘new’ school when
compared to most of the others and is on its way up while others are remaining status quo. I also enjoy a challenge and believe that it would be rewarding to improve and build the food animal medicine and surgery program here.” Genova’s primary area of expertise is in food animal internal medicine. She completed a three-year residency at Oklahoma State University followed by a rigorous examination process to earn the specialty designation. “Food animal internal medicine entails diagnosing animals like cattle, sheep, and goats that are sick. We have clients who use us as their regular veterinarian, but we also see others who are referred to us for advanced care, diagnostics, or treatments for their animals,” Genova said. Genova said she enjoys the variety of her days at the CVM, as well as having the opportunity to work with both animal owners and students. “We are faced with challenges every day that range from doing procedures on animals that have not been done before to diagnosing challenging cases,” Genova
When I was four years old, I decided I wanted to work with animals. I never looked back.
said. “I also enjoy mentoring residents and students. It can be challenging, frustrating, and gratifying all at the same time to teach young and future veterinarians how to use their critical thinking skills when faced with a live animal.” Dr. William Epperson, head of the Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, said Genova hit the ground running on several applied research projects. “She has established a great cooperative project with an equine surgeon and another one with the beef epidemiology group,” Epperson said. “She has an outstanding work ethic and high expectations. She likes tough cases, and she has a great working knowledge of practical medicine and livestock production.”
By Kaitlyn Byrne PHOTO: Dr. Suzanne Genova performs a physical exam on one of her clinical charges.
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There were times when I had to make decisions about what to focus on. Do I study for a test for vet school or do I work on this research task? It is stressful at times, but you find a balance.
First Student Completes
New
Veterinary Program Lauren Bright may not consider herself a pioneer, but she has blazed a trail for MSU veterinary medicine students interested in medical research careers. In 2008, Bright became one of the first two students admitted to the new dual-degree program at MSU-CVM, in which students earn a DVM and a PhD at the same time. She became the program’s first graduate when she received her DVM degree in May. She will receive her PhD in spring 2015. “Being the first person at CVM to take on the challenge of doing not one, but two, of the hardest terminal academic degrees simultaneously, instantly marks you as unique,” said Dr. Cyprianna Swiderski, Bright’s adviser in the combined-degree program and an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences. “Even in established combined programs, students encounter unforeseen obstacles that keep them from completing one or both degrees. She placed a lot of trust in us to guide her through a very difficult process that was untested here.”
Two students per year can enter the College’s seven-year integrated learning process, which provides the necessary skills and knowledge for future animal and human health researchers, who are in high demand. Bright, a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, had her sights set on human medicine as she approached college. Her path veered, though, after a high school neuroscience project took her to the University of South Carolina. “When I was a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian. Then as I got older, I wanted to be a physician,” Bright said. “But when I got involved in the neuroscience project, I knew veterinary medicine was my calling because I absolutely loved the work I was doing in the laboratory, working with rats.” Bright graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in animal and veterinary sciences. When she was applying to veterinary schools, she got a letter inviting her to apply to MSU’s brand new combined-degree program. “I hadn’t really imagined anything beyond being a veterinarian,” Bright said. “However, once the door was opened with the dual-degree program, I decided it would be an amazing opportunity.” She has not looked back since, despite the daunting workload. “There were times when I had to make decisions about what to focus on,” she said. “Do I study for a test for vet school or do I work on this research task? It is stressful at times, but you find a balance.” Bright’s personality and previous research experience helped her deal with the program’s challenges.
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“Lauren is intelligent and levelheaded, qualities that help her work through challenges without becoming overwhelmed when responsibilities and deadlines begin to pile up,” Swiderski said. “She likes research. She is an independent thinker and a problem-solver. She doesn’t mind hard work and catches on to difficult concepts at lightning speed. She has even helped my laboratory to adopt new disease investigation methods. “In the face of the problems she encountered, she honored an extensive list of deadlines and published two first-author publications related to her research, which she presented both regionally and internationally,” Swiderski added. After graduating with her DVM, Bright will concentrate on finishing her PhD. After that? She’s not sure, but she has many options. “It’s amazing how many choices are before me because of the doors the PhD opens,” Bright said. “Everything in veterinary medicine is so interesting to me that I haven’t quite made up my mind.” Currently, she is interested in pursuing specialty training, probably in either laboratory animal medicine or emergency and critical care medicine. “I like the adrenaline rush of emergency medicine,” Bright said. “You never know what is coming in the door when you get to work. But I also like research, so I can see myself doing both.” For more information on the combined DVM-PhD program, visit http://www.cvm. msstate.edu/index.php/academics.
By Susan Collins-Smith
NIH Grant Funds Public Health Research
New CVM research is producing nerve agent antidotes that are more effective than the ones currently in use. Dr. Jan Chambers, director of the Center for Environmental Health Sciences, and her colleagues have received grant funding through the National Institutes of Health to test six nerve agent antidotes that can be used by the military and public health agencies to protect civilians. No actual nerve agents used in chemical warfare are being stored or used at MSU; instead, the researchers are using compounds that resemble the agents so that they can safely conduct testing. Nerve agents were developed during World War II, and their most recent use against civilians in Syria has proven they remain a dangerous threat around the world to both the military and the public. Current antidotes save lives by restoring function to the nervous system after the nerve agent has already poisoned it. These antidotes act only on the muscles and glands; they cannot penetrate into the brain to stop damage at its source. Chambers and her team have identified antidote compounds that can enter the brain and work to stop the seizures and the brain damage that nerve agents cause. “The antidotes currently used are enzyme reactivators. They don’t pass the blood/brain barrier, so they can’t protect the brain. As a result, there is brain damage from the seizures,” Chambers, a Giles Distinguished Professor, said. “The antidote compounds we have
Meiring
Awarded for Service
PHOTO: Dr. Holly Kossuth, WVVMA president, presents a WVVMA Service Award to Dr. Richard Meiring at the group’s recent annual meeting.
identified get directly to the brain to not only save lives but also prevent seizures and brain damage.” Chambers and her team will study the six antidotes that show promise over the next three years. They will test them against four nerve agent-like poisons in an experimental model to come up with two that show the greatest efficacy. The compounds in the research were first invented by Dr. Howard Chambers, a professor with MSU’s Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, and are being tested in the Center for Environmental Health Sciences laboratory. The third faculty investigator is Dr. Russell Carr, who also works within the Center for Environmental Health Sciences. The laboratory has been recognized for its commitment to safety. “We are thankful to have the NIH funding so we can focus on these antidotes that can eventually be made available to protect the public,” Chambers said. “We are excited about what we will find during the span of this grant funding and look forward to collaborating with our MSU colleagues and taking the next steps.”
By Karen Templeton This project is supported by the CounterACT Program, National Institutes of Health Office of the Director, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Grant Number 1U01NS083430.
CVM’s Dr. Richard Meiring has been recognized by the West Virginia Veterinary Medical Association for his service and commitment to advancing veterinary education. Meiring, assistant dean for admissions and student affairs, was honored with a Service Award at WVVMA’s annual conference in April. The award is given annually to those who help students in West Virginia obtain quality veterinary medical education. Because West Virginia does not have a veterinary school, the state contracts with MSU-CVM to admit seven highly qualified students each year. Meiring has remained committed to maintaining MSU-CVM’s contract with West Virginia and has supported WVVMA’s efforts to obtain veterinary education for the state’s college graduates. “We are so grateful to Dr. Meiring for keeping us engaged with MSUCVM and for helping keep our student program going,” said Dr. Shawn Sette, WVVMA’s president-elect. “Without a fully funded contract program, the number of West Virginia residents
gaining admission into veterinary colleges would be greatly decreased. Dr. Meiring has gone above and beyond in his efforts.” Meiring has been assistant dean at CVM since 2011 and has increased the College’s applicant pool. In addition to working on contract programs, he has been committed to giving Mississippi students access to veterinary education. “Dr. Meiring has successfully given Mississippi students the chance to access a quality and dynamic veterinary medical education,” said CVM Dean Kent Hoblet. “We are proud of the recognition he is receiving from WVVMA for the help he has provided them in addressing their veterinary shortage issues.” Meiring earned his bachelor’s and doctor of veterinary medicine degrees from The Ohio State University. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and specializes in veterinary preventive medicine, dairy production medicine, and veterinary public health.
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New App May
Improve Head Trauma Scale
At ten weeks old, a dog named Monkey appeared nearly lifeless after a severe head injury. He was semi-comatose and given little chance of recovery before arriving at the CVM Animal Health Center. But today, he is a normal, healthy seven-year-old living with his owner. Dr. Andy Shores, chief of neurosurgery and neurology, said Monkey is the perfect example of how the Small Animal Coma Scale, or SACS, helps veterinarians assess the severity of a traumatic brain injury in dogs and cats. “Without this evaluation system, Monkey and many other dogs like him might receive an incorrect prognosis,” said Shores, who is also a clinical sciences professor. “It is difficult to evaluate an animal with a traumatic brain injury just by looking at their state of consciousness. “We can get a general idea about the patient’s overall condition, but those things are very subjective. Using the SACS allows us to objectively evaluate the severity of injuries and better understand the chances of recovery. As a result, pet owners can make better care decisions based on the animal’s prognosis,” he explained. In 1988, Shores adapted the Glasgow Coma Scale, which is used to evaluate head trauma in humans, for cats and dogs. The scale has been validated through Shores’s own cases, by other investigators’ cases, and in three separate published scientific studies. Veterinarians use the scale to score patients in three areas: motor activity, brain stem reflexes, and level of consciousness. Patients receive a score in each area, and then the scores are added together. Now, Shores hopes to improve veterinarians’ understanding of the scores and patient recommendations by gathering statistical data on patient outcomes worldwide with a smartphone application. To do this, Shores teamed up with Dr. Simon Platt, a neurologist at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, and Kyle Johnsen, an engineering professor at the University of Georgia. Together, they developed the app to make data reporting more convenient for veterinarians, especially veterinary neurologists and emergency/critical care specialists. 10 | EARNING RE S PECT BY E X CEE D ING E X PECTATION S
“The scale has been used by many veterinarians since 1990,” Shores said. “People know it’s out there. But we are missing a cumulative collection of data on case outcomes. That is what is unique about this app. To my knowledge, it is the first medical app ever developed with the ability to collect data about patient outcomes and specific details about treatment.” With the app, veterinarians can score a patient and submit the information via email from their phones, Shores said. The patient is then assigned a case number, and later, the veterinarian receives a follow-up email to submit the case outcome. Shores has collected data since he created the scale twentysix years ago, but the app should help broaden head trauma understanding, said Dr. Michaela Beasley, a neurologist who works with Shores. “Right now we have some statistics on overall scores and how they correlate to an animal’s recovery,” said the assistant professor of clinical sciences. “But we hope we can gather enough data to be able to understand how the scores in individual categories might affect an individual’s prognosis. For example, if the animal scores low in motor activity and level of consciousness but scores higher in brain stem reflexes, that may mean he has a better prognosis.” More comprehensive data also could help veterinarians make some treatment decisions, such as which animals need anti-seizure medications, Beasley said. Dr. Ron McLaughlin, professor and head of the Department of Clinical Sciences, is excited about the possibilities the new application provides. “The Small Animal Coma Scale application is important to our efforts to improve the treatment of patients with head trauma,” McLaughlin said. “The app will be a valuable learning tool for students, interns, and residents. The data it collects will eventually lead to better treatment protocols for these patients and help owners make sound decisions regarding their pets’ medical care.” The Small Animal Coma Scale app is now available for free in the Apple iTunes store and the Google Play Store.
By Susan Collins-Smith PHOTO: Dr. Andy Shores and an assistant perform a neurological examination on a patient at MSU-CVM’s Veterinary Specialty Center in Starkville.
Friday, September 19
Celebrating the classes of 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, and 2009!
Fourth Annual Pegasus Gala
5:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m.
Cocktail hour Hilton Garden Inn
Dinner and presentation Hilton Garden Inn Michael Hingson | michaelhingson.com
Saturday, September 20
CVM Family Brunch
CVM Family BBQ and Cornhole
9:30 a.m.
CVM, Dean’s Foyer Celebrate and remember the staff and faculty so pivotal in our College’s history.
11:30 a.m. The Little Dooey, Starkville Enjoy barbecue and friendly competition with former classmates and friends. More info & RSVP at cvm.msstate.edu
Alumni Weekend 2014
September 19–20
All alumni and friends are invited!
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New Treatments Kill Cancer Cells with Minimal Collateral Damage By Keri Collins Lewis
Cancer kills nearly six hundred thousand Americans each year, and a team of researchers at MSU is developing new and better ways of fighting back. Dr. Cody Coyne, professor of molecular pharmacology and immunology in the Department of Basic Sciences, and his team of scientists are researching more effective ways to kill cancer cells. While his work is incredibly complex, he has a simple analogy. “Orchestrating, organizing, and preparing detailed research investigations parallels the way a kitchen is managed in a large, successful restaurant,” Coyne said. “Many variables have to be simultaneously and sequentially controlled in order to generate a useful end product.” Coyne and his team develop therapies that target specific cells and avoid collateral damage to patients’ healthy cells and systems. “The major emphasis of our pharmacology research program is the design and synthesis of anti-cancer agents that possess properties of selective, targeted delivery. Cancer cells can be killed more effectively, and healthy tissues and organ systems experience a much lower exposure,” he said. When conventional chemotherapeutic agents are administered, they usually distribute throughout the entire body rather than entering into cancer cells. This widespread distribution increases the chances of severe side effects. “When you’re treating cancer, you’re trying to kill something that has become a part of the patient—it’s not a foreign pathogen or parasite,” he said. “We have a lot of things that can kill cancer, but what limits our success is how well the patient tolerates collateral damage.” In contrast, selective, targeted delivery minimizes the exposure of normal tissues and organ systems to anti-cancer therapies. Selective delivery is so effective that it reduces the undesirable side effects that typically limit the amount of time therapy can be administered. “What we’re involved in is using chemistry and cancer cell biology concepts
to establish a pharmacological approach to targeting therapy for tumors,” he explained. “We’ve established the molecular design of covalent immunochemotherapeutics with properties of selective targeted delivery.” Selective, targeted delivery therapies offer other advantages, as well. “These therapies maximize the amount of anti-cancer agent that enters the interior of cancer cells, achieving levels that cannot be attained with conventional chemotherapy,” Coyne said. CVM Dean Kent Hoblet said Coyne’s research offers benefits to both veterinary and human medicine. “Not many would expect that this kind of research is conducted at a veterinary college,” Hoblet said. “It really exemplifies how veterinarians are on the front lines of discovering and understanding the connections between, and ultimately improving, human and animal health.” Coyne’s laboratory has published the molecular design and organic chemistry synthesis of more anti-cancer agents that possess selective, targeted delivery properties than any other laboratory to date. Treating cancer with targeted therapies is safer, reduces collateral injury, and allows the agent to accumulate in the cancer cell at higher concentrations than in traditional chemotherapy. “Our bottom line is, ‘How many cancer cells did our agent kill?’ It’s the most direct, real-life correlation to cancer. What concentration is needed? How much time do the cancer cells have to be around the agent? We want to translate our research into reallife solutions for existing problems,” he said. Dr. Greg Bohach, vice president of MSU’s Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine, said Coyne’s work is part of a larger network of research at MSU. “Dr. Coyne’s research fits well into one of MSU’s and the Division’s major areas of emphasis—health and health disparities,” Bohach said. “His work complements other health-related work ongoing in the College of Veterinary Medicine and throughout MSU, including several recently funded projects from the National Institutes of Health.”
Coyne has been at MSU since 1992. In addition to developing a wide range of innovative agents, over time he has tried to simplify the process for creating the agents. One secondary goal of the investigations has been to optimize production methods to reduce the cost of production and make it easier to transfer the technology internationally. His synthesis technique shows promise for crossing over into the treatment of other diseases. “The agents themselves are important, but the way they are made allows them to be a prototype for other drugs,” he explained. “Say you have an exceptional target for a noncancer condition, and you have a pharmaceutical you want to selectively deliver to treat an infectious pathogen— an autoimmune condition, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, irritable bowel syndrome. You could then match the organic chemistry reaction in one of our synthesis methods with the pharmaceutical of interest and ‘targeting’ agent to produce your own agent for a noncancerous disease.” Dr. Stephen Pruett, Department of Basic Sciences professor and head, said Coyne’s research has the potential to make a significant impact on cancer treatment. “Dr. Coyne has been participating in a unique program with Eli Lilly Inc., in which he submits the proposed chemical structure of targeted therapeutic agents he has designed, and Lilly scientists screen them by first using software and then using experimental studies to determine how well these new agents work,” Pruett said. “He has had many structures approved, and several of them are now in the experimental testing phase. The fact that a large, successful pharmaceutical company such as Eli Lilly is interested in these compounds and has moved them into the laboratory testing phase is exciting.”
Photo: Dr. Cody Coyne and Dr. Lakshmi Narayanan evaluate chemotherapeutic agents for possible selective, targeted delivery applications. Pegasus Press
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CVM Office of
Development News Seeds of Philanthropy I began my role as the director of development in the College of Veterinary Medicine on May 1, and to say I am excited about this opportunity is an understatement. The College embodies the learning, service, and research missions of MSU. At the Wise Center every day, students are prepared to enter the workforce, lives are saved and improved, and faculty conduct groundbreaking research with global implications. We can all be proud of the life-changing work happening in the College of Veterinary Medicine. The gifts that established the Joe Ann Ward Critical Care Unit and the Dr. Hugh G. Ward Endowed Chair have made a tremendous impact on the animal hospital. The Marcia P. Lane Endowed Chair of Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare promotes the humane treatment of animals. The Dr. Mikell and Mary Cheek Hall Davis Endowed Professor works with cattle farmers and veterinarians to address their challenges and increase productivity and marketability. These endowments are examples of gifts that directly affect a few people but indirectly impact tens of thousands of people and animals. Noteworthy projects such as the mobile veterinary units, Safe Haven
2014 CVM
AWArds Program The annual CVM Awards Program recognizes the accomplishments of our students and our appreciation of the generous donor support our College receives. Dr. Kevin Walters of the Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine was selected by students as this year’s Zoetis Distinguished Teacher and led the graduating class into the commencement ceremony. Individuals, organizations, and corporate entities have established scholarships to commemorate
the contributions of individuals to the veterinary profession and to veterinary medical education. The 2014 scholarship recipients follow. A. Wayne Groce Alumni Society Scholarship Allison Tobia
Addie Scholarship Tyler Gamble Stephanie Doty Lauren Dabney Jenny Sowell Nicole Blevins Shanna Nelson Becky Telle Sarah Scott
for Pets, the CARE fund, Homeward Bound, and Vet Camp provide opportunities to improve the lives of pets and their owners, and to educate future veterinarians. Annual and endowed scholarships have made it possible for us to receive students from all over the globe. The College is filled with opportunities for people to make a difference in the lives of others. As I walk around the Wise Center, I see numerous opportunities for improvements. With endowments, these areas could receive needed facelifts and be maintained in perpetuity. In addition, there are transformational giving opportunities such as naming the College, the departments, and the research areas. I am thankful for the opportunity to build friendships with people who are passionate about the great work that is done at the College of Veterinary Medicine. It is my privilege to work for such a great cause. There is a quote by Dr. David Trueblood that summarizes philanthropy: “It takes a noble man to plant a seed for a tree that will someday give shade to people he may never meet.” We appreciate you for giving your time and resources to make a difference in the lives of both humans and animals. I hope to thank you in person soon.
Jimmy Kight CVM Director of Development
Alexander “Bam” Williams Scholarship Elizabeth Hiebert Samantha Vitale
Arkansas VMA Foundation Scholarship Steven Hutter Nick Ivone Kaitlyn Mitchell
Auxiliary to Arkansas VMA Scholarship Meghan Sommers
AVMA PLIT Scholarship Lydia Shafer
Bayer Excellence in Communication Scholarship Hillary May
Bedenbaugh Scholarship Lauren Bright
Dr. Betsy Lipscomb Scholarship Bradley Bishop
Charles E. and Viola Bardsley Scholarship
H. Kelley Jones SCAV Scholarship
Jenica Haraschak
Ben Lee
Clarice C. Jackson Memorial Scholarship
Hugh M. and Kathryn C. Arant Sr. Scholarship
Brittany Moore
Sarah Castaldo
Dr. Clyde E. Taylor Scholarship
International Veterinary Humanitarian Scholarship
Amanda Cain
Dempsey and Ruby Lazar Scholarship Desiree Cooley
Drs. Mark and Carol F. Akin Equine Annual Scholarship Thomas Dalton Pate
Frank and Vicki Swords Scholarship Samantha Tucker
Greenville Kennel Club Scholarship Ryan Andrews
Greta Somerville Endowed Scholarship Jenica Haraschak
Monica Fentress
Isabel M. Devine Endowed Scholarship Jason Wright Lauren Belser
James D. and Kay B. Bryan Scholarship Andrea Garton Garrett Bailey
James F. Perkins Annual Scholarship Jenny Tucker
Jean and Walter W. Rotchild Jr. Scholarship Steven Davison
Karen J. and John G. McCord Scholarship
Paul Bass Annual Scholarship
Vicksburg Kennel Club Scholarship
Patrick First
Ben Lee
Bayard Grillis Priscilla Shaw Patrick Hyde
Lehman Food Animal Scholarship Tyler Scott
Linda “Big Lou” Schuerer Scholarship Chelsea Meyer
Mary Ann Long Endowed Scholarship Katelyn Hlusko
Michael J. Lee Endowed Scholarship Phoebe Ainsworth
Morgan Freeman Scholarship Courtney Hunter
MVMA “Hall of Fame” Scholarship Spencer Mills Morgan Sullivan Martha F. Dalton Abbey Frasier
MVMA Dr. Harvey McCrory Scholarship Peach Van Wick Connor Smith
Nestlé Purina Scholarship Emily Pearce
North Alabama VMA/ Dr. Christy Parker Scholarship Lauren Belser
Dr. P. Mikell and Mary Cheek Hall Davis Scholarship Kale Hatten—Beef Cattle Allen Boyd Hardy Jr.— Beef Cattle–EEP Jamie Steins—Feline
Robert and Kathy Olsen Annual Scholarship Sharon Thornhill
Robert O. Williams Memorial Scholarship Becky Telle
Rural Practice Externship Grant Andrea Garton Angel Henderson Hillary May
Simmons and Associates Scholarship Nicholas Baer
Thomas C. Randolph Jr. Scholarship Michael Pesato
Tip Hailey Annual Scholarship Sheila Connolly
Tupelo Small Animal Hospital Scholarship Lori Ward
West Virginia Veterinary Medical Foundation Scholarship Paige Parrack
Veterinary professional organizations and certifying boards for veterinary specialties provide most awards for proficiency in various clinical disciplines or for exhibiting leadership in the College or local communities. Some awards are provided by the College. The 2014 student award recipients follow. The Abbott Animal Health–VECCS Award Jenica Haraschak
ACVIM Clinical Excellence Award Caitlin Vaughn— Small Animal Samantha Vitale— Neurology Danielle Miller-Boster— Large Animal
AAFP Award Jenny Sowell
ACVA Award Steven Davison
ACVR Award Darin Kepler
ACVS Award
SCAVMA Award
Steven Davison— Large Animal Elizabeth Heibert— Small Animal
Janet Koester
Veterinary Cancer Society Award Jason Wright
ASLAP Award
Two research program awards were given.
Courtney Hunter
ASVO Award Brooklynn LaFoon
Senior Dual-Degree Student Award
Associate Dean’s Pegasus Award
Lauren Bright
Samantha Vitale
Senior Student Award
Clinical Pathological Conference Award
Steven Davison
Caitlin Vaughn
Four veterinary medical technology scholarships were given.
Dean’s Pegasus Award Tori Hall
MVMA Senior Lanette Jordan
MVMA Award Patrick First—Auxiliary Darin Kepler—Auxiliary Samantha Vitale— Companion Animal Jen Lydon Fridley— Economic and Performance Medicine Desire Cooley— Large Animal
Novartis Companion Animal Surgery Award Mike Orencole Greg Levine
The Poco and Clio Gentle Doctor Award Jenny Sowell
Proficiency in Theriogenology Award
MVMA Junior Kimberly Stinson
Dr. P. Mikell and Mary Cheek Hall Davis VMT Endowed Scholarship Delaney Sims
MACVT Kimberly Stinson For more information on how to provide support for the MSU-CVM scholarship and recognition programs, please contact director of development Jimmy Kight at (662) 325-5893 or jkight@ foundation.msstate.edu.
Susan Rodgers Kyle O’Nan
Support MSU-CVM There are a number of ways to support the CVM’s efforts. You may want to consider making an annual gift or creating an endowment.
Annual gifts are crucial to the CVM because they provide ongoing support for the College, individual departments, research programs, academic programs, and student support services. Your annual contributions provide critical assistance and ensure that we maintain quality programs and a high level of excellence. Your gift can be designated to support any of the CVM’s needs and can be used immediately to make a difference. Endowments to the CVM help to provide a resource for generations to come. Your contribution is held in perpetuity, the principal is invested, and only the income from the investment is spent, allowing your legacy to continue for years. Endowments may be named for the donor or in honor of another person of the donor’s choosing.
For more information on annual and endowed funds and how to become involved in efforts at the CVM, please contact the Office of Development staff.
Jimmy Kight | CVM Director of Development
Make a Donation!
(662) 325-5893 | jkight@foundation.msstate.edu
Melissa Montgomery | Advancement Coordinator (662) 325-3815 | mmontgomery@cvm.msstate.edu Chastity Mincy | Office Associate (662) 325-5938 | cmincy@cvm.msstate.edu Pegasus Press
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Thousands of students and their families visited the College to learn more about animals and the veterinary profession during the 29th Annual Open House. This year’s event included more hands-on activities than ever before, as attendees learned proper animal hygiene, how to approach a dog, and even some surgery basics!
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Diagnostic Diligence Finds
New Bovine Virus
A case of professional inquiry and persistence recently resulted in the confirmation of a new bovine virus in Mississippi that previously had been identified only in California. Dr. Jim Cooley, a veterinary pathologist and professor in the Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, worked with a colleague at the University of California-Davis to identify a low-grade encephalitis and myelitis that seems to attack the neurons in the brainstem, cerebellum, and spinal cord of affected cattle. “A novel astrovirus has been confirmed as the cause of clinical neurologic disease in a three-year-old Fleckvieh bull in Mississippi,” Cooley said. “We suspect other cases based on histopathologic patterns of disease in brain tissue sections from other necropsied cattle.” For years, veterinarians have been aware of a low-grade lymphocytic encephalitis that has been a persistent problem in cattle, but the virus had not been identified. The process to unravel the mystery began last May when Cooley and his team were presented with a diseased bull for necropsy. The bull had exhibited signs seen before, and tests were run to rule out
obvious causes for the condition that led to its death. At that point, the team turned to a long list of other diagnostic tests. “It became a diagnostic work-up to attempt identification of a specific agent that would account for the signs the bull exhibited,” Cooley said. “What we came up with was nothing, so I talked to people at several different schools and diagnostic labs for their input.” He ended up talking to Dr. Patty Pesavento at UC-Davis. “She became convinced that the findings were too similar to ignore,” he said. “Using a proprietary and very sensitive in situ hybridization technique on my samples, Dr. Pesavento confirmed positivity in brainstem neurons for the novel bovine astrovirus.” This case marked the first time the disease was confirmed outside California and solved a particularly challenging case study. “We like to have a definitive explanation for unique findings in animals,” Cooley said. “We now know this is an RNA virus detected in the brainstem and spinal cord of affected animals.” Much work remains to be done regarding this virus, including learning how it is transmitted. Identification was
simply an early step in the scientific process. Dr. William Epperson, head of the Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, said this case is an example of the type of work that diagnostic labs in universities do. He praised Cooley’s diligence and collaboration with researchers from other institutions. “Dr. Cooley was able to put together cases he was working on with recently published research results and identify a bovine disease’s first appearance in the state,” Epperson said. “Our job is to look for things that are perplexing and address problems that people in the state are experiencing. It is important to maintain robust diagnostic services in our state. “We need producers to work with their veterinarians when they have a problem with their animals, and we need the veterinarians to work with us when they are confronted by a new problem so we have the opportunity to diagnose new conditions,” he said. Pesavento’s paper, “Divergent Astrovirus Associated with Neurologic Disease in Cattle,” appeared in the September 2013 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
By Bonnie Coblentz Photo: Dr. Jim Cooley examines histopathology slides as part of the diagnostic workup that confirmed positivity in brainstem neurons for a novel bovine astrovirus in a bull submitted to MSU-CVM for necropsy.
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& Awarded to CVM Faculty
External Grants Robert E. Meyer (PI). North Carolina State University (USDA APHIS). Cold weather generation of carbon dioxide for on-site mass depopulation of swine in response to animal health emergencies. $11,697 Patricia S. Gaunt (PI) and Wes Baumgartner (co-PI). United States Food and Drug Administration. The safety of channel catfish pituitary administered via intraperitoneal injection to adult female channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. $44,801 Robin Fontenot (PI); Brenna Burkette, John Thomason, Michael Brashier, and Camillo Bulla (co-PIs). American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Effect of preoperative administration of firocoxib, fluixin meglumine, and phenylbutazone on platelet function and thromboxane synthesis in healthy horses. $7,657 Jillian Haines (PI); John Thomason, Alison Khoo, Andrew Mackin, and Erin Brinkman (co-PIs). NestlĂŠ Purina PetCare. Gravity-assisted esophageal transit time in dogs with megaesophagus. $2,500
Janice E. Chambers (PI); Allen Crow and Robert W. Wills (co-PIs). Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. A longitudinal study of paraoxonase 1 (PON1) in relationship to type 2 diabetes and aging. $67,777 David R. Smith (PI). University of Nebraska (USDA NIFA). Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) in the beef chain: Assessing and mitigating the risk by translational science, education, and outreach. $60,000 Jennifer Gambino (PI). Morris Animal Foundation (Veterinary Student Scholars Program). Computed tomographic anatomic reference for the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. $4,000 Mark L. Lawrence (PI) and Attila Karsi (co-PI). FishVet Group. Safety testing of a live attenuated Edwardsiella ictaluri vaccine. $10,680 Andrea Varela-Stokes (PI) and Mark L. Lawrence (co-PI). Merial Limited. Research experience program for veterinary students 2014. $5,000 Lanny W. Pace (PI). USDA NIFA. National animal health laboratory network (NAHLN) 2013. $30,000 Bindu Nanduri (PI). NSF. EPSCoR computational biology year five. $69,714 Janice E. Chambers (PI); Russell Carr and Howard W. Chambers (co-PIs). NIH. Brain-penetrating acetylcholinesterase reactivators for several organophosphates. $721,494 Henry Wan (PI). USDA APHIS. Potential of avian influenza A virus to infect feral swine. $116,000 Bindu Nanduri (PI). NSF EPSCoR. EPSCoR research infrastructure improvement program. $35,925
Legislative L uncheon
Dean Hoblet visits with Rep. Bobby Shows at the spring Legislative Luncheon co-hosted by the College and the MVMA. 18 | EARNING RE S PECT BY E X CEE D ING E X PECTATION S
Bindu Nanduri (PI). USDA NIFA. Experimental reannotation of bovine herpesvirus 1 genome and characterization of the virion proteome. $27, 097 Mariola Edelmann (PI). USDA NIFA. Experimental reannotation of bovine herpesvirus 1 genome and characterization of the virion proteome. $20,544
Internal Grants Henry Wan and Shien Lu (co-PIs). MSU CVM SRI. Identification of avian specific epitopes providing broad protection against avian influenza infections in poultry. $45,000 Richard Hopper and Caleb Lemley (co-PIs). MSU CVM SRI. Evaluation of the effects of heifer development method and season on subsequent reproductive performance and progeny growth. $21,700 Simon Kornberg (PI); Andy Shores, Michaela Beasley, and Jennifer Rich (co-PIs). MSU CVM ORGS. A randomized clinical trial comparing different pharmacological therapies when used in conjunction with spinal surgery in dogs. $2,000 Matthew Griffin (PI) and Linda Pote (co-PI). MSU CVM ORGS. The transmission of digenetic trematodes from fish-eating birds to commercial catfish. $5,000 Andrea Varela-Stokes (PI). MSU CVM ORGS. Evaluating effects of Amblyomma maculatum ticks on predominant beef cattle breeds in Mississippi. $5,000 Lora Petrie-Hanson (PI). MSU CVM ORGS. The use of immune-stimulants to improve vaccine efficacy in aquaculture. $5,000
EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
March 2014
May 2014
Stevens
Robbins
Joan Stevens, formerly Joan Carpenter, has worked at the CVM for fifteen years as an administrative assistant, but most people know her as the person who handles payroll. Joan said what she liked best about her job when she first began was working with numbers, but now, she cites the best part as being able to help people. Joan said she enjoys the friendly family environment of the CVM. She is also enjoying being a newlywed—last year, she married her high school sweetheart, Rodgers Stevens, with whom she enjoys riding motorcycles.
Hopper
Earns Food Animal Medicine Award
PHOTO: Auburn Dean Calvin Johnson presents the 2014 El Toro Award for Excellence in Food Animal Medicine to Dr. Richard Hopper during Auburn’s 107th Annual Conference.
Megan Robbins, an anesthesia technician, has been a part of the CVM family for five years, both in teaching and technical roles. A former instructor in the veterinary technology program and technician in the equine program, Megan says she enjoys the challenge of her current role in anesthesia. An avid reader, Megan also enjoys working with her own horses and spending time with her husband, Chris, and their four-legged kids: horses Lucy, Tate, and Walter; cats Mumford and Classic; and dog Patch.
Dr. Richard M. Hopper was awarded the El Toro Award for Excellence in Food Animal Medicine at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Hopper, an MSU-CVM pathobiology and population medicine professor, received the award during Auburn’s 107th Annual Conference. “Dr. Hopper demonstrates a realistic approach to veterinary care, which our students recognize as very practical,” said department head Dr. William Epperson. “Under his direction and guidance, many students have chosen to go into theriogenology and food animal medicine. He is, of course, deserving of this award, and we are honored to have him at our College.” A native of Brandon, Mississippi, Hopper entered private practice in Oneonta, Alabama, after earning a veterinary degree from Auburn in 1978. He later came to work with MSUCVM as an Extension veterinarian and became a diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists. He established the theriogenology service at MSU-CVM, which has grown to have a substantial multispecies caseload, and has maintained a successful resident training program. Hopper has been active in the Society for Theriogenology and served as its president in 2012. He has made
numerous presentations at scientific and lay meetings across the United States and continues to be a valuable resource to practitioners and students. Hopper recently completed editing a textbook on bovine reproductive medicine and surgery, which includes an international list of contributing authors and promises to become one of the standard textbooks in the field of theriogenology. The El Toro Award, established at Auburn in 1994, is presented annually through the generosity of Dr. James G. Floyd Jr. in memory of his father. The award recognizes a veterinarian who serves as a role model for veterinary students through contributions to food animal practice, organized veterinary medicine, high ideals, and dedication to food animal production. A major focus of the award is to provide the opportunity for the recipient to interact with veterinary students and increase interest in food animal veterinary medicine. Selection criteria include outstanding service to food animal medicine, food animal production, organized veterinary medicine, and food animal industries.
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Faculty Represent CVM at
ACVIM Forum
The MSU-CVM Small Animal Internal Medicine staff received awards, presented research findings, and participated in committee meetings at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine forum in Nashville in June. Assistant professor Dr. Todd Archer received the 2014 ACVIM Foundation National Distinguished Service Award, and resident Dr. Maria Perez won the 2014 Charles Knecht Resident Research Award. Assistant clinical professor Dr. Michaela Beasley was awarded her ACVIM neurology diplomate certificate by Dr. Andy Shores, CVM chief of neurosurgery/neurology. Several faculty members gave presentations during the meeting: • Archer delivered a one-hour small animal internal medicine comprehensive review presentation titled “Oral Cyclosporine Use in Dogs in Inflammatory and Immune-Mediated Disease.” • Assistant professor Dr. John Thomason delivered a one-hour post-graduate course presentation titled “The Impact of Eicosanoids on Hemostasis.” • Dr. Andrew Mackin, professor and Hugh G. Ward Endowed Chair, gave
two one-hour presentations for the internal medicine practice stream of the preconference ACVIM Specialty Symposium titled “Immunosuppressive Therapy: What’s New” and “Immunosuppressive Therapy: Better Use of ‘Established’ Drugs.” • Perez delivered her research presentation titled “Design, Development, and Testing of an Intracranial Bolt for Use in Veterinary Patients.” • Shores was coauthor on presentations by Chow, Perez, and Dr. Simon R. Platt (University of Georgia, “Validation and Prognostic Value of Two New Head Trauma Scoring Systems in Dogs”). Members of the Small Animal Internal Medicine group presented five oral scientific abstracts, all of which were also published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine: • Dr. Rachel Blake, past intern, presented “Eicosanoid Levels in Stored Units of Canine Packed Red Blood Cells.” • Thomason presented “Effects of In Vitro Exposure of Canine Platelets to Pentoxifylline on Platelet Aggregometry”
VMT Graduation The MSU-CVM Veterinary Medical Technology Class of 2014 celebrated graduation with a pinning and awards ceremony May 16. The twenty graduates heard from guest speaker Stephanie Dray, CVT, of the VMT Class of 2013, who works with CVM ophthalmologist Dr. Caroline Betbeze.
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and “Effects of Cyclosporine and Aspirin on Canine Platelet Function.” • Dr. Jillian Haines, senior medicine resident, presented “In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of Platelet Function in Healthy Dogs During Exposure to LowDose Aspirin.” • Intern Dr. Betty Chow presented “Comparative Genomic and Histologic Analysis of Canine and Human Meningiomas.” Archer served as ACVIM forum program planner for the ACVIM Foundation Research Updates track and as a moderator for oral presentations in the ACVIM Foundation Research Updates stream. Associate professor Dr. Patty Lathan judged the endocrine research abstracts. Mackin served as a moderator for oral presentations in the hemostasis and thrombosis stream. Photo: From left, Dr. Michaela Beasley, assistant clinical professor, Dr. Erin Akin, former neurology clinical instructor, and Dr. Nora Ortinau, former neurology resident, were awarded their ACVIM neurology diplomate certificates by Dr. Andy Shores, CVM chief of neurosurgery/neurology.
Hadaway
Receives Local, National Awards
CVM academic adviser Julie “Missy” Hadaway recently received two awards for excellence in student advising. Hadaway, who is the admissions and student affairs coordinator, was awarded the 2014 Irvin Atly Jefcoat Excellence in Advising award at MSU. She was also selected for an Outstanding Advising Certificate of Merit in the primary advising role category by the National Academic Advising Association. Hadaway has guided the career paths of hundreds of undergraduate, graduate, and veterinary students since 2010. Students value her wisdom and seek her expertise as they advance through their studies. “Ms. Hadaway understands and accepts the pivotal and influential role an adviser can play in a student’s life,” said Dr. Richard W. Meiring, CVM assistant dean of admissions and student affairs. “She embodies commitment to students through her knowledge of academic requirements and her ability to counsel students through a rigorous academic program while fostering personal and honest
relationships. Missy provides students with time, attention, and a welcoming spirit beyond typical expectations.” Both honors are based on an extensive nomination procedure that included recommendations from current and former students and letters of support from colleagues and administrators in the veterinary college, as well as other MSU departments, to demonstrate her professional contributions and accomplishments. Hadaway received her bachelor’s degree in business from Mississippi University for Women in 1994. She joined MSU in April 1997. The National Academic Advising Association promotes student success by advancing the field of academic advising globally. The association provides opportunities for professional development, networking, and leadership for its diverse membership, which includes thousands of faculty, full-time advisers, and administrators whose responsibilities include academic advising.
New Faculty Edelmann Dr. Mariola J. Edelmann joined the basic sciences faculty January 1 as an assistant professor. Her NIHfunded research primarily relates to the molecular aspects of the host-pathogen interactions during bacterial infections caused by Yersinia, Shigella, and Salmonella organisms. Before coming to CVM, Edelmann was an assistant research professor with MSU’s Institute for Genomics,
Biocomputing, and Biotechnology. She was a postgraduate research associate in biochemistry and mass spectrometry from 2005 to 2009 at the University of Oxford. Edelmann earned a master’s degree in biology from Jagiellonian University in Poland in 2005. She earned a PhD in clinical medicine in 2010 from the University of Oxford.
Olivier Dr. Alicia Olivier joined the pathobiology and population medicine faculty July 1 as an assistant professor. She will provide clinical diagnostic pathology service, participate in teaching, and support research by providing pathology expertise. Before coming to CVM, Olivier was an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology and director of the Comparative Pathology Laboratory at the University of Iowa College of Medicine.
Olivier earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology in 2001 and a DVM in 2005, both from MSU. She completed her anatomic pathology residency and PhD in veterinary pathology at Iowa State University in 2010. She is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.
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Alumni P r o f i l e
I’m proud of the fact that we’ve grown this practice from grass on the ground to a large practice. I’ve got a job I love and I’m able to support my family.
Dr. Glynn McLeod Veterinary Career Offers Many Opportunities
The career of Dr. Glynn McLeod is a testament to the fact that the most interesting things happen when you welcome the opportunities life presents. As co-owner of All Creatures Animal Care Center in Madison, Mississippi, this 1988 graduate has found himself doing a job he loves, but the path he followed to get there was anything but straightforward. “I always knew I’d be a veterinarian,” McLeod said, “but I had no idea what exactly I’d do in the field. I was proud just to be a veterinarian.” This openness to possibilities led him to accept an internship opportunity at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. While at the University of Florida, he happened to befriend a group of residents from Australia, who, upon returning to their home country, invited him to come and work abroad for a while. When opportunity knocked, McLeod answered. He spent the next three years as a clinical instructor at the University of Queensland School of Veterinary Science working with beef cattle, race horses, and more in the Australian countryside. Although the Australians found his Southern accent hard to understand, he enjoyed his time there. “They’re just good people, there in the country,” he said. When his work visa expired, McLeod came back home and started his own mobile mixed animal practice. He thought he might take off on another adventure, but life had another opportunity in store: after “working out of his truck” for three years, he and former classmate Dr. Bob Filgo, who was also ready to settle back down in the Jackson area, decided to go
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into practice together. The rest, as they say, was history. More than twenty years later, All Creatures Animal Care Center has grown considerably, and McLeod and Filgo have grown their team to a total of five veterinarians, plus technical and professional staff. McLeod does the business management for the clinic and handles all of its large animal work. Although it took him a little while to decide where he wanted to be, McLeod said he is pleased with the way things turned out. “I’m proud of the fact that we’ve grown this practice from grass on the ground to a large practice,” he says. “I’ve got a job I love and I’m able to support my family.” Over the course of his career, McLeod notes two important things he learned: first, that the experience he got at MSUCVM was exceptional. “Students in Australia did not get nearly as much clinical experience as we did at State; we were prepared to go to work, function, and do the hands-on stuff. And I think you see that in the MSU-CVM graduates now, too,” he said. Second, he learned the importance of slowing down. “Don’t be in such a hurry all the time,” he advised. “Take time to pay attention to the people around you.”
By Brandi Van Ormer PHOTO: Dr. Glynn McLeod (center) and fellow MSU-CVM alums Dr. Amanda Camp and Dr. Robert Filgo practice together at All Creatures Animal Care Center in Madison, Mississippi.
CVM Notes & News Alumni News • Dr. Wanda West (DVM 88) has been selected to serve on the AVMA Task Force on Veterinary Compounding Legislation. • Recently announced new diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons included Dr. David Dycus (DVM 09) of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Dr. Brad Matz (DVM 08) of Auburn, Alabama, and Dr. Cassie N. Lux (former MSU-CVM intern) of Knoxville, Tennessee. • Dr. Brigid Elchos (DVM 99), deputy state veterinarian of Mississippi, delivered the commencement address to the MSU-CVM Class of 2014.
Faculty & Staff News • Dr. Elizabeth A. Swanson, assistant professor of small animal surgery, was recently named a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Births • Dr. Hanna Cook (DVM 11) and her husband, Dustin, of Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, welcomed their son, Parker Matthew, April 9, 2014. The new baby joined big sister Amelia.
Calendar of events
• Dr. Eris Bailey Deterding (DVM 04) and her husband, Dr. Brandon Deterding (PharmD), of Hernando, Mississippi, welcomed their first child, Grace Anne, May 9, 2014.
Student News • Amanda Cain received a 2014 MSU Research Award in the graduate student category. Julie Lowell received the undergraduate student award. • Shauna Trichler, second-year DVM/ PhD student, was awarded the Health Professions Scholarship from the U.S. Army.
• Dr. Matt Griffin, an assistant research professor at the Aquatic Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, received a 2014 MSU Faculty Research Award. Stephanie Huffman, basic sciences contract and grant specialist, received an award for research support.
Marriages • Dr. Jennifer McClure Johnson (DVM 07) and Daniel Johnson were married June 21, 2014, in Carthage, Mississippi. • Dr. Lucien Vallone (DVM 11) and Dr. Jessica Platz (DVM 12) were married May 3, 2014, in New Orleans. They currently live in Ithaca, New York, where Luc is finishing his ophthalmology residency at Cornell.
Note to CVM Alumni This is your section of the magazine, and we need your assistance in gathering information to be disseminated through this column. If you would like to share news of marriages, births, deaths, awards, new positions, or anything else you consider newsworthy, please let us know.
Send your news to A.Wayne Groce: Box 6100, Mississippi State, MS 39762 | groce@cvm.msstate.edu
September 19 & 20 Friday & Saturday
Alumni Weekend 2014 Speaker Michael Hingson www.michaelhingson.com More info and RSVP at cvm.msstate.edu or (662) 325-0465.
October 30– November 1 Thursday–Saturday Fall 2014
ALUMNI FELLOW RECOGNITION PROGRAM Contact (662) 325-0465 vanormer@cvm.msstate.edu CVM Tailgate SCAVMA members will host MSU-CVM tailgates beginning approximately two hours before kickoff at all MSU home football games. We invite you to come by and visit with students, alumni, and colleagues at The Junction.
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