PEGASUS PRESS spring 2016
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
research seeks improved
Pneumonia Treatment
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
antidotes and detecting canine cancer sooner to better identifying influenza vaccines and improving beef cattle health. These are advances that are better positioning veterinarians on the front line of protecting public health. What we see here in our state and how we approach solving health issues ultimately improves animal and public health across the country.
The South is known for its hospitality. I can assure you that is true.
Since the day Connie and I decided to move to Starkville, we have felt nothing but welcomed. Here at our college, we have a deep commitment to scientific approaches and providing unparalleled educational opportunities, but we also strive to be welcoming. And that word is spreading. I’m proud to say that MSU-CVM, here in the great state of Mississippi, is becoming a destination of sorts. We hosted the North American Veterinary College Administrators’ conference in November. About half of the U.S. veterinary colleges were represented, and while we kept the sessions informative and helpful, we also made sure they got to experience the best of our SEC football town, which, of course, includes great barbecue. I feel confident in saying that attendees left understanding what a friendly and enjoyable place Mississippi is, along with new knowledge about our programs and curriculum.
For 2 years in a row, we have hosted the Merck Animal Health Southeast
Stocker Veterinary Consultants conference. We are honored that our cattle
a message from the
DEAN Dr. Kent Hoblet
health experts are looked upon as resources in the region and that the attendees enjoy being at our college and in our state. And having experienced what we have to offer, it is no surprise that Merck has decided to host that conference here again this year.
Recently, it was announced that the Primary Care Veterinary Educators
(PCVE) conference would be held at MSU-CVM in October. It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to host such a large and distinguished group. Our faculty and staff are busy planning what will be an engaging and
Leaving our comfort zones and learning about new places enriches our
lives. Speaking from a veterinarian’s perspective, it can often make us better researchers and practitioners. I believe that the opportunity to immerse oneself in another culture—whether that be a different country or a different region of the United States—and viewing the world through a different lens generally helps us learn to approach challenges, questions, and problems with new perspective.
I am grateful that my career has enabled me to travel and work in
different parts of our country and also in other regions of the world. As an Extension veterinarian for more than 20 years, I had the opportunity to help livestock producers in other countries improve animal health. Each time, I came back to the U.S. with new ideas for helping advance our approaches to animal and public health. I have done the same type of work here in the U.S., and, as many of you know, taught and served as a department chair at The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Then, I came to
dynamic conference. We are aware that there may be some who ask, “Why Mississippi?” We relish the fact that those same people will leave here with the answer to that question.
Yes, it is a small world, and you feel that even more here in Mississippi.
I think that is a good thing as our faculty, researchers, and students get opportunities like meeting with the legislators who support our programs. I hear directly from state legislators that they receive great pleasure from hearing from our students about the opportunities they have here. It is those personal touches that make our research-focused university even more special.
The Mississippi I know is kind, it is rich with beautiful landscapes
and history, and it is full of families who have proudly been here for many generations. It is home to farmers and producers who care about the land, and it is ripe with research opportunities that lead to improvements in animal and public health. I am truly fortunate to call it my home.
Mississippi.
I won’t take any space here going into the preconceived notions many
have about the Deep South. We know they exist, we hear about them in jokes, and, sadly, we read them in headlines of national newspapers. I would rather tell you about the Mississippi I know.
Dr. Kent H. Hoblet
Dean & Professor | CVM Office of the Dean | (662) 325-1131
We are taking big steps in Mississippi. Here at MSU-CVM, we have
made progress in One Health research ranging from discovering nerve agent
8
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.
Dr. Kent Hoblet
Keryn Page
Dean
Editor
Dr. Ron McLaughlin Associate Dean Administration
Dr. Mark Lawrence Associate Dean Research & Graduate Studies
Dr. Jack Smith Interim Associate Dean Academic Affairs
Kim Trimm Graphic Designer
Tom Thompson Photographer
Karen Templeton Director Outreach & Communications
Karen TEmpleton (662) 325-1100 karen.templeton@msstate.edu Pegasus Press is produced by the MSU Office of Agricultural Communications.
Dr. Joey Burt Director Animal Health Center
11 Mi r a c l e d o g
12 P n e u m o n i a r e s e a r ch
17 N e w t e ch n i q u e
www.facebook.com/msucvm
2 2 A l u m n i P r o f i l e
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
12
Dr. Stephen Pruett Department Head Basic Sciences
Dr. andrew Mackin Interim Department Head Clinical Sciences
Dr. Bill Epperson Department Head Pathobiology & Population Medicine
Dr. Lanny Pace Executive Director Mississippi Veterinary Research & Diagnostic Laboratory System
11
www.cvm.msstate.edu
Katie Timmerman Communications Coordinator
8 C hi n a t r ip
Direct suggestions, requests, comments, and story ideas to:
Dr. Rich Meiring Assistant Dean Admissions & Student Affairs
c o n t e n t s
COVER PHOTOS: FRONT CVM researchers are studying the genes of a common bacterium to find better treatment and vaccine options. BACK CVM neurology resident Dr. Maria Perez and her dog, Cayla, participate in a 5K Dog Dash. Since being rescued and rehabilitated by Perez in 2002 after being hit by a car, 14-year-old Cayla is all smiles as she runs with help from her dog wheelchair.
17
I Don’t Know How We Survived Part II
As children, our leisure activities did not involve an Xbox or a flat-
screened video display. We spent a fair amount of seasonal time hunting and fishing in the ponds and forests on the farm. Pick-up and organized basketball, softball, and baseball games were frequent diversions. We made many of our toys.
The forestry industry had been a staple of daily life in south
Arkansas since the early 1900s. Toy log trucks that were dragged by a staging cord were fashioned from short scraps of 2-inch lumber, flattened Prince Albert tobacco cans (cabs and windshields), and wooden discs (wheels) sawn from green sapling trunks. We would drive a larger nail into the center of the “wheel,” pull it out, and then use a smaller nail to secure the wheel to the body of the truck so that it would turn freely. Smaller tree stems were sawn up to make “logs” that we hauled on our trucks. Some of the trucks were pretty high mileage by the time we retired them from service.
I was middle aged before we heard about paint ball fields. What we
called “rubber guns” were another item we made fairly frequently. They were not made of rubber, but they shot large rubber bands cut from car inner tubes. We sawed a pistol profile out of three-quarter-inch pine boards and notched the front end of the barrel. A wooden clothespin was bound with a stout rubber band to the rear of the pistol grip. A slender strip of the inner tube was folded in half, and a simple overhand knot was tied about three-quarters of the way back from the looped end. The looped end was placed in the barrel notch, and the rubber band was stretched back and secured in the clothespin. Pressing the clothespin was the triggering mechanism. The knot in the band made it fly better and gave it a little more “oomph” when it connected with its target. We used them for war games that did not stain your clothes with paint and to knock down wasp nests that were too high to reach with a stick.
It seems that war games have always been a staple for human
children, whether live or in a digital arena. Ours varied only with the ammunition used and included corncobs, “hickernuts” (hickory nuts), acorns, dirt clods, and dry cow chips. The day’s munition was dictated by location, season, personal preference, and availability. Corncobs were our personal favorite and were plentiful around the farm during the winter feeding months as they were left after the livestock had chewed the corn grain off the cobs. We would choose up sides, lay in munitions, build forts of small square hay bales in the hay barn, and commence. If you soaked the dry corncobs in the stock tank for a week or so, the conventionalweapon dry corncob could be upgraded to armor-piercing—and maybe 4 | EARNING RES P E C T B Y E X C EE D ING E X P E C T A T IONS
Archer leads State Organization
even to near nuclear capabilities. If one of these ever connected with your cold ear, you were surprised when it did not shatter and tinkle to the ground.
We loved to climb trees for the challenge and to be able to see distant
vistas. Tree-climbing eventually evolved to “tree-topping” or tree tag. We would search out properly spaced trees that were big enough to support your weight but still very flexible. Fast-growing sweetgum trees were frequently our choice. A line of trees planted down a fencerow by obliging avian friends worked real well. We would climb to near the top of a tree and start swaying the slender top in the direction of a nearby tree until we were close enough to jump to the adjacent tree. If the distance was a little too far, we would work together to get two tops close enough to make a crossover move at the same time.
Swings were an important aspect of our outdoor activities. All
swimming holes that had suitable overhanging tree branches eventually sprouted a rope swing to carry you out where you could drop off into the deeper water. We made Tarzan-inspired swings out of grape and muscadine vines. The muscadine vines were smooth-barked and easier on the hands, but they were usually not as well attached in the tree canopy as were grape vines. Because you had to chop them free at the ground end to swing on them, their functional lifespan was limited.
Dr. Todd Archer, CVM assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences, was selected president of the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association. Archer specializes in small animal internal medicine, and his teaching interests include hematology, immunology, endocrinology, and interventional radiology. He has been involved with the MVMA as a dedicated member and board member. His presidency of the MVMA, which has 500 members, will run until July 2016. The Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association is a nonprofit association of veterinary professionals committed to the advancement of the science and art of veterinary medicine. Their main goal is to serve as the liaison between veterinary medicine and Mississippi’s communities. “Despite multiple other important commitments, Dr. Archer has provided exemplary service to our state, and this position allows him to do that even more effectively,” said Dean Kent Hoblet. “His service helps Mississippi veterinary specialists by supporting their work and advocating for the practice. We are proud of him for taking on this position and demonstrating how veterinary medicine should be an integral part of all communities.” Archer earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Mississippi and his DVM and master’s degrees from MSU-CVM. He has been a faculty member at the college since 2010.
It seemed that our aspirations or desire for thrills were always driving
us to construct bigger, wider-ranging swings. We used steel cable to support
By Karen Templeton
some really impressive bag swings across the creeks on the farm. These seasonal creeks were not suitable for swimming. We built rather high launch platforms in the trees on one bank and had to clear the trees and brush away on the opposing side to avoid injury at the end of the enhanced arc.
The youthful complaint “We don’t have anything to do!” did not
receive much credence around our household.
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
Pegasus Press
•
spring 2016 |5
What is your favorite part of working at a veterinary college?
Associate Clinical Professor
Eubanks
Diana Eubanks, DVM, MS, Dipl. ABVP
Department of Clinical Sciences
When did you start working for MSU-CVM? I began teaching part-time in anatomy in 2001, and I became a full-time instructor in 2003.
What do you think the most unique part of MSU’s Community Veterinary Services rotation is? The tremendous variety of activities in which students participate, such as exotics labs, animal shelter visits, dermatology, dentistry, general medicine, outreach opportunities, and communications training.
What do you hope students get out of their time in CVS? Confidence and perspective. Confidence in themselves and their clinical abilities. They often start this rotation like a large-breed puppy with big feet. They have most of the parts, but some of them are still a bit clumsy. By the end of the rotation (where we focus on communications, exam room techniques, physical exams, technical skills, etc.), they are hopefully well on their way to growing into the doctors they will become. Perspective on life and this profession— they work with doctors who love what they do. If the students take away nothing else, I hope they realize that the heart of veterinary medicine is compassion and there is more to life than what the world deems “success.” They will have to be dedicated to long hours and hard work, but I hope they also see doctors in CVS who spend time with their kids, pursue their passions, and invest in what’s important. What we do is not a job; it’s a way of life. I hope students will learn things like it is not unprofessional to cry when you
6 | EARNING RES P E C T B Y E X C EE D ING E X P E C T A T IONS
Trey Howell, PhD
Howell
Service Chief, Community Veterinary Services
It will sound very cliché, but, of course, it’s the students. Perhaps one of my favorite things is to talk with them once they have been in practice for a little while and hear the excitement in their voices when they realize they can actually use the things we taught them! I have loved my career and I am excited to see their futures unfold. Additionally, the students challenge me daily, making me want to be a better doctor and a better person.
euthanize a pet and that it is ok to arrive a little late and disheveled to an engagement because you had to rescue a kitten from a drain pipe! I hope they learn the human side of what we do and why we do it. And I hope they always realize our support of them doesn’t end when they walk across the stage at graduation.
Assistant Professor Department of Basic Sciences
When did you start working for MSU-CVM? I started working for the MSU-CVM as a tenure-track assistant professor in the Department of Basic Sciences in August 2013. Prior to that, I was a research assistant professor in the department from 2009 to 2011.
What is your recent research focused on? The overall focus of my laboratory is in determining if exposure to environmental contaminants, namely pesticides or
Do you have students working in your lab? What is their primary focus? I have one doctoral student working in my lab, Sandeep Kondakala. His primary focus is on determining the effects of exposure to chlorpyrifos on the hepatic endocannabinoid system as a potential mechanism through which chlorpyrifos exposure may promote alterations in hepatic lipid metabolism and resulting hepatic steatosis.
Martha Pulido-Landínez, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACPV Associate Clinical Professor, Avian Medicine Poultry Research and Diagnostic Laboratory
Pulido-Landínez
their bioaccumulative metabolites, can promote metabolic dysfunction that will result in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Specifically, our recent work has been focused on determining if exposure to chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate pesticide, or to the legacy organochlorine pesticide metabolites DDE, transnonachlor, and oxychlordane can promote alterations in hepatic lipid metabolism, which would promote hepatic steatosis and dyslipidemia including hypertriglyceridemia as risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease.
When did you start working for MSU-CVM? March 1, 2015
What is your favorite part of working at a veterinary college?
What is your recent research focused on?
My favorite part of working at a veterinary college is the animal expertise associated with the environment. We routinely utilize rodent models of type 2 diabetes in our research, and the interactions with veterinarians who are experts in animal pathology has been invaluable.
My main focus is related to food safety and bacterial diseases of poultry, especially Salmonella, a zoonotic agent that can cause foodborne disease and have a remarkable impact on public health. I truly believe in the One Health Initiative. Understanding that human and veterinary medicine are strongly related as “one health, one world” is important because some health problems can affect humans and animals. Also, the presence of Salmonella may become an international sanitary barrier. Because of its effects on the health of the birds, Salmonella can cause a serious economic impact.
What is your teaching interest? My PhD is in pharmacology and toxicology, which is where my primary teaching interest lies. Dr. Barbara Kaplan and I recently started an undergraduate/ graduate medical pharmacology course where we provide an overview of the major drug classes, their mechanisms of action, and their therapeutic uses. This is an excellent opportunity for our undergraduate and graduate students across campus to become well-versed in the major classes of modern therapeutics.
birds, frequently this practice is not economically viable in large, multi-age companies or in developing countries. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the potential persistence of the risk factors and to implement measures to avoid or prevent the spread of the disease in Latin American countries. It is important to mention that this disease was eradicated from the U.S. poultry industry a long time ago as a result of specific regulations included in the National Poultry Improvement Plan.
Do you host students at your lab? At the Poultry Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, we host students for short internships and summer research work. Also, our graduate program—Master of Science, Veterinary Medical Science (concentration: poultry)—is open to veterinarians interested in the poultry industry.
What is your favorite part of working at a veterinary college? I have been a professor for almost 25 years. I enjoy the daily interaction with the students, and I also enjoy helping them and seeing their development in this wonderful profession. I also learn from them every day. I think this is a win-win relationship. For me, the role veterinarians have in the production of nutritive and safe products is very important. Considering the relationship between production and foodborne diseases, I think our work is very important for human health. In that way, I want to contribute to the education of new veterinarians and show them their role as keepers of poultry health and also of human health.
In addition to the U.S. poultry industry, I am working with Latin American countries. I have been researching fowl typhoid, a disease of poultry caused by Salmonella Gallinarum. It is difficult and expensive to eradicate. Although in many countries successful control was achieved with the elimination of positive
Pegasus Press
•
spring 2016 |7
China Trip broadens
Poultry Health
Understanding Two MSU-CVM students sought out and took a trip abroad that helped develop their understanding of global animal agriculture. Steven Hutter of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Shelby Harris of Meridian are fourth-year DVM students both interested in practicing poultry veterinary medicine upon graduation. “[MSU-CVM associate professor] Dr. Henry Wan talked to our research club about his work in China regarding avian influenza,” Harris said. “I approached Dr. Wan about the possibility of students traveling to China to learn more about poultry production systems because Steven and I both were interested.” Liping Long, a research associate in the Department of Basic Sciences, worked with Hutter and Harris to develop a trip that would help broaden their view of international veterinary medicine, specifically regarding animal agriculture systems. Long, who works in Wan’s influenza research program, is originally from
China and reached out to her colleagues at South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Beijing to plan the trip. Hutter and Harris both qualified for MSU-CVM Pegasus Partners scholarships to fund part of their studyabroad experience. Once in China, they were escorted by Long to tour research laboratories, three local animal hospitals, and a live bird market. “It was interesting to see the Chinese private practice veterinary hospitals; they are really technically advanced,” Hutter said. “The clinics developed unique space solutions so they could kennel and treat more animals in the population-dense area. They also had HEPA filters for each caged area to limit the exposure and contamination to the environment.” At South China Agricultural University, Harris and Hutter observed how students worked in the laboratory, performed diagnostic tests, and addressed issues such as cross-contamination prevention.
8 | EARNING RES P E C T B Y E X C EE D ING E X P E C T A T IONS
“They got a unique opportunity to hear from Chinese scientists about veterinary epidemiology capacity development in the country,” Long said. “Steven and Shelby had good questions, and the answers they received will help them in their studies and research goals.” The students and Long spent a portion of the trip visiting with officials from the Wens Group, one of China’s largest poultry and swine production companies. The students were given an in-depth presentation of the company’s headquarters before they traveled to some of the company’s growing facilities. “We were introduced to how the company handles biosecurity at its growing operations,” Harris said. “We were required to shower in and out at the farms and wear the proper gear. We also got to watch their water treatment process.” Hutter noted differences between the production systems in the U.S. and China. “I’m thankful for the chance to be onfarm and to ask questions,” he said. “China has to address space constraints differently and also handles vaccines in a different way. It was great to see how different environments and disease history affect how countries approach biosecurity and vaccine protocols.” The tour also provided insight into how farm employees live. “Wen Group’s growers’ employees stay on-farm in company-provided housing,” Harris said. “That was something we hadn’t really ever seen before. It was interesting to get to meet them and see how they do their jobs and live day-to-day.”
Long arranged a detailed tour and discussion for the students at the FAO. “We got to speak with agriculture officials about disease surveillance and mitigation,” Harris said. “We also learned how the FAO performs both research and regulatory activities for zoonotic and transboundary diseases in China.” Harris and Hutter agreed that understanding how China approaches zoonotic disease situations enhanced what they have learned about public health control in the United States. “We both want to work with the U.S. poultry industry, and we feel like this opportunity gave us a new perspective to even better prepare us,” Hutter said. Long was pleased to be their host and feels they benefited from their many experiences. “The whole experience they received in China will really enhance their career development,” Long said. “This is something we are glad we can offer students at MSU-CVM.”
By Karen Templeton
CVM Hosts Merck Veterinary Conference An international leader in animal medicine recently chose Mississippi’s flagship research university to host a prominent event in the stocker industry for a second time. In December, MSU-CVM and Merck Animal Health welcomed more than three dozen veterinarians in stocker practice across the southeastern U.S. to the Southeast Stocker Veterinary Consultants Conference. The event provided an opportunity for faculty and researchers in the CVM Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine to present ongoing research on changes and challenges in the industry. “There are a lot of stocker operators in Mississippi with a passion for the cattle industry and a lot of faculty here at MSU in veterinary medicine and animal science who are really excited about helping stocker operators learn how to keep their cattle healthy,” said Dr. Amelia Woolums, a professor in the Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine. “They’re all very interested in promoting the welfare, health, and productivity of calves. A lot of work is going on in that area at MSU, and I think that’s what makes it a great place to bring veterinarians engaged in the stocker practice.” Researchers from MSU and Merck Animal Health covered a range of topics related to animal agriculture, including the effect antimicrobial and bacterial diseases are having on cattle, beef quality assurance, and the analysis of cattle production records in improving overall health. Presenters from MSU discussed studies addressing protein concentration in diet and response to cattle respiratory disease, the use of lung auscultation in predicting cattle survival, effects of the influenza D virus in the industry, and the relationship between hair shedding and cattle health. Dr. David Smith said Merck Animal Health conferences are
attended by foremost practitioners in stocker cattle medicine. “The stocker industry is really important in the southeastern U.S. from a financial and consumer standpoint. The stocker industry is a major purchaser of calves from the many small farms that market calves a few at a time,” said Smith, the Dr. Mikell and Mary Cheek Hall Davis Endowed Professor of Beef Cattle Health and Reproduction. “Veterinarians are critical to the stocker industry, and we want those veterinarians to be up-to-date on the science and regulations, because there are big changes in the way antibiotics can be used for food-producing animals.” Smith added that presentations at the conference updated stocker veterinarians on the latest research and developments in their industry— information they can pass along to the cattlemen they regularly work with. “Merck has identified those key veterinarians and brought them in for this conference,” he said. “The fact that they have once again chosen MSU as the place to bring them is a good thing for us because it is recognition of our expertise in that area.” Dr. Harold Newcomb, technical services veterinarian with Merck Animal Health, said the health-care company sought out MSU because the two share a vision of improving the well-being and performance of stocker animals through the development of vaccines and health-management tools. “We have a very close working relationship with Mississippi State. We’ve done several projects with them and we like the faculty,” Newcomb said. “Their thinking and our thinking is usually pretty much the same. It’s a very central location for this conference, and our stocker veterinarians like coming here.”
By Nathan Gregory
Pegasus Press
•
spring 2016 |9
grants assist
Shelter P rogram PetSmart Charities and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have again awarded grants to support MSU-CVM’s mobile veterinary clinics. These gifts are in addition to the $300,000 grant provided in 2015 by the Humane Society of the United States. The $20,000 ASPCA grant and $400,000 PetSmart Charities grant will help offset some of the expenses incurred as the mobile veterinary clinics travel to 20 north Mississippi animal shelters, where students spay and neuter shelter animals. The program is funded solely by grants and donations. “This is such an important program for our students and for our community,” said Jimmy Kight, director of development at the veterinary college. “These generous
grants help cover the many operational expenses it takes to keep the program successful.” Kight said a key reason organizations and donors support the program is because it gives students unparalleled surgical experience and makes shelter animals more adoptable. “It is part of what helps MSU-CVM excel in shelter medicine education, and we are honored that others want to be part of that by providing needed financial support,” he said. Dr. Phil Bushby, retired MSU-CVM Marcia Lane Endowed Chair in Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare, has inspired students to help raise money to keep the program moving forward.
10 | EARNING RES P E C T B Y E X C EE D ING E X P E C T A T IONS
“This support enables us to provide veterinary students with surgical experience, help get the animals adopted, and educate pet owners about the importance of taking those animals to their community veterinarians to ensure good health for as long as possible,” Bushby said. “We are grateful for the ASPCA’s and PetSmart Charities’ continued support.”
By Karen Templeton PHOTO: (Back from left) Drs. Phil Bushby, Jacob Shivley, Kimberly Woodruff, Cooper Brookshire, and Uri Donnett; (front from left) CVTs Christina Loftin and Emily Childers; and animal health technician Megan Doolittle work on one of MSU-CVM’s mobile veterinary clinics.
Mir acle DOg :
The Healing Impact of Teamwork Most great stories begin on a normal day, and Lad’s was no different. While his owner, Tommy Foster, was mowing the back lawn one April afternoon, Lad enjoyed a visit with the neighbor’s dogs, a quick cool-down in his wading pool, and then he took off again. When Foster finished mowing, he called for Lad and heard only a far-away, mournful cry in answer. Concerned, Foster enlisted the help of his neighbor, Stan Pope, and the two went out in search of Lad. They walked down some railroad tracks near Foster’s house in Clinton in the direction of Lad’s cries. Eventually they found Lad on the tracks, unable to stand, with cuts on his head and face. Lad had been hit by a train. While his neighbor ran for a wheelbarrow so they could remove the broken dog from the tracks, Foster waited with a growing horror his dog would not make it. He had only had Lad 9 months, but the sweet-natured, long-nosed puppy he’d gotten at 6 weeks old had quickly burrowed his way into Foster’s heart. Although it felt as though it took forever, Pope was back with a wheelbarrow within minutes, and the two men were able to get Lad to the office of Dr. Rodney Walker in Clinton. X-rays revealed that Lad had much more than a nasty knock on the head—at the very least, he had a dislocated right femur and multiple pelvic fractures. Lad’s injuries were so severe that Walker referred Foster to the Animal Emergency and Referral Clinic, an affiliate service of the MSU-CVM located in Flowood. The AERC provides veterinary emergency and specialty care services to pet owners in the Jackson area.
Walker told Foster that it was a miracle Lad was even alive and alert. From the emergency staff who first tended to Lad on his arrival to the surgery team who undertook the task of repairing his multiple injuries, everyone at the AERC quickly fell in love with the lucky collie and his family. Board-certified veterinary surgeon Dr. Dena Lodato quickly got to work on Lad, repairing his left side on a Monday and his right side on Wednesday. Although both complex surgeries were successful, there was much work that would still need to be done, and a long road to recovery ahead. “Well, we put Humpty Dumpty together again . . . the rest is up to Lad,” Lodato remembers thinking. The next few months would be dedicated to rehab sessions for Lad (up to three times per day) and trips back to the AERC for suture removals and multiple checkups. “Lad the wonder dog” became a celebrity at the AERC. “For a dog with such extensive injuries, Lad has really made a remarkable recovery,” Lodato, an MSU-CVM graduate, said. “And a large part of that is the work that Mr. Foster and his family and friends did to keep up with his rehab exercises after surgery.” Foster, a retired professor of physiotherapy and former coach, admits he took it easy on Lad at first.
“I was very cautious during our rehab sessions, always using the sling to support his back end, and always taking small steps,” he said. This all changed when Nancy Bennett, certified veterinary technician and member of the AERC surgery team, saw Lad during a routine staple removal appointment. “Nancy came to the parking lot to get Lad out of the car, and he just walked out to meet her on his own!” recounts Foster. “We realized we’d been babying him, and he’d been ‘playing’ us a little bit.” Nancy assured the family that Lad was indeed solid and capable of pushing harder, so Foster and his team of family and friends stepped up the rehab efforts. From there, Lad took off, progressing quickly. Only 1 month after his accident, he was walking down the street and back, and romping again with Sam, the neighbor’s dog, and Pepper, Foster’s other dog. In June, Lad celebrated his first birthday. His prognosis is excellent, his hair is growing back, and Foster is awakened every morning to Lad’s long nose prodding at him. Foster admits it was a long, hard road. “But would I do it again? No question, I would.” By Brandi Van Ormer PHOTOS: “Lad the wonder dog” became a loved patient during his extensive treatment at the AERC.
Pegasus Press
•
s p r i n g 2 0 1 6 | 11
12 | EARNING RES P E C T B Y E X C EE D ING E X P E C T A T IONS
Research Seeks
Improved Pneumonia Treatment By Karen Templeton
The name Streptococcus pneumoniae may not be immediately recognizable, but many people have had a run-in with this common bacterium. S. pneumoniae primarily affects the very young and those over the age of 65. In young children, it causes ear infections, and in older adults, it can cause serious cases of pneumonia. Pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae is a common complication of influenza in people of any age. The illness caused by the bacterium can be treated with antibiotics, but if pneumonia cases are not responded to quickly enough, the infection turns into sepsis—a serious blood infection. Dr. Bindu Nanduri, an associate professor in MSU-CVM’s Department of Basic Sciences, has discovered new information about the genes in the bacterium and how changes to those genes can provide better treatment and vaccination options. The bacteria live inside nasal cavities and spread when the body’s immune system is compromised. For instance, when a child gets the common cold and is not as able to fight off infection, the bacteria can form in the middle ear and cause an infection. The infection can take the form of one of 90 different strains, which makes it difficult to target with a vaccine. “There are vaccines available,” Nanduri said. “But the vaccines available do not carry all of the strains and, because of that, treatment and limiting the infection is very difficult.” An additional complication is that overuse of antibiotics to treat infections can lead to antibiotic resistance. “The bacteria cannot survive without a host, and, in these cases, the hosts are humans,” Nanduri said. “What we are doing is removing certain genes in the bacteria that make it impossible for it to survive in the host. We are creating treatments that remove those integral genes so that survival in the body is not possible.” Dr. Stephen Pruett, professor and head of the Department of Basic Sciences, said Nanduri’s research is providing pathways to new treatment options. “These ‘mutants’ that Dr. Nanduri produces by removing components are much more easily contained by human immune systems,” Pruett said. “Thus, the medications that would produce this change in the bacteria and block their movement are an entirely new category of treatments.” Pneumonia causes approximately 1.1 million hospital admissions and 53,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Novel approaches to treating and decreasing the severity of the illnesses are important to protecting U.S. public health. Nanduri’s research is focused on pathogen-host interactions, which has helped the university garner a major National Institutes of Health grant. The grant, held by multiple
researchers at MSU, is through NIH’s Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence, or COBRE, and provides a framework for studying pathogen-host interactions. COBRE grants are highly competitive and support multidisciplinary centers that strengthen institutional biomedical research capacity. The COBRE research is conducted through three MSU programs: the College of Veterinary Medicine; Institute of Genomics, Biocomputing, and Biotechnology; and Institute for Imaging and Analytical Technologies. “Dr. Nanduri’s project fits very nicely within the topic of pathogen-host interactions, and the reviewers of our grant application were impressed with the novelty of her proposed work,” Pruett said. “I believe this contributed significantly to the score our COBRE received, which was good enough to allow it to be funded. In addition, Dr. Nanduri’s research record is excellent, in terms of both publication and competitive research funding, and the qualifications and accomplishments of the investigators are important criteria in scoring COBRE applications.” Nanduri said conducting her research through the COBRE funding has allowed her to make significant advances. “The COBRE provides a mechanism for developing a network of scientists who add value to ongoing research projects,” she said. “It is a mentorship program that enables an avenue for constant feedback so that all of us can improve our work and obtain more funding to advance our studies.” Nanduri earned her master’s degree in biosciences at the University of Roorkee in India and her doctorate in biochemistry and microbiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is a widely sought expert in bioinformatics, which involves developing software to better understand biological data. “Dr. Nanduri is often asked to collaborate with investigators around the world on analyzing complex data sets obtained from nucleic acid sequencing and proteomics,” Pruett said. “We are fortunate to have her expertise here. She’s enthusiastic not only about her projects, but also about collaborating with other scientists, which makes her an even greater attribute to the COBRE work.” Nanduri said the feeling is quite mutual. “The funding and advancements are possible because of the dedication of the university and MSU-CVM’s administration,” Nanduri said. “I am glad to be doing this work in an environment that cultivates relationships that benefit public health research.”
Photo: Dr. Bindu Nanduri (right) has discovered new information about the genes in S. pneumoniae. She and fellow researchers Allen Shack (left) and Dr. Seongbin Park hope to use this information to find better treatment and vaccine options.
Pegasus Press
•
s p r i n g 2 0 1 6 | 13
CVM Office of
Development News the power of endowments In the world of development and advancement, we use terms that we often forget others may not immediately understand. One such term is “endowment.” So let me explain: Endowments are permanent funds where the principal (the original amount) is invested, while a portion of the fund is distributed annually to your philanthropic cause. In short, an endowment is forever. I would like to quickly illustrate the power of an endowment. Here at MSU-CVM, our clinicians handle tough cases, including patients that need intensive care and spacious, comfortable recovery areas. To meet this need, Joe Ann Ward of Jackson provided a $1.5 million gift in memory of her husband, Dr. Hugh G. Ward, founder of Briarwood Animal Hospital and Millcreek Animal Clinic. This gift was invested in an endowment to ensure that it would 1) exist forever and 2) always be used to address needs important to the Ward family. Their philanthropic passion will always be honored. With the endowment, CVM built the Joe Ann Ward Internal Medicine and Critical Care Unit and established the Dr. Hugh G. Ward Endowed Chair in Small Animal Veterinary Medicine position. Dr. Andrew Mackin, who has served as the endowed chair since its establishment, has honored the Wards’ commitment to improving small animal health by recruiting talented interns and residents to work at MSU-CVM and produce research aimed at advancing veterinary medicine. The Joe Ann Ward Internal Medicine and Critical Care Unit has been a beacon of hope for many pet owners since its doors opened in 2003. In the unit, pets are provided expert care, and many lives have been saved. Last year, it was apparent that updates needed to be made. With the funds that grew from the endowment, we renovated and improved the unit so that we can serve more pets and provide even more comfort and care. Recently, we posted a photo of the impressive new unit to our social media pages. The response was overwhelming. Comments were posted immediately from pet owners about how their pets were treated and saved there. The photo was shared by referring veterinary clinics, and feedback by way of emails, calls, and in-person contact continues. That, my friends, is the power of an endowment. The Wards’ passion will live on and will certainly continue to improve lives in more ways than we can know today.
Jimmy Kight CVM Director of Development
14 | EARNING RES P E C T B Y E X C EE D ING E X P E C T A T IONS
H o m e wa r d
Bound
Transports 4,000th pet The Homeward Bound Project recently celebrated its 4000th transport since 2007. Started by three MSU-CVM students, Megan Caulfield, Krista Gazzola, and Amy White, Homeward Bound transports dogs to the Northeast from 10 Mississippi shelters and rescues about every 6 weeks. The Homeward Bound puppies fill a need for adoptable puppies in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New York. The project is still run by veterinary students, with the MSU-CVM as a key partner.
Compassionate care
Inspires Gift
Jim and Amy Streetman only visited the MSU-CVM Animal Health Center once with their beloved 19-year-old cat, Norton, but that visit made a lasting impression and led to a bequest that will establish endowed scholarships. Norton, the Streetmans’ Siamese house cat, lived a pampered life. When Norton needed a blood transfusion to survive, the Streetmans’ local veterinarian referred them to the CVM. Unfortunately, he passed away shortly after arrival and before treatment could begin. While dealing with the traumatic loss of Norton, Jim and Amy received a note from Melissa Dean, who, at the time, was a fourth-year veterinary student assigned to Norton’s case. “We were shocked that anyone at MSU even remembered our names. We were only in the waiting room for a few minutes,” Jim said. “It sounds simple, but Amy and I were immediately impressed by the compassion of such a young veterinary student who took the time to write us a note in Norton’s memory. She didn’t know us, nor had she had the opportunity to work with Norton, but she showed maturity and dedication by reaching out to us during a difficult time.” The Streetmans said they will never forget the words that Dean, now a DVM, shared with them: “Dear Mr. and Mrs. Streetman, I’m so sorry for your loss. I wish we could have done more for Norton. What great parents you have been for him to live for 19 years.” The Streetmans’ connection with MSU-CVM grew stronger over the years as several MSU-CVM graduates took care of their cats, including Drs. Amanda Camp (DVM 2000), Amy Hatchett (DVM 2001), and Angela Peterson-Shows (DVM 1992). They were also impressed by the work of MSU’s Dr. Juli Gunter, an assistant clinical professor who specializes in dermatology. Gunter saw
their cat, Shug, at the Animal Emergency and Referral Center in Flowood to evaluate an allergy. Jim is an Auburn graduate, while Amy is an MSU College of Education graduate. Jim’s uncle was a professor of small animal surgery at Auburn. He trained many veterinarians who eventually came to work at MSU-CVM. “When Amy and I began thinking about making gifts to MSU and to Auburn, we realized that it’s been MSU vets who have taken such good care of our cats. We feel a connection with MSU, so we decided to honor Amy’s parents through a bequest to provide scholarships,” Jim said. The Jim and Amy Streetman Endowed Scholarship in tribute to Mr. and Mrs. J. A. “Bud” Thigpen Jr. will support veterinary students with financial need. Scholars will be known as Thigpen Scholars. The Streetmans also established a scholarship at Auburn in memory of Jim’s uncle. “The Streetmans have a strong belief that scholarships change lives. Such support can drive the spirit and guide the minds of generations of veterinarians,” said CVM director of development Jimmy Kight. “By including MSU in their will to fund scholarships, Jim and Amy are making a profound difference for individual students and for the lives those students touch as graduates of MSU-CVM.” Planned gifts are just one of the many ways alumni and friends can help veterinary students achieve their dreams. To learn more about making a gift, contact Kight at (662) 325-5938 or jkight@foundation.msstate.edu.
By Melissa Montgomery
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.
Make a Donation!
Jimmy Kight | CVM Director of Development
(662) 325-5893 | jkight@foundation.msstate.edu
Melissa Montgomery | Advancement Coordinator (662) 325-5170 | mmontgomery@cvm.msstate.edu
Pegasus Press
•
s p r i n g 2 0 1 6 | 15
Students lead
Holiday fundraiser When second-year DVM students Samantha Storey and Amanda Cain heard about the Safe Haven for Pets program, they knew they wanted to be involved. Founded in 2009 by CVM clinical professor Dr. Sharon Grace, Safe Haven provides care for the pets of women entering Care Lodge Domestic Violence Shelter in Meridian. After learning about Safe Haven during a professional development course, Storey and Cain approached Grace with the idea of a holiday fundraiser to benefit Care Lodge and Safe Haven for Pets. “These students took their great idea and ran with it,” Grace said. “They followed through, and that is what it takes to make something like this fundraiser so successful.” The students set up collection boxes throughout the CVM and Animal Health Center for supplies needed at Care Lodge. Then they began raising funds for Safe Haven. “The Dean’s Office, Pre-Vet Club, Alpha Psi, SCAVMA, veterinary technology program, and Student Cattlemen’s Association all played important roles in spreading the news and assisting with the collection of donations,” Storey said. “We could not have done it without their help.” The students raised approximately $6,800 in donations and supplies.
“The massive response and excitement from people was just wonderful,” Storey said. “We were definitely not expecting it, but we’re so thankful.” In addition to the financial support and supplies collected, Storey and Cain note one especially thoughtful donation. Brenda Cunningham, a client accounts assistant at the Animal Health Center, donated 12 handmade blankets. The blankets will be given to the children of the women who come to Care Lodge for assistance. “I was truly amazed and deeply touched by the generosity and giving spirit of everyone,” Cain said. “Domestic violence creates such devastating circumstances for those affected, and I am so glad that, with the help of our friends, family, colleagues, and community, we were able to help provide for the women and children of Care Lodge.” Statistics show that victims of domestic abuse often delay leaving their abusers because they do not have a safe place for their pets to go. Safe Haven for Pets provides care for these animals until they are able to safely return to their owners. There is no charge for these services. Grace manages the program, and Dr. Christine Bryan, assistant clinical professor in Community Veterinary Services, provides oversight of the hands-on medical care provided to the pets. To date, the Safe Haven for Pets program has taken in approximately 38 animals and provided more than 1,200 days of shelter to pets. To learn about supporting the Safe Haven for Pets program, contact CVM advancement coordinator Melissa Montgomery at melissa.montgomery@msstate.edu or (662) 325-5170.
By Katie Timmerman PHOTOs: CVM students held a holiday fundraiser to support a domestic violence shelter and an animal shelter that houses the pets of women staying at the domestic violence shelter. Students raised more than $6,000 in donations and supplies.
16 | EARNING RES P E C T B Y E X C EE D ING E X P E C T A T IONS
new Technique Helps Scientists Study
Listeria
MSU-CVM researchers pioneered a technique that can help advance the study of one of the deadliest foodborne bacteria in the United States. Listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria that causes listeriosis, ranks number three among the top five domestically acquired foodborne pathogens that cause death, according to 2011 estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The study of this bacteria is important because listeria can survive most of the sanitation procedures and conditions that kill other foodborne bacteria,” said Dr. Mark Lawrence, a professor in the Department of Basic Sciences. “We know it can grow at refrigeration temperatures and can live in high and low acidity. It has a great ability to adapt. “In the human body, it can cross the gastrointestinal tract and lead to septicemia and meningitis. It also can grow in white blood cells, which normally destroy bacteria in the body,” Lawrence said. Listeria infection is most dangerous for pregnant women, newborns, immunocompromised individuals, and adults over 65 years old. The bacteria can be found in deli meats, smoked seafood, unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses, and other products. For about 5 years, Lawrence and his colleagues have been working to understand which genes control certain functions in the bacteria. They want to know which ones allow it to attach to surfaces, adapt to different conditions, and cross membranes in the human body. To do that, they culture the bacteria, amplify the correct gene, and then delete the gene in the listeria genome to study the effects of the missing gene.
However, the techniques scientists use to delete genes in other bacteria have not worked efficiently for listeria, said Lawrence, who is also an associate dean of research at the college. “The established method used by listeria researchers required a lot of hours of work and had a low success rate,” he said. “Our team used this method to delete two listeria genes, but we had other genes that we struggled to delete. We knew from talking with other researchers that we all had the same problem.” Established methods required scientists to go through a process that involved screening hundreds to thousands of bacterial colonies to find the colonies with the correct gene deletion, said Dr. Attila Karsi, an associate professor in the Department of Basic Sciences.
“This process might take 2 to 3 weeks to find the colony you wanted, which is a very long and costly process,” he said. The new method selects the colonies of bacteria intended for study in an efficient way, eliminating the need to grow thousands of colonies and then to search for the correct colony. “With this method of deleting genes, we can focus our energy on fixing the problem,” Lawrence said. “This technique can speed up research for scientists around the world who study listeria. We expect that it will be widely used and become a routine technique.” By understanding how the bacteria make people sick, adapt to various environments, and attach to surfaces and food products, scientists hope to find ways to kill the bacteria and improve treatments for people who become sick. “If we can figure out how it sticks to food products and food processing equipment, we can figure out ways to get rid of it,” Lawrence said. “It is not a common enough problem to vaccinate against, but when people are sick, we need better ways to treat it.” The team has had about 15 requests for the new plasmid since the research paper detailing the method was presented at a research symposium in early 2015. The paper was published in the journal Plasmid in May 2015 and currently ranks ninth in the most-downloaded articles list.
By Susan Collins-Smith PHOTO: CVM postdoctoral fellow Dr. Hossam Abdelhamed examines an agar plate with bacterial colonies.
Pegasus Press
•
s p r i n g 2 0 1 6 | 17
EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
November 2015
December 2015
Ellis
Mays
Michelle Ellis, an MSU-CVM employee for 18 years, says helping people is the best part of her job. An accounting assistant, Michelle helps MSU-CVM personnel get the supplies they need to do their jobs. Michelle and her husband, Tim, have three children, Emma, Karley, and Anna. The family also provides a home to horses, cows, rabbits, chickens, and their dog, Cheyenne.
CVM Welcomes
Two Alumni Fellows
18 | EARNING RES P E C T B Y E X C EE D ING E X P E C T A T IONS
Stephany Mays is a senior histotechnologist and has worked at MSU-CVM for almost 13 years. She says she most enjoys preparing tissue samples for examination by the pathologist. She also likes performing special stains and immunohistochemistry stains for use in diagnosis. She credits MSU-CVM for providing her the skills and techniques that help her be successful.
MSU-CVM honored a husband and wife as Alumni Fellows for 2015. Drs. Jeff Grady and Karen Collins, both members of the CVM Class of 1990, returned to campus in October for Alumni Fellows Weekend. Grady and Collins enjoyed breakfast and interactions with faculty and students at the CVM and gave a brief presentation titled “Veterinary Medicine through the Ages: The Past, the Present, and the Future.” They spoke about their experiences within the field of veterinary medicine and discussed where they think the field is headed in the future. “The College of Veterinary Medicine appreciates Drs. Grady and Collins for their strong belief in and support of the veterinary profession,” said Dean Kent Hoblet. “Whether it is through providing externship opportunities for our students, job opportunities for our graduates, or exceptional veterinary care to the pets in their local communities, Drs. Grady and Collins are outstanding representatives of the college, and we are grateful for the work they do on behalf of the veterinary profession, our students, and MSU-CVM as a whole.” Grady and Collins met their sophomore year at MSU-CVM. After
graduation, Grady spent 11 years as a small animal veterinarian at Grady Veterinary Hospital before assuming ownership of the practice after his father, Dr. Karl S. Grady, passed away. Grady Veterinary Hospital is a 24hour veterinary hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, with nine veterinarians and 53 employees. Collins, a Michigan native, is the owner of Companion Care Animal Hospital, a three-doctor small animal veterinary hospital in Fairfield, Ohio. Alumni Fellows Weekend at MSU provides an opportunity for each college to honor distinguished alumni. The 2015 Alumni Fellows were invited to an opening reception hosted by the Alumni Association, breakfast and interactions with faculty and students at each college, lunch at the home of President Mark and First Lady Rhonda Keenum, a roundtable with the vice presidents, an Alumni Fellows Spotlight, and special recognition on the field at the MSU vs. Kentucky football game.
By Katie Timmerman
CVM seniors matched for internships Samantha Aumann, small animal, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Florida Emily Belt, small animal, University of Illinois Nicole Blevins, small animal, BluePearl—Georgia Veterinary Specialists Sarah Castaldo, small animal, Colorado State University Michael Diehl, small animal, Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Services, New York Ryan Gibson, small animal, The Ohio State University Ben Lee, small animal, Colorado State University Emily Pearce, small animal, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Florida Nicole Poston, mixed animal, Alvarado Veterinary Clinic, Texas Brooke Robertson, small animal, Virginia-Maryland CVM Colleen Sheridan, small animal, University of Tennessee Rebecca Sidor, small animal, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Michigan Kim Smith, small animal, Atlantic Coast Veterinary Specialists, New York Theresa Smith, small animal, Coral Springs Animal Hospital, Florida Katelyn Thompson, small animal, RIVER, Tennessee
Interns coming to MSU Small animal rotating Harry Cridge (University College Dublin 2016) Michael Ensor (Ross University & Kansas State University 2016) Kaitlin Fiske (University of Florida 2016) Taylor Graville (University of Missouri 2016) Clay Ivey (MSU 2016)
Equine rotating Kamille Cormier (Prince Edward Island 2016) Eftishia Gottwald (Washington State University 2016) Reynolds Gray (North Carolina State University 2016)
Shelter medicine
6 01
Results of the 2016 American Association of Veterinary Clinicians Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program were recently finalized, with students and institutions being matched based on their previously declared mutual fields of interest. MSU-CVM students successfully matched with some prestigious programs. For the past 5 years, the CVM’s average placement is 4th among 33 U.S. and Canadian colleges of veterinary medicine.
2
MATCH Day results Equine surgery Dr. Tom McParland, currently an equine intern at MSU-CVM
Ophthalmology specialty Dr. Maggie Jinks (North Carolina State University 2014), currently a rotating intern at Colorado State University
Food animal/ambulatory Jennifer Cain (MSU 2016)
Residents coming to MSU Dr. Katie Cooley-Lock (MSU 2013), small animal internal medicine Dr. Erica Burkland (Cornell 2014), neurology, currently a neurology intern at Veterinary Specialty Hospital, San Diego Dr. Wade Won (Georgia 2014), radiology, currently an imaging intern at Washington State University Dr. Jonathan Blakely (Texas A&M University 2014), small animal surgery, currently a surgical intern at Dallas Veterinary Specialists Dr. Marta Garbin (Facolta di Medicina Veterinaria, Universita degli Studi di Parma, Italy, 2005), anesthesia
CVM interns matched for residencies Dr. Jacob Helmick, surgery, University of Georgia Dr. Amy Lack, equine medicine, Mississippi State University Dr. Judith Visser, small animal surgery, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands Dr. Blake Webb, neurology, University of Wisconsin
CVM graduates matched for internships and residencies Dr. Bradley Bishop (2015), small animal medicine residency, University of Florida Dr. Elizabeth Hiebert (2014), surgery residency, Affiliated Veterinary Specialists, Florida Dr. Katelyn Hlusko (2015), surgery internship, Auburn University Dr. Michael Orencole (2014), small animal surgery residency, MedVet, Ohio Dr. Tyler Scott (2015), surgical internship, Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, Colorado Dr. Jamie Steins (2015), small animal surgical internship, Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital, Ohio Dr. Becky Telle (2015), comparative ophthalmology residency, University of Wisconsin Dr. Peach Van Wick (2015), wildlife and conservation medicine internship, Wildlife Center of Virginia Dr. Samantha Vitale (2014), neurology/neurosurgery residency, University of Illinois
Jodi Richardson (MSU 2016) Pegasus Press
•
s p r i n g 2 0 1 6 | 19
& Awarded to CVM Faculty
External Grants Mark L. Lawrence (PI) and Attila Karsi (co-PI). FishVet Group. Pond safety and efficacy evaluation of a live attenuated Edwardsiella ictaluri vaccine. $23,911 Allen Crow (PI) and Matthew Ross (coPI). National Institutes of Health (NIH). Role of carboxylesterase 1 in PPARgamma, RAR, and RXR signaling in macrophages. $349,200 Lanny W. Pace (PI). USDA-NIFA. National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) 2015. $55,000 David R. Smith (PI); William B. Epperson, Amelia Woolums, Brandi Karisch, and John R. Blanton (co-PIs). University of Georgia (Merial Limited). Impact of a refugia-based selective non-treatment strategy in reducing the development of resistance in parasite populations of pastured stocker cattle treated with LongRange. $269,621 Xiufeng (Henry) Wan (PI). National Wildlife Research Center. Mechanisms of emergence of avian influenza viruses in Poyang Lake. $125,000 Bindu Nanduri (PI). National Science Foundation. Identifying polyamine responsive pneumococcal genes and pathways using functional genomics. $36,000 Janice E. Chambers (PI). Johns Hopkins University. The transport of neurotoxin antidotes across the blood-brain barrier. $26,000
Michael J. Mauel (PI) and Lanny W. Pace (co-PI). United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Using MVRDL to increase the FDA Vet-LRN sample analysis capacity during animal food/feed emergency events. $21,500 Amelia R. Woolums (PI); Brandi Karisch and Jane Parish (co-PIs). Bayer HealthCare LLC, Animal Health Division. Effect of Zelnate on growth, performance, and expression of inflammatory mediators in weaned beef calves abruptly introduced to a high concentrate diet. $99,835 Mark L. Lawrence (PI). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. MSU-FOA partnership for blue growth initiative. $30,000 Andrew J. Mackin (PI); Kari V. Lunsford, Todd M. Archer, and Claire L. Fellman (co-PIs). American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Foundation. Pharmacodynamic evaluation of mycophenolate mofetil in the dog. $17,993
Internal Grants
Grady 2016 Alumnus of the Year The College of Veterinary Medicine is pleased to recognize Dr. Andrew W. Grady as the 2016 Alumnus of the Year. Grady is a 1986 graduate and currently serves as director for the Center for Comparative Research at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Grady was recognized by the Mississippi State University Alumni Association and College of Veterinary Medicine in February. Grady and others attended an
John Thomason (PI); Todd Archer and Andrew Mackin (co-PIs). MSU CVM ORGS. Effects of immunosuppressive agents on the hemostatic system of dogs. $10,000
Alumni of the Year Roundtable facilitated
Andrea Varela-Stokes (PI). MSU CVM ORGS. Impact of ticks and emerging tickborne diseases on beef cattle breeds in Mississippi. $5,000
Jeffrey B. Eells (PI); Andrea VarelaStokes and Matthew Ross (co-PIs). MSU CVM ORGS. Effects of Toxoplasma gondii infection on development and dopamine dysfunction. $9,745 Robin Fontenot and Jamie Zimmerman (PIs); Cathleen Mochal-King and Vernon C. Langston (co-PIs). MSU CVM ORGS. Meropenem synovial fluid concentrations after intravenous regional limb perfusion in standing horses. $8,742 Lora Petrie-Hanson (PI). MSU CVM ORGS. Natural killer cell specific expression of a fluorescent marker gene using the T-bet promoter in zebrafish. $9,505
20 | EARNING RES P E C T B Y E X C EE D ING E X P E C T A T IONS
by President Mark Keenum, a reception hosted at the home of President Keenum
and First Lady Rhonda Keenum, and
an awards banquet hosted by the MSU Alumni Association.
George (Trey) Howell III (PI) and Matthew Ross (co-PI). MSU CVM ORGS. Effects of exposure to the prevalent organophosphate pesticide, chlorpyrifos, on hepatic lipid metabolism in hyperinsulinemic states such as type 2 diabetes. $10,000 Barbara Kaplan (PI); Matthew Ross, Kelly L. Andrzejewski, and Brittany Szafran (co-PIs). MSU CVM ORGS. The role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in inflammation-induced suppression of endocannabinoid metabolizing enzymes. $9,725 Attila Karsi (PI) and Hossam Abdelhamed (co-PI). MSU CVM ORGS. Identification of virulence genes in Aeromonas hydrophila using bioluminescence screening. $5,000
ALL COLLE G E Awar ds DAY 2
0
1
5
Attendees to the MSU-CVM 2015 All College Day enjoyed a picnic, dunking booth, and the annual All College Day awards ceremony.
Zoetis Award for Excellence in Animal Research Dr. Matt Griffin
The C. Edward Couvillion, DVM, PhD, Endowed Graduate Scholarship Leisel Schneider
Staff Awards Michael Bassett Kevin Moore William Williams
Dean’s Pegasus Award Dr. Libby Coleman Todd
Vice President’s Pegasus Award Jerry & Laura A. McLean
President’s Pegasus Award Dr. Todd Henderson
Pegasus Faculty Awards Dr. Jeb Cade | Award for Service Dr. Christine Bryan | Award for Teaching Dr. Sharon Grace | Award for Teaching Dr. Allen Crow | Award for Research
Pegasus Press
•
s p r i n g 2 0 1 6 | 21
Alumni P r o f i l e
Learn to let go, have fun, and enjoy school as much as you can.
As a young veterinarian, Dr. Liz Ezelle stresses balance as the key to finding success in her school and career endeavors, and that is her advice to aspiring veterinarians. “Find balance! Learn to let go, have fun, and enjoy school as much as you can. It will be easier to find balance after graduation if you’ve learned how to find it during school,” she said. Since graduation, the Louisiana native has found balance in her own life through developing her career, paying off her student loans, and starting a family. She has worked for Plains Veterinary Hospital in Zachary, Louisiana, since graduating from MSU in 2011. Ezelle knew from a young age that she wanted to help animals. One particular event she remembers is the instrumental role she played in helping to save the life of a kitten when she was just 7 years old. “The kitten was knocked unconscious after being shut in my dad’s car door. I witnessed it happen and was horrified,” she said. “My dad assumed the kitten was dead and made preparations to bury him, but I scooped him up, swaddled him, and rubbed his little nose, just like I saw the dad do in the movie 101 Dalmatians with one of the puppies.” While working on her bachelor’s degree at Millsaps College in Jackson, Ezelle had another experience that nudged her toward veterinary medicine. During her time at Millsaps, Ezelle worked at Northtown Animal Hospital as a veterinary assistant for Dr. Kenneth Jeanes (DVM 83) and Dr. Tracy Connelly (DVM 98).
22 | EARNING RES P E C T B Y E X C EE D ING E X P E C T A T IONS
Getting to know our alumni better. Name
Dr. Liz Ezelle
Graduation Year
20 11
“Working as a veterinary assistant opened my eyes to the opportunities that were available to care for animals and make a living doing what I loved to do, and I decided then that I was going to be a veterinarian,” Ezelle said. After graduation from Millsaps, Ezelle worked at MSU-CVM’s Poultry Research and Diagnostic Laboratory in Pearl to complete the prerequisites she needed before beginning her first year of veterinary school in 2007. Some of Ezelle’s favorite memories from her time at MSU-CVM are from her time spent on clinics. “We worked hard but had a lot of fun! My time on clinics also developed my love for large animals—so much so that I decided to become a mixed animal veterinarian,” she said. She also remembers CVM tailgates and football games with classmates as favorite times. In addition to her career, Ezelle enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and watching Mississippi State football. She and her husband, Robert, have two young children, Emma and Roland.
By Katie Timmerman
CVM Notes & News Alumni News • Dr. W. Ryan Detwiler (DVM 2013) matched for a diagnostic imaging residency with MedVet Cincinnati. Detwiler’s fellow alum and wife, Dr. Ashley Buchta Detwiler (DVM 2010), became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology after passing her boards in November. • Dr. Cherie Buisson (DVM 2000) opened Helping Hands Pet Hospice in July 2015 in Seminole, Florida. She became a featured contributor for DrAndyRoark.com in June 2015, and she opened A Happy Vet, an education service for veterinary professionals, in January 2016. She will be lecturing on being happy in the veterinary profession at the AVMA conference in August. • Dr. Eric Miller (DVM 2005) of Columbus, Ohio, became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. • Dr. Jennifer McClure Johnson (DVM 2007) of Carthage and her husband, Daniel, welcomed their new daughter, Lauren Lynn Johnson, on November 2, 2015. • Brayden Porter Smith was born on December 28, 2015, to Dr. Jenny Sprott-Smith (DVM 2013) and Clinton Porter Smith. Brayden arrived 8 weeks early and has done remarkably well in the NICU at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. Dr. Sprott-Smith is in practice in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Faculty & Staff News • Drs. Atilla Karsi and Mark Lawrence’s paper “A novel suicide plasmid for efficient gene mutation in Listeria monocytogenes” was the ninthmost downloaded article on the journal Plasmid’s website.
Calendar of events
Student News • Courtney Griffin (Class of 2018) received an award at the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases in Chicago. She was recognized for her stocker cattle epidemiology research presentations.
Obituary • Dr. Robert W. Keirs, retired MSUCVM professor, passed away at home surrounded by family on November 23, 2015. He joined MSU-CVM’s poultry science program in 1981; one of his research focuses was increasing productivity within poultry hatcheries worldwide. He developed a computer program allowing hatcheries to pinpoint areas of productivity shortcomings and to increase successful hatching rates to approach 100 percent. Keirs was inducted into the Mississippi Poultry Hall of Fame in 2013 and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Poultry Hall of Fame in 2014. Although he retired from MSU in 1999, he continued to be an active consultant and contributor to the poultry industry until just months before his passing.
April 1 & 2 Friday & Saturday
May 6 Friday
31st Annual Open House MSU-CVM Contact (662) 325-0465 or katie.timmerman@msstate.edu
DVM and VMT Graduation MSU-CVM and Bettersworth Auditorium Contact (662) 325-7591
June 2–4 Thursday–Saturday
June 8–12 Wednesday–Sunday
Vet Camp Day Session MSU-CVM Contact (662) 325-0465 or katie.timmerman@msstate.edu
Vet Camp Overnight Session MSU-CVM Contact (662) 325-0465 or katie.timmerman@msstate.edu
June 13–16 Wednesday–Saturday
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.
Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association Summer Meeting Orange Beach, Alabama Perdido Beach Resort Contact (662) 323-5057
August 8 Monday
AVMA Alumni Reception San Antonio, Texas | 7 p.m. Iron Cactus 200 River Walk Street
Send your news to Katie Timmerman: Box 6100, Mississippi State, MS 39762 | katie.timmerman@msstate.edu Pegasus Press
•
s p r i n g 2 0 1 6 | 23
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 81 Mississippi State, MS 39762
Post Office Box 6100 Mississippi State, MS 39762
Paper certified by Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Paper contains 10% post-consumer recycled fiber. Printed with soy ink.
P egasus
P ress
|
spring
2 0 1 6