CVMBS FY21 Annual Report by Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE & BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

ANNUAL REPORT

FROM THE DEAN Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 was a year full of accomplishments for the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS). Some of our earliest highlights of 2021 came from our programs in McAllen and Canyon. In the spring, we graduated our first group of Biomedical Sciences students from the Higher Education Center in McAllen, which was a culmination of years of work by the faculty and staff in both McAllen and in College Station. That program has continued to grow and offer more opportunities for our students in the Rio Grande Valley. At the other end of the state, we celebrated an eventful year for the Veterinary Education, Research, & Outreach (VERO) campus at West Texas A&M University in Canyon. We were finally able to host the grand opening of the two beautiful new facilities that compose the Charles W. “Doc” Graham ‘53 DVM, The Texas A&M University System Center—our VERO building and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Canyon-based Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL). In addition, as we prepared for the start of classes in the fall, we rounded out hiring the first set of VERO faculty needed to teach our first cohort of 2+2 DVM Dean John R. August students. Those efforts led to 11 additional VERO educators, bringing our total number of VERO faculty to 15. When DVM classes began in August, the combination of our VERO and College Station-based DVM students brought our total number of first-year veterinary students to 180, the largest incoming veterinary class in the nation. Back at home in College Station, our faculty, staff, and students continued to focus on the academic excellence and leading-edge patient care for which the CVMBS is known. Our DVM students once again surpassed the national average of students across the country who passed the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) on their first attempt. In addition, 100% of our Class of 2021 was employed at the time of graduation (with 75% remaining in Texas) and those students graduated with one of the lowest debt-to-income ratios among veterinary students across the country. Within our Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), our clinicians, staff, and students continued to make life-changing, groundbreaking medical breakthroughs that have changed the lives of so many of the more than 27,715 patients the VMTH cared for last year. That our teaching hospital saw another record-breaking number of patients while managing many COVID-19-related challenges, including those of staffing, is a testament to all the great work happening there. This also makes the significant, behind-the-scenes steps we’ve taken in 2021 toward the construction of a new, next-generation Small Animal Teaching Hospital all the more important. A couple of other noteworthy accomplishments include the CVMBS winning its fifth consecutive Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award and our participation in Operation Lone Star in July. For the latter event, the Veterinary Emergency Team (VET), supported by DVM students and clinicians from the VMTH’s Primary Care Service, cared for 735 animals owned by Rio Grande Valley families. This was a special event for the VET not only because of the excellent care the team provided to a community that does not currently have a practicing veterinarian, but also because it was the first time since the start of the pandemic that our students were able to deploy with the team. I was fortunate enough to be able to see this exercise first-hand and was truly impressed with the efforts of our faculty, students, staff, and volunteers. While we have a lot in store for 2022, looking back at all of our successes in 2021 has reminded me that we have a lot to be proud of. We’re excited to share all of those achievements with you in the pages of this Annual Report.

JOHN R. AUGUST Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences 2 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

CONTENTS

FROM THE DEAN..................................................................................................................................................................... 2 COLLEGE HALLMARKS........................................................................................................................................................... 4 EXPENDITURES....................................................................................................................................................................... 5 DEGREES CONFERRED............................................................................................................................................................ 5 PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS (DVM)........................................................................................................................................ 6 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS (BS IN BIMS OR USVM)..................................................................................................... 10 GRADUATE STUDENTS (MS + PHD)..................................................................................................................................... 12 RESEARCH............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 FACULTY................................................................................................................................................................................ 16 RESIDENTS & INTERNS........................................................................................................................................................ 17 DIVERSITY & INCLUSION..................................................................................................................................................... 18 VETERINARY INTEGRATIVE BIOSCIENCES (VIBS).............................................................................................................. 19 VETERINARY PATHOBIOLOGY (VTPB)................................................................................................................................ 21 VETERINARY PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY (VTPP)................................................................................................... 22 LARGE ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES (VLCS)...................................................................................................................... 24 SMALL ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES (VSCS)...................................................................................................................... 26 VETERINARY MEDICAL TEACHING HOSPITAL (VMTH)..................................................................................................... 28 VETERINARY EDUCATION, RESEARCH, & OUTREACH (VERO).......................................................................................... 31 LEADING THE WAY IN GLOBAL ONE HEALTH.................................................................................................................... 33 VETERINARY EMERGENCY TEAM (VET).............................................................................................................................. 35 SCHUBOT CENTER FOR AVIAN HEALTH............................................................................................................................. 36 INTERDISCIPLINARY FACULTY OF TOXICOLOGY (IFT)...................................................................................................... 37 SUPERFUND RESEARCH CENTER......................................................................................................................................... 38 CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES (CET).......................................................................................................... 39 CVMBS COMMUNICATIONS ............................................................................................................................................... 40 CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE)........................................................................................................................................... 41 TRANSLATIONAL IMAGING CENTER (TIC)......................................................................................................................... 43 STEVENSON COMPANION ANIMAL LIFE-CARE CENTER.................................................................................................. 44 DEVELOPMENT..................................................................................................................................................................... 45 OUTSTANDING ALUMNI & RISING STAR............................................................................................................................ 46 FUNDING PRIORITIES.......................................................................................................................................................... 46 COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION............................................................................................................................................... 47 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 3

COLLEGE HALLMARKS For more than a century, the CVMBS has served our state, nation, and the world. The college continues to: • • • • • • •

Serve Texas and beyond while advancing animal, human, and environmental health. Provide viable, diverse professional career paths for Texans. Support the state’s livestock and wildlife industries. Promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Contribute to the economic viability and job opportunities of local communities. Provide sophisticated disaster and emergency response support for animals throughout the state. Advance the veterinary medical profession.

Our strengths are many. In 2021, we were: • • • •

•

• •

Ranked #1 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and ranked in a tie for #4 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of the nation’s best schools and programs. One of the largest colleges of veterinary medicine in the U.S., training over 655 DVM students each year, with an annual entering class of 180 students. As of May 2021, the CVMBS has graduated 8,621 veterinarians. Ranked #3 in the number of graduate (MS/PhD) students at a U.S. college of veterinary medicine. The home of the Texas A&M Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) program, which is the largest degree-granting undergraduate major at Texas A&M, had a student enrollment of 2,616, and made up a large portion of Aggies that matriculated to Texas medical (55%), dental (45%), and veterinary (38%) professional schools. Fostering partnerships with Texas A&M University System schools and other institutions of higher education around the state to provide Texans with new and innovative avenues to pursue degrees as professional DVM students and undergraduate BIMS students. A proud recipient of the 2021 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine—our fifth consecutive year to be honored. Continuing our collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Houston as the first recipient of a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Center grant at Texas A&M University—for the Center for Translational Environmental Health Research.

4 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

EXPENDITURES

FY21 CVMBS Expenditures by Percentage FY21 CVMBS Expenditures by Percentage 0.23% Public Service (Programs such as Continuing Education (CE) and Veterinary Emergency Team (VET)) 0.23% Public Service (Programs such as Continuing Education (CE) and Veterinary Emergency Team (VET)) 4.20% Scholarships & Fellowships 4.20% Scholarships & Fellowships 4.79% Institutional Support (Clincal laboratories housed within the college) 4.79% Institutional Support (Clincal laboratories housed within the college) 4.97% Facilities & Infrastructure 4.97% Facilities & Infrastructure 18.07% Teaching Hospital 18.07% Teaching Hospital 22.96% Research 22.96% Research 44.79% Teaching & Educational Support 44.79% Teaching & Educational Support

DEGREES CONFERRED FY21 Degrees Conferred FY21 Degrees Conferred 18 PhD 18 PhD 69 MS 69 MS 134 DVM 134 DVM 615 BS 615 BS Degrees Conferred Over Time 600

Number of Degrees

PhD

500

DVM MS

400 300 200 100 0

FY2011

FY2012

FY2013

FY2014

FY2015

FY2016

FY2017

FY2018

FY2019

FY2020

FY2021

2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 5

PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS (DVM)

DVM Class of 2025 Orientation

The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) has steadily expanded the size of the DVM class since the fall of 2017. This fall the college again increased class size from 162 to 180 with the addition of 18 students in our VERO 2+2 program. The VERO 2+2 program, the only 2+2 program in the United States with both program sites in the same state, will allow students to complete the first two years of the DVM curriculum in Canyon, Texas before making the move to College Station to complete the training. As one of the largest Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) training programs in the country, the CVMBS provides a four-year post-undergraduate curriculum based on building a solid foundation of scientific knowledge, experiential learning to master technical and professional skills, and development of competencies required for an entrylevel veterinarian in any career path. Upon completion of the veterinary professional program, successful students will have demonstrated competency in each of the 37 domains outlined in the college’s New Graduate Outcomes (NGOs). The NGO document articulates the specific knowledge, skills, and attributes expected of students enrolled in our DVM program at the time of graduation. College faculty are dedicated to providing an inclusive and welcoming learning environment that provides state-of-theart, comprehensive exposure to the art and science of veterinary medicine. Students begin their experience with the DVM program by participating in a three-day orientation program, which returned to the standard in person, face-to-face format this year. Orientation is designed to introduce students to the culture and expectations of the program through experiential learning opportunities during which they begin to know their classmates. The first two years of the curriculum provide a foundation in medical science, clinical skills, critical thinking, and professional skills. Students begin to have elective course options in the second year of the curriculum that encourage exploration into areas they may have previously had little exposure. These courses include topics such as innovation and entrepreneurship, servicelearning project development, rehabilitation of both small and large animals, medical Spanish, and exotic and wild game medicine. The third year emphasizes diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The students also begin structuring a personalized course selection to direct learning toward individual career goals, choosing between small animal species, mixed animal species, large animal species, food animal medicine, or alternate career tracks. The fourth year is a full 12 months in length and includes rotations through the VMTH and other venues, including the Houston SPCA, as well as a four-week externship experience at a location of the student’s choice. Unique clinical opportunities in the curriculum include client communication training, rotations focusing on primary care medicine, specialty-intensive experiences, disaster preparedness, and shelter medicine. As of May 2021, the college has graduated 8,621 DVMs.

Special Collaborations

DVM Class of 2025 Orientation 6 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

2021 marked the eighth full year of the CVMBS’ collaboration with the Houston SPCA to provide a clinical rotation for fourth-year DVM students in shelter medicine. When the HSPCA campus was renovated in 2019, housing for students was built to further enhance student participation on this important rotation. The CVMBS also collaborates with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), providing not only hands-on training

PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS (DVM) DVM Class Size Over Time 200 180

Number of Students (n)

160 140 120

132

142

152

162

Fall 2021 18 at VERO

Fall 2021 162 in College Station

100 80 60 40 20 0

Class of 2020

Class of 2021

Class of 2022

Class of 2023

Class of 2024

Class of 2025

for DVM students, but also veterinary care for animals at TDCJ agricultural units. The CVMBS partnered with the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) in the fall of 2021 to host the fifth annual Veterinary Job and Externship Fair. A total of 135 practices representing all regions of Texas met with students to arrange externships, summer employment opportunities, and employment opportunities post-graduation.

Accreditation In 2016, the CVMBS received full accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education for an additional 7 years and will have its next accreditation site visit in August of 2022.

First class of 2+2 DVM program students 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 7

PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS (DVM) Student Leadership CVMBS White Coats The CVMBS White Coat group continued to demonstrate Aggie core values through its community service activities. The mission of the CVMBS White Coats is to represent and promote the CVMBS while exemplifying the Aggie core values of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect, and selfless service. The group exhibits universal acceptance in the recruitment of new members of the veterinary profession, supports current students with a positive and resilient culture, and engages with alumni in pursuit of continuous excellence. 2021 Veterinary Job and Externship Fair

2021 Veterinary Job and Externship Fair

The CVMBS White Coats will, under the direction of the Professional Programs Office, contribute to: • Veterinary student recruitment events • Veterinary student Interviews • Veterinary student orientation • Veterinary Student White Coat Ceremony • Veterinary student graduation • Veterinary student alumni events and other events to promote and support the DVM program and the college SAVMA & TVMA Representatives Many current CVMBS students serve in leadership roles for state and national veterinary organizations. The current CVMBS national Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) representatives are: • Abby Hickox, Senior SAVMA Delegate • Kathryn Dickerson, Junior SAVMA Delegate The current CVMBS TVMA representatives are: • Ruth Fauber, Senior TVMA Delegate • Morgan Patterson, Junior TVMA Delegate

2021 White Coats Ceremony

Fourth-year veterinary students 8 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

The current CVMBS Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation representatives are: • Taylor Hood, third-year DVM Student • Gifty Thomas, second-year DVM Student

Fourth-year veterinary students

PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS (DVM) NAVLE Passing Percentage Over Time 100

Texas A&M

National

Passing Percentage (%)

96 94 92 90 88 86 84 82

Class of 2018

Class of 2020

Class of 2019

Class of 2021

Exam Year

Mean DVM Student Total Educational Debt at Graduation Over Time Mean Educational Debt* *includes students with 0 debt Texas A&M

$164,869

$151,311

$150,025

$84,847

$88,434

2016

2017

National

$90,350

$84,847

2018

2019

$169,742

$90,425

2020

$168,654

$82,526

2021

Year

DVM Class of 2025 Orientation

DVM Class of 2025 Orientation 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 9

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS (BS IN BIMS OR USVM) The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) offers a distinctive undergraduate program in Biomedical Sciences (BIMS). BIMS is a broad field of applied biology that is directed toward understanding health and disease. The curriculum provides a strong four-year education that emphasizes versatility of the graduate in the biological and medical sciences. A highly effective academic counseling program helps students develop individualized course packages that orient and prepare them for entry into the medical, allied health, or graduate program of their choice. Such an approach enhances their educational experiences, improves their placement in professional and graduate programs, and facilitates their entry into the biomedical sciences job market. BIMS' mission is to educate students who will create a healthier future for humans and animals through the medical professions, biomedical innovation and discovery, global service, and outreach.

BIMS students make up a large portion of Aggie students that matriculate to Texas professional schools.

38%

of Aggies accepted to veterinary school in 2019.

55%

of Aggies accepted to medical school in 2019.

45%

of Aggies accepted to dental school in 2019.

In addition, 94% of BIMS students who applied to pharmacy school were accepted in the 2019 admission cycle. Highlights from FY21 include: •

•

• •

•

CVMBS undergraduate enrollment includes 2,616 BIMS students (73 of whom are from the McAllen Higher Education Center), 143 University Studies in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (USVM), and 6 NeuroscienceTranslational and Preclinical Studies (TPC) students for a total of 2,765 students. • The total undergraduate enrollment was 70.2% female, 52% nonwhite (Hispanic students comprise 31.2% of the nonwhite students). 26% are first generation students. The program enjoyed another record-breaking graduating class in the midst of the pandemic, exceeding the record high from the previous academic year. 526 BIMS students graduated and 89 USVM students graduated, for a total of 615 CVMBS undergraduates. • The graduating seniors from the CVMBS were 32.8% underrepresented minority students (NIH defines URM in the sciences as American Indian/Alaska Native, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.) • 26.8% were first generation students • 53 graduated with the Biomedical Research Certification • 32 graduated with the International Certificate in Cultural Competency and Communication in Spanish (Spanish Certificate) The BIMS office staff has expanded. Ms. Katherine Crabill ’21 was hired as an Administrative Assistant. There are six students in the first cohort of the Neuroscience-Translational and Preclinical (NRSC-TPC) track. • The Translational and Preclinical Neuroscience track is administered by the CVMBS in collaboration with the Texas A&M Health Science Center. This concentration offers specialized coursework and research opportunities in health and medical treatment of diseases of the nervous system. Undergraduate scholarships in the Fall 20/Spring 21 cycle included: $57,500 from The Texas A&M Foundation and $2,000 from the Biomedical Sciences Program undergraduate student club.

10 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS (BS IN BIMS OR USVM) FY21 Undergraduate Student Enrollment

First Generation Ethnicity 0.22% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian or Paciﬁc Islander 3.09% Multi-racial, excl. Black

24.5%

Yes

75.5%

3.13% Unknown/Not Reported Gender

15.41% Asian 30.71%

Hispanic or Latinx

47%

30%

Male

70%

Female

White

53%

Non-White

Number of Students

Ethnicity Over Time 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0

White Only Non-White

Fall 2009

Fall 2010

Fall 2011

Fall 2012

Fall 2013

Fall 2014

Fall 2015

Fall 2016

Fall 2017

Fall 2018

Fall 2019

Fall 2020

Fall 2021

Semester

2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 11

GRADUATE STUDENTS (MS + PHD) Fall 2021 Graduate Student Enrollment Gender 30.42% Male

Overview The CVMBS houses the Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) Graduate Program, the Science & Technology Journalism master’s program, the Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology master’s program, and the Interdisciplinary Degree Program of Toxicology. The largest cohort of graduate students in the CVMBS belongs to the BIMS Graduate Program, through which students pursue a pre-professional master’s degree with a non-thesis concentration, a research master’s degree with a thesis concentration, or a doctoral degree.

2021 Admissions Profile

69.58% Female

Classiﬁcation 47.20% Master’s (MS)

52.80% Doctoral (PhD)

Resident Status 17.83% Non-Texas, Non-U.S. 22.38% Non-Texas, U.S. 59.79% Texas

Ethnicity

The BIMS Graduate Program and the additional master’s and doctoral degrees offered through the CVMBS have attracted a diverse and qualified applicant pool. As the principal major with four research tracks and a separate pre-professional concentration, the BIMS Graduate Program had 221 students enrolled in Fall 2020, including 111 Master of Science non-thesis option (MS-NTO), 6 Master of Science thesis option (MS-THO), and 104 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students. The Interdisciplinary Degree Program of Toxicology enrolled 27 students, including one Master of Science thesis option (MS-THO) and 26 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students. The Science & Technology Journalism master’s program and the Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology master’s program enrolled 15 and six students respectively. Among the graduate students in all CVMBS graduate programs for 2021, Black students comprised 3% of the cohort of graduate students, which matches the overall graduate student population of Texas A&M University. Additionally, Hispanic or Latino/a students comprised 15% of the CVMBS graduate programs for 2020-2021, substantially higher than the overall Hispanic and Latino/a Texas A&M graduate student enrollment, which is approximately 10%.

Graduation During the 2021 academic year, 89 students graduated with a master’s or doctoral degree from the CVMBS. The percentage of Black and Hispanic or Latino/a students who celebrated their graduation was 4% and 11% respectively, which generally matches the enrollment profile and reflects our vision for equity and inclusion that should lead to persistence and graduation of underrepresented minorities.

FY21 Graduate Mentoring Highlights:

2% Native American

•

3.85% Black 4.90% Multi-racial, excl. Black 8.04% Asian 17.48% Hispanic or Latinx 17.83% International 47.20% White only 12 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

• •

Dr. Gregory Johnson and Dr. Bill Murphy have been recognized as 2020 Chancellor Enhancing Development and Generation Excellence in Scholarship (EDGES) Fellows by the Texas A&M University System. Dr. Andra Voges received an AFS Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching. Dr. Laura Hammons received an AFS Distinguished Achievement Award for Staff.

Graduate Student Orientation Incoming graduate students to the college participated in a face-to-face orientation experience that provided the following comprehensive trainings: biosafety compliance, teaching, mentor-mentee relationships, diversity

GRADUATE STUDENTS (MS + PHD) and inclusion, self-care and wellness, goal-setting and motivation, and university and program requirements. These students also participated in an exciting team building program at the Texas A&M ChallengeWorks facility to encourage comradery and collegiality.

BIMS MS Non-Thesis Degree Program This pre-professional master’s degree serves an important segment of students who are close to their goal of being a competitive candidate for admission to a professional program. To best serve this student population, this program has had several exciting changes over the past year. The degree was reduced to 30 credit hours, which allows students to complete the program within a calendar year. Students benefit from a single faculty mentor instead of a committee of three, which encourages a stronger mentorship model with increased direct interaction. And lastly, a final examination was replaced by a capstone experience, which culminates in a professional portfolio that includes many of the elements that the student will submit in an application to a professional program. At the core of this capstone experience is one-on-one guidance by the student’s faculty mentor to identify and remedy weaknesses in the student’s biomedical preparation. In addition to successful completion of coursework in fundamental biomedical sciences, the student will be coached by the mentor to improve their competitiveness for both admission and success in their chosen professional program.

Yaw Adu, a native Houstonion, went to the University of Texas at Dallas for his undergraduate degree. After graduation, he decided to complete a Master of Science (MS) degree in Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. He believed the program was a great fit for him; here he would be able to gain a stronger biological, pharmacological, and anatomical foundation in preparation for medical school. Not only that, but the school also provided ample research opportunities to help bolster his application. After completion of his MS in BIMS, Yaw was accepted to and matriculated to medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock with a scholarship. He credits his experience through the BIMS non-thesis program with his success in the medical school application process and is thankful for his time at Texas A&M.

BIMS graduate students

Yaw Adu

Graduate Oath Ceremony 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 13

RESEARCH CVMBS Research Enterprise The college’s research enterprise continues to diversify. The CVMBS’ annual research expenditures for FY21 were over $29 million dollars. This is a direct result of the success and quality of the faculty, whose research ranges from basic science to clinical applications. The faculty’s commitment to cutting-edge translational research seeks to bridge the gap between the basic and clinical sciences and the commitment to innovation is highlighted by an active pursuit of technology licensing and commercialization.

Research Funding Excellence in research at the CVMBS is evidenced, in part, by the millions of dollars obtained annually in extramural funding by our faculty members. College investigators have obtained significant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DoD), Department of the Interior (DoI), multiple private foundations, industry, and the state of Texas during recent years.

FY21 Research Highlights: • • • • • • •

Dr. Michael Criscitiello was appointed the CVMBS Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies. Dr. Bill Murphy was appointed the CVMBS Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies. Dr. Gregory Johnson and Dr. Bill Murphy have been recognized as 2020 Chancellor Enhancing Development and Generation Excellence in Scholarship (EDGES) Fellows by the Texas A&M University System. Dr. Larry Suva received a $1.3 million grant from NIH for understanding the skeleton in Down Syndrome. Dr. Zhilong Yang received a $1.1 million grant from NIH to study the mechanisms of regulating poxvirus post replicative protein synthesis. Caitlin Castaneda, a fourth-year PhD student in Biomedical Sciences at the CVMBS, was a recipient of the 2021 U.S. Senator Phil Gramm Doctoral Fellowship. Dr. Daniel Osorio, a doctoral graduate from the CVMBS Biomedical Science Graduate Program, was selected to receive the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Research Fellowship to study the gene regulatory changes driving breast cancer with Dr. Kuijer in Oslo, Norway.

CVMBS Patents and Invention Disclosures The CVMBS research enterprise is on the cutting-edge of licensing, commercialization, and patents related to their research findings. Since 2016, CVMBS researchers have reported 53 invention disclosures, 99 patent applications, and 34 issued patents.

Dr. Michael Criscitiello and second-year veterinary student Nicole Green 14 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

Dr. Daniel Osorio

RESEARCH FY21 Percentage of Research Funding by Source

FY21 Research Expenditures by School

0.54% Other Federal Agencies 0.67% Industry Funds

$29.49M

Texas A&M

0.85% DOI 1.63% NSF

$19.8M

National Avg.

1.82% DOD 3.80% EPA 5.44% Other within HHS 7.16% USDA 13.09% State Funds

Colleges of Veterinary Medicine

17.59% Private Funds 17.76% Other Funds

$10M

$20M

$30M

$40M

$50M

$60M

$70M

$80M

$90M

$100M

Expenditures

29.64% NIH

Proposed Research Funding Over Time

Number of Research Proposals Over Time

$200M

450

$180M

400

$160M

350

$140M

Pending

Awarded

300

$120M

250

$100M

200

$80M

150

$60M $40M

100

$20M

Submitted

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017 Year

2018

2019

2020

2021

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017 Year

2018

2019

2020

2021

$16.23M

RESEARCH FUNDING OVER TIME FOR FY21

AWARDS FOR FY21 Dr. Larry Suva and second-year veterinary student Casey Welsh 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 15

FACULTY FY21 Faculty by Department & Title Non-Tenure Track

Tenure-Track & Tenured

Professional Faculty

Assistant Professor

Large Animal Clinical Sciences (VLCS)

Department

Associate Professor Totals Professor

Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS)

Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS)

Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB)

Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology (VTPP)

Totals

100

206

FY21 Faculty Demographics Professional Faculty

Assistant Professor

Associate Professor

Professor

Totals

25-34

~11

35-44

~72

45-54

~50

55-64

~55

65 and over

~21

Unknown

American Indian

Asian

~24

Black

Hispanic

~12

Demographic

Age

Ethnicity

Two or More Races

White

162

Female

103

Male

106

Gender

Categories with less than five are masked with **.

Dr. Kati Glass and Dr. Jeffrey Watkins 16 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

Dr. Adam Patterson

Dr. Negin Mirhosseini and Charles Lee

RESIDENTS & INTERNS The college offers one-year internship programs to newly graduated veterinarians and three- or four-year residency programs in several clinical disciplines for veterinarians seeking advanced training and board certification. Residents have generally already completed an internship. Residents and interns are exposed to numerous specialties and work side-by-side with experts in their fields. Residents may apply to one of several different areas of specialty, including anesthesiology, cardiology, emergency and critical care, equine theriogenology, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, radiology, surgery, and zoological medicine. Interns in four areas (internal medicine, small animal, large animal, and zoological medicine) rotate through different specialties and spend about a fourth of their time on the emergency service. They also have some elective time to spend in an area of interest within the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH). FY21 Clinical Residencies & Internships Specialty

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Total

Large Animal Internships

Equine Practice

Equine Theriogenology

Internal Medicine

Radiology

Surgery

Large Animal Clinical Sciences Totals

Small Animal Internships

Anesthesia

Cardiology

Dermatology

Emergency/Critical Care

Internal Medicine

Neurology

Oncology

Radiation Oncology

Ophthalmology

Surgery

Small Animal Clinical Sciences Totals

Anatomic Pathology

Cardiovascular Pathology

Clinical Pathology

Comparative Medicine

Parasitology

Pathobiology Totals

Totals

Kaitlin Hopke

Christopher Dolan

Alexis Jennings 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 17

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION (D&I) Climate, Wellbeing, & Inclusion Programming • Basic mediation course (182 administrators, faculty, & staff) • Aggie Ally (60+ faculty and staff) • Question, Persuade, & Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention training for faculty, staff, and students • DVM Student Wellness Cart • Yoga classes • Stress Reduction & Management • Community service projects • College Diversity Committee (C-IDEA) • Publication of extensive wellbeing resources Inclusive Facilities • 28 gender neutral bathrooms • Four lactation rooms • VBEC Exercise Room

Diversity is a cornerstone value of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS), an award-winning college, that both leads and collaborates in regards to climate, equity, and inclusion. A diverse and inclusive environment is essential for preparing veterinary leaders with an intentional, open, and global perspective. The CVMBS affirms diversity both broadly and specifically, and our community aims to be representative of our ever-changing state and nation. In order to maintain and grow our commitment, the CVMBS has developed a Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Plan. The CVMBS received 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Awards from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, one of only two veterinary programs to receive the award for five consecutive years. This award is a national honor recognizing U.S. health profession schools that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, assessed by national non-veterinary peers. Other notable highlights include faculty and students completing the Purdue Diversity Certificate Program, two CVMBS Excellence in D&I faculty and staff awards, national leadership in diversity and inclusion initiatives, publication of a monthly D&I Digest, and completion of a staff climate white paper and qualitative data collection.

Student Programs DVM Students • 4 MOA Texas A&M System partnerships • 2+2 DVM program at VERO • Food Animal Track developed to serve rural Texas communities • Diversity scholarships Graduate students • Graduate Diversity Fellows • Diversity PhD Scholarships • Graduate program extends communication and conflict management trainings • New Graduate Program at VERO

C-IDEA committee

BIMS undergraduate students • 17 BIMS 2+2 community college programs • New BIMS degree in McAllen and first-generation students • High number of URM students

C-IDEA Trevor Project Fundraiser in support of the LGBTQIA+ and Allies, Texas A&M CVMBS Interns, Residents, and Graduate Students organization 18 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

VETERINARY INTEGRATIVE BIOSCIENCES (VIBS) VIBS carries out teaching, research, and service across a wide spectrum of biosciences. Biomedical sciences represents a vital component of the foundation of medical knowledge and includes investigation at molecular, cellular, organismal, and population levels. The faculty teach anatomy and public health courses in the DVM curriculum, as well as core (required) and elective courses in the undergraduate and graduate curricula. Faculty and students are engaged in biomedical communications (writing), genetics, neuroscience, reproductive biology, toxicology, epidemiology, and public health. VIBS is home to one of the few programs in science and technology journalism in the country. Through various outreach programs, faculty engage local, regional, and international communities.

Highlights from FY21 include: New Leadership Team • Dr. Jane Welsh continued her leadership role in VIBS as an Associate Department Head (formerly interim Department Head) along with our five-member management team that includes Jessica Alvarado (Executive Assistant III), Dr. Christine Budke (Associate Department Head), Jessica Clark (Business Administrator I), and Dr. Todd O’Hara (Department Head). Graduate Program Highlight • The new MS Veterinary Public Health-Epidemiology (VPHE)/Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) combination program is off to a fantastic start and will begin selection of the second cohort of students very soon. Grants Dr. James Cai • DOD-Army-Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Inferring Single-Cell Regulatory Networks in Neurons Derived from Veterans Afflicted with GWI, $720,130.00, May 15, 2021 - May 14, 2024 Dr. Sarah Hamer • American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, Neonicotinoid pesticide exposure in wild passerines: investigating links in an avian population crisis, $15,000, April 12,2021 - October 30, 2022 • Sigma XI, The Scientific Research Society, Does the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite manipulate triatomine foraging behavior?, $1,000, June 1, 2021 - May 31, 2022 Dr. Keri Norman • Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research, Investigating the use of droplet digital PCR to detect and enumerate antimicrobial resistance genes in foodborne bacteria of importance to human health from agricultural animals and the environment, $10,000, May 17, 2021 - May 17, 2022 Dr. Peter Nghiem • Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas, Small Extracellular Vesicles for Gene Therapy, $240,000, August 1, 2021-December 31, 2025 Dr. Nicola Ritter • USDA-MIS-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Carcass Management Resources and Tools to Ensure Stakeholder Acceptance and Maximize Cost Effectiveness, $74,996, August 1, 2021 - July 31, 2022 Dr. Gladys Ko • Research Grant: National Institutes of Health/National Eye Institute (R21 EY031813-01A1; 6/01/2021-5/31/2023), Project title: Targeting peptide LV and its downstream signaling against ocular neovascularization. Total award: $408,030. PI: Gladys Ko. Dr. Jianrong Li • Federal Grant: NIH-NIA (National Institute on Aging) R21AG072479 (4/1/20213/31/2023). Uncovering BIN1 functions in myelin-producing oligodendrocytes. $402,526. PI: J. Li

Dr. James Cai

Dr. Peter Nghiem

Dr. Gladys Ko 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 19

VETERINARY INTEGRATIVE BIOSCIENCES (VIBS) Editorial Boards • Dr. J. Li Journal Editorial board: Experimental Neurology (March 2021) Grant Review Panels Dr. Jianrong Li • Federal Research Grant review: NIH ZRG1-MDCN (Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neuroscience) (March, July 2021) • National Professional Society: Trainee Professional Development Awards Committee, Society for Neuroscience (Applications review, Sept 2021) X-Grants Drs. Weston Porter, Monique Rijnkels, and Newell Fugate • MitoX: Targeting Mitochondria to Improve Human Health (10 TAMU investigators, with three members of CVMBS (Porter, Rijnkels (VIBS) and Newell Fugate (VTPP)) Dr. Weston Porter • NIH-NICHD: Mitophagy Dependent Regulation of Mammary Gland Differentiation Faculty Promotions • Dr. Candice Brinkmeyer-Langford promoted to Research Associate Professor • Dr. Kristin Chaney promoted to Clinical Associate Professor • Dr. Nicola Ritter promoted to Instructional Associate Professor

Dr. Keri Norman and Dani Burleson

20 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

VETERINARY PATHOBIOLOGY (VTPB) Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) focuses on advancing animal and human health through innovative research, preparing next generation veterinary and biomedical professionals and scientists through impactful teaching, and supporting animal health care through expert clinical laboratory service. Our faculty teach in the undergraduate, graduate, and veterinary professional programs of the college. The department is home to post-DVM residency programs in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, and laboratory animal medicine. The department has a T32 NIH training grant for post-DVM doctoral students. The research emphases of our faculty and students are in the areas of infectious diseases & immunology; genetics & genomics; wildlife health & conservation; and pathology. Research programs of the faculty are supported by extramural funding from several federal and state agencies such as NIH, USDA, NSF, DTRA, and Texas Parks and Wildlife, as well as from industry and nonprofit research organizations/foundations.

Highlights from FY21 include: New Faculty • Dr. Abigail Finley, Assistant Professor, Anatomic Pathology • Dr. Hatem Kittana, Assistant Professor, Clinical Microbiology • Dr. Meriam Saleh, Assistant Professor, Parasitology • Dr. Robert Valeris-Chacin, Assistant Professor, Food Animal Epidemiology

Awards/Honors/Activities Faculty • Dr. L. Garry Adams: ACVM Distinguished Microbiologist • Dr. Angela Arenas: Scialog Fellow, Research Corporation for Science Advancement • Dr. Don Brightsmith: Fellow of American Ornithological Society • Dr. Scott Dindot: Chancellor's EDGES Fellow • Dr. Sarah Hamer: Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence • Dr. Yava Jones-Hall: 1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America • Dr. Sara Lawhon: Bridges Teaching and Service Award • Dr. Mary Nabity: Scientific Advisory Research Network Member, Alport Syndrome Foundation • Dr. Raquel Rech: AFS College Level Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching • Dr. Artem Rogovskyy: VMTH Clinical Service Award • Dr. Chris Seabury: CVMBS Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award • Dr. Chris Seabury: Expert testimony on proposed rules regarding Chronic Wasting Disease, Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee, Texas House of Representatives • Drs. Neha Dabral, Gonzalo Rivera, and Catherine Silkwood: ACUE and ACE Certificate in Effective College Instruction • Dr. Guan Zhu: Professor Emeritus

Dr. Abigail Finley

Dr. Hatem Kittana

Dr. Meriam Saleh

Dr. Robert Valeris-Chacin

Staff • Joe Luksovsky: CVMBS Staff Recognition Award Graduate Students/Trainees • Mohammad Al-Mahmood & Kaitlin Casanova-Hampton: John Paul Delaplane Award • Candice Chu: CL Davis Foundation Scholarship Award • Dr. Samantha St. Jean: L.P. Jones Pathology Award • Yifei Liao: Outstanding PhD Student Award • Logan Thomas: Houston Safari Club Dan L. Duncan Scholarship • Drs. Alex Aceino, Carmen Lau, Samantha St. Jean, and Brianne Taylor: Diplomate of ACVP in anatomic pathology • Drs. Carolina Azevedo and Candice Chu: Diplomate of ACVP in clinical pathology • Kaitlin Casanova-Hampton: First Prize in Genetics Session, Texas A&M Student Research Week Faculty Promotions • Dr. Angela Arenas: Promoted to Associate Professor with tenure • Dr. Sara Lawhon: Promoted to Professor • Dr. Chris Seabury: Promoted to Professor

Dr. Scott Dindot

Dr. Don Brightsmith 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 21

VETERINARY PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY (VTPP) VTPP is a multidisciplinary basic science department that strives to shape the future of research and education in human and veterinary medicine. Research in VTPP is expansive and incorporates excellence in toxicology, cardiovascular biology, regenerative sciences, bone biology, reproductive and developmental biology, and pharmacology. The high level of cooperation among the various departments within the CVMBS and the Texas A&M University scientific community produces an unparalleled research and teaching environment. VTPP faculty are integral to many of the leading research centers both on and off the Texas A&M University campus. The department faculty are members of the Interdisciplinary Faculties of Toxicology, Genetics, and Reproductive Biology. VTPP is also home to the Michael E. DeBakey Institute for Cardiovascular Science and Biomedical Devices and the foundational basis for the Aggie Research Program and the Biomedical Research Certificate program. VTPP boasts a scientific community that fosters excellence in teaching and research to train the next generation of biomedical professionals through the concerted efforts of faculty, students, and staff. VTPP affirms and supports many different dimensions of diversity and is fully committed to ensuring a climate of inclusion where all our faculty, students, and staff are empowered to achieve their full potential. Collaboration is the essence of the VTPP faculty and drives our commitment to excellence in a highly interactive, collaborative, and multidisciplinary teaching and research environment. There were 69 peer-reviewed publications by VTPP faculty and 72 extramural grant submissions with seven awarded in 2021.

Highlights from FY21 include: Faculty •

Dr. Lindsay Dawson was recruited as a tenure track Assistant Professor at the College Station campus.

•

Dr. Fernanda Costa was recruited as a Clinical Assistant Professor to VTPP and will be teaching Physiology at the VERO campus.

College

Dr. Lindsay Dawson

Dr. James Herman 22 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

•

Congratulations to Dr. Annie Newell-Fugate (VTPP faculty member and a CVMBS co-leader with Dr. Weston Porter, VIBS) for the first CVMBS X-grant award entitled “MitoX: Targeting Mitochondria to Improve Human Health” This X-grant brings CVMBS researchers together with many investigators from across the campus.

•

VTPP initiated the “CVMBS Collaboration Café” in collaboration with Small Animal Clinical Sciences (SACS) to encourage scientific discourse across the CVMBS.

Departmental •

Marcus Orzabal was 2020 VTPP Graduate Student of the Year.

•

Ms. Angie Taylor was the 2020 VTPP Staff Member of the Year.

•

Dr. Cris Heaps was the 2020 VTPP Graduate Student Mentor of the Year.

•

Marcus Orzabal was a third-place winner in the Texas A&M 3-minute thesis competition.

•

Dr. Blue-McLendon, Director of Winnie Carter Wildlife Center at the CVMBS, recently used Texas A&M crowd-sourcing to raise $5,000+ for improvements at the center.

•

VTPP began a departmental Diversity and Inclusion committee to expand D&I efforts in VTPP, convened by Ms. Trudy Bennett.

•

VTPP website continues to gather traction and increased hits. physiology.tamu.edu

•

Dr. James Herman has built the Aggie ACHIEVE course “Animals in Society.” Aggie ACHIEVE is the first residential, inclusive, four-year postsecondary educational opportunity for students in Texas with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

VETERINARY PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY (VTPP) •

VTPP maintains research, teaching, and training collaborations with faculty and students across multiple colleges at Texas A&M University. Ongoing educational interactions include the teaching of Physiology to Biomedical Engineering students. VTPP434 (Physiology for Bioengineers) is a required course in the BMEN program. This extremely highly rated course is currently taught face-to-face in Texas A&M's Innovative Learning classroom Building.

•

Dr. Chris Quick has developed the Biomedical Research Certificate (BRC) and the Aggie Research Program (ARP) across the Texas A&M campus into the largest undergraduate research program in the country. VTPP faculty Drs. Lyons, Cisneros, and Ivanov continue to lead the development of BRC across campus. Dr. Quick has partnered with investigators from across Texas A&M University to grow the research efforts of underrepresented students, initially in the form of multiple NIH R25 applications. These important funding efforts continue to provide students with unique research opportunities and engage Texas A&M researchers.

Clinical Sciences

Discovery Basic Sciences

National •

Dr. Ken Muneoka was keynote speaker at the NIH-Sponsored Opportunities for Rapid Advancement of Limb Regeneration: From Animal Models to Humans, February 17-18, 2021

•

Recent VTPP funding includes the NIH R01 award to Drs Larry Suva and Lindsay Dawson entitled “Understanding the Skeleton in Down Syndrome” and the NIH R01 award to Dr. Michael Golding entitled “Heritable, epigenetic effects of paternal alcohol use on FASD phenotypes.”

•

VTPP faculty have one grant remaining to achieve the eight new NIH grants in 3 year challenge set by VTPP in 2019.

Aggie ACHIEVE 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 23

LARGE ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES (VLCS) VLCS has continued its focus on improving the health and well-being of horses, cattle, and other agricultural species as well as supporting the agricultural and equine industries, advancing the veterinary medical profession, and preparing our students to work in these industries, especially in rural Texas. VLCS is accomplishing this by providing an educational experience that prepares students to be effective veterinarians after graduation and having a research focus that is intent on solving problems important to the industries they serve.

Highlights from FY21 include: Education and Clinical Care VLCS participates in delivering a pre-clinical experience that is focused on preparing students to take full advantage of their clinical year. This curriculum provides ample opportunity for students to develop critical-thinking, animal handling, and technical skills that are important to preparing them to take advantage of their capstone clinical year.

Dr. Angela Bordin

The Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital provides the platform for senior students to further develop their skills and prepare for entry into the profession by providing state of the art hospital facilities in which students are mentored by faculty who are national and international leaders in their respective fields as they provide leading edge care to patients admitted to our hospital. Early career veterinarians are also afforded the opportunity to develop their careers as specialists by studying under our industry-leading faculty members. Specialty training is available in the following disciplines. •

Equine and Food Animal focused Internships

•

Internal Medicine Residency Training (Equine or Food Animal focus)

•

Large Animal Surgery Residency

•

Theriogenology Residency

•

Equine focused Practitioner Boards Residency

Fourth-year veterinary medical students, interns, and residents participate in delivering veterinary medical care on the following services. Equine •

Equine Orthopedic Surgery •

•

Equine Soft Tissue Surgery •

Fourth-year veterinary students and patient •

•

LATH technician and patient 24 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

Our Equine Soft-Tissue surgeons provided cutting-edge surgical solutions for a wide range of conditions including upper respiratory and gastrointestinal medical problems.

Equine Internal Medicine •

•

Our Orthopedic surgeons are considered national and international leaders in fracture repair and management of musculoskeletal conditions.

Our Equine Internists provide cutting-edge diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for a wide range of non-surgical conditions.

Equine Sports Medicine and Imaging •

This service and its faculty are focused on delivering excellence in care for the equine athlete.

•

Faculty bring together a broad range of expertise and state-of-the-art imaging modalities to focus on allowing equine athletes to excel in their respective fields.

Equine Theriogenology •

The Equine Theriogenology Service is maintaining its status as a leader in equine reproduction with a focus on stallion reproductive issues.

•

This will be enhanced by additional activities focused on mare reproductive issues.

LARGE ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES (VLCS) •

Equine Community Practice and Field Services •

These services provide training spanning the realm from primary care to advanced care in equine dentistry and treatment of peri-ocular tumors.

Food Animal •

•

Food Animal Medicine, Surgery, Theriogenology, and Ambulatory Services •

These services utilize a very robust caseload to provide training in and clinical care of patients from all of the food and fiber species. These services span the realm from primary to tertiary care and prepare our students to serve the agricultural industries upon graduation.

•

A production medicine focus is being developed with an emphasis on cattle and small ruminant production.

VERO clinical rotations in Feedlot, Dairy, and Cow-Calf •

These rotations add to the production medicine focus and provide students the opportunity to understand and work in the full spectrum of food animal industries.

•

These rotations along with the other food animal services afford our students a true “Farm to Plate” experience.

Dr. Glennon Mays

Mixed Animal •

Our TDCJ service provides students a true mixed animal experience as they provide care for cattle, swine, horses, poultry, and dogs belonging to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. •

This service also provides a very complete immersion in production medicine concepts and one of the few true mixed animal experiences in the country.

Education and Clinical Service Awards •

Dr. Andra Voges - Association of Former Students University Level Education Award

•

Dr. Jennifer Schleining - Provost Academic Professional Track Faculty Teaching Excellence Award

•

Dr. Dan Posey - SWVS 2021 Visionary Award

•

Dr. Dan Posey - TVMA Distinguished Career Award

•

Dr. Keith Chaffin - TVMA Equine Practitioner of the Year

•

Dr. Cleet Griffin - Department of Defense Employer Support of The Guard and Reserve

•

Dr. Glennon Mays - John H. Milliff Teaching Award

•

Dr. Dee Griffin - AABP Amstutz-Williams Award

Research and Graduate Studies The VLCS has developed an approach to research that is designed to provide the shortest distance between problems experienced by industry and solutions that are developed in the laboratory. These laboratories are also heavily invested in developing the research leaders of tomorrow through their graduate student training programs. •

Equine Infectious Disease Laboratory •

•

Equine Inflammatory Disease Laboratory •

•

The Equine Infectious Disease Laboratory continues to advance diagnostic and therapeutic modalities necessary for the management of important infectious diseases impacting the horse. The Equine Inflammatory Disease Laboratory is focused on developing new knowledge in the important diseases of equine obesity, asthma, and the linkages between these two diseases.

VERO Food Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory •

This laboratory is focused on bovine respiratory disease, which is one of the most important diseases impacting the food animal industries, other infectious diseases impacting food production, and issues associated with the use of antimicrobials in production animals.

Research and Graduate Studies Awards •

Noah Cohen - 2021 University Distinguished Professor Awards 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 25

SMALL ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES (VSCS) VSCS has three major missions: innovative education, leading-edge veterinary care, and clinical research and therapeutic trials. Each of these activities is intended to improve the quality of life for companion animals and their owners. The VSCS department provides clinical education in canines, felines, and exotics. The department’s researchers study health issues common to both humans and animals in areas such as cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, orthopedics, aging, and oncology. VSCS has dedicated space for clinical trials and biobanking, and is focused on innovative teaching through collaborations with the Center for Teaching Excellence, the Center for Educational Technologies, and through departmental grants for the scholarship of teaching. VSCS offers the following one-year internships and three-year residency programs: •

Internal Medicine Internship

•

Dermatology Residency

•

Ophthalmology Internship

•

Internal Medicine Residency

•

Surgical Oncology Internship

•

Neurology Residency

•

Surgery Internship

•

Oncology Residency

•

Anesthesiology Residency

•

Ophthalmology Residency

•

Cardiology Residency

•

Surgery Residency

•

Emergency & Critical Care Residency

•

Clinical Trials Fellowship

•

Underserved Communities Rotating Internship

•

Small Animal Rotating Internship

•

Cardiology Internship

Highlights from FY21 include: Research •

VSCS has completed strategic planning for the departmental biobank and clinical trials core, which will interface with investigators throughout the college.

•

The Dog Aging Project, led at Texas A&M University by Dr. Kate Creevy and funded by the National Institute on Aging, has enrolled its first dogs into their TRIAD Trial, a multi-institutional clinical trial evaluating the effects of the anti-aging drug rapamycin.

•

Investigators from Texas A&M and Northwestern Medical School recently published data from a clinical trial involving dogs with brain tumors, which has helped advance an immunotherapy into human clinical trials.

•

Faculty members in the oncology service have partnered with Volition to develop new tests to detect cancer in animals and humans.

•

The gastrointestinal laboratory continues to be highly active in developing new diagnostic tests for animals, including those to assess the gastrointestinal microbiome.

•

The cardiology team has validated new techniques for radiographic image interpretation and approaches to transesophageal electrocardiograms.

Dr. Kate Creevy 26 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

Dr. Johanna Heseltine and fourth-year Julia McElwee

SMALL ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES (VSCS) •

VSCS has expanded collaborative research through a partnership with UT Southwestern Medical School funded through the National Institutes of Health CTSA mechanism. This program provides Texas A&M faculty with collaborative pilot grant opportunities, in collaboration with faculty at UTSW.

Patient Care •

A number of new, high-impact clinicians have joined the department. These include: •

Dr. Genna Atiee, Clinical Assistant Professor in Internal Medicine and Interventional Radiology

•

Dr. Emily Gould, Clinical Assistant Professor in Internal Medicine

•

Dr. Kara Moreno, Lecturer in Anesthesiology

•

Dr. Erin Ray, Clinical Assistant Professor in Primary Care

•

Dr. Paula Giaretta, Clinical Assistant Professor in Gastrointestinal Pathology

•

Dr. Joao Cavasin, Clinical Assistant Professor in Gastrointestinal Pathology

•

Dr. Rebecca Eschmann, Clinical Assistant Professor in Small Animal Medical Education

•

Dr. Kathleen Aicher, Clinical Assistant Professor in Small Animal Medical Education

•

The SATH has opened an Interventional Radiology Service, which will perform leading edge procedures for pets throughout the state. The service is headed by Drs. Genna Atiee and Audrey Cook.

•

The Surgical Education Initiative supports pet owners with limited economic means and students' high-impact learning. Students learn high-impact surgical techniques under the mentorship of experienced veterinarians, while owners are able to access care. This program is generously supported by Dr. William A. Roach ’55 and his family.

•

The first underserved communities intern started in the summer of 2021. The program is a collaboration with Purdue University and provides trainees unique learning opportunities in an outreach setting, helping Texans who do not have sufficient access to veterinary care.

•

The Texas A&M Veterinary General Surgical team

Dr. Lori Teller and fourth-year veterinary students

Dr. Lori Teller, President-elect of the AVMA and Clinical Associate Professor, directs the SATH's telehealth programs and has collaborations with the School of Public Health to expand veterinary care access in rural areas.

Other •

The department has strongly invested in clinician wellbeing and in programs partially sponsored by Purina. The VSCS has seminars focused on conflict management, mentorship, healthy habits, and team building.

•

The department is excited to have its first faculty members located on the VERO Campus.

•

Dr. Jörg Steiner was named a University Distinguished Professor in 2020, the first member of the department to receive this honor.

Dr. Jӧrg Steiner 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 27

VETERINARY MEDICAL TEACHING HOSPITAL (VMTH) The VMTH at the CVMBS provides leading-edge compassionate care for animals while ensuring that students receive the highest standard of veterinary medical education. The VMTH was the first teaching hospital to receive the prestigious American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Referral Practice Accreditation, is certified as a Level II facility by the Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Society (VECCS), and has been awarded the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Cat-Friendly Practice (CFP) – Gold Level designation.

Highlights from FY21 include: The VMTH treated 21,939 patients in the Small Animal Teaching Hospital and 5,766 patients in the Large Animal Teaching Hospital. This incredible number of patients treated occurred while still in the midst of a pandemic and during a winter storm that challenged the hospital like no other. VMTH teams have been short-handed and have worked throughout the pandemic when they faced more challenges than they could imagine. The winter storm really highlighted the resilience, dedication, and ingenuity of the team–many of whom stayed overnight in the hospital working in inclement conditions and in shifts to ensure stalls were clean, drinking water was not frozen in the barns, necessary drugs and supplies were procured, and pets were examined and treated. This event was just one example of the heroic, selfless service teams routinely demonstrate for clients and patients. Large Animal Teaching Hospital

One hospital team member was recognized for her dedication to the university with a President’s Meritorious Service Award, in part for her commitment to the Aggie core values of respect, excellence, leadership, loyalty, integrity, and selfless service. And, as one of only four veterinary pharmacy residency programs in the nation, the VMTH had its first veterinary pharmacy resident complete her program in FY21. As the hospital continues to recover from the challenges of the pandemic, the reality of fatigue on the veterinary profession is clearly apparent, leading the VMTH to double efforts to focus on wellbeing and morale throughout the hospital. This includes investing in new and existing personnel and purposefully listening to and focusing on the needs of the hospital team. Some of those needs included much needed equipment and facility improvements, including a renovation to the General Surgery suite, animal- and people-friendly fire alarm upgrades, high-flow oxygen units, and a new ventilator—all of which also support the hospital’s commitment to high-quality patient care and teaching.

Small Animal Teaching Hospital

28 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

Shaping tomorrow’s veterinarians while providing an unmatched patient and client experience is how the VMTH operates. The entire team of clinicians, staff, and veterinary students is committed to providing state-of-the-art care and making the CVMBS' teaching hospital a model for excellence in Texas and beyond. The VMTH continues to balance exceptional patient care with a student educational experience second to none.

VETERINARY MEDICAL TEACHING HOSPITAL (VMTH) Small Animal Teaching Hospital The Small Animal Teaching Hospital is home to 16 services, which include a full complement of faculty and staff to teach students, interns, and residents in all aspects of small animal medicine. Patients have access to the full spectrum of veterinary care—from annual preventive medicine through the Primary Care Service to comprehensive cancer treatment through the Oncology Service. This past year, the hospital added Interventional Radiology/Endoscopy to its service offerings. This service has grown out of an increasing demand for minimally invasive procedures in both interventional radiology and endoscopy and is a one-of-a-kind service in Texas.

Large Animal Teaching Hospital The 13 services of the Large Animal Teaching Hospital provide the best medicine available for horses, cattle, goats, sheep, swine, and camelids. Faculty and staff in all disciplines are available to teach students, interns, and residents in all aspects of large animal medicine and surgery. Patients receive the total package of veterinary care both in the hospital through a variety of clinical services and at home or on-farm through Equine and Food Animal Field Services.

FY21 Large Animal Teaching Hospital Caseload by Species

FY21 Small Animal Teaching Hospital Caseload by Species

134 Other*

51 Exotics/Avian (Bird)

137 Ovine (Sheep) 197 Porcine (Pig)

2,655 Feline (Cat)

539 Goat 773 Bovine (Cattle)

19,233 Canine (Dog)

3,986 Equine (Horse)

*Other - Includes Exotics (35%), Canine (43%), Feline (2%), Avian (<1%), Unknown (1%)

Hospital Caseload Number of Cases

30,000

Small Animal Caseload

Large Animal Caseload

Total Hospital Caseload

25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Year

Hospital Visits

Number of Visits

30,000

Self-Referred Visits

Referral Visits

Total Visits

25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Year 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 29

VETERINARY MEDICAL TEACHING HOSPITAL (VMTH) FY21 Clinical Service Activity: Large Animal Teaching Hospital

FY21 Clinical Service Activity: Small Animal Teaching Hospital

Clinical Service Name

YTD Sales

YTD Caseload

Emergency & Critical Care

$423,235

158

Cardiology

Equine Community Practice

$159,199

437

Cardiovascular Surgery

Equine Field Service

$186,839

504

Equine Internal Medicine

$784,673

Equine Orthopedic Surgery

Clinical Service Name

YTD Sales

YTD Caseload

$936,617

865

$350

Critical Care

$653,605

388

489

Dental

$458,066

478

$957,466

496

Dermatology

$287,672

503

Equine Soft Tissue Surgery

$740,330

512

Emergency

$4,657,665

5,704

Equine Sports Medicine & Imaging

$917,772

723

General Surgery

$132,618

352

Equine Theriogenology

$264,583

273

Internal Medicine I

$1,723,632

1,222

Farrier

$52,228

299

Internal Medicine II

$564,219

667

Food Animal Field Services

$51,326

172

Interventional Radiology

$135,042

Food Animal Medicine & Surgery

$726,666

1,568

Neurology

$2,297,132

1,376

Ophthalmology

$118,791

133

Oncology

$2,980,533

3,634

Radiology

$835

Ophthalmology

$295,648

785

Research

$11,896

Orthopedic Surgery

$2,446,238

1,764

TDCJ

$287

Primary Care

$548,228

1,906

Ultrasound

$328

Radiology

$13,063

Gross Sales

$5,396,454

Total Caseload:

$113,680

1,103

Net Revenue

$5,079,122

5,776

$48,151

159

$1,684,901

956

$1,300

Gross Sales

$19,978,360

Total Caseload:

Net Revenue

$18,800,265

21,939

Rehabilitation Research Soft Tissue Surgery Zoological Medicine

VMTH Net Revenue + College Support Area

FY11

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

FY19

FY20

FY21

Large Animal Hospital

$3,016,966

$3,274,152

$3,738,209

$3,663,623

$4,253,080

$4,450,376

$4,393,072

$4,854,500

$4,806,704

$4,054,354

$5,079,122

Small Animal Hospital

$9,375,873

$10,104,491

$11,123,191

$11,991,528

$13,270,547

$14,533,673

$14,710,375

$16,305,727

$18,162,040

$17,403,172

$18,800,898

$180,917

$256,422

$176,772

$169,442

$150,382

$169,983

$209,244

$218,936

$206,139

$136,693

$131,665

$3,105,457

$2,738,019

$2,987,781

$3,140,390

$3,358,220

$3,623,372

$3,436,451

$3,728,422

$3,923,069

$4,031,888

$15,679,213

$16,373,085

$17,776,191

$18,812,373

$20,814,400

$22,512,252

$22,936,063

$24,815,614

$26,856,186

$25,517,288

$28,043,573

Other State Funding Total Revenue

Dr. Annie Newell-Fugate and Dr. Adam Patterson 30 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

Fourth-year veterinary students

Asucena Ochoa

VETERINARY EDUCATION, RESEARCH, & OUTREACH (VERO) In 2009, the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) began discussions to form a partnership with West Texas A&M University (WT) to recruit and mentor young people in the region seeking careers in veterinary medicine and to serve the livestock industries and the veterinary profession through teaching, research, and outreach programs. This partnership has become known as the Veterinary Education, Research, & Outreach (VERO) program.

West Texas A&M University

In September 2020, the VERO team with 4 faculty and 1 staff member moved into the newly completed $22M, 34,000 square foot VERO facility on the WT campus. As of September 2021, the veterinary team has increased to 15 faculty and 10 staff members. Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences launched a 2+2 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at the VERO campus. The 2+2 DVM program allows students to spend the first two years of their veterinary education at VERO before heading to College Station for their third and fourth/clinical years. This unique program boasts small class sizes and is the only 2+2 program that resides in the same state as its “home” veterinary college. Classes are taught by the talented team of veterinary clinical educators who ensure 2+2 students receive the same nationally ranked veterinary medicine education as the students who start in College Station. Each year, the CVMBS DVM program will accept up to 18 students for its 2+2 program. The college welcomed its first 2+2 class at the VERO facility in the Fall 2021 semester.

Tarleton State University

Texas A&M University

Prairie View A&M University

Texas A&M UniversityKingsville

Expansion of VERO Research Program Faculty and graduate students at VERO are pursuing collaborative research that advances animal, human, and environmental health and addresses the sustainability of animal agriculture and rural communities. VERO researchers work on issues of great local importance while striving to make a global impact. Specific research activity includes bovine respiratory disease, antimicrobial use and resistance, food safety, liver abscesses, cattle behavior, and animal welfare. VERO scientists partner with researchers and graduate students at WT, TVMDL, and AgriLife to translate research discoveries into useful information that benefits people and agricultural economies of Texas, the U.S., and the world. A fundamental part of the VERO research initiative is to recruit and train highly qualified, highly motivated students in the skills needed to serve the future of agricultural industries and veterinary medicine worldwide. The VERO research team is currently supported by $4.6M in active research funding received from federal and industry sponsors.

WT and Texas A&M VERO Educational Successes •

In May 2020, Drs. Dan Posey, Dee Griffin, BJ Newcomer, and Jenna Funk launched the fourth-year student rural clinical training rotations in rural practice, cow/calf veterinary medicine, beef cattle veterinary medicine, and dairy cattle veterinary medicine.

•

VERO faculty support food animal student mentoring for those interested in food animal practice.

•

Since 2017, the VERO program has hosted working veterinary student interns. These summer interns are trained in local rural mixed practices, feedlots, and dairies.

•

VERO faculty provide an annual rural practice and livestock operations tour for students completing their first or second years of veterinary school at the CVMBS.

•

VERO faculty provide annual outreach programs for veterinarians in addition to the area's workforce. These include a CE program and livestock workforce training to address the needs of feedlots and dairies. 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 31

VETERINARY EDUCATION, RESEARCH, & OUTREACH (VERO) Expansion of Educational Bridge to Veterinary School • • •

Aggressively recruiting qualified students with rural backgrounds in the Texas Panhandle and South Plains area Recruiting outstanding rural students from 4-H and FFA programs to consider a veterinary career The number of students seeking the Animal Science PreVeterinary Specialization degree has increased to over 300, making it the largest undergraduate advisory program at WT.

Highlights from FY21 include: • • • •

VERO Grand Opening

• • •

•

Opening of the VERO Building in September 2020 Initiation of 4th year clinical training rotations on the VERO campus in May 2020 Starting of the 2+2 Professional DVM program and the only intra-state DVM program VERO and TVMDL grand opening for the CHARLES W. “DOC” GRAHAM ’53 DVM, THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM CENTER on June 3, 2021 Increased membership in the WT Pre-Veterinary Club with over 100 student members VERO partners with the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory to hire Microbiology and Pathology faculty Dr. Dan Posey received the Southwest Veterinary Symposium’s (SWVS) 2021 Visionary of the Year Award for his contributions to the veterinary profession. Dr. Dee Griffin, retired Clinical Professor of the CVMBS VERO program, was honored by the American Association of Bovine Practitioners with the Amstutz-Williams Award. The AABP's highest award was given to Griffin for his 45 years of outstanding service to the profession.

Current VERO faculty:

Dr. Douglas Kratt, Executive Director at Texas Veterinary Medical Association Chris Copeland, and Dr. Karen Cornell

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Charles W. “Doc” Graham and Dr. Susan Eades 32 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

Dr. Kate Aicher *, Clinical Assistant Prof, Small Animal Ed Dr. Kelli Beavers*, Clinical Assistant Prof, Equine Education Dr. Sarah Capik, Assistant Prof, Food Animal Research Dr. Susan Eades*, Associate Dean, CVMBS Canyon Campus Dr. Abby Finley *,**, Clinical Assistant Prof, Anatomic Pathology Dr. Paul Morley, Director of VERO Research Program Dr. BJ Newcomer *, Clinical Associate Prof, Dairy Cattle Dr. Dan Posey, Director of Student Recruitment and Professional Relations Dr. Jenna Funk *, Clinical Assistant Prof, Beef Cattle Dr. Hatem Kittana*,**, Clinical Assistant Prof, Microbiology Dr. Hugh Duddy*, Clinical Assistant Prof, Large Animal Surgery Dr. Becky Eschmann*, Clinical Assistant Prof, Small Animal Ed Dr. Lisa Lunn*, Clinical Associate Prof, Food Animal Ed Dr. Matthew Scott *, Assistant Prof, Microbial Ecology Dr. Robert Valeris-Chacin*, Assistant Prof, Epidemiology Dr. Chrissy Barron*, Instructional Assistant Prof, Anatomy Dr. Yvonne Wikander **, (VTPB) Dr. Fernanda Costa*, Clinical Assistant Prof, Physiology * Faculty that have joined the VERO program in 2021 ** Faculty with joint appointment to the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) and VERO

LEADING THE WAY IN GLOBAL ONE HEALTH

The Texas A&M Global One Health Program aims to make the world safe and secure from emerging infectious diseases with pandemic potential by emphasizing a One Health approach—the synergy of animal, human, and environmental sciences—to global health and security. Through Global One Health's national and international reach, collaborative advancements in zoonotic One Health research, and building of interdisciplinary learning environments, the program continues to make advancements in policy, research, education, and service. In fiscal year 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak continues to bring operational challenges to the university, state, nation, and global community, demonstrating the relevance of One Health to global health security, to bringing an end to COVID-19, and to initiating sustained pandemic and public health preparedness planning to prevent this from happening again.

Leadership The program acts as Texas A&M University’s focal point and university ambassador for key state, national, and international organizations, including the Coalition of Universities for Global Health, the Global Health Security Agenda Consortium steering group, the One Health Commission, the Bipartisan Commission for Biodefense, the Texas Task Force for Infectious Disease Preparedness & Response, the Texas Department of State Health Services Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel, and the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity. The Associate Dean of Global One Health, Dr. Gerald W. Parker, Jr., holds a joint appointment as Director of the Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program at the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs within the Bush School of Government & Public Service that links the education, research, and service missions of the two colleges together. The Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program brings together global thought leaders on pandemic and biosecurity policies providing strategic direction and policy options to government, non-governmental organization, university, and industry leaders. Major emphasis is placed on the promotion and application of One Health as a national and global security imperative and seeks to elevate One Health into the lexicon of national policy leaders. When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in Wuhan in the fall of 2019 and Dr. Gerald W. Parker, Jr. threatened regional and eventual global spread, Parker assumed an active response role on campus and at local, state, and national levels that continues today. He catalyzed the establishment of the Texas A&M University Emergency Management Advisory Group and serves as the co-chair with the Senior Associate Vice President for Research. Parker served on the Texas A&M COVID Contingency Council and has provided strategic advice to Brazos County and Texas public health and emergency management authorities. Parker was also asked to assist with the U.S. federal response to COVID-19 and was detailed to Washington, D.C., to serve as the senior advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the Department of Health and Human Services. In that role, Parker supported Operation Warp Speed and COVID vaccine distribution and allocation planning; the deployment of federal medical teams and material; the updating and promulgating altered standards of care policies for hospitals; and organizational leadership within ASPR during a tremendous surge of medical and public health requirements that were needed to augment state and local communities. While still at ASPR, Parker was tapped to serve, and he continues to serve, on the Texas Experts Vaccine Allocation Panel responsible for making 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 33

LEADING THE WAY IN GLOBAL ONE HEALTH recommendations to the Texas Health Commissioner for COVID vaccine allocation priorities. The COVID vaccine distribution campaign is the largest and most complex of its kind in public health history and the strategy adopted in Texas had a significant early impact on reducing hospitalizations and deaths in the most vulnerable Texans. Parker was also appointed by the Director of the National Institutes of Health to serve on and chair the National Sciences Advisory Board for Biosecurity that provides recommendations to the federal government on oversight of risky research with human and animal pathogens, including gain of function research of concern, dual use research of concern, and biosafety/biosecurity laboratory policies and practices. Additionally, the Global One Health program hosts regular virtual situational reports and discussions with the university community answering concerns of colleagues and students alike. Local and national media coverage of the pandemic sought insight and guidance resulting in numerous media spots from local to national sources, from KBTX to The Wall Street Journal.

Collaborations The Global One Health team continues to galvanize the university's dedication to One Health by growing the institution's stakeholder network and establishing itself as an emerging leader in global health security. The program provides strategic inputs for global health-related projects and proposals, collaborating closely with the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, the CVMBS' International Programs office, the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases, the Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, the Global Health Research Complex, the Center for Global Health and Innovation, and with other universities and non-profit institutions that work in global health security, science diplomacy, and security assurance.

Learning Opportunities The Global One Health program also advocates for experiential learning and provides mentorship and guidance for students interested in careers in global health, global health security, biodefense, and related opportunities at the intersection of animal health, public health, science, and policy. Through the Global Health Next Generation Seminar series, the program seeks to highlight the varied and rich global health expertise of scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and public servants both within and outside the university. The program actively supports the MSC SCONA annual collegiate conference bringing public health and global health into the national affairs scholarly research and education discussions, giving delegates and other invited national premier academic scholars and industry leaders the opportunity to recognize the importance of One Health and Global Health Security on the national security stage. The Global One Health Program is also a champion and supports the development of One Health-related undergraduate, graduate, and professional coursework at the CVMBS, The Bush School of Government & Public Service, and across campus providing a graduate course on bioterrorism preparedness at the Bush School and guest lectures in several colleges that highlights for students the many and varied opportunities for careers in public service at local, state, national, and international levels.

34 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

VETERINARY EMERGENCY TEAM (VET) The Texas A&M VET serves the state and nation every day through deployments of the largest and most sophisticated veterinary response team in the country. It provides service-oriented educational opportunities for veterinary students through collaborations with Texas agencies and jurisdictions, and build regional preparedness/response capabilities through partnerships with other Texas A&M University System universities and private-sector veterinary medical professionals. The VET continues to support the Texas Task Forces by providing veterinary medical support to their canine teams during trainings and deployments. It also helps Texas communities develop emergency plans for animals.

Overview Texas was fortunate in 2021 and the VET did not have a full deployment to an emergency situation. However, it was still a busy year, highlighted by the team’s first involvement in Operation Lone Star, one of the nation’s largest humanitarian events. The team also made seven trips to the Texas Panhandle to work with feedlots on secure beef supply plans, as well as working with a number of counties on creating and improving their emergency operations.

2021 Deployments Operation Lone Star – Raymondville, Texas • • •

DVM students at Operation Lone Star

7 days 60+ people 735 animals

Sponsored by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Operation Lone Star is an annual preparedness exercise that started in 1999 to give emergency response teams a chance to set up and operate clinics similar to what would be used in a public health emergency. To also give the teams the experience of working with patients in the field, the exercise provides services to the nearby population and, as a result, has become one of the nation’s largest humanitarian efforts. The VET’s presence was the first time there was a veterinary component to the operation, and the response was huge. In fact, at the site in Raymondville, the VET treated more animals than the DSHS treated people.

DVM students at Operation Lone Star

New Capabilities Operation Lone Star was the first time the VET got to put its newest vehicle to use. In May 2021, the Banfield Foundation donated a new 28-foot evacation trailer, which will give the VET the ability to go into heavily impacted areas and transport animals to a safer location. Along with 44 kennels, it features an onboard generator, two rooftop air conditioning units, a 30-gallon freshwater tank, and exterior flood lights that will allow the vehicle to be used in any conditions. At Operation Lone Star the trailer helped keep animals cool while waiting on their owners to return.

DVM students at Operation Lone Star

Banfield Foundation trailer 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 35

SCHUBOT CENTER FOR AVIAN HEALTH The Schubot Center for Avian Health is an academic center within the CVMBS. Its mission is to conduct research into avian health and conservation issues, spanning pet, wild, and exotic birds. The center's research spans disease ecology, parasitology, genetics, behavior, toxicology, pathology, and more. It is also involved in diagnostic test and vaccine development research. Members teach undergraduates, graduate students, and DVM students about avian health and conservation issues. The Avian Health Complex—with aviaries, isolation facilities, a laboratory, a clinic, and a classroom—is the largest and best equipped of its kind in the United States, currently housing over 200 birds used for teaching, outreach, and research.

Highlights from FY21 include: The Schubot Center membership is growing with over 60 Texas A&M University members including faculty and staff, postdoctoral associates, graduate students, DVM students, and undergraduate students from eight different departments across three colleges. Members contribute to member meetings, research presentations, outreach events, and provide a collaborative support network throughout the year spanning diverse avian topics. In the second year of the Schubot research mini-grant program, the center awarded up to $2,500 in research funds to each of 8 successful applicants, including undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and faculty across five different departments and three colleges. Additionally, one researcher in the travel grant program received funds to defray costs of presenting avian research at a conference. The center looks forward to funding more travel once conferences are back in-person after the pandemic. In the summer of 2021, Schubot Center scientists served as The new graphic element for the Schubot mentors for three veterinary students in the Veterinary Medical Summer Research Center for Avian Health features the Training Program, in which students completed research projects with birds at the onWhooping Crane, the Scarlet Macaw, campus aviary and collaborative facilities. and the Monk Parakeet. External research funding coming into the Center includes awards from the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians- Wild Animal Health Fund; the American Ornithological Society; the Pat Palmer Foundation; and more. Ms. Sabryna Scott received the 2021 Schubot Avian Health Director’s Award in honor of Dr. Ian Tizard (Schubot Director from 1999–2017). The award recognizes avian research accomplishments and contributions to the Schubot Center. Sabryna Scott was selected for her dedication as an avian caretaker, contributing to the well-being of the birds used for teaching, research, and outreach. Despite the pandemic, the center has continued the successful Schubot Seminar Series, with all seminars held over Zoom in the past year. External speakers included Dr. Janina Krumbeck of MiDog, LLC, to discuss the dermal microbiome in Monk Parakeets and Dr. Scott Echols of The Medical Center for Birds to discuss avian anatomy research. Schubot Center members were given the opportunity to interact with each speaker to discuss collaborations and careers. Members organized several outreach activities, including bird banding events at local parks, aviary tours, and workshops for visiting teacher and student groups, each providing the opportunity to share avian science with the broader community.

Schubot center graduate students hosted an outreach event to teach community members about bird banding and avian science. 36 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

Assistant Research Scientist Dr. Caitlin Mencio is working on diagnostic tests and vaccine development for avian bornavirus.

Aviary Manager and Senior Research Associate Debra Turner hosts an outdoor class at the aviary for Animal Science students who learned about animal welfare.

INTERDISCIPLINARY FACULTY OF TOXICOLOGY (IFT) The IFT is a degree-granting graduate program composed of faculty from 20 Texas A&M departments in five colleges, three divisions of the Health Science Center, and three associated laboratories. Since 1989, the IFT has awarded over 50 MS degrees, nearly 200 PhDs; and two DVM/PhD degrees. In addition, over 100 postdocs have trained in toxicology at Texas A&M University. Training future generations of toxicologists in novel scientific discoveries should go hand-in-hand with ensuring that trainees develop a broad set of complementary competencies that span multiple disciplines, from basic biology to exposure science, biostatistics, and epidemiology. In addition, trainees must understand how these data and knowledge are translated into decisions and policy. Areas of research include: Mechanistic Toxicology, Public Health, Risk Assessment, Exposure Science, Cancer Biology, Epidemiology, and Modeling/Data Science.

Highlights from FY21 include: Awards/Accomplishments • Dr. Meichen Wang received 2021 Texas A&M Distinguished Dissertation and CVMBS Outstanding Postdoctoral Research Associate awards. • Dr. David Threadgill was named a University Regents Professor. • Dr. Weihsueh Chiu was appointed to multiple boards: the EPA Science Advisory Board, the Chemical Assessment Advisory Committee, and chair of the National Academies committee informing the US EPA of New Approach Methods (NAMs). • Alexandra Cordova received a 2021 NIEHS K.C. Donnelly Externship Award Supplement to train at Los Alamos National Laboratory. • Allie Folcik was a finalist in the Texas A&M Three Minute Thesis competition with her talk “Keeping Cyanotoxins Out of Your Tap!” • Trainees made 21 presentations, won nine awards, and had two specialty section features at the Society of Toxicology 2021 Annual Meeting. • Students led discussions at SETAC’s 2020 North America Meeting, and, at the South Central Chapter meeting, Alexandra Cordova won 2nd Place Presentation. • At the 2020 Lone Star Chapter of the Society of Toxicology, five of the top eight posters were submitted by Texas A&M toxicology trainees. • Dr. Meichen Wang received the Best Poster Award at the 2020 NIEHS Superfund Annual Meeting, which had 180 posters total.

Toxicology graduates

Research and Service Features • Dr. Natalie Johnson was part of a team of A&M researchers developing inexpensive wristbands to protect pregnant women from pollutants. Toxicology students • Dr. Arum Han and his collaborators have demonstrated that exposure to high heat neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 in less than one second. • Dr. Weihsueh Chiu partnered with CVMBS scientist Dr. Martial Ndeffo to develop a state-level Covid-19 response model. • Dr. Rusyn lead research showing energy drink’s harmful effects on the heart. • Dr. Weston Porter and his team received an X-Grant, MitoX: Targeting Mitochondria to Improve Human Health. • Dr. Natalie Johnson’s research team is involved at the Shingle Mountain in south Dallas, site of 100,000 tons of discarded roofing materials in which lead contamination has been found. • Dr. Weihsueh Chiu is featured in the article "Texas A&M Researchers to Address Chemical Pollution Following Gulf Coast Storms" in which a research team was awarded a three-year Healthy Ecosystems grant by The Gulf Research Program of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to address the risk of flood-induced spills at Gulf Coast facilities. High Profile Publications • Wang M., et al, Enhanced adsorption of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by edible, nutrient-amended montmorillonite clays. DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116534 • Valdiviezo, A., et al, Quantitative In Vitro-to-In Vivo Extrapolation for Mixtures: A Case Study of Superfund Priority List Pesticides. DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab076 • Hsieh, N-H, et al, Risk Characterization and Probabilistic Concentration–Response Modeling of Complex Environmental Mixtures Using New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) Data from Organotypic in Vitro Human Stem Cell Assays. DOI: 10.1289/EHP7600 • Camargo, K., et al, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon status in post-hurricane Harvey sediments: Considerations for environmental sampling in the Ga Bay/Houston Ship Channel region. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111872 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 37

SUPERFUND RESEARCH CENTER The Texas A&M Superfund Research Center, with scientists from across campus, is conducting four environmental research projects funded by a five-year, $10 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Established in 1987, the NEIHS Superfund Research Program is a highly competitive, grant-based program that funds a network of 16 university-based multidisciplinary research teams that study human health and environmental issues related to hazardous chemicals, with a goal of understanding the link between exposure and disease. Texas A&M Superfund Center researchers, led by Dr. Ivan Rusyn, professor in VIBS at the CVMBS, and Dr. Anthony Knap, professor of oceanography and director of the Geochemical and Environmental Research Group in the College of Geosciences, will work to translate science into the practice of mitigating the health and environmental consequences of exposure to hazardous chemical mixtures. The ultimate goal of the program is to create packages that will serve as “how-to's” for affected areas during any form of environmental emergency situation, from weather-related disasters to chemical spills to industrial accidents.

Highlights from FY21 include: •

Researchers at Texas A&M developed a tool called HGBEnviroScreen that makes data reporting environmental and social risks more accessible to community members and community-based organizations (CBOs).

•

Dr. Rusyn and Dr. Chiu, in collaboration with North Carolina State University, have developed the Pandemic Vulnerability Index (PVI) Dashboard to map the global spread of COVID-19.

•

Texas A&M University Superfund Research Center and Galveston Bay Foundation collaborated to address community concerns following chemical fires at the Intercontinental Terminals Companies (ITC) facility.

•

NIEHS Trainee Spotlight: Dr. Fabian Grimm Explores New Approaches to Understand Chemical Toxicity

•

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) Certification (eight trainees)

•

Project 2 researcher Dr. Tim Phillips and Superfund Research Program (SRP) trainees Sara Hearon and Dr. Meichen Wang were featured in NIEHS Global Environmental Newsletter (April 2020). https://tinyurl.com/yc578pbp

•

A case study on a new comparative approach to better determine trade-offs in remediation scenarios to maximize benefits while minimizing risks.

•

Texas A&M researchers using innovative technology to develop new chemical safety testing method.

Dr. Tim Phillips and SRP trainees Sara Hearon (left) and Dr. Meichen Wang (right)

Publications •

Dr. Chimeddulam Dalaijamts uses Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to predict the variability factors in perc metabolism, leading to a better understanding of population variation of adverse effects of perc. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2020.115069

•

Dr. Weihsueh Chiu and colleagues at the University of Michigan were highlighted in Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) Science Selection news article, Unbalanced Burden? Potential Population-Level Health Risks & Benefits of Superfund Cleanup. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7050

•

Asuka Orr, Project 2 trainee, and her colleagues show how computational and experimental methods, combined, can characterize clay binding and sorption of toxic compounds, paving the way for future investigation of clays to reduce Bisphenols A (BPA) and S (BPS) exposure. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2020.107063

•

Project 2 researchers Drs. Meichen Wang and Tim Phillips developed a dietary sorbent strategy for shellfish to reduce exposures to PCBs. This strategy significantly reduced PCB residues in oysters in a dose & time-dependent manner. Patent pending on this acid processed clay sorbent. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13530-020-00058-2

•

Project 3, Data Science core, and Decision Science core collaborated on a study showing that rapid hazard characterization of chemicals can be achieved using only five human cell types from different organs. https://doi.org/10.14573/altex.2002291

38 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES (CET) The Center for Educational Technologies’ mission is to advance education by developing, implementing, and evaluating innovative educational tools and resources. The CET continues to serve our state, nation, and world through various research, teaching, and entrepreneurial endeavors—all of which are centered on providing engaging online educational resources. For more information on our educational resources, go to: www.tamucet.org.

Research ~$1.45M in new awards

Instruction 8 trainings held and 14 educational resources developed

Enterprise ~$307,029 in new service contracts and license agreements

The CET works collaboratively with other university entities; state, federal, and international agencies; other colleges of veterinary medicine; non-governmental agencies, and industry to provide access to innovative and engaging educational resources anytime and in any place. The approach has led to the CET’s international reputation for excellence in curriculum development and resource hosting services.

Key Partners • • • • • • • •

Cornell University Prairie View A&M University West Texas A&M University Iowa Department of Land Stewardship & Agriculture Partners for Healthy Pets Primary Care Veterinary Educators Leader Healthcare Group VetFolio

With partnerships and learners from all over the world, the CET’s work has a growing global impact.

Institutions Using CET Resources • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Cornell University Kansas State University Lincoln Memorial University Mississippi State University Oklahoma State University Oregon State University St. George’s University The Ohio State University Texas A&M University University of California Davis University of Florida University of Illinois University of Minnesota University of Missouri University of Sydney University of Tennessee Washington State University

In response to COVID, CET shifts numerous national and international training programs from in-person to online.

CET supports NIH grant to counter vaccine hesitancy in rural Texas.

CET launches antimicrobial resistance courses to veterinary schools across the US. Texas A&M is the first to integrate the course into its curriculum. 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 39

CVMBS COMMUNICATIONS CVMBS Communications supports the college through the implementation of strategic marketing and communications services that range from branding and identity, media and public relations, graphic design, and printing and copying to digital marketing, web and digital communications, photography and videography, and merchandise sales.

Communications The communications team writes and distributes college news through press releases, the weekly Pet Talk column, the CVMBS Annual Report series, and the semiannual CVMBS Today magazine. In 2020, CVMBS Communications created two new enewsletters—News from Veterinary Way, which replaced Dean's Corner as an internally focused newsletter that shares news, publications, events, and other celebratory information, and CVMBS Impacts, an externally focused newsletter that focuses on the college's most impactful news. Read news stories and publications online at vetmed.tamu.edu/news.

CVMBS Today, Spring 2021

CVMBS Communications partipating in the 2021 Inclusivity Fair.

The team also coordinates all media interaction with CVMBS faculty, staff, and students. It provides graphic design, photography and videography, digital marketing, and website support for the CVMBS Dean's Office, departments, centers, hospital services, research units, and college events. It also provide services to other entities on the Texas A&M campus, including Mays Business School and The Bush School of Government & Public Service. CVMBS Communications coordinates the digital signage within CVMBS buildings and the official social media channels for the college. It also provides undergraduate BIMS and professional DVM students with notes for classes taught by college faculty. Members of the team are Texas A&M adjunct faculty, active in professional communication organizations, give presentations and seminars within the college, university, and at local and regional conferences, deploy with the VET, and design the merchandise sold in the CVMBS Marketplace.

CVMBS Ambassadors The CVMBS Ambassadors are an important part of the welcoming and inclusive environment the CVMBS provides to visitors. As the public face of our college, Ambassadors welcome guests to campus, share information with visitors, assist with special functions, and offer tours that showcase our teaching spaces. Due to COVID-19, the CVMBS did not resume regular public tours for the general public until June of 2021. In total, the ambassadors provided 114 tours for 515 people.

CVMBS Ambassadors

The program comprises veterinary students, BIMS graduate students, and undergraduate BIMS majors who demonstrate the Aggie Core Values of Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect, and Selfless Service.

Marketplace CVMBS Marketplace is the place to purchase college merchandise. From apparel to pet items, if you're looking for a special gift with a CVMBS or veterinary theme, it is the place to shop. Order online at tx.ag/VetMedMarketplace.

CVMBS Marketplace 40 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE) Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing education as the veterinary community knew it came to a halt in 2020. However, bolstered by veterinarians asking for ways to remain connected with their community while gaining continuing education credits, the Office of Continuing Education offered both synchronous and asynchronous online learning opportunities to meet the needs of our constituents. The Food Animal and Companion Animal Conferences were moved online during the summer of 2020 and remain open for asynchronous CE credits. Many veterinarians were able to complete their required opioid training through the popular on-demand online opioid learning module. The foreign animal disease diagnostic course planned to take place in Uganda was rapidly moved to a real-time, online format through the very hard work of members of the Texas AgriLife Research and European Commission for the Control of Foot and Mouth Disease (euFMD) communities. Feedback received from the virtual course participants was extremely positive and the online nature of the course facilitated the course being offered twice in 2021. As the pandemic numbers became more manageable and restrictions for in-person gatherings eased in late summer of 2021, the office organized small-group learning activities beginning with the RECOVER Basic and Advanced Life Support courses and partnered with AgriLife Extension to offer continuing education credits to veterinarians attending the AgriLife Extension Beef Cattle Short Course.

Associate Directors of Continuing Education Drs. Jennifer Schleining and Jordan Tayce and Program Coordinator David Blazer

FY21 Continuing Education Conferences Statistics Conference/Seminar

Chair(s)

Dates

Participants

Total Hours

Small Animal Online Conference

Dr. Johanna Heseltine

August-December 2020

Food Animal Online Conference

Drs. Glennon Mays & Jennifer Schleining

July 2020-December 2020

AgriLife Extension – Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle Webinar

Dr. Tom Hairgrove – AgriLife Extension

November 2020

262

Cervid Safe Capture Course

Dr. Jordan Tayce

December 2020

EuFMD Virtual Real Time Training Course

Dr. Elizabeth Parker – AgriLife Research

May 2021

RECOVER CPR Basic Life Support Training Course

Drs. Christine Rutter & Justin Heinz

July 2021

RECOVER CPR Advanced Life Support Training Course

Drs. Christine Rutter & Justin Heinz

July 2021

AgriLife Extension – Breeding Soundness Examination Veterinary Program

Dr. Tom Hairgrove – AgriLife Extension

August 2021

7.5

AgriLife Extension – Beef Cattle Short Course Veterinary Program

Dr. Tom Hairgrove – AgriLife Extension

August 2021

Online Opioid Training Course

Drs. Carly Patterson & Amy Savarino

Ongoing

163

Totals

654

91.5

2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 41

CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE) The pandemic has created some very challenging and difficult moments for veterinary continuing education, yet it has also afforded an opportunity to reframe the challenges as opportunities. In August, the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners voted to allow veterinarians to completely fulfill their annual CE obligations through either in-person or virtual means going forward. These events motivated the CE office to creatively envision what the future of veterinary continuing education might look like in terms of accessibility, educational models that support adult learning, and skill acquisition beyond didactic lecture. Some of these changes are already taking place during the transition of CE content into the online Canvas learning platform. Soon, a new website built just for our busy veterinary community will be rolled out. To close, the office is excited to introduce the newest member of the CE team, Mr. David Blazer, who joined the college in June 2021 as a Program Coordinator. David replaces Millie Chodorow, who stepped down after serving many years in the office. The CE team looks forward to hearing from the veterinary community and seeing you either in person or virtually at a CE event in 2022!

Emergency & Critical Care Conference

Hands-on participation during the Emergency & Critical Care Conference

Schleining talks with guests during the Emergency & Critical Care Conference

RECOVER Initiative

42 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

TRANSLATIONAL IMAGING CENTER (TIC) Texas A&M University’s Translational Imaging Center utilizes various imaging modalities to cater to the needs of sponsors of both research and clinical-based studies. Through advanced imaging equipment; a team of professional and diverse individuals; and high-quality services, we serve to advance science for the benefit of animal and human communities. TIC is a CVMBS unit located within the Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical Studies (TIPS) building. TIC was established to cater to the imaging needs of translational research studies in a wide variety of medical/scientific disciplines including surgery, biomedical engineering, pathology, interventional cardiology, and neurology. The Siemens Magnetom Verio 3T MRI system has a 70cm wide bore diameter and imaging capabilities include routine MR (with/without contrast), cardiac-gated, vascular, angiographic, perfusion, spectroscopic, and echo-planar. Its advanced imaging supports functional MRI (fMRI). The Siemens Biograph mCT includes both CT and PET capabilities. The CT scanner is 128-slice and has a 20cm field of view (FOV) time-of-flight PET scanner. Imaging capabilities include routine anatomic CTs (with/without contrast), cardiac-gated CT angiography, CT perfusion, and medical device imaging. PET imaging capabilities encompass use of a variety of radioisotopes for biodistribution and kinetics analysis. The Philips Allura Xper FD20 C-arm cardiac catheterization lab with 3D reconstruction fluoroscopy is housed within an operating room and offers high resolution imaging support for advanced cardiovascular and interventional radiological applications. TIC's range of imaging modalities also includes a GE Vivid E9 4D ultrasound, a Siemens Avantic Arcadis portable fluoroscopy system, and a Fujifilm CR-IR computed radiography system. TIC has dedicated Siemens 3D workstations, a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) and other specialized software to support data processing and analysis needs of various imaging studies. TIC is involved in collaborative research studies with many different user groups within the CVMBS, as well as researchers in other Texas A&M colleges including the Health Science Center, Liberal Arts, and Engineering. In addition, TIC caters to the imaging research needs of other universities and private companies. This places TIC in a strategic position to facilitate translational and multi-disciplinary research opportunities. The vision of the Translational Imaging Center is to bridge the gap between research and clinical applications and to utilize our advancing state-of-the-art equipment and expertise to broaden the scope of our services. Email: imagingcenter@tamu.edu

Human brain imaging performed using MRI

Siemens Magnetrom Verio 3T MRI

Website: imagingcenter.tamu.edu

Cardiac Imaging using CT, CT with Contrast, and PET FDG-18 2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 43

STEVENSON COMPANION ANIMAL LIFE-CARE CENTER The Stevenson Companion Animal Life-Care Center provides for the physical, emotional, and medical needs of companion animals whose owners are no longer able to provide that care. Clients of the center include pet owners who want to ensure their pet’s future prior to entering a retirement home, being hospitalized for an extended period, or predeceasing their pet. The center was established by the college in 1993, at the suggestion of Dr. E.W. “Ned” Ellett, former head of the Small Animal Clinical Sciences department. Dr. Ellett’s dream became a reality with generous donations from the Luse Foundation and Mrs. Madlin Stevenson. Mrs. Stevenson said she chose to support the center because, “animals are especially important to the elderly and this center is dedicated to them and their pets.” Mrs. Stevenson, a life-long animal lover, passed away in September of 2000, and her four cats, seven dogs, pony, and llama came to reside at the center. The center is a focal point of compassion for animals and dedication to their optimum care for life in a home-like environment. In May of 2021 the center was honored to welcome the retired mascot of Texas A&M, Reveille IX, who will spend her retirement at the Stevenson Center. Her predecessor, Reveille VIII, also spent her retirement at the Stevenson Center. It is truly a privilege to care for A&M’s revered mascots in their retirement years. They have earned a restful retirement after representing the university so loyally.

About the Stevenson Center: • • • • • •

The center is beginning its 29th year of operation. Companion animals can live out their lives at the center in a home-like environment after their owners can no longer care for them. 119 pets have lived out their lives at the center since 1993. Over 710 companion animals, owned by 289 owners from 34 states and one country outside of the U.S., are enrolled to enter the center when their owners can no longer care for them. Four veterinary medical students live at the center to care for the resident pets on nights, weekends, and holidays. The center is located next door to the VMTH, which provides exceptional veterinary care for the resident pets.

Stevenson Center Current Residents

Steven

4 Rabbits

2 D

4 Resident Caretakers

2 O

9 Non-Resident Caretakers

3 R

10 Dogs 14 Cats 324 Stevenson Center Current Residents

Stevenson Companion Animal Life-Care Center staff

Stevenson Center Future Enrollments

4 Rabbits

2 Donkeys

4 Resident Caretakers

2 Other

9 Non-Resident Caretakers

3 Rabbits

10 Dogs

15 Horses

14 Cats

16 Birds 324 Dogs 348 Cats

Stevenson Center 44 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

348

DEVELOPMENT The CVMBS Development Team is committed to building relationships between the college and friends of the college who have an interest in enhancing its financial resources. In the process of carrying out this commitment, the Development Team makes numerous individual and group presentations on the wide variety of activities that take place at the CVMBS.

Scholarships One of the CVMBS' top priorities is scholarship support for students, while providing them with an education that utilizes the finest in modern educational methods and technologies. The DVM program is one of the largest in the country, while the college’s BIMS program is the largest undergraduate degree-granting program on Texas A&M’s campus. Endowed scholarships for students pursing these degrees begin at $25,000.

Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) Texas A&M University offers a distinctive undergraduate program in BIMS at the CVMBS. BIMS is a broad field of applied biology that is directed toward understanding health and disease. Its mission is to educate students who will create a healthier future for humas and animals through the medical professions, biomedical innovation and discovery, global service, and outreach. The BIMS Board has launched efforts to increase scholarship opportunities for students.

Thank Your Donor Day The CVMBS Office of Development hosted its inaugural “Thank Your Donor Day” this past August. This two-day event brought together 543 CVMBS and BIMS students. This was a time for these scholarship recipients to grab a snack, sit back, and take a moment to write their donor a personalized note of thanks. This grateful atmosphere offered the opportunity for the CVMBS Development Team to meet these students and hear the positive impact that donors are providing. With tuition cost being over $6,000 per semester, scholarship support is taking some of the financial hardship off their shoulders so these students can focus their energy on their studies. DVM Class Endowed Scholarships The DVM Endowed Class Scholarship Initiative encourages each graduating class to create an endowed scholarship in its class name. Several graduating classes have already surpassed the $25,000 endowment level. Many former students use this vehicle as a way to memorialize classmates by giving to a deceased classmate’s class scholarship fund in their memory.

CVMBS and BIMS Scholarships

573

STUDENTS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 860 NAMED SCHOLARSHIPS

543

STUDENTS OUT OF 3,377 RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS

$558,000 DIFFERENTIAL TUITION FUND AWARDED

$1,939,852 TOTAL DISTRIBUTION

Dr. O.J. “Bubba” Woytek ’65 and his wife Jane Woytek

Class of ’41

Class of ’43

Class of ’51

Class of ’54

Class of ’55

Class of ’56

Class of ’57

Class of ’58

Class of ’60

Class of ’62

Class of ’63

Class of ’64

Class of ’65

Class of ’66

Class of ’67

Class of ’68

Class of ’69

Class of ’70

Class of ’71 (2)

Class of ’72

Class of ’75

Class of ’76

Class of ’78

Class of ’79

Class of ’80

Class of ’81

Class of ’83

Class of ’84

Class of ’87

Class of ’88

Class of ’93

Class of ’94

Class of ’02

Class of ’07 (3)

Class of ’09

Class of ’16

2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 45

OUTSTANDING ALUMNI & RISING STAR In 2021, the CVMBS recognized four alumni for their commitment, service, and leadership in the veterinary and biomedical sciences fields, as well as to their communities. According to the dean, “These alumni are ambassadors for the CVMBS, and we are proud of their commitment to service, education, and leadership. We are honored and privileged to recognize our former students and the impact of their work on our college, our state, our nation, and the world.”

Dr. Robert O. “Bob” Dittmar II ’79 (posthumous) Kerrville, TX 2021 Outstanding Alumnus

Dr. Harold R. “Ray” Emerson ’65 Waco, TX 2021 Outstanding Alumnus

Dr. Karen Lass ’95 Allen, TX 2021 Outstanding Alumna

Ms. Chelsea Knutson ’12 College Station, TX 2021 Rising Star

FUNDING PRIORITIES The Texas A&M Foundation reports that CVMBS donors provided current and planned giving support of over $62 million in FY21. The total CVMBS endowment in FY21 was $126 million.

Funding Priorities The following funding priorities have been identified for the CVMBS by college administration and the Texas A&M Foundation. • • • • •

A new, Next-Generation Small Animal Teaching Hospital The Veterinary Education, Research, & Outreach (VERO) Building Texas A&M Veterinary Education, Research, & Outreach (VERO) Endowed Chairs in Large Animal Medicine ($1 Million) OR Endowed Professorships in Large Animal Medicine ($500,000) Endowed DVM and Biomedical Sciences Scholarships ($25,000) The Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET)

To find out more about these priorities or learn about endowment opportunities, contact the CVMBS Office of Development at 979.845.9043 or development@cvm.tamu.edu.

46 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION

John R. August, DVM Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

Kenita S. Rogers, DVM, MS, DACVIM Executive Associate Dean & Director for Diversity & Inclusion

Karen K. Cornell, DVM, PhD, DACVS Associate Dean, Professional Programs

Michael Criscitiello, PhD, MS Associate Dean, Research & Graduate Studies

Elizabeth Crouch, PhD Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education

Susan Eades, DVM, PhD, DACVIM Associate Dean, Veterinary Education, Research, & Outreach (VERO)

Gerald W. Parker Jr., DVM, PhD, MS Associate Dean, Global One Health

Stacy Eckman, DVM, DABVP Associate Dean, Hospital Operations

Kristin Chaney, DVM, DACVIM-LA, DACVECC Associate Dean, Curriculum & Assessment

Belinda Hale, MBA Assistant Dean, Finance

William Murphy, PhD Assistant Dean, Research & Graduate Studies

Wesley Bissett, DVM, PhD Interim Head, Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Jonathan Levine, DVM, DACVIM Dept. Head, Small Animal Clinical Sciences

Todd M. O’Hara, DVM, PhD Dept. Head, Veterinary Integrative Biosciences

Ramesh Vemulapalli, PhD, BVSc, MVSc Dept. Head, Veterinary Pathobiology

Larry J. Suva, PhD Dept. Head, Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology

Misty Skaggs Chief of Staff, Office of the Dean

Larry Walker Senior Director of Development (Texas A&M Foundation)

Kris Guye, MBA Executive Director, CVMBS IT & Assistant Chief Information Officer (Texas A&M University)

2021 CVMBS Annual Report • 47

Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Texas A&M University, 4461 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-4461 vetmed.tamu.edu Editorial, design, and production by CVMBS Communications cvmcommunications@cvm.tamu.edu | vetmed.tamu.edu/communications 48 • 2021 CVMBS Annual Report

CVMBS FY21 Annual Report

Articles inside

TRANSLATIONAL IMAGING CENTER (TIC

CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES (CET

CVMBS COMMUNICATIONS

SUPERFUND RESEARCH CENTER

SCHUBOT CENTER FOR AVIAN HEALTH

INTERDISCIPLINARY FACULTY OF TOXICOLOGY (IFT

LEADING THE WAY IN GLOBAL ONE HEALTH

VETERINARY EMERGENCY TEAM (VET

LARGE ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES (VLCS

VETERINARY INTEGRATIVE BIOSCIENCES (VIBS

COLLEGE HALLMARKS

VETERINARY PATHOBIOLOGY (VTPB

VETERINARY PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY (VTPP

VETERINARY EDUCATION, RESEARCH, & OUTREACH (VERO

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

SMALL ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES (VSCS