Vet Fund Newsletter Spring 2019

Your Vet Fund News Supporting vet medicine at the University of Glasgow Spring 2019

Forget-me-nots for Alfie

How friends and strangers helped raise an amazing ÂŁ1,570 for research

Spotlight on PhD research Opening of Mary Stewart Building Glasgow Vet wins top award The University of Glasgow Trust is a registered charity, No. SC008303 The University of Glasgow is a registered charity, No. SC004401

THE IMPACT OF PIROPLASMOSIS IN HORSES Robert Coultous PhD student

CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME As a graduate, friend or supporter, I am delighted to be bringing you news and updates from the Glasgow Vet School.

In this issue you will find out about the recent work of our talented students, academics and graduates. I am particularly inspired by the range of world-changing research projects which has been made possible thanks to generous donations from so many of you, including those who have decided to remember the Vet School in their will.

Robert, originally a practicing vet from Liverpool, is researching equine piroplasmosis in horses, and the threat this poses to horses in the UK and Ireland, which are currently free of this disease.

The disease is spread through tick bites, spreading rapidly in the blood after infection. Destruction of red blood cells causes severe disease and even death.

Infected horses are treated with toxic medication which fails to help in all cases.

These horses can still infect healthy horses, continuing the spread of the disease.

Robert is working on a transmission blocking vaccine, which would avoid spread of the disease through insects. Such a vaccine would have an enormous impact on the equine community in the UK. Donations from supporters have assisted Robert in paying for sampling, access to technicians and consumable labware to help progress his research.

FORGET-ME-NOTS FOR ALFIE Last June Alfie Pickett was diagnosed with sepsis after an episode of pneumonia, and sadly didn’t recover. His owners, Margaret and David, wanted to give something back to the ‘fabulous vets’ at the Small Animal Hospital who tried to save him and to commemorate Alfie in a fitting way. They decided to organise a coffee morning in September last year and it was a great success! Many neighbours, friends and family donated generously to the raffle for which Margaret and David both sold tickets at their place of work. They also held a bake sale. People who they had never met, but who had seen Alfie looking out of the window every morning when they passed by, asked if they could donate. Margaret gave everyone a packet of Forget-me-nots with the request to plant them in their gardens in memory of Alfie.

Together they raised an amazing £1,570 which will go towards research into sepsis. Margaret and David added: ‘To anyone who reads our story, please donate to the Small Animal Hospital. With your help more pets can be saved. Every little helps!’

Advances in clinical diagnostics and new treatments for our animals only come through high quality research. New generations of postgraduate veterinary students are the lifeblood of that research.

In this issue you can read about Robert Coultous’s research into the risk of equine piroplasmosis in the UK and Ireland, and Davide Pagnossin’s study into Clostridium difficile in animals and its propensity to transfer to humans.

To support students like these, we have a number of scholarship funds, which are often the starting point for academic careers and a lifetime’s contribution to veterinary science. They also help maintain Glasgow’s status as a world-class veterinary school.

Our excellent teaching and research would not happen without the support of our graduates and friends. Thank you very much indeed to both our new and existing donors.

Professor Peter H. Holmes OBE, BVMS, PhD, FRCVS, FRSE Chair, Vet Fund, University of Glasgow

Opening of the MARY STEWART BUILDING The opening of the new Mary Stewart Building on the Garscube Campus took place on Friday 25th October with an afternoon tea and official opening by Head of School Ewan Cameron and Mary Stewart (pictured above). Athlete and Vet School graduate Laura Muir joined the celebrations. Mary worked at the Vet School for over 40 years and was ahead of her time in her focus on ethics, animal welfare, companion animal/human bond and the handling of bereavement. Mary was the students’ friend, before the University had student support services, and gave advice and support to many students.

The University is delighted to name the new building after such an inspiring vet.

The new facilities include a 400 seat study/café space, seminar room and ten tutorial rooms, and provides a real heart to the campus at Garscube.

C. DIFFICILE IN DOGS Davide Pagnossin PhD student

CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT It’s an exciting time at the University of Glasgow as construction has begun on a transformation of the old Western Infirmary site into a £1bn campus extension.

Read more on our projects at glasgow.ac.uk/connect/supportus

PLAQUE UNVEILING FOR JAMES HERRIOT On October 5th last year a plaque was unveiled to commemorate James Alfred Wight, also known as the author James Herriot (‘The Yorkshire Vet’).

The plaque commemorates him at the address in Yoker (Glasgow)where he spent the first 20 years of his life. His son, granddaughter and great granddaughter performed the unveiling alongside longstanding supporters, alumni of the vet school, friends and family.

NEW SUPPORTER MAGAZINE

Davide, who moved to Glasgow from Italy 6 months ago, is focusing his research on finding out whether interactions between animals and humans can transfer Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), a common cause of diarrhoea in humans. He is working closely with clinicians at the Vet School for sampling and analysis of his data, which could see him analyse 700 animal faecal samples from dogs, horses, pigs and cattle.

Davide’s study is entirely funded by supporter donations. He is very grateful for these gifts ‘The donations make all of this possible, without the funding I wouldn’t be able to do this important work. Thank you!’

Our friends and supporters are an integral part of the University family, and we want to keep you informed in the most effective way.

We’re making some changes to our current supporter magazines Giving to Glasgow, resulting in a new annual magazine celebrating the impact of your generosity. Our first edition is expected early in 2020.

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The University of Glasgow Trust is a registered charity, No. SC008303 The University of Glasgow is a registered charity, No. SC004401

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VET REUNION 2019 - SAVE THE DATE This year’s Vet Alumni Dinner will held be on Saturday 26th October.

We are pleased to be welcoming back our Glasgow graduates, and in particular those from year groups ending ‘4’ and ‘9’. This very special event is a great chance to catch-up with classmates and more details will be available soon.

GLASGOW VET ALUMNA LAURA MUIR WINS BIG On Sunday 3rd March, Vet Graduate Laura Muir became the first athlete to achieve the double-double at the European Indoor Championships, winning both the 1500 and 3000 metre races in successive competitions. Well done Laura!

For more information on any of our articles or to

find out how you can support our work please

get in touch: Hilda.deGroot@glasgow.ac.uk 0141 330 7143 You can also support on online at www.alumni.gla.ac.uk/world-changing/pages/give-now Small Animal Hospital glasgowsmallanimalhospital @UofGAnimalHosp

Weipers Equine Centre weipersequinecentre @WeipersEquine

Development & Alumni Office, 2-3 The Square University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ

Glasgow Vet Iain B. Glen WINS TOP AWARD Glasgow vet alumnus Iain Glen was awarded the prestigious Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Research Award for his discovery of the anaesthetic agent propofol, enabling millions of surgical operations every year.

The Lasker prize is America’s top biomedicalresearch prize. Iain started his career as a vet at Glasgow, before moving into research DID YOU full time. Congratulations Iain!

HELP OUR VETS …AND PETS INTO THE FUTURE

KNOW?

THE SMALL ANIMAL HOSPITAL SEES 19,000 SMALL ANIMALS EACH YEAR

Making a gift in your Will is an extremely valuable way to help the Vet School remain at the forefront of veterinary medicine. It supports future generations of vets, and the animals in their care, and funds critical research. Gifts in Wills cost nothing to make now, and all sizes of gifts make a genuine difference to our work.

You can choose to give a specific amount or a percentage of whatever is left of your estate after those close to you have been taken care of. For more information contact Barrie on +44 (0)141 330 6886 Barrie.Bryson@glasgow.ac.uk.

2019 Spr Vet News

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