Animal Whisperer: Grad Works as Vet Tech
By: Desiree Cooper
Jaclyn Adams (MS 15), who graduated with a master’s in biology with a zoology concentration, is working as a veterinary technician/ receptionist at Country Club Animal Clinic in El Paso, TX. “I’ve always loved working with animals,” Jaclyn explained. “At a veterinary clinic, I feel like I can make a difference in improving animals’ lives.” Her job duties include assisting the veterinarian in appointment rooms, drawing blood, taking x-rays, giving injections, filling prescriptions, reception duties and so much more. “It’s a fast-paced environment with so much to learn. It can get overwhelming at times,” she said of
the challenges. The position, which she started in January 2015, has its perks too: Jaclyn’s favorite part is playing with the puppies and kittens that come in. Jaclyn has previously served as a veterinary assistant at Jefferson Veterinary Hospital in Maryland, an intern at Carnegie Natural History Museum in Pittsburgh, a graduate assistant at ENMU and an administrative assistant at Canam Steel Company in Point of Rocks, MD. A hiker who also enjoys playing soccer and camping, Jaclyn would like to work in conservation research or in a zoo setting, so she chose to pursue her degree with a zoology concentration (which she noted is a difficult concentration to find).
Jaclyn Adams
“This degree opens up many opportunities for me to do that.” The technician’s time at Eastern, which included being part of the Fish and Wildlife Club, working in the ENMU Natural History Museum, and attending local events like the Roosevelt County Fair, helped her gain more research experience and learn new skills which makes her more competitive.
Zika Virus Q&A with Dr. Steven Bradfute Interview by: Robert Graham
Immunologist Steven Bradfute, Ph.D. (BA 98) offers insight into the Zika virus, which the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an inaugural alert for in May 2015.
Dr. Bradfute cautions that the information given below will likely change as we learn more about the virus. 1) I’ve read discussions about using certain kinds of mosquitos to fight the virus. Can you please explain how this came about? One way to possibly reduce mosquito-borne diseases, like Zika virus, is to use genetically modified mosquitos that are either resistant to the diseases that normal mosquitos carry, or to make offspring that die before they reach adulthood. These approaches are still in the experimental stage but are a possible future solution. Dr. Bradfute working in the lab 8
Green & Silver | May 2016
2) I recall in our last conversation you noted that, while Ebola is not new, the fact that it was popping up in population centers caused the concern– is this true for Zika? Is Zika virus, like Ebola, not entirely new? Great question. Zika virus was discovered in the 1940s, but has been a minor infectious concern until the last year. We simply don’t have a good explanation as to why it has recently spread so rapidly. At this point we don’t know nearly as much about it as we knew about Ebola, but I expect we will learn quickly. 3) With the 2016 Olympics approaching, how do you expect management of the virus to intersect with a spike in international travel? I think there will be increased testing to detect infected individuals. If public health officials can warn those who are infected to avoid mosquito bites until they’re rid of the virus, this will limit the infection of mosquitos that could transmit the virus to other people. I believe there will also be emphasis placed on discovering drugs and vaccines for the virus, as well as reducing the number of mosquitos that carry Zika by using insecticides and removing standing water and other breeding sites to limit viral spread.
