Just as it does in human patients, the dreaded word “cancer” can inspire tremendous anxiety and uncertainty in pet owners. But this I can say without hesitation: when clients come to us at Penn Vet, they gain access to a cancerfighting team with the brightest minds and the biggest hearts, who will be there every step of the journey.
Penn Vet has long led the way in compassionate cancer care and groundbreaking research, treatments, and clinical trials. In the late 1930s, Dr. M.A. Emmerson established the first Department of Veterinary Radiology in a North American veterinary school here at Penn Vet—spurring the practice and progress of radiation therapy in animals. Today, we are renowned for a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary, and customized approach, which draws upon unparalleled expertise in medical oncology, surgery, radiation therapy, interventional radiology, and other specialties.
The Penn Vet Cancer Center marks the next chapter of this exceptional legacy. With a focus on collaboration—and a deeper integration of care, research, and innovation—the Center promises to bring breakthroughs directly to patients faster than ever before. And as an active member of the National Cancer Institute’s Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium, and through our partnership with Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center, Penn Vet is at the forefront of translational research benefiting both animals and humans.
The similarities of cancer in pets and people are striking and, more and more, our MD colleagues recognize what they can learn from veterinarians. Dr. Robert Vonderheide, ACC’s new director, is a longtime friend of Penn Vet who is fully invested in the idea that we can do more together. As we continue to develop plans for infrastructure, my hope is that the Penn Vet Cancer Center encourages routine communication, cooperation, and co-location between MDs and VMDs studying and treating cancer. And, as with all the great science we do, the Penn Vet Cancer Center will be accomplished through philanthropic partnerships with individuals, corporations, and foundations.
In this issue, you’ll read about impactful work that exemplifies connectivity. For instance, Penn Vet’s Dr. Nicola Mason—a protégé of Penn Medicine’s immunotherapy pioneer Dr. Carl June—has made promising advances in immunotherapy in collaboration with Penn microbiologist Dr. Yvonne Paterson. (See the story on page 11 to learn more.)
Penn Vet is proud to contribute to the University’s momentum in the fight against cancer. Last year, former Vice President Joe Biden kicked off the national “moonshot” effort at Penn because of the University’s cutting-edge work in immunotherapy. (See page 10.) I think the unique, One Health nature of our work at Penn has helped propel our success. We are on our way to being truly, fully integrated across species and across Schools—joining forces to advance health and science for the betterment of animals, humans, and our environment.
I must return to the clients who come through our doors. I’m constantly inspired by their courage navigating tough decisions, yet openness to innovative treatments and trials that may lead to new discoveries. Our animal patients, too, never cease to inspire. More than companions, they are our teachers, reminding us about resilience and the power of living in the moment.
“I think the unique, One Health nature of our work at Penn has helped propel our success. We are on our way to being truly, fully integrated across species and across Schools.”
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This striking image shows the entirety of the mouse small intestine. By staining for different cell
and cellular activity, researchers are able to determine how changes in diet, genetic alterations, or
stresses alter the composition and activity of the intestine. (Dr. Ning Li, Lengner
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in humans in the United States, claiming more than half a million lives annually. It’s also a major problem in our companion animals. One in every four dogs and one in five cats will develop cancer in their lifetimes. While cats develop cancer less frequently, their disease tends to be aggressive when it does occur.
For more than a century, experts at Penn Vet have made breakthroughs in the understanding and treatment of cancer in companion animals. Yet obstacles to advancing veterinary cancer research and care remain.
Notably, the funding base to support research on veterinary cancers is a fraction of that available for cancer research that focuses on humans. And though many cancers that occur in animals share similarities to human cancers, key biological differences often prevent human therapies from being used effectively in pets.
Now, a new Penn Vet initiative is taking an innovative approach to addressing such challenges—folding in expertise from around the vet school and reaching out to partners across the University. The Penn Vet Cancer Center, which marks its official public launch this fall, will fully integrate research and clinical care, enabling promising discoveries in the lab to rapidly find applications in the clinic.
The formation of the Cancer Center comes at a time when more and more clinicians— both veterinary and human—are moving away from cancer treatments that are based on the organ in which a tumor occurred, and are instead selecting therapies based on the molecular mechanism and genetic profile of a patient’s particular cancer.
To get at this mechanistic understanding, scientists have typically relied on mice. A multitude of reagents have been developed for mice, and they are amenable to the genetic manipulations that allow them to recapitulate certain features of human disease. Yet, treatments that find success in mice often fail to translate to humans.
“Cancer research comes with a lot of failures,” said Dr. Ellen Puré, Professor and Chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, who will serve as Director of the Penn Vet Cancer Center. “That’s why cancer drugs cost so much.”
A central aim of the new Cancer Center is to improve the “hit rate” of successful translational therapies by creating a clear path whereby researchers can study cancer and cancer therapies in dogs and cats. In contrast to mice, these animals’ biology more closely mirrors that of humans and, like humans, they can develop cancers spontaneously. Pets also share an environment with humans—in contrast to the closely controlled laboratory conditions in which mice dwell—and thus may share certain environmental risk factors with the people with whom they live.
“The Cancer Center will be a forum for going from the lab to the Labrador, and back to the lab again,” Puré said.
The Center will enhance a host of projects involving Penn Vet scientists—many of which consider the tumor microenvironment, or the characteristics of the immune cells, extracellular matrix, blood vessels, fibroblasts, and other entities in the area in which the tumor sits. Much of this work entails collaborations within the vet school as well as reaching across schools to fold in diverse expertise.
Dr. Serge Fuchs, Professor of Cell Biology, is one such researcher. In collaboration with fellow Penn Vet researchers such as Puré, he has examined the so-called “stromagenic switch,” the process whereby normal fibroblasts morph into cancer-associated fibroblasts that permit, support, and protect the growth and spread of cancer cells. His work has further progressed through collaboration with the researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine, including Dr. Constantinos Koumenis, Professor of Radiation Oncology, and Dr. Sandra Ryeom, Associate Professor of Cancer Biology, among others. He is hopeful that a focus on translational medicine, facilitated by the Cancer Center, will help shed light on the nuances that distinguish animal from human cancers.
“My view is that comparative oncology has huge potential in serving human oncology,” Fuchs said. “We have to do more than take the human drugs and see if they work in a veterinary population. We have to innovate to create something that will work for humans and hopefully for pets as well.”
The work of another Cancer Center member, Dr. Susan Volk, Assistant Professor of Small Animal Surgery at Penn Vet, is influenced by her experience in the clinic. “Front of mind, for me, is how I can make a difference in my patient population,” she said. Having initially studied wound healing, she discovered that a protein called type III collagen helps in the healing process and also prevents the spread of tumors. Through partnerships with researchers such as Dr. Robert Mauck of Penn Medicine and the School of Engineering and Applied Science, as well as Dr. David Chenoweth of the School of Arts & Sciences, she’s been working on designs for biomaterials to be used after removing tumors to prevent local recurrences of cancer.
“Having the resources from around Penn allows us to combine efforts, not only with the medical and veterinary schools, but also with engineers and chemists. We can leverage all the information and knowledge to push forward in our understanding of cancer,” Volk noted.
In a particularly fruitful partnership with Dr. Karin Sorenmo, Professor of Oncology, Volk is deepening her investigation into the role of the tumor microenvironment in dogs through the Penn Vet Shelter Canine Mammary Tumor Program. This endeavor, which Sorenmo leads, treats shelter dogs who develop mammary tumors—a more common occurrence in unspayed female dogs. The dogs, in turn, provide a robust study sample for the researchers to tease out the role of the tumor microenvironment, environmental risk factors, tumor histology, and hormone-dependence in influencing the risk of metastasis. Because dogs often have multiple tumors in various stages, from benign to malignant, they allow researchers to examine the changes that occur as cancer arises and progresses, which cannot be done in human patients.
“I realized that with these dogs, we have an excellent way to study breast carcinogenesis,” Sorenmo explained. “This program allows us to do two good things: We can save dogs, and we can make some really important strides with research.”
Still more Penn Vet faculty are contributing their expertise to the Center. Dr. Christopher Lengner, Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences, is using technologies like CRISPRCas9 and organoids to explore mechanisms of colon cancer progression (see article, page 18).
Dr. Nicola Mason, Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathobiology, has ties to Penn Medicine dating back to her postdoctoral research with immunotherapy pioneer Dr. Carl June. She has built a productive research portfolio by capitalizing on the immune system’s
“I realized that with these dogs, we have an excellent way to study breast carcinogenesis. This program allows us to do two good things: We can save dogs, and we can make some really important strides with research.”
Dr. Karin Sorenmo Professor of Oncology
in green. This approach enables researchers to follow the progeny of a cell that has received an oncogenic mutation, and ask how these cells behave differently from the normal, adjacent tissue.
ability to attack cancer (see article, page 11). In addition to continuing a collaboration with June focused on osteosarcoma, a disease that affects children as well as dogs, she’s also been part of a multi-year collaboration with Dr. Robert Vonderheide, the new director of the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC), on lymphoma immunotherapies.
Penn Vet—which lists 10 of its faculty as members of Abramson Cancer Center—has long had a close relationship with Penn Medicine. Now the Vet Cancer Center can serve as a complementary unit to ACC, and vice versa, to provide insights and translational discoveries that neither center could accomplish alone.
“This new effort builds on a long history of collaboration between the Abramson Cancer Center and the School of Veterinary Medicine,” said Vonderheide, who is also the John H. Glick Abramson Cancer Center’s Director Professor. “That collaboration has manifested in very impactful translational research projects, including several focused on immunology. It has become very clear what one can learn from privately owned dogs and cats that develop cancer and how one can accelerate collaborative research to benefit both animal and human medicine. The Vet Cancer Center is a statement that we want to take that progress to the next level.”
Puré, who joined Penn Vet four years ago from appointments at the Wistar Institute and Penn Medicine, is a firm believer in such partnership and cross-pollination, having engaged in a number of collaborative projects in pursuing her research into the role of stromal cells and the extracellular matrix in inflammation and cancer.
Puré’s emphasis on translational work has helped mobilize enthusiasm and resources within the School to support an integrated approach to cancer. This has been magnified by the recent appointment of Dr. Oliver Garden—a clinician with a deep interest and practice of laboratory research—as new Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine.
“I see the Cancer Center as a pivotal center of gravity for cancer research,” Garden said, adding that the Center is “a beautiful way of ensuring concordance of thinking between fundamental researchers in Biomedical Sciences, and my own department.”
Since coming to Penn Vet late last year, Garden has reached out to researchers across the University to collaborate on innovative projects—such as a biobanking initiative to collect
lymphoma samples in dogs, working with Dr. Megan Lim and Dr. Kojo Elenitoba-Johnson of Penn Medicine.
“That project will be a model of One Health, looking at the disease in humans as well as veterinary species,” he noted. “We need to understand more about the mechanisms of cancer and how it arises, oncogenesis in other words, and also biomarkers and novel diagnostic methods, as well as new ways of prognosticating and delivering care for cancer patients.”
In addition to fostering collaborations, the Center will be launching a campaign to build infrastructure and recruit personnel in order to support its mission. A major component will be the creation of a Veterinary Therapeutics Laboratory, or Penn Vet Lab for short, where therapies will be modified to suit the needs of companion animals and the results tightly assessed.
“The Penn Vet Lab will enable us to get scientific information as to why a given therapy works or not, and then go back to the lab and inform an iterative process,” Puré says. “It will also monitor responsiveness to therapy and do a mechanistic readout of why drugs do or do not work.”
The Lab will help generate revenue for research as well, making it “an asset to the School,” said Sarah Rauers, administrative coordinator for the Cancer Center. “New discoveries made in the lab can be licensed and clinical trials paid for by pharmaceutical companies, grants, and foundations.”
Added Puré, “This way, a client won’t be covering the full cost of a clinical trial, but we’ll still be developing new reagents, making adaptations, and hopefully informing cancer therapies for humans as well.”
In addition, Garden and Puré hope to hire one or two new faculty members with a focus in cancer biology and possibly radiation therapy. They’re also aiming to build up a cancer unit in the Veterinary Clinical Investigation Center, hiring new nursing staff that will dedicate energy to running tests on new cancer therapies.
All told, the Cancer Center will build upon Penn Vet’s already strong and varied expertise in cancer, from the lab to the clinic—helping unify, streamline, and accelerate progress to find therapies and cures in a disease that affects so many animal and human lives.
According to Puré, “It’s about people collaborating, bringing truly complementary expertise and ideas to build a much more concerted effort to attack the problem.”
Dr. Ellen Puré Professor and Chair Department Director“It’s about people collaborating, bringing truly complementary expertise and ideas to build a much more concerted effort to attack the problem.”of the of Biomedical Sciences and of the Penn Vet Cancer Center
The Penn Vet Cancer Center is joining a host of other major efforts around the University that are harnessing the campus’s formidable scientific expertise in the fight against cancer. Most notably, the Perelman School of Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) provides a home for world-class research, care, and education. ACC counts among its members hundreds of researchers—including nearly a dozen faculty from Penn Vet—who work tirelessly to uncover the mechanisms that underlie cancer’s progression and find ways to stop it.
Robert Vonderheide is ACC’s director and an internationally renowned expert in cancer immunotherapy who has pioneered new strategies for treating pancreatic cancer, melanoma, breast and ovarian cancers. According to him, part of the strength of ACC comes from the diversity of voices on campus to support it. “You have CHOP [Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia], the medical school, the vet school, and more, all on one campus,” he said. “That allows us to have these amazing collaborations and innovative discussions in adult health, pediatric health, and veterinary health. I would say this is something really unique to Penn.”
Perhaps it’s not a surprise, then, that former Vice President Joseph Biden kicked off his “moonshot” to cure cancer in early 2016 with a stop at Penn. Meeting with experts including Penn Medicine’s Drs. Carl June and Bruce Levine, Biden praised the University’s progress, particularly in immunotherapy. “You’re on the cusp of some breakthroughs,” he noted.
In addition to scientific innovation, Penn is embracing new approaches to how that research gets done. A prime example is the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, which launched in 2016 thanks to a $250 million gift from philanthropist Sean Parker. The Parker Institute unites Penn with five other leading medical schools and cancer centers to accelerate breakthroughs in immunotherapies. Its unique research model encourages cross-institute collaboration to speed the translation of basic research to the clinic.
With its pioneering, cross-species work—and new Cancer Center—Penn Vet will continue to be a key partner in contributing to the University’s progress toward beating this disease.
(Pictured above) Former Vice President Joe Biden with Penn Medicine’s Drs. Bruce Levine and Carl June and Penn President Dr. Amy Gutmann.When Kasey bounded on the bed, her owner Dave Sabey knew something was wrong. The precocious, playful twoyear-old pup, who performed this routine every night with great joy, jumped around nervously, heart racing. Assuming a torn ligament, Sabey brought her to their veterinarian, who took a radiograph of the Labrador’s rear left leg. It revealed a lesion on Kasey’s left distal tibia consistent with a diagnosis of osteosarcoma, the most common bone tumor found in dogs. This vet visit began a journey that ended at Penn Vet.
“Kasey wasn’t expected to live beyond a year at most,” said Sabey, who with his wife and Kasey splits time between Seattle and Montana. “We went ahead with the recommended course of standard treatment, which was amputation and chemotherapy,
but wanted to do more. I learned about an osteosarcoma clinical trial at Penn Vet led by Dr. Mason and called immediately.”
Dr. Nicola Mason, Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathobiology at Penn Vet, runs a translational research lab that focuses on harnessing a dog’s immune system to kill cancer. The approach—immunotherapy— is among the most promising new developments in cancer research in many decades.
From her desk in Philadelphia, Mason took Sabey’s call. After discussion and testing, she determined that Kasey qualified for an osteosarcoma trial open at the time. And, in 2013, the indefatigable dog started making regular trips across the country to participate in research that is catching national and international attention for the promise it holds for dogs and humans.
The study that Kasey enrolled in uses a vaccine to jump start the immune system to recognize and eliminate metastatic cancer cells. It aims to prevent recurrence of the disease in dogs that have already received standard care for osteosarcoma and are in remission.
Participating dogs received three doses of a vaccine that is based on Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that in its original form can cause food poisoning. For the vaccine, the Listeria has been genetically modified to reduce its virulence so it won’t cause disease in the patient. It has also been modified to express the tumor protein HER2/neu, which is over-expressed in some solid cancers, including osteosarcoma, so that it will trigger an immune response to fight HER2/neu expressing cells.
Mason’s close ties to Penn Medicine, where similar research focuses feverishly on advancing treatments and cures for human cancers, sparked this specific trial in dogs.
“It’s a great story,” Mason explained. “In 1999, when I was a PhD student in the Immunology Graduate Group at Penn, I performed a laboratory rotation with Dr. Yvonne Paterson, a Penn microbiologist who pioneered the use of Listeria to fight different HER-2/neu positive cancers. Years later, Yvonne invited me to talk to her students about my immunotherapy work with dogs. I told them about the high number of dogs we were seeing with osteosarcoma and that this tumor expresses HER-2/neu. Yvonne said, ‘I’ve got a vaccine for that’!”
Paterson had been testing the ADXSHER2 vaccine in mice, and it was working. But she and Mason understood an even better test of the immunotherapy’s safety and effectiveness would be with dogs. Dogs develop cancer spontaneously, and many of the cancers have similar genetics, biology, clinical presentation, and therapeutic responses as their human counterparts. In most cases, researchers use mouse models to assess the effectiveness of cancer therapies. But mouse models are increasingly recognized as poor predictors of safety and therapeutic response to new treatments. To advance translational cancer research, researchers need better models that more
accurately recapitulate the human disease—so that what Mason and Paterson would learn about the vaccine in dogs would be much more translatable to human cancer research.
The study launched in 2012 with Sasha, an American Bulldog. “After administering the vaccine, I kept a very close eye on Sasha for 72 hours, spending a lot of time with her in her run,” said Mason. But Sasha responded well—surviving another 738 days before succumbing to her disease.
Since then, 18 dogs have received the vaccine, and the median survival time of vaccinated dogs is 956 days. “For 20 to 30 years, the average survival for dogs with osteosarcoma post-amputation and chemo has been around 320 days,” said Mason. “This approach has tripled that time, and it’s very exciting to think we may be working on something really big here.”
This trial closed in 2016. Mason recently received a $1 million grant from the Morris Animal Foundation to extend her studies and perform a clinical trial to test this vaccine approach in 80 dogs with osteosarcoma. The National Cancer Institute’s Comparative Oncology Program will run the trial, which will include testing the vaccine in patients who develop metastatic disease during chemotherapy.
The collaboration between Mason and Paterson, Professor of Microbiology at Penn and former Associate Dean for Research at Penn’s School of Nursing, earned them the University of Pennsylvania One Health Award in 2013. The award recognizes exemplary contributions toward expanding interdisciplinary education and improving health care for the benefit of humans, animals, and the environment.
Since then, the promising results of Mason’s dog studies have paved the way for similar clinical trials in humans. “Our dog data were pivotal in supporting an Investigational New Drug application for this vaccine in human clinical trials for adults with HER-2/neu positive tumors,” said Mason. Osteosarcoma in humans is rare. In the United States, around 800 cases are diagnosed a year, mostly in children and teenagers. Mason is currently working on a similar trial for children in collaboration
with the Children’s Oncology Group, a National Cancer Institute supported clinical trials group and the largest organization in the world devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research.
“Dr. Mason’s results with vaccine therapy in dogs with osteosarcoma are the most exciting data I’ve seen for treatment of this disease,” said Dr. Kristy Weber, Chief of Orthopedic Oncology and Director of the Sarcoma Program at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center. “We have seen no substantial improvement in the survival of children with this malignant bone tumor in more than three decades, and her work gives me hope that this success in dogs can be translated to children.”
Vaccination is only one of the groundbreaking immunotherapies Mason’s lab is investigating. Another is chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, an approach that has shown promising results for humans, especially in liquid tumors like lymphoma and leukemia. Further amplifying the interconnection between animal and human health, this research stems from Mason’s association with Dr. Carl June, Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy at Abramson Cancer Center, who is at the forefront of CAR T cell research.
Mason is currently conducting a CAR T cell trial for dogs with B cell malignancies, including B cell lymphoma or leukemia. The study uses T cells genetically modified to express a chimeric receptor that recognizes B cells. Upon recognition of a B cell, the genetically modified T cell activates and kills the B cell target.
“This is such an exciting approach,” said Mason. “It’s a living treatment. We collect T cells from an individual patient’s blood and genetically modify them to re-direct their specificity. In the lab, we expand these modified cells until there are many billions of them, capable of recognizing and killing malignant B cells. Then we put this great army of genetically modified T cells, known as CAR T cells, back into the patient’s body. Ideally, they’ll engraft, recognize the cancer cells they’re trained to target, proliferate, and kill the target cells.”
“In the short term, it’s likely that the use of immunotherapy will change cancer from a terminal disease to a chronic disease and patients will enjoy longer survival times. Long term, my hope is that immunotherapies are ultimately going to enable us to move toward a cure,” Mason said.
Sabey has both the short and long term in sight. He wants more quality time with his beloved Kasey. At the same time, he wants to contribute to an ultimate eradication of cancer. “We had nothing to lose with Kasey,” said Sabey. “We knew the statistics. This trial was our last hope. Without it our girl would be dead, but she’s still a vibrant, almost six-year-old dog.”
Among the Sabeys’ family and friends, Kasey is now known as Mrs. Kasey—the added prefix a moniker from her cancer journey. “We call her Mrs. Kasey, like a teacher, because she has taught us about spirit, resilience, and strength in the face of disease,” Sabey explained, adding, “She is teaching science so much about cancer. It’s the greatest role she could have.”
role she could have.”
“We call her Mrs. Kasey, like a teacher, because she has taught us about spirit, resilience, and strength in the face of disease. She is teaching science so much about cancer. It’s the greatest
Dave Sabey
In 2013, Jeanette Cereske found a lump on her cat Sugar’s chest, and a few days later a biopsy confirmed Cereske’s worst fear. The tumor was malignant; Sugar had breast cancer. The 11-year-old tabby underwent a mastectomy, lumpectomy, and chemotherapy, surviving for 16 months after her diagnosis. During that time and in the years since, Cereske transformed her personal loss into an effort to turn the tides on feline mammary carcinoma through awareness and research.
“I knew cats get breast cancer,” she said from her home in San Francisco. “But after Sugar’s diagnosis, I started reading up on the disease and learned how deadly it is. I also realized many cat owners don’t know about it, and that there is very little research out there. I thought someone should do something.” Cereske became that someone.
Breast cancer is the third most common cancer in cats after lymphoma and skin cancer. It’s frequently diagnosed in cats older than 10 years—existing research indicates that cats spayed in their first year are less likely to develop mammary tumors. Of those tumors that do develop, 85 percent are malignant and aggressive. Prognosis depends on the size of the tumor at the time of diagnosis, so early detection is key to longer survival times for patients.
“I am grateful to be doing something positive, in Sugar’s memory, that will help other cats and hopefully humans, too.”
Jeanette Cereske
Shortly after Sugar’s mastectomy, Cereske made a video starring Sugar that encouraged cat owners to conduct regular breast exams or, in Cereske’s spontaneous turn of a phrase, “Sugar rubs.” The phrase stuck and so did the message. Both ignited a much larger campaign to build awareness about feline breast exams and raise funds for research.
Cereske created SugarRub.org, a website with information about breast cancer in animals, particularly cats. Designed in the hue of breast cancer awareness pink, the site is the anchor for Cereske’s growing campaign that now includes events such as Sugar Rub’s Pink Auction to Benefit Feline Mammary Cancer Research.
Cereske learned of Penn Vet while investigating promising research to support. At the time, Dr. Erika Krick, V’02, was planning a clinical trial for mammary carcinoma in cats. “I told Dr. Krick I wanted to raise money for the study,” said Cereske. “She crunched some numbers and came back with a goal of $50,000.”
Cereske, who works full time and runs Sugar Rub as a volunteer, began small by selling Sugar Rub merchandise and donating the proceeds. She then ventured into crowdfunding, launching the Sugar Rub Fund for Feline Mammary Carcinoma Research on Penn Giving Pages—a resource for donors to raise and target funds for priorities close to their hearts. As of early June, 191 people had given a total of $35,600 to the Sugar Rub Fund. (See callout for how to give.)
Although nearing the end of Sugar Rub’s current fundraising goal, Cereske has no plans to stop. Sugar Rub has a social media following in the thousands. Its message has traveled across the United States and reached as far as the U.K., Greece, and New Zealand in the form of “Flat Sugar,” a paper, life-size cut-out of Sugar that Cereske sends to Sugar Rub followers around the world. People then pose with the paper cat and share pictures on social media and with Cereske, who has amassed a large album that she shows off online.
“I’m going to fight until the end of this cancer. Even my estate is set up to keep this work going,” said Cereske. “Gratitude is the true north of my moral compass. I am grateful to be doing something positive, in Sugar’s memory, that will help other cats and hopefully humans, too.”
• Give to the Penn Giving Pages Sugar Rub Fund (tinyurl.com/SugarRub)
• Follow the campaign on Facebook (tinyurl. com/SugarRubFB) and Twitter (@sugarrub1)
• Visit SugarRub.org for more ways to support the campaign
(At right, top) Dr. Rose Nolen-Walston, Associate Professor of Large Animal Internal Medicine, was presented with the Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award this year, the most prestigious teaching award in veterinary medicine. It is presented annually to a faculty member at each college of veterinary medicine in the United States. The entire Penn Vet student body votes on the recipient. (At right, bottom) Dr. Michael Pesato, Resident, Field Service, was presented with the William B. Boucher Award, which honors a house officer for excellent teaching at New Bolton Center. The award is made in honor of Dr. William Boucher, a distinguished educator at Penn Vet for over four decades.
In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital held a free wellness and vaccination clinic for the local community. In addition to vaccinations, lowcost, permanent identification microchips for pets were offered. This year over 215 animals were treated, a new record.
Cancers are characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells, but such expansive growth is also a necessary feature of repair and regeneration. Dr. Christopher Lengner, Associate Professor in Penn Vet’s Department of Biomedical Sciences, has spent the past decade exploring how stem cells play a role in both biological processes.
“My lab has worked on studying the intestinal epithelium in colorectal cancer on the one hand and regeneration after injury on the other,” Lengner said. “These are two sides of the same coin, with the notion that the stem cell is the underlying thread that ties the two together.”
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States; more than 130,000 new cases are expected to be diagnosed this year. As a member of Penn Vet’s new Cancer
Center, Lengner is working to illuminate the driving forces of this disease, with an aim of developing new targets for therapies that kill cancer cells while sparing the healthy functions of the dynamic intestinal tissues. Using cutting-edge technologies and collaborating with human clinicians within Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, he’s translating findings in mice to identify treatment strategies that may one day help people.
Lengner began his career investigating the mechanisms that govern the ability of stem cells to differentiate into a variety of cell types—and the factors that can go awry with this process in disease states. That work led him to a focus on how cancer gets its start.
“There is fairly good evidence now that when an oncogene gets mutated it only develops into cancer if it gets mutated in a
stem cell. And when a tissue is injured, it can only regenerate through the activity of a stem cell,” Lengner explained. “Therefore, the beneficial effects of being able to regenerate a tissue after injury come at the cost of being susceptible to cancer.”
Lengner’s recent studies have illuminated the dual nature of stem cells. Along with colleagues, he has examined the RNAbinding proteins MSI1 and MSI2, part of the Musashi family, finding them to be crucial drivers of colon cancer. Blocking their activity, the researchers found, makes mice resistant to cancer. But the story isn’t so simple. While mice with both genes deleted initially appeared healthy, the animals were unable to recover from radiation injury, as their ability to regenerate intestinal tissue was severely compromised.
The work underscored the importance of so-called “reserve stem cells,” which represent a tiny fraction of intestinal epithelial cells but have an outsize role in regeneration. These cells are believed to be long-lived and resistant to radiation and chemotherapy due to being in a state of dormancy, with their genetic material tightly packed and thus protected. Deleting the Musashi genes in only the reserve stem cells deprived mice of the ability to regenerate intestinal epithelial tissue after injury. Further study showed that the MSI genes were required for reserve stem cells to leave dormancy and enter the cell cycle.
The findings point to a strategy whereby intestinal tissues could be shielded from damage prior to radiation by keeping them dormant, thus promoting tissue regeneration once the treatment is completed. But they also hint at a way in which a theoretical cancerous reserve stem cell might “hide out” in the tissues in a quiescent state and avoid being killed by radiation or chemotherapy.
Long-lived cells like the reserve stem cells are vulnerable; the longer they live, the higher the chance they will be exposed to cancer-inducing mutagens. This process can take years—even decades—to occur in people. That makes it hard to mimic in mice.
“A lot of people have said mice don’t make good models of human cancer,” Lengner noted. “And the more I thought about it, the more I think the reason is because they’re doing it wrong.”
In most cases, scientists have induced cancer in mice by introducing an oncogenic mutation in thousands of cells at once. Lengner’s team is instead attempting to model human disease in mice in a more naturalistic fashion, mutating a single cell and monitoring it as it divides. They’re also contemplating other factors that play into tumorigenesis in people—for example, environmental stressors such as inflammation and nutrient excess.
Early results from Lengner’s lab suggest that an inflammatory environment may coax a normally non-disease-causing mutation to initiate a process that leads to tumor growth. In addition, building on findings that suggest that fasting or calorie restriction improve the results of chemotherapy, they are examining how nutrient levels could tip the balance of dormant to active stem cells. While active cells may be more susceptible to cancer treatment, a dormant cancerous cell may be able to “hide” from therapies, forming the basis for cancer regrowth even after an apparently successful treatment.
To uncover the mechanisms of oncogenesis, Lengner has embraced the use of new techniques and tools to efficiently manipulate and evaluate cells and tissues. In particular, the CRISPR-Cas9 system—a technique that allows researchers to edit the genome by adding or removing specific portions of DNA—and organoids—a growth in vitro that resembles an organ—are helping Lengner and his colleagues advance cancer work.
“By combining these technologies, we now have a genetically controlled system where you can test therapies, antibodies, and additional genetic factors that may or may not drive or prevent metastatic disease,” he said.
Through a collaboration with Dr. Anil Rustgi, Division Chief of Gastroenterology, and others at Penn Medicine, Lengner plans to use both normal and cancerous organoids to evaluate the effectiveness of various compounds as possible cancer therapies.
Addressing cancer, he emphasized, requires a team approach. “Really successful things happen when you have people focused on different areas, bringing their respective expertise together.”
“My lab has worked on studying the intestinal epithelium in colorectal cancer on the one hand and regeneration after injury on the other. These are two sides of the same coin, with the notion that the stem cell is the underlying thread that ties the two together.”
DR. CHRISTOPHER LENGNER Associate Professor in Penn Vet’s Department of Biomedical Sciences
In March, Penn Vet announced the appointment of Dr. Michael Mison, DVM, to Ryan Hospital Director and Chief Medical Officer. Mison also has continued in his role as Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery.
“I feel fortunate to work at Penn Vet and am honored to be promoted into this role,” said Mison. “I’m excited to build upon Penn Vet’s tradition of excellence. Along with the leadership team, faculty, and staff, I hope to contribute to Ryan Hospital’s promise of delivering advanced medicine and compassionate care, peace of mind for clients and referring veterinarians, and an exceptional educational experience for our students.”
Prior to joining Penn Vet in 2015, Mison founded Seattle Veterinary Specialists as a managing partner in 2007. Earlier in his career, he served on the faculty of Washington State University, where he received the Carl Norden-Pfizer Distinguished Teacher Award as a second-year Assistant Professor in 2004.
Mison received his veterinary degree from the University of Florida in 1998 and completed a rotating internship and surgical residency at Michigan State University. He is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
“Blending his experience running a large referral hospital with experience at several veterinary schools, Dr. Mison is a truly stellar candidate for this important role,” said Dr. Oliver Garden, Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine. “I look forward to working with Dr. Mison to deliver the best clinical care for our patients, an outstanding teaching environment for future veterinarians, and a client experience second to none.”
“Along with the leadership team, faculty, and staff, I hope to contribute to Ryan Hospital’s promise of delivering advanced medicine and compassionate care, peace of mind for clients and referring veterinarians, and an exceptional educational experience for our students.”
Dr. Michael Mison
Penn Vet announces the appointment of Christopher B. Cowan to its Board of Overseers. Overseer boards serve as bridges between Penn’s schools and centers and the community beyond campus boundaries. The President, Provost, and Board of Trustees rely heavily on these boards to help inform the work of the schools and centers.
Cowan serves as Director of International Project Finance for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which provides financing and political risk insurance for companies investing in the emerging markets of Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. He is responsible for originating, structuring, and executing loans to companies in several business sectors, including transportation, tourism, telecommunications, mining, power generation, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, and manufacturing.
Cowan received his BA in business from Morehouse College and an MBA in multinational management from the Wharton School. He also received a certificate in international business from the Stockholm School of Economics.
He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, two sons, and Lazlo, their beloved Basenji. An avid traveler, Cowan has a unique perspective on global food security and international animal welfare.
“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Chris to our Board of Overseers,” said Penn Vet Dean Joan Hendricks. “His interest in connecting the School and our students to the global community will serve us well in our One Health efforts. We also will undoubtedly benefit from his expertise in economic development.”
Louis “Lou”
In 2017, Sallie retired from the Farm Bureau after 42 years of service.
has served as an Ex Officio member of the Penn Vet Board of Overseers since 1992, representing the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. In 2012, he led a successful fundraising effort to create the Richard W. Newpher Farm Bureau Scholarship Fund, an endowed fund that provides support for Pennsylvania students pursuing food animal careers at Penn Vet.
“Lou has been a tireless advocate for the School and an incredibly engaged Board member,” said Penn Vet Dean Joan Hendricks. “We are so fortunate to have benefited from his unwavering support. The Farm Bureau is a valued partner of ours, and we look forward to our ongoing collaboration.”
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is the state’s largest farm organization with a volunteer membership of nearly 62,000 farm and rural families, representing farms of every size and commodity across the state.
Through the generosity of Henrietta Alexander, Penn Vet will establish the Ralph L. Brinster President’s Distinguished Professorship in honor of Dr. Ralph Brinster, V’60, renowned faculty member, scientist, and National Medal of Science laureate. The Professorship will allow Penn Vet to recruit a faculty member who will contribute to the preeminence of the School and University.
The $3 million gift exemplifies Henrietta Alexander’s ongoing commitment to animal and human health. It also extends her family’s rich history at the University of Pennsylvania, dating back to the late 19th century, when Alexander’s great-grandfather, John B. Deaver, graduated from Penn’s School of Medicine.
“I wanted to make a gift that would have lasting impact, and Penn Vet was an obvious choice given my long-standing relationship with Dr. Brinster through the Kleberg Foundation, and my family’s long legacy at Penn Medicine,” said Alexander. “It is an expression of both my ongoing confidence in Penn Vet and my admiration for Dr. Brinster. His transformational work has set global standards in research and innovation in animal and human health.”
The Professorship is named for Ralph Brinster, VMD, PhD, the Richard King Mellon Professor of Reproductive Physiology at Penn Vet and a trailblazer in the development of techniques for manipulating the cellular and genetic composition of early mouse embryos. These techniques have made the mouse the major genetic model for understanding the basis of animal biology and disease.
Early in his career, Brinster demonstrated how mouse embryos could be cultured in a Petri dish and then showed how non-embryo cells could be added to make animals of mixed cell origin, or chimeras, which first demonstrated a method to modify the germline. He is often referred to as the founder of the field of mammalian transgenesis, with significant applications to human disease models and biotechnology. In recent years, he has developed new models of germline manipulation using sperm progenitor cell transplants. His findings have served as the foundation for genetic engineering, embryonic stem cell research, in vitro fertilization, knockout technology, and cloning. His range of contributions is unmatched in the field.
For his groundbreaking work, Brinster was awarded the National Medal of Science in 2010, making him the first
$3M Gift Establishes the Ralph L. Brinster President’sDr. Ralph Brinster, V’60 (at right), with Dr. Robert Marshak, Penn Vet Dean 19731987, and Henrietta Alexander
and only veterinarian to receive the prestigious award, and one of only eight scientists at the University of Pennsylvania to receive this distinction in the last 50 years.
“We are incredibly grateful to Henrietta Alexander for her commitment to innovative research in the veterinary field and for this generous gift, which honors Ralph’s pioneering work while allowing us to recruit a faculty member who will continue this legacy of excellence,” said Penn Vet Dean Joan Hendricks. “Ralph is extraordinarily humble, but was persuaded to accept this gift in his name because it will continue to support scholarship of the caliber and in the field that he established. Since Ralph also established the VMD-PhD program that gave me my start, I am personally gratified to see a permanent professorship in his name established at the school we both love.”
Alexander grew up on a farm near Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center and joined the Penn Vet Board of Overseers in 1986. She learned of Brinster’s work while serving as director of the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation. The Foundation has supported Brinster’s research program for nearly 25 years, stemming from the family’s interest in breeding quality livestock. Alexander’s grandfather, Bob Kleberg, created the Santa Gertrudis breed of cattle and also bred numerous champion quarter horses and Thoroughbred racehorses, as well as bird dogs. In addition, he was a pioneer of wildlife conservation and provided the impetus and funds for agricultural and scientific research in various fields worldwide.
Said Brinster, “I am enormously honored and extremely grateful to have our research recognized in this distinctive manner, particularly by such a close and knowledgeable
friend. I received my medical and research training at Penn Vet, which provided a strong and unique foundation for our contributions. I am grateful for the support and interactions that have come from many students, colleagues, and collaborators within the School, University, and scientific community that facilitated our research. It is their talent and hard work that made our accomplishments possible.”
“I am grateful for the support and interactions that have come from many students, colleagues, and collaborators within the School, University, and scientific community that facilitated our research. It is their talent and hard work that made our accomplishments possible.”
Dr. Ralph Brinster, V’60, faculty member and National Medal of Science laureateIn March, Penn Vet hosted a reception to formally announce the Ralph L. Brinster President’s Distinguished Professorship. The event drew current and retired faculty and staff, as well as friends and family. At right, Penn Vet Dean Joan Hendricks, former Dean Robert Marshak, Henrietta Alexander, and Dr. Ralph Brinster raise a glass.
Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior, who passed away at age 90, was veterinary surgeon to the Queen, an expert on parasites in pets, and the only member of his profession in the House of Lords.
A professor of animal pathology and former chairman of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Soulsby was an expert adviser to the government on animal welfare, science and technology, biotechnology, and environmental issues and worked tirelessly for the welfare of animals both as a vet and as a campaigner.
In his career as a vet he chaired the British Veterinary Association’s ethics committee for many years and was patron of the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments. In the Lords he demanded that the government should introduce compulsory licenses for pet owners and, as co-founder of Vets in Support of Change, helped lead the successful campaign to reform Britain’s 90-year-old quarantine laws (his own cats having had a traumatic experience in quarantine).
Ernest Jackson Lawson Soulsby was born on June 23, 1926, and brought up in the former county of Westmorland on the family farm at Williamsgill, Newbiggin, Temple Sowerby. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith and at the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he went on to take a doctorate. After graduation he served for several years as a municipal veterinary officer in Edinburgh, and it was during this time that he became interested in animal parasites.
After a short period as a lecturer in Clinical Parasitology at the University of Bristol Veterinary School, he went on to Cambridge, where he established his reputation. After nine years he was recruited by the University of Pennsylvania to a chair in Veterinary Pathology. He travelled so much that his position became known as the Pan Am Chair of Parasitology.
He returned to Cambridge in 1978 as Professor of Animal Pathology, eventually becoming dean of the veterinary school.
A member of the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) from 1978, he was president in 1984 and president of the Royal Society of Medicine from 1998 to 2000. In 2015 he won the RCVS’s Queen’s Medal.
In the House of Lords he was president of the Pet Advisory Committee and of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee; vice-president of the All-Party Group on Animal Welfare; and chairman of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee. He also chaired subcommittees of inquiry looking into resistance to antibiotics and fighting infection.
He served as president of the Royal Institute of Public Health from 2004 until 2008, when it merged with the Royal Society of Health to become the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). He served the new body as President until the end of 2009.
Soulsby published 14 books on animal parasites as well as numerous articles in veterinary journals.
His obituary previously appeared in The Telegraph
In the Lords he demanded that the government should introduce compulsory licenses for pet owners and, as co-founder of Vets in Support of Change, helped lead the successful campaign to reform Britain’s 90-year-old quarantine laws.
Gustavo Aguirre, VMD, PhD, addressed the American College of Veterinary Pathologists last December in New Orleans. He spoke about Canine Inherited Retinal Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms, Gene-based Treatments and Translational Applications Also in December, he spoke at the International Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis Society Workshop in Hamburg, Germany, on Photoreceptor and RPE targeted gene therapies in large animal models of inherited retinal disease He published the following: Downs, L.M., Scott, E.M., Cideciyan, A.V., Iwabe, S., Dufour, V., Gardiner, K.L., Genini, S., Marinho, L.F., Sumaroka, A., Kosyk, M.S., Swider, M., Aguirre, G.K., Jacobson, S.G., Beltran, W.A., Aguirre, G.D. Overlap of Abnormal Photoreceptor
Development and Progressive Degeneration in Leber Congenital Amaurosis Caused by NPHP5 Mutation. Human Molecular Genetics 2016; 25: 4211-4226 He also published: Sudharsan, R., Simone, K.M., Anderson, N.P., Aguirre, G.D., Beltran, W. A. Acute and protracted cell death in light-induced retinal degeneration in the canine model of rhodopsin autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science
2017: 58, 270-281 Additionally, he published: Guziewicz, K.E., Sinha, D., Gomez, N.M., Zorych, K., Dutrow, E.V., Dhingra, A., Mullins, R.F., Stone, E.M., Gamm, D.M., Boesze-Battaglia, K., Aguirre, G.D. Bestrophinopathy: an RPE-photoreceptor interface disease. Prog. Retina and Eye Res. (e-published ahead of print) He also published: Stonex, T.M., Bartoe, J.T., Aguirre, G.D. Lack of consensus on consensual.Veterinary Ophthalmology (e-published).
Leontine Benedicenti, DVM, was promoted to Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology.
Ashley Boyle, DVM, published the following online open access in BioMed Central Veterinary Research on March 23, 2017: Boyle AG, Stefanovski D, Rankin SC. Determining optimal sampling site for Streptococcus equi subsp equi carriers using loop-mediated isothermal amplification. BMC Vet Research 2017 13:75 DOI 10.1186/s12917-017-0989-4, funded by the 2013 Boehringer Ingelheim Advancement in Equine Research Award and the Raymond Firestone Research Trust Grant. She also published the following in BMC Veterinary Research:
Comparison of nasopharyngeal and guttural pouch specimens to determine the optimal sampling site to detect Streptococcus equi subsp equi carriers by DNA amplification She collaborated with Shelley Rankin, PhD, and Darko Stefanovski, PhD She published the following in JAVMA with Stefanovski, Meagan Smith, DVM, and Raymond Boston, PhD: A case-control study developing a model for predicting risk factors for high SeMspecific antibody titers after natural outbreaks of Streptococcus equi subsp equi infection in horses In addition, she published the following in JVIM with Rankin, Lauren Duffee, and Daniel Morris, DVM: Prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus from equine nasopharyngeal and guttural pouch wash samples Boyle spoke at the ACVIM Forum in June on Validation of Stall Side Strangles Diagnosis Using LAMP, a project with Rankin, Stefanovski, and Kathleen O’Shea, as well as Haim Bau, PhD, and Jinzhao Song of Penn Engineering.
Peter Dodson, PhD, delivered the keynote address, entitled Collecting Dinosaurs on Four Continents, at the 93rd Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science in April at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. He also spoke at the Taste of Science Festival in Philadelphia in April and was a keynote speaker at the 4th International Symposium on Paleohistology at New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, in July.
Urs Giger, Dr med vet, was invited to Chennai, India, Bangkok, Thailand, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to present for university students and faculty on hereditary diseases and offer two-day seminars to their regional small animal veterinary association. He published the following in BSAVA Companion: Giger U: WSAVA work on hereditary diseases He also published the following in BSAVA Companion (March 26-27, 2017): Lynch M, McGrath K, Raj K, McLaren P, Payne K, McCoy R, Giger U: Hereditary factor VII deficiency in the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus). J Wildlife Dis, 53: 248-257, 2017. Additionally, he published: Euler CC, Mizukami K, Raj K, Murray L, Chen CY, Mackin A, Giger U: Xenotransfusion of anemic cats: Pre- and post-transfusion laboratory diagnostic and crossmatching studies. Vet Clin Path 45:244-253, 2016
He also published: Mizukami K, Raj K, Osborne C, Giger U:
Cystinuria associated with different SLC7A9 gene variants in the cat. PloS One, 11(7):e0159247, 2016 In addition, he published: Luethy D, Owens SD, Stefanovski D, Nolen-Walston R, Giger U: Comparison of tube, gel, and immune-chromatographic strip methods for evaluation of equine blood transfusion compatibility. J Vet Intern Med 30:1864–1871, 2016 He also published: Donnor J, Kaukonen M, Anderson H, Möller F, Kyöstilä K, Sankari S, Hytönen M, Giger U, Lohi H: Genetic panel screening of nearly 100 mutations reveals new insights into the breed distribution of risk variants for canine hereditary disorders. PloS One 11(8):e0161005, 2016 Additionally, he published: Euler CC, Mizukami K, Raj K, Lee JH, Hee K, Giger U: Survey of two new (Kai 1 and Kai 2) and other blood groups in dogs of North America. J Vet Intern Med, 30:1642-1647; 2016 Lastly, he published the following: Lynch M, McGrath K, Raj K, McLaren P, Payne K, McCoy R, Giger U: Hereditary factor VII deficiency in the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus). J Wildlife Dis, 53:248-257, 2017
Ronald Harty, PhD, published a manuscript in PLoS Pathogens [2017, Jan. 11;13(1):e1006132] entitled Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy Protein BAG3 Negatively Regulates Ebola and Marburg VP40-Mediated Egress He also published the following in the Journal of the Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center (HDIAC), vol. 4(1):36-39: Harty, R.N., Ruthel, G., Freedman, B.D., Herbert, A., Dye, J.M., Wrobel, J.E., and Reitz, A.B. 2017. Host-Oriented Therapeutics as an Innovative Countermeasure Against Ebola and Other Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses
Marc Kraus, DVM, was promoted to Professor of Clinical Cardiology.
Carolina Lopez, PhD, was named a Penn Fellow. She also received Penn’s Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF) and Provost’s Office Award for Faculty Mentoring Undergraduate Research, in recognition of sustained commitment to mentoring undergraduates doing research. She published the following: Muallem G, Wagage S, Sun Y, DeLong JH.1, Valenzuela A, Harms Pritchard G, Christian, DA, Fang, Q, Buza E, Jain D, Elloso MM, López CB (co-senior
author), and Hunter CA (co-senior author). (2017) IL-27 Limits Type 2 Immunopathology Following Parainfluenza Virus Infection. In press, PLoS Pathogens
Mark Oyama, DVM, has been appointed as an Associate Scholar in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB) at the Perelman School of Medicine, based on his joint projects and collaborative activities in line with the CCEB mission. Oyama is hoping to leverage his appointment to further access the CCEB’s statistical and study design resources for the newly created Clinical Sciences Research Division within Penn Vet’s Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine.
Erica Reineke, VMD, was an invited speaker on emergency medicine topics at the Australian Veterinary Association East Coast Roadshow. She also received the Penn Vet Excellence in Teaching Award in Fall 2016.
Alexander Reiter, Dr med vet, Dipl. Tzt., received a promotion to Professor of Dentistry and Oral Surgery - CE track. He spoke about various topics in dentistry and oral surgery at the Association of Austrian Small Animal Practitioners in Vienna, Austria, last December; at the Hospital for Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery in Charlotte, New Jersey, last March; at the largest European veterinary dental training center (Accesia) in Halmstad, Sweden, last March and April; at the Austrian Society of Veterinary Dentistry in Innsbruck, Austria, last April; and at the European Veterinary Dental Forum in Malaga, Spain, last May.
Deborah Silverstein, DVM, delivered a two-hour webinar for Vetgirl on the Run entitled The Basics of Mechanical Ventilation: Ventilation 101 in February. She also gave the following lectures at her 20th veterinary school reunion and the 54th Annual University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine Conference in Athens, Georgia, last March: Don’t be Shocked: Fluid Therapy in the Shock Patient; Not so (A)cute Kidney Injury in Small Animals; and Catching Your Breath: A Logical Approach to Respiratory Distress in Small Animals She published the following manuscript (mentoring Emily Shea,
V’17): Shea E, Dombrowski SC, Silverstein DC. Survival analysis of hypotensive cats admitted to the intensive care unit with or without hyperlactatemia: 39 cases (2005 – 2011); J Am Vet Med Assoc 2017;250(8):887-893 The following manuscript was accepted by Herpetological Medicine and Surgery (she mentored Carl Spielvogel, V’18): Spielvogel CF, King L, Cavin JM, Tlusty M, Silverstein DC, Ceresia ML, Innis CJ. Use of positive pressure ventilation in cold-stunned sea turtles: 29 cases (2008-2014)
Corinne Sweeney, DVM, was elected treasurer of the Association of Racing Commissioners International. In addition, the LAIM Executive Board (American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine – Large Animal Internal Medicine) announced that Sweeney will be the next LAIM Ombudsperson. The Board was particularly impressed by her formal training from the International Ombudsman association, and her continued involvement in the organization. Since 2014, she has served as Penn Vet’s Ombudsman, working with interns, residents, faculty, and staff.
Gustavo Aguirre, VMD, PhD, received a $163,439 grant from the Poodle Club of North America for Optic Nerve Hypoplasia Micropapillae and Juvenile Cataracts in Poodles
The grant spans from February 15, 2017, to February 14, 2020. In addition, he received a NEI/NIH grant for Models of Hereditary Retinal Degeneration, beginning on January 1, 2017. He also received a grant from the Foundation Fighting Blindness for the PENN Large Animal Model Translational and Research Facility, beginning on April 1. Lastly, he received a grant from the American Spaniel Club Foundation for Molecular genetic studies of inherited cataracts in the American cocker spaniel that began January 1.
Jorge Alvarez, PhD, received a $365,745 Sub NIH R01 grant for Regulation of Heme Oxygenase in HIV/HAND Pathogenesis
Montserrat Anguera, PhD, received a $275,000 NIH/ NIAID R21-AI124084-01A1 grant for Expression of X-linked autoimmunity genes in B cells during female-biased autoimmunity The grant spans from December 2016 through November 2018.
Charles Bradley, VMD, received a one-year, $4,976 grant from the International Society of Veterinary Dermatopathology for Discriminatory features of Wells-like syndrome and Sweets syndrome in dogs: A clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study
Igor Brodsky, PhD, received a $1,012,377 NIH R01 AI-128530 grant for Defining the role of Caspase-8 activity in antibacterial immune defense The grant spans from March 1, 2017, to February 28, 2022.
Rumela Chakrabarti, PhD, received a one-year, $55,000 grant from Abramson Cancer Center: Breakthrough Bike Challenge-Cooper Scholar Award for Crosstalk between ΔNP63+ cancer stem cells and myeloid derived suppressor cells in triple negative breast cancer
Gustavo Aguirre, VMD, PhD, received the Proctor Medal from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) at the ARVO 2017 Annual Meeting this past May in Baltimore. He received the award for his development of unique canine models of retinal degeneration, which provides basic information about their counterpart human diseases. This preclinical work has established safety and efficacy for most of the clinical trial work in progress on neurotrophic factors as well as gene therapy. Aguirre presented the 2017 Proctor Medal Lecture, From the Cage to the Bedside – Concepts and Strategies in Retinal Gene Therapy, at the Annual Meeting.
Sly Broxton retired after 22 years as parking attendant at Ryan Hospital. For many clients bringing their sick pets in, Sly was often the first person they would see. His calm manner and helpfulness made a difference during a stressful situation. Ryan Hospital held a luncheon in his honor and many clinicians, staff, and students stopped by to give their thanks, well-wishes, and goodbyes. Sly always had a kind word or a joke. He will be missed tremendously.
Mary Beth Callan, VMD, earned the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. Callan is one of eight faculty members at Penn to receive the award this spring. Callan is a Professor of Medicine at Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital, where she also serves as Medical Director of the Penn Animal Blood Bank. Additionally, she serves as Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, a position she has held for the last 10 years. Her students describe special moments when she took the time to clarify complex material, comfort their anxieties about managing ill patients, and strengthen their clinical skills. Callan imparts knowledge by example, while treating her patients with the utmost care and attention. The Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching at the University of Pennsylvania was established in 1961 with the help of the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation. Award winners are determined by nominations and recommendations made by faculty and students based on detailed criteria.
David Galligan, VMD, MBA, and Raymond Sweeney, VMD, have been named to the Marilyn M. Simpson Professorship and the Mark Whittier and Lila Griswold Allam Professorship, respectively. Candidates for endowed professorships are selected for their expertise, research, and high regard in the academic community. Galligan is currently Professor of Animal Health Economics and Director of the Center for Animal Health and Productivity at Penn Vet. He also mentors students enrolled in the newly endowed VMD-MBA degree program at Penn Vet and the Wharton School. Sweeney has spent his entire 35-year career at New Bolton Center, where he is currently Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Section of Medicine and Ophthalmology. He has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards. The Marilyn M. Simpson Professorship was established in 1983 in memory of Marilyn Simpson, a long-time benefactor of the School and New Bolton Center who was instrumental in establishing the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society at Penn Vet in 1979. The Mark Whittier and Lila Griswold Allam Professorship was established in 1980 by Elizabeth R. Moran in honor of Dr. Mark Allam, who was Penn Vet’s eighth Dean and co-founder of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. As part of University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann’s initiative to create up to 50 endowed professorships by 2018, these Professorships enable Penn Vet to advance the strategic priorities of the Penn Compact 2020.
Oliver Garden, BVetMed, PhD, won the International Award category at the International Canine Health Awards, where he was awarded £40,000 towards his future work. The awards, which are run by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and underwritten by a major gift from Vernon and Shirley Hill of Metro Bank, highlight those individuals who go the extra mile to promote the health and wellbeing of dogs through their work in the world of veterinary science. The award was given to Garden in recognition of his tireless work as a small animal internist and immunologist. Garden worked at the Royal Veterinary College in London for 12 years and currently serves as Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine. The awards were presented in May at the Kennel Club in London, on behalf of the Vernon and Shirley Hill Foundation.
Zhengxia Dou, PhD, received a one-year, $40,000 grant from PennCHOP Microbiome Program for Antibiotic resistance genes in the fecal microbiome of dairy cattle and humans She also received a one-year, $28,826 grant from AHDC of PDA for Mitigating antibiotic resistance risks through a holistic approach Her collaborators are Dipti Pitta, PhD, Linda Baker, VMD, Joseph Bender, DVM, and Helen Aceto, VMD, PhD
Bruce Freedman, VMD, PhD, received a $363,143 NIH R01 R56-AI125415 grant for Calcium regulation of NF-kB The grant spanned from September 3, 2016, to August 31, 2017.
Serge Fuchs, PhD, MD, received a $1,068,750 NIH/NCI R01CA092900-15 grant for Role of HOS in Cell transformation and Apoptosis The grant spans from December 2016 to November 2021.
Robert Greenberg, PhD, received a $1,610,000 NIH 1-R01AI123173 grant for Physiological roles of schistosome TRP ion channels with atypical pharmacology. He is collaborating with Bruce Freedman, VMD, PhD, and Dejian Ren, PhD (Biology). The grant spans from January 2017 through December 2020. He also received a $275,000, NIH 1-R21-AI128059 grant for Multiplexed point-of-care molecular detection for multiple infections in co-endemic settings. The grant spans from June 2017 through May 2019, and he is collaborating with Haim Bau, PhD, and Beatrice Hahn, MD.
Paula Henthorn, PhD, received a $12,269 grant from the Scottish Deerhound Club of America for Next Step with Cystinuria research in Scottish Deerhounds The grant spans from November 1, 2016, to December 31, 2017.
David Holt, BVSc, received a one-year, $50,000 grant from the Penn Translational Bio-Imaging Center for Near-infrared Fluorophores for Intraoperative Detection of Lung Tumor Margins, Co PI S. Singhal He also received a one-year, $70,000 grant from New York University Medical Center for Evaluation of a Laryngeal Stent to Treat Idiopathic Laryngeal Paralysis, in collaboration with Dana Clarke, VMD
Christopher Hunter, PhD, received a $799,969 Sub to University of Colorado grant for Molecular and cellular basis of Combined Adjuvant-Elicited Cellular Immunity The grant spanned from July 7, 2016, to June 30, 2017. He also received a $125,940 grant from Surface Oncology for the following: To test the impact of antibodies specific for the IL-27 and IL-27 receptor complex on infection-induced responses The grant spans from February 1, 2017, January 31, 2019.
Donna Kelly, DVM, received an $18,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for Determination of the Prevalence of MRSA in Poultry Meat in Pennsylvania The grant spanned from January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2017. She collaborated with Lisa Murphy, VMD.
Anna Kraus-Gelzer, PhD, DrMedVet, received a one-year, $6,531 grant from I4C Innovations Incorporated for Feasibility of ambulatory monitoring of dogs with heart disease using a wearable health and wellness monitoring collars She also received a one-year, $38,290 grant from I4C Innovations Incorporated for Validation of a wearable health and wellness monitor for blood pressure and respiratory rate recording in normal dogs
Christopher Lengner, PhD, received a $1,187,500 NIH/NCI R01CA-168654-06 grant for Cell type and molecular determinants of colorectal cancer initiation downstream of APC inactivation The grant spans from June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2022.
Carolina Lopez, PhD, received a $275,000 NIH-R21AI127832 grant for Mechanism for virus persistence after acute infections The grant spans from December 2016 through November 2018.
Keiko Miyadera, DVM, PhD, received a $200,000 grant from the Landenberger Research Foundation for Canine model of night blindness to target retinal bipolar cells for new therapies The grant spans from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019.
Thomas Parsons, VMD, PhD, received a $22,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for Best Practices for Loose Housed Sows: A Field Study The grant spanned from January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2017.
Shelley Rankin, PhD, received a one-year, $27,756 grant from the American College of Veterinary Dermatology for Evaluation of the CosmosID Software Platform for Rapid Microbial Identification and Pathogen Characterization from Canine Skin
Mark Rondeau, DVM, received a $141,987 grant from Royal Canin for The role of the microbiome in resolution of canine chronic enteropathy The grant spans from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2018.
James Serpell, PhD, received a one-year, $10,000 grant from ASPCA for project support for the C-BARQ. He also received a $25,000 grant from the Simon Foundation for analysis and publication of AOIS findings. This grant spans from September 30, 2016, to September 29, 2018.
Oriol Sunyer, PhD, received a $92,281 Sub to USGS (Dept of Ag G16AC00332) grant for Immune Reagent Network for Aquacultured species The grant spans from September 1, 2016, to May 31, 2019. He also received a $490,000 USDA/ NIFA grant for Fish mucosal CD4+ T cells and their association with B cells: Implications for the induction of mucosal immune responses The grant spans from May 1, 2017, to April 30, 2020.
Yang Xu, PhD, received a one-year, $50,000 Lalor Foundation postdoctoral fellowship for Functions of meiosis-specific ssDNA-binding protein MEIOB in meiotic recombination
Allyson Anderson, V’19, received the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) externship grant to attend a dairy externship with Gap Veterinary Associates.
Sarah Colmer, V’17, was named a 2017 Zoetis/AAEP Foundation Scholarship Recipient. The award will be presented November 19 during the AAEP Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas. The recognition comes with a $4,000 scholarship award, complimentary convention registration, and a travel stipend. According to the award notification, “We received a large number of highly qualified applications, which made the decision very difficult for the review committee. Zoetis, the AAEP Foundation, and its leadership applaud your educational and leadership efforts. It is clear you are an asset not only to the horse, but also to the profession and to the AAEP.”
Jordan Fairman, V’20, participated in a veterinary internship at Select Sires in Plain City, Ohio, over the summer. Jordan was one of two interns selected out of 50 applicants. The internship focused on herd health, preventative medicine focused on export, bio-security, and individual animal health. At Penn Vet, Jordan is the Vice President of the Food Animal Club, a Wet Lab Coordinator for the Repro Club for the 2017-2018 school year, and a One Health Scholar. According to Jordan, “I grew up on a dairy farm in DuBois, Pennsylvania, where now we focus on dairy genetics with in vitro fertilization. I am currently a co-owner of Narobi Genetics with my two brothers. My interests are in food animal medicine focusing on reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer for dairy and beef cattle.”
Emily Griswold, V’20, was awarded a Zoetis Early Veterinary Bovine Externship grant for $2,000. Emily will be traveling to Eastview Veterinary Clinic in Penn Yan, New York, to complete a one-month externship. She wants to spend time expanding her perspective on the dairy industry and working on bovine palpation and sick cow care skills. A graduate of Montana State University, and a 4-H and FFA member from Perry County, Pennsylvania, Emily grew up around beef and dairy cattle, sheep, and goats. Emily was recently elected as the 2017-2018 Food Animal Club President and plans to practice food animal medicine in Pennsylvania after graduation.
Steven Hanes, V’19, was selected by Morris Animal Foundation for its Veterinary Student Scholars program. This year, the program funded 20 students conducting summer research projects at 20 different schools of veterinary medicine in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Hanes’ project was Induction of X-reactivation in B cells through deletion of the long noncoding RNA Xist, intended to reveal the dependency of Xist expression for maintaining X-linked gene expression in mature circulating B cells. His mentor is Montserrat Anguera, PhD
Amy Kraus, V’19, received a $1,000 American Association of Bovine Practitioners Student Externship Grant. She will complete a two-week externship with Dr. John Day from Dairy Health Services in Jerome, Idaho. With large dairy farms and calf ranches, Idaho will give Amy a different perspective on the dairy industry outside of Pennsylvania. The summer externship will allow her to work on palpation and dairy consulting skills in preparation for fourth year clinical rotations.
Anna Martin, V’18, was named a 2017 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Medical Research Fellow. The program selects talented medical and veterinary students to conduct in-depth, mentored biomedical research. Starting this past summer, each fellow will spend a year pursuing basic, translational, or applied biomedical research at one of 32 academic or nonprofit research institutions across the United States.
Sam Neill, V’19, was awarded a Zoetis Early Veterinary Bovine Externship grant for $2,000. Sam will be completing a one-month externship with veterinarians at the Lakewood Veterinary Clinic in Rushford, New York. He will gain exposure to a variety of skills including sick cow care and herd health consultation. As a member of Penn Vet’s palpation team, Sam will be perfecting his bovine palpation skills to prepare for the 2018 competition. After graduation, Sam is planning to work for a food animal practice in the Northeast.
Carl Spielvogel, V’18, was the primary and corresponding author of the paper Use of Positive Pressure Ventilation in Cold-Stunned Sea Turtles: 29 Cases (2008-2014), published in the July edition of the Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery In addition to Spielvogel, authors included the late Lesley King, MVB, of Penn Vet; Julie M. Cavin, DVM (New England Aquarium); Michael Tlusty, PhD
(New England Aquarium and School for the Environment, University of Massachusetts); Deborah Silverstein, DVM, of Penn Vet; Michelle L. Ceresia, PharmD (School of Pharmacy, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University); and Charles Innis, V’94 (New England Aquarium). The work was supported by an International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine Medway Scholarship to Spielvogel, who said, “Other than descriptions of the use of positive pressure ventilation (PPV) during general anesthetic procedures, there exist no peer-reviewed reports on the clinical use of PPV in reptiles. This paper will be the first one! We thank the volunteers and staff of New England Aquarium and Massachusetts Audubon Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary for recovery and care of the turtles. We thank Kevin O’Brien and Sean Shortall, Maquet Inc., for facilitating the loan of a Maquet ventilator, and we thank Stetson Hallowell, Hallowell EMC, for the customization of a Hallowell ventilator.” He added that Dr. King, who passed away last year, “taught me a lot about scientific writing and has been a big influence on me throughout vet school. Dr. Innis, also a Penn Vet alum and current head vet at the New England Aquarium, continues to be a great mentor.”
Corey Spies, V’19, was invited from a competitive selection process to present a Social Impact Pitch at the 14th annual Unite For Sight Global Health & Innovation Conference at Yale University in April. With more than 2,200 professionals and students from all 50 states and more than 55 countries, this thought-leading conference convenes leaders, changemakers, and participants from all sectors of global health, international development, and social entrepreneurship.
Catherine Thurston, V’19, was awarded a Zoetis Early Veterinary Equine Externship grant for $2,000. For one month, she will be working with veterinarians from Rood and Riddle in Kentucky, Rhinebeck Equine in New York, and Pine Bush Equine in New York. Catherine will be working in equine hospitals and traveling with their ambulatory services. After graduation, Catherine plans on completing an equine internship and hopes this externship will help her prepare for fourth year externships.
Carleigh Melofchik, V’19, Kristen DiSiena, V’20, Katie Reilly, V’20, and Katie Heidgerd, V’20, all graduates of the University of Delaware, spoke to the Animal Science Club. The group fielded questions from first year pre-vet students on topics ranging from application timelines to interview fears.
At the SAVMA Symposium 2017, Penn Vet SCAVMA won the Outstanding Chapter of the Year Award for the “Meet a Mentor” event held last fall. The event allows students to find potential research mentors at Penn.
At the National VBMA Conference earlier this year, Penn Vet was awarded the Chapter of the Year Award (the first time this award has been given). Penn Vet also won the Networking Award for outreach and collaborative efforts, including working with SCAVMA and PVMA for the career fair, reaching out and surveying Pennsylvania Practitioners, and hosting additional educational events such as the Etiquette Dinner in 2016.
Penn Vet was in attendance at the CDC’s Veterinary Student Day in January. Students on the trip were Jacqueline Brockhurst, V’18, John Cain, V’20, Mary Jane Drake, V’20, Amber Lee, V’18, Souci Louis, V’20, Anna Martin, V’18, Caroline Solomon, V’20, Gregory Sousa, VMD-PhD candidate, Kerrie Tiedemann, V’17, and Elana Vlodaver, V’20 They were joined by faculty members Shelley Rankin, PhD, and Stephen Cole, VMD For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/onehealth/vsd2017.
The Penn Vet Food Animal Club (FAC) made its first appearance at the 2017 Zoetis-Ohio State University Food Animal Medicine Student Symposium in March. Attendees enjoyed lectures by Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Dan Thomson, and other leading food animal veterinarians. Students also participated in wet labs, workshops, and
networking socials. New to the 2017 symposium was the Merck Veterinary Dairy Challenge, a competition created to evaluate students’ knowledge of current recommended practices and principles of dairy farm management. Teams of three to four students assessed the management practices of a host dairy through farm record evaluation and on-farm inspection of all aspects of the operation. Teams then shared a short presentation of their findings and recommendations with a panel of judges. Of the Penn Vet attendees, Jordan Fairman, V’20, Emily Griswold, V’20, Amy Kraus, V’19, and Benjamin Luksic, V’20, competed in the event as Penn Vet’s first Dairy Challenge team. The team was one of seven competing in this inaugural contest, which also included five teams from OSU and one from the University of Wisconsin. The FAC plans to return to the symposium in 2018 with greater representation from Penn Vet and another Dairy Challenge team.
Penn Vet students Jordan Fairman, Emily Griswold, and Amy Kraus competed in the 2017 SAVMA Bovine Palpation Competition at Texas A&M in March. They had the fourth highest score on the written exam and moved on to the second round of the competition. This was the first time Penn Vet had a team in the competition. The students are coached by Michael Pesato, DVM, and have been practicing at Marshak Dairy for a year. Penn Vet will host the 2018 Bovine Palpation Competition at the SAVMA Symposium next year.
Melanie Kirshenbaum of Westchester County, N.Y., is the first student to receive new scholarship funding for the VMD-MBA degree program at Penn Vet’s Center for Animal Health and Productivity and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
The VMD-MBA combined-degree program is supported by the Robert Marshak-Vernon Hill Scholarship Fund, named in honor of Dr. Robert Marshak, Penn Vet Dean from 1973 to 1987. Established with a generous $1 million gift from Vernon and Shirley Hill, the fund supports the training of leaders and entrepreneurs with the vision to advance both the science and business of food animal production in order to help ensure global food security.
Marshak-Hill scholars are required to develop projects that explore the applications of economic and business principles to the health and productivity of livestock industries. The integrated training emphasizes innovative solutions to the complex business, health, environmental, and societal challenges associated with intensive and smallscale livestock and poultry production, especially in a global environment with a rapidly increasing demand for animalsourced protein.
“The combined-degree program provides students with unique, interdisciplinary knowledge that helps to ensure veterinarians have an important voice in addressing issues of food security, both in Pennsylvania and globally,” said Penn Vet Dean Joan Hendricks.
A fourth-year student at Penn Vet, Kirshenbaum is interested in global health and agricultural development. After finishing her undergraduate studies in economics at Cornell University, she worked with international development organizations. She is pursuing the combined VMD-MBA degree in recognition of the integrated nature of health, food, and economic security, as well as the power of industry and multilateral organizations to contribute resources and sustainable interventions in these fields.
“An economic and industry-focused approach to global food security, health, and sustainable development, rooted in
science, will be especially important in the coming years,” said Kirshenbaum. “I’m excited about this opportunity to expand my knowledge of these areas, and I’m pleased to be part of the ongoing collaborations between Penn Vet and Wharton.”
“We are all excited about Melanie’s acceptance into the program,” said David Galligan, VMD, MBA, Professor of Animal Health Economics and Director of the Center for Animal Health and Productivity. “The integration of Penn’s VMD and MBA programs creates an important focus on emerging global food security issues and enables us to train the next generation of veterinarians to deal with these concerns.”
The combined VMD-MBA degree program at Penn Vet and the Wharton School was originally established in 1981. Galligan oversees the updated program and mentors the Marshak-Hill scholars. Those completing the multi-year program will obtain their veterinary and MBA degrees as well as a certificate in Food Animal Production Medicine. Marshak-Hill graduates will have unique qualifications for leadership roles in food animal agribusiness, government, non-governmental organizations, public health, research, and academia.
Phi Zeta Student Research Day is held annually to honor the scholarly achievements of VMD and VMD-PhD students at Penn Vet. The event showcases excellence in student research and academics while providing an opportunity for students, residents, and faculty to connect and enhance collaboration between basic and clinical researchers. It also allows colleagues and classmates to hear about the exciting research taking place.
Held on March 22, this year’s program featured six oral presentations by students (basic and clinical research), who were chosen by a faculty panel of judges. Outstanding presenters of abstracts received awards of excellence following their oral presentations.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Amy LeBlanc, Director of the CCR Comparative Oncology Program at the National Cancer Institute, NIH. In this position, she directly oversees and manages the operations of the Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium, which designs and executes clinical trials of new cancer therapies in tumor-bearing pet dogs.
1ST PLACE
Nathaniel Sotuyo Stem cell-derived interneuron transplants as a treatment for Dravet syndrome (Co-mentors: Drs. Ethan Goldberg and Stewart Anderson, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)
2ND PLACE
Jeffrey N. Carey
Regulated stochasticity in a bacterial signaling network permits tolerance of a rapid environmental change (Mentor: Dr. Mark Goulian, University of Pennsylvania)
3RD PLACE
Ian Penkala
Transcriptional regulation of alveolar epithelial cell fate and plasticity during lung development (Mentor: Dr. Edward Morrisey, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine)
1ST PLACE
Megan L. Clark
Leishmania-specific skin resident CD4 T cells are formed from recently activated effector T cells (Mentor: Dr. Phillip Scott, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine)
2ND PLACE
Jonah Binstock
The role of type III collagen in the fibrotic response: therapeutic strategies to engineer regenerative and tumor micro environments (Mentor: Dr. Sue Volk, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine)
3RD PLACE
Jenna Schoenberger
The cellular basis of enhanced intestinal regeneration through calorie restriction (Mentor: Dr. Christopher Lengner, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine)
1ST PLACE
Tertiary lymphoid organs in a natural model of multiple sclerosis. Megan McGeehan, Priscilla Farias, Miles Miller, Lara Cheslow, Melissa Sánchez, & Jorge Iván Alvarez, Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
2ND PLACE
Biosensing of biofilm: detecting the volatile organic compounds (VOC) of biofilm using a dog’s nose. Meghan Ramos, Cynthia M. Otto, Dara Hofmann, Annemarie DeAngelo, and Thomas P. Schaer, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
3RD PLACE
Characterizing immune regulation of canine heartworm Dirofilaria immitis infection in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Ariel M. Aguiar, James B. Lok, Thomas J. Nolan, Letitia K. Thompson, Elizabeth Edgerton, and Michael Povelones, Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Molly Klores, Brianna Parsons, Corey Spies, and Talia Wong received Penn Vet’s prestigious Student Inspiration Awards for 2017. Their winning projects include the installation of a goat milking facility in The Gambia and the creation of One Health educational materials for human and veterinary hospitals.
Launched in 2008 with a gift from Vernon and Shirley Hill, the award is presented annually to Penn Vet students who demonstrate the potential to significantly advance the frontiers of veterinary medicine and expand the profession’s impact on the well-being of animals and society.
“It is incredibly encouraging to see our students champion such important issues for the betterment of society,” said Penn Vet Dean Joan Hendricks. “Our students are always good-hearted and creative, but this year I am really struck by the sophistication and attention to sustainability beyond the time of their engagement. Both of these projects have genuine potential for significant lasting impact. The future of veterinary medicine is very bright.”
Parsons, a third-year student and native of Quakertown, Pa., and Spies, a second-year student and native of Kinnelon, N.J., received $25,000 for their winning proposal, “Gambia Goat Dairy – An Innovative Goat Milking Facility in Bwiam, The Gambia.” The funds will be used to improve community nutrition and healthcare in an impoverished area of The Gambia by generating a local supply of affordable, safe, high-quality animal protein—while also generating a sustainable source of revenue for the hospital.
“Agriculture lies at the nexus of human, animal, and environmental health,” said Spies. “Creating sustainable
livestock systems is key to achieving harmony with our natural world.”
Last summer, Parsons and Spies spent eight weeks in The Gambia, conducting research to determine the feasibility and sustainability of developing a goat dairy. Following a seminar with over 25 key Gambian stakeholders, they developed a comprehensive business plan detailing specifics of the dairy—from husbandry, nutrition, and veterinary care to infrastructure, revenue generation, and operational sustainability.
“Their business plan was one of the most comprehensive we have ever seen,” said Dr. David Galligan, Professor of Animal Health Economics and chair of the award committee. “This project will serve as a model for other students applying for Inspiration Awards in the future.”
With their Inspiration Award funding, Parsons and Spies will return to The Gambia this summer to begin operationalizing their project. Phase one will involve the
“Agriculture lies at the nexus of human, animal, and environmental health. Creating sustainable livestock systems is key to achieving harmony with our natural world.”
Corey Spies, V’19
identification of a project manager in The Gambia, as well as construction of the structures, enclosures, and other necessary dairy infrastructure.
“Due to substantial stakeholder involvement in creating this plan, we truly believe this dairy will be tailored to the needs of the community, both as a source of safe, accessible, locally produced animal protein and as a model for dairy goat husbandry,” said Parsons. “We envision Gambia Goat Dairy will grow to serve as an educational center and a prototype for scaling up throughout the country.”
Klores, a third-year student and native of Washington, D.C., and Wong, a third-year student and native of Brookline, Mass., received $11,500 for their winning proposal, “Educating the Public: Bringing One Health to the Clinic.” The funds will be used to create educational materials promoting One Health considerations in routine appointments at Penn’s medical and veterinary hospitals.
The project seeks to engage clients and patients in the One Health conversation, and encourage them to take ownership of their family’s health.
Klores and Wong will create educational posters and a complementary website to help raise awareness of the connections between pet and owner health and to improve the detection of zoonotic risks.
“We are thrilled to use this award to invest in the community through educational outreach,” said Klores. “We hope that we can help others understand the breadth of veterinary medicine and how our field weaves through their daily lives in ways they may not have anticipated. Through communication and collaboration, we hope to enhance interdisciplinary engagement, and ultimately create a more unified approach to healthcare.”
“We are incredibly honored and excited to have this opportunity to develop a fresh, grassroots approach to building One Health awareness in the clinic,” said Wong. “By pioneering this client outreach initiative, Penn Vet can help shape the One Health narrative as we continue to foster collaboration between medical fields.”
Aproud member of the class of V’94, Dr. Kenton Rexford is a lifelong Pennsylvanian and a Penn State graduate. As a founding partner with the Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center, a practice he first joined in 1998, Kenton leads the emergency team, helping owners and their pets in times of crisis.
With a strong appreciation for the value of the humananimal bond, Kenton was driven to pursue a career in veterinary medicine by a desire to help both people and animals. He enjoys the practice of emergency medicine, in particular, because of the variety; every day and every case is unique.
A supporter of Penn Vet since 1999, Kenton became more involved with the School in 2007 when he sponsored his first Opportunity Scholar. Established in 1998 by legendary equine surgeon Dr. Charles Raker, V’42, the Opportunity Scholarship is a unique veterinary program offering both financial aid and personalized mentorship to students during all four years of study at Penn Vet. It has afforded Kenton the chance to interact with current students—something that reminds him of his own time on campus.
In 2016, Kenton was inspired to make his support of the program permanent by endowing the Kenton Rexford Opportunity Scholarship Fund and the Camille DeClementi Opportunity Scholarship Fund, the latter to honor a fellow member of the class of V’94. DeClementi is a Vice President with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and currently serves on the Dean’s Alumni Council.
These gifts brought the total number of endowed Opportunity Scholarships to 18, an incredible achievement for the program and a testament to the many alumni and
friends who have helped it grow by serving as sponsors and mentors. The program’s total endowment has now reached $3.8 million, with the goal of raising an additional $1 million so that up to 40 students each year can participate.
Kenton also has included Penn Vet in his estate plans, joining many of his fellow alumni in ensuring the future of the School.
“No one is successful on his or her own,” Kenton explained, citing the role that others have played in guiding and mentoring him throughout his career. Today, he feels fortunate to be in a position to share his success with the institutions that mean the most to him. In addition to Penn Vet, he has created scholarships at Penn State. In 2008, he founded the Animal Care Assistance Fund to help animals in need of emergency or specialty care whose owners cannot afford the full cost of treatment. He also has served as President of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association.
When he is not working, Kenton enjoys spending time with his dogs, Mac and Lucy, and cats, Moon and Spec, and whitewater kayaking and snowboarding.
Throughout Penn Vet’s history, many supporters of the School have demonstrated their commitment to veterinary education and animal welfare through their estate plans. These special gifts have a long-lasting impact for future generations. Grateful for their generous support, Penn Vet honors these donors through the Veterinary Heritage Circle. Membership in this special group now totals over 300 alumni, clients, and friends.
Planned gifts can be made using your will or retirement assets, or with life income gifts such as charitable gift annuities, and can be directed toward the programs that mean the most to you. For more information, or for gift illustrations tailored to your particular situation and interests, please contact Jillian Marcussen, Director of Development, at 215-898-4235 or jillian2@vet.upenn.edu.
Shannon Groves joined the Penn Vet team in April as Director of Alumni Relations. Groves is responsible for strategically enhancing current alumni programming, including the Penn Annual Conference; identifying opportunities to increase alumni and student engagement; and managing the Dean’s Alumni Council.
“We are delighted to welcome Shannon to the Advancement team,” said Carol Pooser, Assistant Dean of Advancement, Alumni Relations, and Communications. “She brings more than 10 years of experience in higher education, with expertise in alumni relations, recruitment, admissions, and communications. Her knowledge will serve us well in this vital role.”
Prior to joining Penn Vet, Groves served as Director of Alumni Networks for Saint Joseph’s University, where she managed alumni volunteers, affinity chapters, and signature events, working with alumni from recent graduates to members of the Board of Trustees. In addition, she coordinated alumni volunteers during the recruitment cycle and engaged alumni to give back to the University.
Groves also previously worked in enrollment management as Associate Director of the Recruitment Outreach Team at Drexel University and as Assistant Director of Admissions for Seton Hall University.
She received her undergraduate degree in history from Lehigh University, where she remains an active alumna, serving as a reunion committee volunteer and board member of the Lehigh Club of Philadelphia. She earned a master’s degree in communications from Drexel University.
Groves resides in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Cooper, a two-year-old terrier/hound mix.
“I am excited to join the team and the Penn Vet community,” said Groves. “I have immense appreciation and respect for veterinary medicine and Penn Vet, and I am excited to be a part of something that combines my experiences in higher education with my passion for animals. I look forward to meeting and working with Penn Vet alumni!”
“I have immense appreciation and respect for veterinary medicine and Penn Vet, and I am excited to be a part of something that combines my experiences in higher education with my passion for animals.”
From May 12 to 14, more than 190 alumni and friends returned to Penn Vet for Alumni Weekend. Alumni, families, guests, faculty, and staff mingled, connected with old classmates and colleagues, and enjoyed events including the Dean’s Welcome Reception and Celebration. Reunion classes gathered for group photos with Dean Hendricks, proudly holding their class flag, and closed the day with individual dinners celebrating their milestone reunions. The Class of 1967 joined
the Red & Blue Veterinary Jubilee Dinner, marking their 50th Reunion, which featured a walk down memory lane slide show, photo displays, yearbooks, and more.
Despite a bit of rain, alumni were able to partake in events throughout the weekend including tours of New Bolton Center and Ryan Hospital and the Spring Picnic, which was filled with food, games, and an afternoon of celebration. It was another great event for Penn Vet Alumni!
From May 11 to 13, we’ll celebrate again and host the milestone reunions for class years ending in “3” and “8.”
William H. Miller, Jr., V’76, was awarded the 2017 American College of Veterinary Dermatology Award for Excellence in Science and Education and the 20162017 State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service at the Veterinary College of Cornell University.
J. Terry McGrath, V’79, has been a performer at the Philadelphia Folk Festival for over 30 years, on over 15 instruments. McGrath noted, “New music from our eclectic folk band Auld String Theory was released this year and is available at Auldstringtheory.com.”
Louis DeTolla, V’82, was the 2016 recipient of the John M’Fadyean Medal in Comparative Pathology, presented by the President of the British Society of Veterinary Pathology on behalf of the Journal of Comparative Pathology The award was presented at the annual joint meeting of the European Society of Veterinary Pathology (ESVP) and the European College of Veterinary Pathologists (ECVP) in Bologna, Italy. DeTolla also presented the plenary lecture entitled “Vaccine Strategies in Emerging Diseases.”
After four years in the Air Force and 30 years in the Public Health Service, Captain Ron Landy, V’82, retired from uniform service on March 1. He served in a wide range of capacities at Niagara Falls and Andrews Air Force Bases, the Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine, the EPA’s Office of Research and Development, the EPA Region 4 Atlanta Regional Office, and the EPA Region 3 Environmental Science Center at Fort Meade, Maryland. His international work included Air Force service in Panama and South America, exploring the impacts of vanadium on dairy herds in South Africa, assessing ecological impacts of industrialization in Slovakia, and the development of ecological risk assessment guidelines with the World Health Organization in Geneva. Prior to his retirement, he received the James H. Steele One Health Outstanding PHS Veterinary Career Award.
Amy M. Sclarsky, V’87, is happy to announce the graduation of her daughter, Rachel Sclarsky, V’17, 30 years after her graduation from Penn Vet. She is also happy to welcome Rachel as a staff veterinarian at the Garden State Animal Hospital, which she co-owns with classmate Patty (Sleppy) Fisher, V’87, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Megan Andeer, V’01, and Caroline Perner, V’00, became owners of City Cat Vets in Philadelphia (previously Cat Vet of South Street). They are grateful for the guidance and support of Dr. Howard Wellens, V’78
Maral Avetian, V’12, shared that “on February 18, 2017, my husband Michael Sheruda, V’12, and I welcomed a little girl, Amelia Sheruda. She has already spent some time in the back of our vet trucks.”
Raymond Schlosser, Jr., V’52, passed away on June 23. He was a graduate of Penn State University and then received his veterinary degree from Penn Vet. He opened the first animal surgery unit at the University of Pennsylvania and proceeded to teach here before opening his own practice in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. He was an avid horseman and participated in different equestrian events in Chester County.
David A. Meirs, V’54, of Walnridge Farm in Cream Ridge, New Jersey, passed away March 27. Meirs established Walnridge Equine Clinic in 1965. He also served as the president of the New Jersey Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and as a member and past president of the Veterinary Medical Alumni Society of the University of Pennsylvania. He received the Alumni Award of Merit from Penn Vet in 1999.
Gerald Sanford Borman, V’56, passed away on June 8 in Norfolk, Virginia. After working for a year as a veterinarian, he obtained a master’s degree in veterinary science from the University of Wisconsin. He embarked on a career of research into animal-based viruses with applicability to human medical science, starting with a position at the National Institutes
of Health, where he contributed to research using animal models to evaluate the safety of polio vaccines. He was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship in microbiology at Johns Hopkins University, followed by a series of research and teaching positions in New Jersey, Virginia, and Massachusetts. In 1976, Borman joined the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk as Assistant Professor of Microbiology and veterinarian in charge of research animal facilities. His accomplishments included the design of a major expansion of those facilities. Borman retired from EVMS in 1991.
Sherbyn W. Ostrich, V’63, passed suddenly at the age of 79 on June 30. Ostrich was a longtime veterinarian in the Berks County and Lebanon County communities of Pennsylvania. He served as president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and as president of the American Veterinary Medical Foundation. He also served as president of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association and was their delegate to the AVMA in 2003. Ostrich served for eight years as a Commissioner on the Pennsylvania Animal Heath and Diagnostic Commission and as Acting Executive Director in 1996-1997. In 1995, he was the first recipient of Penn Vet’s Bellwether Award for Distinguished Leadership. In 1988, he received the University of Pennsylvania Alumni Award of Merit.
James T. Herron, V’65, of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, passed away on April 6. He was a veterinarian in Canonsburg, practicing with his father. He was the historian for the borough of Canonsburg and served on the boards of the Jefferson College Historical Society and Oak Spring Cemetery. He was a dedicated volunteer at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum at Arden.
William E. Condon, V’70, of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, passed away on June 6. In 1972, he and Ken Rix set up Sakonnet Veterinary Hospital in Tiverton, R.I., where he practiced for over 41 years. He was passionate about his work and the people and animals he cared for through his practice. He was an active member of the community, serving on the Portsmouth School Committee and various boards.
The Class of 2017 recites the Veterinarian’s Oath. Standing at right is class president Connor Hershkowitz. The commencement address was given by Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz (center column, at right), Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and co-author of Zoobiquity.
3800 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6008
United Way of Greater Phila. & So. NJ: #50178
September 12, 2017
First Tuesday Lecture Series
A free educational lecture series for horse owners and horse enthusiasts.
“Anesthesia: Take a Deep Breath”
Presented by Dr. Klaus Hopster
6:30PM to 7:30PM
New Bolton Center – Alumni Hall
382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA
To register, please call 610-925-6500.
September 27-28, 2017
Penn Annual Conference – Lectures
“Innovations in Veterinary Medicine”
Chase Center on the Riverfront
815 Justison Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
For conference details, visit www.vet.upenn.edu/PAC2017
September 29, 2017
Penn Annual Conference – Wet Labs
Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital
3900 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
For conference details, visit www.vet.upenn.edu/PAC2017
October 3, 2017
First Tuesday Lecture Series
A free educational lecture series for horse owners and horse enthusiasts. “Ocular 911: When is the Eye an Emergency?”
Presented by Dr. Nikki Scherrer
6:30PM to 7:30PM
New Bolton Center – Alumni Hall
382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA
To register, please call 610-925-6500.
October 27-28, 2017
Parents & Partners Weekend
6:00PM to 8:30PM
Penn Vet Philadelphia Campus and New Bolton Center
For info, contact Brittany Tinsley at bscan@vet.upenn.edu or 215-746-2421.
November 1, 2017
Continuing Education Series
Presented by Dr. Jennifer Huck, Surgery
6:00PM to 8:30PM
Vernon and Shirley Hill Pavilion
380 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104
To register, please call Megan Nelson at 877-PENN-VET.
November 7, 2017
First Tuesday Lecture Series
A free educational lecture series for horse owners and horse enthusiasts.
“Advanced Imaging: Innovations in Diagnostic Capabilities”
Presented by Dr. Kathryn Wulster
6:30PM to 7:30PM
New Bolton Center – Alumni Hall
382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA
To register, please call 610-925-6500.
November 19, 2017
Alumni Reception at AAEP Convention
6:00PM to 8:00PM
San Antonio, Texas
For info, contact Brittany Tinsley at bscan@vet.upenn.edu or 215-746-2421.
December 5, 2017
First Tuesday Lecture Series
A free educational lecture series for horse owners and horse enthusiasts. “New Bolton 911: Tales from the Emergency Room”
Presented by the Emergency & Critical Care Team
6:30PM to 7:30PM
New Bolton Center – Alumni Hall
382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA
To register, please call 610-925-6500.
December 5, 2017
Continuing Education Series
Presented by Dr. Kathryn Rook, Dermatology
6:00PM to 8:30PM
Vernon and Shirley Hill Pavilion
380 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104
To register, please call Megan Nelson at 877-PENN-VET.
February 6, 2018
Alumni Reception at NAVC Conference
7:00PM to 9:00PM
Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center
For info, contact Brittany Tinsley at bscan@vet.upenn.edu or 215-746-2421