Dr. Phillip Moses led a discussion on the Welfare of Brachycephalic Dogs in Australia as part of the Global Perspectives in Veterinary Medicine Summer 2020 Online Series.
A total of 48 participants joined in the first session of the seven-week, online series, “Global Perspectives in Veterinary Medicine” with a stop in South Africa to hear from Kim and Hein Schoeman, directors and lead conservationists of the Umkhondo Big-5 Wildlife Park.
Knowing that no one was able to travel globally this summer due to COVID-19, the Office of Global Engagement opted to provide members of the Purdue Veterinary Medicine family with a way to virtually travel around the globe to explore the various career paths available to veterinary professionals. Overall, the sessions, tailored to students, were designed to help participants see their careers in a larger global framework.
The Summer 2020 Online Series ended last week, with a program featuring Dr. Samantha Dorman, a veterinary officer at the Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture, on the topic of Sustainable Agricultural Production and Food Security. For those who were unable to participate in the Online Summer Series, the Office of Global Engagement was able to gain approval to record some of the sessions. The topics that were recorded are:
Welfare of Brachycephalic Dogs with Dr. Phillip Moses in Australia
Sports Equine Medicine with Dr. Claire Hawkes in Ireland
Veterinary Adventures in Marine and Primate Medicine with Dr. Takanori Kooriyama in Japan
Wildlife Emergency and Rehabilitation Medicine with Dr. Amanda Salb in Malawi
In these times, it is more important than ever that we work toward developing globally conscious veterinary professionals who are ready to collaborate, exchange, and engage with the world around them. For information about other opportunities, visit the PVM Office of Global Engagement website.
Students took a virtual trip to Japan where they heard from Dr. Takanori Kooriyama who discussed Veterinary Adventures in Marine and Primate Medicine.
Science has shown that service dogs can benefit some veterans with PTSD. But the exact role service dogs play in the day-to-day lives of veterans – and the helpfulness of the tasks they perform – is less known. A recent study led by the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine shows what trained tasks service dogs perform the most often and which ones are the most helpful to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. The study found that the task of disrupting episodes of anxiety ranked among the most important and most often used.
“There has been some debate on what kind of training PTSD service dogs need to be effective and how their assistance may be different than what a pet dog can provide,” said Kerri Rodriguez, PhD, a human-animal interaction graduate researcher and lead author on the study. “This study suggests that veterans are, in fact, using and benefiting from the specific trained tasks, which sets these dogs apart from pet dogs or emotional support dogs.”
Dr. Rodriguez led the work with Dr. Maggie O’Haire, associate professor of human-animal interaction in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology. Their research was published in Frontiers in Psychology. The study was done in conjunction with K9s For Warriors, with support and funding from Merrick Pet Care, and is in preparation for an ongoing large-scale clinical trial that is studying veterans with and without service dogs over an extended period of time.
Kerri Rodriguez, PhD
The study found that, on average, the dog’s training to both alert the veteran to any increasing anxiety and providing physical contact during anxiety episodes were reported to be the most important and the most often used in a typical day. Veterans with a service dog also rated all of the service dog’s trained tasks as being “moderately” to “quite a bit” important for their PTSD.
Some trained tasks include picking up on cues veterans display when experiencing distress or anxiety and consequently nudging, pawing or licking them to encourage the veteran to focus on the dog. The service dogs also are trained to notice when veterans are experiencing anxiety at night and will actively wake up the person from nightmares. The dogs also are trained to perform tasks in public – such as looking the opposite way in a crowded room or store to provide a sense of security for the veteran. In addition, the study found that trained service dog tasks were used on average 3.16 times per day, with individual tasks ranging from an average of 1.36 to 5.05 times per day.
Previous research led by Dr. Rodriguez showed that the bond between a service dog and the veteran was a significant factor in the importance of untrained behaviors. Although all trained tasks were reported to be important for veterans’ PTSD, those with a service dog actually rated the importance of untrained behaviors higher than the importance of trained tasks. This suggests that there are some therapeutic aspects of the service dog’s companionship that are helping just as much, if not more, than the dog’s trained tasks, Dr. Rodriguez said. “These service dogs offer valuable companionship, provide joy and happiness, and add structure and routine to veterans’ lives that are likely very important for veterans’ PTSD.”
The study surveyed 216 veterans from K9s For Warriors, including 134 with a service dog and 82 on the waitlist. The study complements a previous publication published last year that focused specifically on the service dogs’ training, behavior and the human-animal bond.
While service dogs were reported to help a number of specific PTSD symptoms such as having nightmares, experiencing flashbacks, or being hyperaware in public, there were some symptoms that service dogs did not help, such as amnesia and risk-taking. “Both this research, as well as other related studies on PTSD service dogs, suggest that service dogs are not a standalone cure for PTSD,” Dr. O’Haire said. “Rather, there appear to be specific areas of veterans’ lives that a PTSD service dog can help as a complementary intervention to other evidence-based treatments for PTSD.”
Veterans on the waitlist to receive a service dog expected the service dog’s trained tasks to be more important for their PTSD and used more frequently on a daily basis than what was reported by veterans who already had a service dog. “Veterans on the waitlist may have higher expectations for a future PTSD service dog because of feelings of hope and excitement, which may not necessarily be a bad thing,” Dr. Rodriguez said. “However, it is important for mental health professionals to encourage realistic expectations to veterans who are considering getting a PTSD service dog of their own.”
Sophia and Kaden Schrope, children of Veterinary Hospital Administrator Alan Schrope and his wife, Lisa, use colored chalk to create encouraging artwork outside the main east entrance to Lynn Hall Friday, July 24.
Kaden, Sophia, and Lisa Schrope with one of their yard signs placed in a planting area near the Small Animal Hospital entrance.
People entering or leaving Lynn Hall last Friday afternoon, July 24, were greeted with encouraging splashes of color and text on the sidewalks adjacent to the Small and Large Animal Hospital entrances. The artwork was the work of the family of Alan Schrope, Purdue University Veterinary Hospital administrator. As part of a church service project for Calvary Baptist Church in West Lafayette, Alan’s wife, Lisa, and their son and daughter, Kaden and Sophia, demonstrated their creative flair by using colored chalk to draw pictures and write out encouraging messages on the sidewalks – messages like “You’re Amazing,” “Heroes Work Here,” and “Our Pets Love You.”
The beautiful artwork lasted until recent rains washed much of it away. But not all was lost, as the family also created bright and thoughtful yard signs that are placed along the sidewalks. A big thank you to Lisa, Kaden, and Sophia for their enthusiastic effort to honor the heroes at work in the Veterinary Hospital!
Encouraging chalk art messages stretched from the lane on the east side of Lynn Hall all the way to the entrance doors thanks to Lisa, Sophia, and Kaden Schrope, who volunteered to decorate the area Friday, July 24, as part of a church service project.
First-year residents pictured (top row, left-right) Drs. Charlie Artiles, Emily Hartman, Carla Olave, Victor Oppenheimer; (bottom row, left-right) Drs. Arielle Ostrager, Aby Reising, and Ophthalmology Specialty Intern Bryan Artimes. Not pictured: Drs. Courtney Sweeney, Patrick Huang, Miriam Bates, Stefanie Hansen, Carla Murillo, and Zsofia Vigh.
A group of veterinarians began the next phase of their careers this month as they arrived on campus to begin advanced specialty training in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.
The Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory welcomes two new residents to the anatomic pathology residency program effective July 1, while a total of ten first-year residents, representing nine different specialty areas, join the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. The VCS residents will complete graduate school requirements through their department, while also gaining advanced clinical experience in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.
Most of the clinical residents began their program July 15. Drs. Miriam Bates, Stefanie Hansen, and Carla Murillo will begin later in the fall, while Dr. Zsofia Vigh will arrive on campus in January 2021. Also, joining the clinical residents during orientation is Dr. Bryan Artemis, who is completing a specialty internship in ophthalmology in the Veterinary Hospital.
Please help extend a warm welcome to PVM’s newest residents and intern:
Dr. Courtney Sweeney (Anatomic Pathology) earned her DVM from the University of Tennessee in 2020 before beginning her residency program in the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.
Dr. Patrick Huang (Anatomic Pathology) earned his DVM degree in 2020 from the University of California, Davis. As a participant in the NIH Comparative Biomedical Scientist Training Program, Dr. Huang will complete two years of anatomic pathology training at Purdue University and will then go on to perform four-six years of PhD research at the National Cancer Institute with a focus on cancer immunology.
Charlie Artiles (Diagnostic Imaging) earned his DVM in 2019 at the University of California, Davis followed by a small animal rotating internship at Louisiana State University before coming to Purdue.
Miriam Bates (Small Animal Surgery) earned her DVM degree in 2018 at Massey University before serving as a staff veterinarian at the Animal Emergency Centre, both in New Zealand. She then completed a small animal rotating internship at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine.
Stefanie Hansen (Large Animal Surgery) earned both BVSc and DVM degrees at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark before completing an internship with Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. She went on to complete an internship with Donnington Grove Veterinary Group in Newbury, England where she served as house veterinarian.
Emily Hartman (Small Animal Surgery) earned her DVM degree in 2018 from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University followed by a small animal rotating internship and a small animal specialty surgical internship at Michigan State University.
Carla Murillo (Anesthesiology) earned her DVM at the National University of Costa Rica. She then worked as a veterinarian in private practice and for the Agropecuaria Santo Domingo before serving as an instructor at the National University of Costa Rica. Dr. Murillo went on to complete a rotating internship at the University of Saskatchewan before arriving at Purdue.
Carla Olave (Large Animal Medicine) is a familiar face in Lynn Hall. Dr. Olave earned her DVM degree followed by a master’s in veterinary science at the Universidad Austral de Chile. She then came to Purdue and served as a graduate research assistant in Dr. Laurent Couëtil’s Equine Respiratory Disease Research Program while working toward completion of her PhD in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.
Victor Oppenheimer (Small Animal Medicine) earned his DVM degree from the University of Georgia in 2017. He went on to complete a rotating internship with Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners followed by an internal medicine internship with Capital Veterinary Specialists. He then continued with Capital Veterinary Specialists, serving as an associate veterinarian before coming to Purdue.
Arielle Ostrager (Neurology) earned a VMD in 2015 from the University of Pennsylvania before completing a small animal medicine and surgery internship with Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners. She then completed a neurology and neurosurgery internship at the VCA Animal Specialty Center in New York. Dr. Ostrager went on to completed post-doctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania before completing a neurology and neurosurgery internship at the VCA Animal Specialty Center in California.
Abby Reising (Oncology) earned her DVM degree from the University of Illinois in 2019. She then went on to complete a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the University of Missouri before coming to Purdue.
Zsofia Vigh (Emergency and Critical Care) earned a DVM degree at Szent Istvan University in Hungary. Dr. Vigh went on to work in private practice in both Hungary and the UK before serving as an instructor and clinician at St. George’s University.
Bryan Artemis (Ophthalmology Specialty Intern) earned his DVM in 2018 from Ross University. He then completed a rotating internship at The Animal Medical Center followed by an ophthalmology specialty internship with Animal Eye Guys at Premier Veterinary Specialists.
The external funding of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine grew during the 2019-2020 fiscal year to a total of $12,095,137, an increase of nearly 10% compared with the previous fiscal year. The funding comes from various sources, including the federal government (49%), foundations, and private companies. About 81% of the federal funding is provided through grants from the National Institutes of Health, which reflects the One Health mission and relevance of the research in our college. Faculty also submitted more research proposals than in the previous fiscal year.
“In spite of the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, our faculty, staff, and students continue to be engaged in cutting-edge research, and we look forward to another productive year,” said Dr. Harm HogenEsch, associate dean for research.
Drs. Gaurav Chopra (left) and Riyi Shi, professors at Purdue University, have received new support as they work on traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease research. (Photo by Ed Lausch, Lausch Photography)
A team of Purdue University scholars led by professors from the Colleges of Science and Veterinary Medicine have received new support as they work to develop solutions to what U.S. military officials call an alarming trend in dementia among wounded soldiers. The same researchers also seek solutions to better treat Alzheimer’s disease. Innovators from several disciplines across the university make-up the Purdue research team that received a $1.3 million grant from the Department of Defense for their work in this area.
The principal investigator leading the team, Dr. Gaurav Chopra, assistant professor of analytical and physical chemistry in the College of Science, is joining forces with Dr. Riyi Shi, professor of basic medical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and director of Purdue’s Center for Paralysis Research, who is a co-investigator on the grant. Dr. Shi also holds a joint appointment in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Chopra directs a laboratory in chemical immunology.
They are working with Purdue’s Bindley Bioscience Center; Purdue Center for Paralysis Research; Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience; Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease; Purdue University Center for Cancer Research; and Indiana University School of Medicine. “This project is highly relevant to the military, in that there is an alarming trend in the increasing reports of post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia among wounded soldiers, imposing enormous emotional and economic burdens on military families, their communities and society as a whole,” said Dr. Chopra.
The work involves developing biomarkers and identifying new targets for phagocytic function of microglial cells, immune cells in the brain, in the context of brain injury related Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia. Dr. Chopra explained that brain tissue compression and damage can directly result from exposure to shock waves generated by explosive blasts to which soldiers are routinely exposed in combat and training exercises.
Researchers at Purdue University and Indiana University School of Medicine are developing biomarkers and identifying new targets for phagocytic function of microglial cells, immune cells in the brain, in the context of brain injury related Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia. (Image provided)
“Furthermore, intense combat conditions will also increase the incidence of traumatic brain injury in situations such as severe car accidents or accidental falls from varying heights,” Dr. Chopra said. “Therefore, uncovering the mechanisms responsible for this epidemic that detracts from the quality of life for thousands of veterans could profoundly benefit our soldiers who sacrifice a great deal to ensure our freedom.”
The current study will utilize new tools, such as, a pH-responsive Amyloid-beta and TBI-on-a-chip in vitro trauma model along with well-established preclinical neurodegenerative and blast injury models developed in Dr. Chopra’s and Dr. Shi’s laboratories to study microglial cell states in the context of TBI-related Alzheimer’s disease.
“Purdue features some of the most prominent trauma investigators and neuroimmunologists from around the world, and we are now merging this expertise together in an unprecedented symbiotic and focused manner to confront the epidemic of post-TBI mental abnormalities,” Dr. Shi said. “By bringing together a highly multidisciplinary team, we intend to not only improve our understanding of the mechanisms, but also diagnoses and treatments of TBI-related neurodegenerative dementia. The potential impacts of this study cannot be overestimated, and could lead to immeasurable clinical and societal benefits.”
The Purdue team received the grant through the DoD’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs partnership award program. “The Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience congratulates Drs. Gaurav Chopra and Riyi Shi for receiving this prestigious award from the DoD to support their research, which is closely aligned with the institute’s strategic initiatives in neurotrauma and Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Chris Rochet, director of the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience.
Veterinarian Mia Cary will help participants in the first virtual Purdue Veterinary Conference discover how to say “no” in order to say “yes” to the things that matter most when she gives the Wellness Keynote on Wednesday, September 23. Utilizing the virtual format for the 2020 conference, Dr. Cary will present an interactive keynote focusing on work-life integration. Participants will discuss why work-life balance is unrealistic and how work-life integration will set us free. Tools and resources will be shared for managing stress, finding focus, and learning how to thrive regardless of role, title, or practice type.
A 1999 University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine graduate, Dr. Cary specializes in leadership, communication, strategy, teamwork, innovation, and well-being with the purpose of activating others to thrive. Her professional experience includes leadership and education roles at the AVMA, NAVC, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Novartis Animal Health. She currently serves as CEO and change agent for Cary Consulting, CEO for the Pride Veterinary Medical Community (PrideVMC), serves on the board of advisors for the Veterinary Entrepreneurship Academy (VEA), and is a past president of the American Association of Industry Veterinarians.
The 2020 virtual Purdue Veterinary Conference will offer three days of high quality tracks on small animal, practice management, equine, exotics, ruminants, swine, one health and emergency preparedness, and topics of interest for veterinary nurses. Attendees can earn up to 24 hours of continuing education, and will have access to our virtual exhibit hall. This year’s conference would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors: IDEXX, Banfield Pet Hospital, the Indiana Board of Animal Health/Indiana State Department of Health, Nutrena, Purina, Zoetis, Elanco, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and Coyne Veterinary Services.
Josiah Davidson, a graduate student in Mohit Verma’s Purdue University lab, collects a nasal swab from a calf to test for bovine respiratory disease. Verma received a $1 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to develop a biosensor that will rapidly test for the costly cattle disease. Research collaborators include Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty members. (Photo courtesy of Suraj Mohan)
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), one of the most prevalent and costly illnesses in the beef and dairy industries, accounts for about half of all feedlot deaths in North America and costs producers as much as $900 million a year. Quickly diagnosing the illness could improve the well-being of animals and save producers significant money. Current tests don’t offer results for four or more days.
“Bovine respiratory disease can be triggered by a number of bacteria and viruses, making treatment decisions difficult. By the time a test comes back in four or five days, the disease may have killed the calf or spread to many others in the feedlot,” Dr. Verma said. “Over the next three years, we will develop a test that addresses the bacterial side and have a prototype to use in the field.”
Dr. Jennifer Koziol, clinical assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, is a co-investigator on the project. She said veterinarians currently treat BRD with antibiotics that are effective against the most common bacteria that causes the disease. But it’s possible the bacteria is resistant to the chosen antibiotic, making treatment ineffective. Expediting quick and accurate diagnoses while aiding in choosing the correct antibiotic the first time can save calf lives and reduce unnecessary antibiotic usage.
“When we have BRD going through multiple animals in the herd, we need to know exactly what bacteria we are up against and exactly which antibiotics will be useful quicker than four to five days so we can make good choices about the antibiotics we use the first time,” Dr. Koziol explained. “Having a rapid test that we can use is good for the animals and good for antibiotic stewardship.”
Dr. Verma learned about the need for better BRD testing from Aaron Ault, a senior research engineer in Purdue’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, who farms 3,200 acres of corn and soybeans and manages 3,000 head of cattle near Rochester, Ind. Ault, who will work with the team on engineering components of the technology, said he may spend weeks pulling two or three dozen sick calves per day from his herd for treatment during a bad BRD outbreak.
“The No. 1 struggle I have in farming is BRD. I believe it’s the biggest problem in the beef industry,” Ault said. “This technology can change that. But there’s also an opportunity to collect much better data about the health of our cattle through machine learning, looking at the types and amounts of bacteria normally present in a calf’s respiratory system and using that information to predict potential issues down the road.”
Dr. Verma believes the biosensor technology his team is developing for BRD could be the base technology for detecting other animal and human illnesses. Prior to receiving the USDA-NIFA IDEAS grant, Dr. Verma had started adapting the platform to identify the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Dr. Candace Croney
“To accurately diagnose a BRD infection, our sensors will need to be versatile enough to identify many bacteria and viruses,” Dr. Verma said. “It’s entirely possible we’ll be able to adapt these sensors rapidly to address other health issues, potentially even new viruses that require quick detection to prevent global pandemics.”
Dr. Deepti Pillai
In addition to Dr. Verma, Dr. Koziol and Aaron Ault, the research team includes Dr. Candace Croney, who holds a joint appointment in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology and the College of Agriculture’s Department of Animal Sciences; Dr. Deepti Pillai, clinical assistant professor of diagnostic microbiology in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology; Dr. Jacquelyn Boerman, Dr. Timothy Johnson and Dr. Jon Schoonmaker of the Department of Animal Sciences; and Dr. Hwanseok Song from Purdue’s Brian Lamb School of Communication.
The preliminary research Dr. Verma’s team conducted to obtain the $1 million USDA-NIFA grant was funded by a startup Agricultural Science and Extension for Economic Development(AgSEED) grant. AgSEED was established through Crossroads funding from the Indiana legislature to foster the state’s leadership in plant and animal agriculture and rural growth. Dr. Verma also received funding from the PI4D Indiana Disease Diagnostics Challenge.
Writer(s):
Brian Wallheimer, Purdue Agricultural Communication Service
| pvmnews@purdue.edu
For 17 years, Dr. Joe Camp faithfully and effectively taught parasitology to veterinary students as a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology. He also served as the Purdue University secretary of faculties during that time. Colleagues and former students gathered virtually on his last day at the university Tuesday, June 30 to congratulate him and wish him well on the occasion of his retirement.
Hosting the retirement celebration on the Zoom platform, Dean Reed began the virtual event by commending Dr. Camp for his record of service to the college and the university. “Joe has played a very important and absolutely essential role in our college for these last 17 years,” Dean Reed said. “I just want to thank you on behalf of the faculty, the staff, and students for your many, many contributions that you’ve given not only to the College of Veterinary Medicine but also to Purdue University. I think you’ve done just a marvelous job as secretary of faculties here at Purdue, and I know they will miss your leadership there, as we’re going to miss your leadership and your contributions here in the college.”
Dean Reed noted that Dr. Camp taught 17 classes of veterinary students during his Purdue tenure. “That’s a lot of students over the college’s 60 year history,” Dean Reed said. “Of course this is one of those bittersweet days – a day when we’re happy for your retirement because I know you’ve been making plans for a long time… and also its sad because another member of the family is leaving after such a long and distinguished career.”
Several colleagues offered their congratulations during the program, thanking Dr. Camp for his contributions, friendship, help and support, as well as for sharing his expertise in parliamentary procedure. People also expressed admiration for the example of fitness that he set as a runner, including his participation annually in the college’s Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog, held each year during the Purdue Veterinary Conference.
Prior to the virtual retirement celebration, Dr. Camp was presented with a crystal plaque featuring an engraving of the Continuum sculpture. Dr. Camp’s Department Head, Dr. Sanjeev Narayanan, also shared a letter from Purdue Provost Jay Akridge announcing the approval of Dr. Camp’s designation as Professor Emeritus.
Dr. Camp thanked everyone for their well-wishes and said he plans to keep in touch from Colorado, where he is relocating for retirement.
The commitment of Purdue University and the College of Veterinary Medicine to foster growth took center stage as Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Willie Reed recognized several faculty members during the college’s annual Promotions Celebration Wednesday, July 15. Conducted virtually, using the Zoom platform, the program honored a total of seven faculty members for being promoted or receiving special appointments.
Dean Reed opened the ceremony by emphasizing the importance of promotions in the careers of faculty members. “At Purdue University each year, well over 100 individuals are promoted,” Dean Reed said. “So it is a big step in the academic lives of our faculty.” Dean Reed explained that to be considered for promotion, a faculty member should have demonstrated excellence and scholarly productivity in at least one of three areas: discovery, learning, and engagement. “Typically the expectation is that a faculty member will show significant scholarship in more than one area. And that’s certainly the case today,” Dean Reed said.
The dossier for each faculty member being considered is evaluated first at the department-level, then at the college-level by the area promotions committee and finally at the university-level. “These faculty members have worked long and hard and achieved significant scholarship to deserve to be promoted,” Dean Reed emphasized.
Dr. Timothy Lescun
Dr. Nolie Parnell
Dr. Marije Risselada
The three faculty members promoted this year are:
To Full Professor
Dr. Timothy Lescun, large animal surgery, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
To Clinical Full Professor
Dr. Nolie Parnell, small animal internal medicine and chief of staff for the Small Animal Hospital, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
To Associate Professor
Dr. Marije Risselada, small animal soft tissue surgery, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
As the dean introduced each of the promotees, a hand-drawn illustration of the faculty member was displayed on screen for all the Zoom ceremony participants to see. The illustrations were done by Professor of Veterinary History David Williams as part of a longstanding college tradition for recognizing promoted faculty.
Dr. Candace Croney
Also honored as part of the virtual program were two faculty members recently named as University Faculty Scholars. The University Faculty Scholars Program is intended to recognize outstanding mid-career faculty who are on an accelerated path for academic distinction. Eligibility includes faculty who are at the rank of tenured associate or full professor and have held that rank for no more than five years. The awards are primarily funded by the Provost’s Office, but one unique program, called the Showalter Faculty Scholars, is funded jointly with the Showalter Foundation and specifically designated to supporting professors in the life sciences. All University Faculty Scholars are awarded for five years with an annual allocation of $10,000.
The two faculty members appointed as faculty scholars this year are:
Dr. Maggie O’Haire
University Faculty Scholar
Dr. Candace Croney, director of the Center for Animal Welfare Science and professor of animal behavior and well-being in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology, who also holds a joint appointment as professor of animal sciences in the College of Agriculture.
Showalter Faculty Scholar
Dr. Maggie O’Haire, associate professor of human-animal interaction in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology
The final two faculty members honored during the virtual ceremony were recognized for being appointed as Distinguished Professors. They are the first women faculty members named as Distinguished Professors in the college and bring the number of Distinguished Professorships in the college to four, which is highest number in PVM’s history.
Dr. Ourania Andrisani was named Distinguished Professor of Basic Medical Sciences. Dean Reed explained that she has had a distinguished career as a research scientist and is highly regarded as a national and international expert on the molecular biology of the hepatitis B virus. “Dr. Andrisani has an outstanding record of leadership in the scientific community and has served on NIH study sections for more than two decades,” Dean Reed said. He also noted that she has an excellent record of training PhD students and post-doctoral fellows; has consistently published her research in very high impact journals; and is a valued member and significant contributor to the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research. “She is very deserving of this prestigious recognition.”
Drs. Ourania Andrisani and Deborah Knapp were recognized for being named Distinguished Professors.
Dr. Deborah Knapp was appointed as Distinguished Professor of Comparative Oncology. Dean Reed described Dr. Knapp as one of the most respected and accomplished comparative oncologists in the field of veterinary oncology. “Her work on bladder cancer in dogs is highly regarded and her discoveries have had a significant impact on both animal and human health,” Dean Reed said. In her role as the Dolores L. McCall Professor of Comparative Oncology, Dr. Knapp is known for training oncology residents and has extensive collaborations with oncologists around the country. Dean Reed noted that her work on the use of Cox inhibitors has been cutting edge and has demonstrated its effectiveness in the treatment of bladder cancer in dogs, greatly extending their life expectancy. “She has made many other contributions, as we have treated the awful disease of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. She is a major contributor to the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research and she has led the comparative oncology program for over 20 years.”
Dean Willie Reed presents Dr. Marije Risselada with a custom illustration by Veterinary History Professor David Williams to commemorate her promotion to associate professor.
The Distinguished Professorship appointments were recognized by the Purdue University Board of Trustees at their meeting June 11.
As the program concluded Dean Reed thanked all of the faculty for “all that they do in the pursuit of excellence and as we pursue our next giant leap here in the college.” He added, “We had so much to celebrate this year, some really significant accomplishments—and because of our current situation we couldn’t come together to celebrate in person as we would have preferred. But this occasion is something we definitely did not want to pass by.”
The ceremony concluded with an opportunity for the honorees to share comments, as they thanked their teams and the leadership of the college for their support. Congratulations to each of these honored faculty members!
