The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine was in the spotlight at the North American Veterinary Community’s (NAVC) annual VMX Conference, which was held January 19-23 in Orlando, Fla. On Sunday night, January 20, more than 75 Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumni turned out for the Purdue Alumni Reception held at the Hyatt Regency. The alumni enjoyed the opportunity to catch-up with classmates and colleagues and hear an update on the College from Dean Willie Reed.
Earlier in the day Sunday, Purdue Veterinary Medicine and Elanco Animal Health co-hosted the Elanco Human-Animal Bond Lecture at a luncheon in the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) South. Dr. Evan MacLean, assistant professor in the School of Anthropology at the University of Arizona and director of the Arizona Canine Cognition Center, spoke on the topic “Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Social Behavior in Dogs.” More than 200 attended the presentation, which covered research done in the last decade investigating how these hormones play a role in dog behavior and dog interaction with humans. Dr. MacLean received his PhD in evolutionary anthropology from Duke University in 2012, where he was a James B. Duke Fellow. His research integrates methods from evolutionary biology and comparative psychology to address questions about the cognitive mechanisms through which animals solve complex problems, the processes through which cognition evolves, and how studies of animal behavior and cognition can improve the methods through which animals are selected, bred, and trained for roles in society. In addition to his work on animal behavior and cognition, Dr. MacLean studies the biological mechanisms involved in human-animal interaction, with a focus on oxytocinergic and vasopressinergic pathways.