Tracy Bale, PhD, associate professor of neuroscience, received the Society for Women’s Health Research Medtronic Prize for Scientific Contributions to Women’s Health in May.

Manuel Boller, Dr. med. vet., DACVECC was a speaker at the ACVIM conference in New Orleans where he spoke about Reassessment Campaign on Veterinary Resuscitation (RECOVER) initiative, which aims to analyze current CPR practices in veterinary medicine and generate practical consensus guidelines for CPR in dogs and cats.

Ralph L. Brinster, VMD, PhD recently earned the first Career Excellence in Theriogenology Award from The Theriogenology Foundation.

Sherrill Davison, VMD, MS, MBA was nominated and elected by the members of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association to serve as vice president for 2012. She will serve as president-elect in 2013 and president in 2014.

Marie Fecteau, DVM, assistant professor of food animal medicine and surgery, gave two invited lectures and presented a research poster at the 11th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, in Sydney, Australia in February.

Third-year resident Bill Gilsenan, VMD has passed the ACVIM certifying examination in large animal internal medicine.

Third-year medicine resident Michelle Harris, VMD has passed the ACVIM certifying examination in large animal internal medicine.

Mark Haskins, VMD, MS, PhD was mentioned in The Puppy Diaries, a book written by Jill Abramson, executive director of the New York Times. One of Abramson’s dogs, Dinah, was diagnosed with Krabbe disease. Abramson agreed to work with Dr. Haskins’ lab for testing and observation as Dinah lived out her life with the disease.

Tom Kaufmann joined the Penn Vet IT staff and provides support for administration and research.

M. Paula Larenza, DVM, Dr.med.vet., DECVAA, assistant professor of anesthesiology, was awarded a PhD from the University of Bern, Switzerland. Dr. Larneza’s thesis title was “Pharmacological aspects of S-ketamine in the equine species.” She was also invited to lecture at the Veterinary School of the Andres Bello University, Santiago, Chile on equine anesthesia for the second consecutive year.

Gordon Ruthel, PhD has joined Penn Vet as the manager for the Imaging Core Facility. Dr. Ruthel most recently managed a high end imaging core facility at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRID).

Luiz Santos, DVM, MVSc has joined Penn Vet as a research associate in anesthesia. Dr. Santos is spending the majority of his time conducting research, but also participates in clinical services and teaching in the Department of Clinical Studies at New Bolton Center.

James Serpell, PhD, director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society, was an invited lecturer on the history and ethics of animal-assisted therapeutic interventions at the WSAVA/FECAVA/BSAVA World Congress in Birmingham, UK in April. In addition, Dr. Serpell was invited to give a B. F. Skinner Invited Lecture at the 38th Annual Convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), which was held in Seattle in May.

Dr. Gail Smith, along with Georga Karbe, Kim Agnello and Mischa McDonald-Lynch, recently authored a chapter for the textbook, Veterinary Surgery: Small Animal entitled “Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Control of Canine Hip Dysplasia.”

Jackie Watson, a technician at the Hofmann Center for Large Animal Reproduction at New Bolton Center, earned a bachelor’s in psychology and animal science.

John Williams joined the Penn Vet IT staff to support Ryan Hospital and AV needs.

Deaths

Dr. Douglass (Dougie) Kirk, former assistant professor at Penn Vet, on December 27, 2011 

Student Spotlight

Nikki Wright

Penn Vet’s A. Nikki Wright was recently named the recipient of the John Pitts Award by the Student American Veterinary Medical Association.

Named for Dr. John Pitts, one of the founders of SAVMA, the award was established to honor a veterinary student who has provided exemplary service to the profession.

“I am extremely honored and humbled to have been chosen as the 2012 recipient and I am very proud to represent Penn in this capacity,” she said.

Nikki’s peers nominated her based on her dedication to supporting diversity at Penn Vet and beyond.

Writes Sabrina Geer, Nikki’s nominator, “Nikki Wright is an emerging leader in the veterinary profession. She has a passionate personality and is extremely committed in her service to our community, the profession and the world.”

Nikki is the president of the Penn Vet LGBT Q & Allies club as well as co-president of Veterinary Students as One in Culture and Ethnicity (VOICE). At VOICE, Nikki founded and implemented the K-12 outreach program, Vet Ambassadors, in which vet students talk with children in inner city schools, serving as mentors.

Also at Penn Vet, Nikki is a student member of the admissions committee and has participated in a trip to Haiti with World Vets. She is now working to develop a sustainable micro-finance goat production system there.

Nikki serves as a SAVMA delegate and on its Integrative Communication and Diversity Committee, founding the national Broad Spectrum (LGTB Q) Veterinary Student Organization and participates in the SAVMA legislative fly-in.

Rob Sigafoos

Rob Sigafoos, inventor of the glue-on horseshoe, was inducted into the Farrier Hall of Fame in February. Sigafoos was the chief of Farrier Services at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center from 1983-2006. He was among three farriers and three equine veterinarians from around the world honored for their “passion and dedication to promoting hoof care.” Sigafoos became known for his innovative approach utilizing glue-on horseshoes and synthetic polymers for hoof reconstruction. His work resulted in three patents and the establishment of the Applied Polymer Research Laboratory for the development of new materials and techniques for rehabilitation of the distal limb, now under the direction of the current chief of Farrier Services, Patrick Reilly.

John Maher

Penn Vet Board of Overseers member and Pennsylvania Representative John Maher, chair, House Agriculture Committee, has been named Humane Legislator of the Year by the Humane Society of the United States.

Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president, said in a statement, “We are grateful for Representative Maher’s resourcefulness on animal protection issues and for his resiliency in the face of opposition.”

In his role as state representative and on the House Agriculture Committee, John has illustrated an unwavering commitment to promoting animal welfare and to Penn Vet where he has been instrumental in assisting with the appropriation process in Harrisburg.

Jerome Rosenthal

Penn Vet Board of Overseers member Jerome “Jerry” Rosenthal was honored recently by Project Animal Worldwide (PAW) at a gala event and fundraiser. Jerry is the executive director of the Monmouth County SPCA. He has been on the Board of the Monmouth County SPCA since 2008. Since becoming Executive Director of the SPCA in February 2012, Jerry has made tremendous inroads in many programs at the shelter.

In April, the MCSPCA celebrated the grand opening of the Homeward Bound Adoption Center in the Freehold Raceway Mall. Jerry has been instrumental in forging a partnership between the MCSPCA and Project Animal Worldwide.