Penn Vet | News Stories

Metropolitan Veterinary Associates and Emergency Services Joins Penn Vet Affiliates Program

Metropolitan Veterinary Associates and Emergency Services (MVA) in Valley Forge, PA, is the first specialty veterinary practice to join the Penn Vet Affiliates network. Recognized for its clinical excellence, MVA will now have increased access to Penn Vet specialists, clinical trials, advanced equipment, and diagnostic laboratories.

Penn Vet Receives $5 Million Gift to Establish the Dr. Harry Werner Professorship in Equine Medicine

A transformational gift of $5 million by the estate of Seth and Lucy Holcombe will establish the Dr. Harry Werner Professorship in Equine Medicine at New Bolton Center, the large animal hospital of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet).

Dr. Oliver Garden Joins Penn Vet as Chair of the Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia

The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) announces the appointment of Dr. Oliver Garden, BSc, BVetMed, PhD, as Chair of the Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia.

Ten Penn Professors Named AAAS Fellows for 2016

Ten professors from the University of Pennsylvania have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. They are among a class of 391 members honored for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Election as a Fellow of AAAS, the world’s largest scientific society, is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers.

Dr. Brittany Watson and Dr. Chelsea Reinhard, Penn Vet Shelter Medicine

Penn Vet Program Saves 100th Shelter Dog in Need

A five-month-old Cane Corso named Sidon was saved by Penn Vet’s Shelter Dog Specialty Medical Treatment Project, making him the 100th dog aided by the program since its launch in March 2015. The life-saving program is made possible through the generosity of the Richard Lichter Charity for Dogs.

Dr. Kyla Ortved to Discuss Equine Regenerative Medicine During Dec. 6 First Tuesday Lecture

Dr. Kyla Ortved, an orthopedic surgeon and Assistant Professor of Large Animal Surgery, will discuss stem cell research during her presentation, “Regenerative Medicine: Can We Help Our Horses Heal?”, as part of New Bolton Center’s First Tuesday Lecture series.

Penn Vet Professor’s Work in the Lab Aims to Improve Surgical Results

Oftentimes the most important scientific work is accomplished via serendipity; by following up on an unexpected finding and uncovering an entirely new area of research.

Penn Study Shows How Some Intestinal Cells Resist Chemotherapy and Radiation

When treating cancer with chemotherapy and radiation, decisions about dose must walk a fine line between attacking cancerous cells and preserving healthy ones. Overly aggressive radiation therapy to the torso, for example, can damage the epithelial cells that line the intestines, leading to chronic gastrointestinal problems.

Halloween Treats Can Lead to Horrible Tricks in Pets

Dr. Kenneth Drobatz, Chief of the Emergency Service at Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital, offers the following tips to keep pets healthy and out of the emergency room this Halloween:

Drs. John Farrar, Elliot Hersh, and Rosemary Polomano to Receive 2016 One Health Award

Dr. John T. Farrar, MD, PhD, of the Perelman School of Medicine; Dr. Elliot V. Hersh, DMD, PhD, of the School of Dental Medicine; and Dr. Rosemary Polomano, RN, PhD, of the School of Nursing Science at the University of Pennsylvania have been named the 2016 recipients of Penn’s One Health Award, recognizing their exemplary contributions to expanding interdisciplinary collaboration and improving health care for the benefit of humans, animals, and the environment.

Penn Vet Study Identifies New Mechanism for Antibacterial Immunity

The innate immune system serves as a first-line defense, responding to infections almost immediately after a pathogen makes its way into the body. This response is carried out in two major ways: the cell can amplify the message that the body has been invaded, triggering an inflammatory response to recruit other cells to help fight off the pathogen, or the cell can undergo programmed cell death in order to stop the spread of infection and perhaps even release signaling molecules that alert neighboring cells to the presence of an invader.

Dr. Kathryn Wulster to Discuss 3D Printing in Large Animal Medicine in November First Tuesday Lecture

Dr. Kathryn Wulster, Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Imaging, will discuss 3D printing and its use in large animal veterinary medicine as part of New Bolton Center’s First Tuesday Lecture series.

Penn Vet-CHOP partnership probes link between cattle and Crohn’s disease

Researchers still have a lot to learn about Crohn’s disease, a chronic form of inflammatory bowel disorder that affects as many as 700,000 Americans. It’s unknown, for example, precisely how heredity, environment, diet, and stress all interact to influence the risk of developing Crohn’s. But new insights into a possible cause of the disease are emerging from a surprising source: cattle researchers at Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

Author Maryn McKenna to Discuss Antibiotic Use in Livestock During 3rd Annual Microbiome Symposium

In the late 1940s, pharmaceutical companies seeking an additional market for newly achieved antibiotics happened on “growth promoters” – microdoses of antibiotics given to livestock that boosted the animals’ weight, got them to market faster, and jumpstarted profits for both pharma and agriculture. Today, many recognize the growth-promoter effect as a deliberate perturbation of the gut microbiome.

New Bolton Center Appoints Full-Time Radiologist to Clinical Faculty

Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center, in a commitment to expanding its imaging service, has appointed Radiologist Dr. Kathryn Wulster as Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Imaging.

Drs. Liz Arbittier, Jessica Morgan to Discuss Equine Lameness During October New Bolton Center First Tuesday Lecture

Drs. Liz Arbittier and Jessica Morgan, experts in sports medicine, will discuss evaluating and diagnosing lameness as part of New Bolton Center’s First Tuesday Lecture series.

Penn Vet Announces Class of 2020 Recipients of Commonwealth One Health Scholarships

Three first-year students from Pennsylvania have received Penn Vet’s Commonwealth One Health Scholarship, which provides a full tuition subsidy for four years at Penn Vet.

The Changing Landscape of Mosquito- and Tick-borne Diseases

Targeting Mosquito Immunity to Fight Disease

Before a mosquito can transmit a disease like dengue fever, Zika, or malaria to a human, the mosquito itself must get infected. That means the parasite or virus must find a way around the natural defenses of the insect’s immune system.

Dr. Zhengxia Dou, Penn Vet, Agricultural Systems

Penn Vet Professor Assists in Effort to Empower Smallholder Farmers

To ensure the global population is food secure, it’s estimated that food production must increase at least 50 percent by 2050. One of the best means to achieve that increase is by boosting yield, that is, producing more food on existing cropland with fewer resources.

Swine Production Facilities at New Bolton Center

Penn Vet Adds Animal Welfare Course to Curriculum as Second-Year Elective

A new course on animal welfare is available as an elective this fall to Penn Vet’s second-year students. In addition, a two-hour lecture about animal welfare will be included for the first time in the mandatory curriculum for first-year students.

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