Penn Vet | News Stories

Penn Vet’s Katrin Hinrichs Receives Honorary Doctorate from Ghent University, Belgium

Ghent University in Belgium has presented an honorary doctorate to Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, PhD, DACT, whose pioneering research in the field of equine assisted reproductive technology (ART) has transformed the state of equine reproductive practice around the world.

Pfizer Chairman, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Albert Bourla named as Penn Vet’s 2021 Commencement Speaker

Albert Bourla, DVM, PhD, will deliver the address at the 2021 University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) Commencement to be held virtually on Monday, May 17, 2021.

From animals to people and back again

Last month, it was gorillas. Before that, it was mink. And earlier still, tigers and lions. All of these species have been confirmed to have had a diagnosis of COVID-19, infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Two public health crises-COVID-19 and racism

Penn Vet Announces Appointment of First Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer

[February 1, 2021; Philadelphia, PA] The School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Vet) today announced the appointment of Roderick J. Gilbert as the School’s first Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer.

Hyemi Sevening Named Associate Dean for Institutional Advancement at Penn Vet

[January 13, 2021; PHILADELPHIA] The School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Vet) has named Hyemi Sevening, a senior fundraising professional with more than 17 years of development experience, as its new Associate Dean for Institutional Advancement. Her appointment will begin on January 19, 2021.

Gut cells sound the alarm when parasites invade

To effectively combat an infection, the body first has to sense it’s been invaded, and then the affected tissue must send signals to corral resources to fight the intruder.

Penn Vet’s Gustavo D. Aguirre Wins the Sanford and Susan Greenberg Prize for Ending Blindness

Penn Vet's Dr/ Gustavo D. Aguirre is the recipient of the Sanford and Susan Greenberg End Blindness Outstanding Achievement Prize which distinguishes scientists for their groundbreaking medical contributions to eradicate blindness.

AAEP Bestows Research Award upon Renowned Theriogenologist Dr. Katrin Hinrichs

The American Association of Equine Practitioners presented the 2020 AAEP Research Award to Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, Ph.D., DACT, whose pioneering research in the field of equine assisted reproductive techniques (ART) has transformed the state of equine reproductive practice around the world.

Penn Vet’s Dean W. Richardson Awarded Prestigious ACVS Honor for Career Achievement

Penn Vet's Dr. Dean W. Richardson has been selected as the recipient of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) prestigious ACVS Founders’ Award for Career Achievement.

Inaugural Penn Vet New Bolton Center, MARS Equestrian™ research program to accelerate transformative advancements in equine musculoskeletal health

Together with MARS Equestrian™, the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) has launched an innovative educational research program dedicated to advancing critical frontiers in equine health.

Parasitic worms offer ‘the missing link’ on the dual nature of a key immune regulator

De’Broski Herbert has a philosophy that’s guided his career researching helminths, or parasitic worms, and their interaction with their hosts’ immune systems: “Follow the worm.”

Five Penn faculty elected to the National Academy of Medicine

Five faculty members from Penn have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), one of the nation’s highest honors in the fields of health and medicine, including Penn Vet's Dr. William Beltran.

Dr. Robert R. Marshak -- in memoriam

The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine announced that Dean Emeritus Robert R. Marshak died peacefully on October 20, 2020 at Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse. He was 97.

In paleontology, Peter Dodson is a king begetting kings

Many people go through a dinosaur phase, which may end around age 5. But Peter Dodson, a paleontologist in the School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Arts & Sciences, in his eighth decade, remains enthralled by the long-extinct creatures. And he has spent his career nurturing the interests and scholarly pursuits of others who share his passion.

Novel canine scent detection program holds promise in PA’s fight against Spotted Lanternfly

A new pilot training program from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) points to a promising solution in Pennsylvania’s efforts to thwart the Spotted Lanternfly. By utilizing scent detection dogs to identify Spotted Lanternfly egg masses, Penn Vet researchers hope to proactively neutralize the destructive insects before they become a fully realized threat as a mature adult.

Creating ‘Farms of the Future’: New Penn-led webinar series to host grassroots discussions about sustainable, regenerative agriculture

A new virtual symposium series presented by the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet), in collaboration with PennPraxis, the community engagement arm at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design, will explore the advantages, challenges, and opportunities surrounding animal agriculture and food production systems within Pennsylvania, the surrounding region, and across the United States.

Penn Vet Expands Timely Dual Degree Programming During COVID-19 Pandemic

Interdisciplinary education is the bedrock of new academic programs forming at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet). Today Penn Vet announced that it has created and received approval for two distinctive dual degree programs with the University of Pennsylvania’s (Penn) School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) and the School of Arts and Sciences.

Progress toward a treatment for Krabbe disease

In one out of 100,000 infants, a mutation in the GALC gene causes an incurable, always fatal disorder known as infantile Krabbe disease, or globoid cell leukodystrophy. Most children with the condition die before they turn 2.

Poultry in a pandemic: Getting the facts on keeping backyard flocks

With the COVID-19 pandemic wearing on, many Americans are turning to raising poultry to fill their extra time at home. While raising backyard birds is a great idea – whether for food, for educational purposes, or as a hobby – the influx of new flocks has put humans, as well as the birds they care for, at risk of Salmonella sickness.

Getting gene therapy to the brain

A lone genetic mutation can cause a life-changing disorder with effects on multiple body systems. Lysosomal storage diseases, for example, of which there are dozens, arise due to single mutations that affect production of critical enzymes required to metabolize large molecules in cells. These disorders affect multiple organs including, notably, the brain, causing intellectual disability of varying degrees.

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