Faculty and Staff News

View Bellwether - Spring 2022

Published: Mar 31, 2022

Drs. Amy Johnson, Christopher Lenger, and Thomas Parsons have been named to endowed professorships.

Penn Vet Announces Three New Endowed Professorships

The appointment to an endowed professorship is the highest honor that the University can bestow upon a faculty member

Amy L. Johnson, DVM, DACVIM (Large Animal Internal Medicine and Neurology) (left) has been named the Marilyn M. Simpson Associate Professor of Equine Medicine. Christopher J. Lengner, PhD (center), has been named the Harriet Ellison Woodward Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences. Thomas D. Parsons, VMD, PhD (right), has been named the Marie A. Moore Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics. All three appointments will be effective on July 1, 2022.

Three Elected as Fellows of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia

Andrew Hoffman, DVM, DSc, DACVIM (left), the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine; Mark Oyama, DVM, MSCE, ACVIM (Cardiology) (center), chair of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine; and Rebecka Hess, DVM, MSCE, ACVIM (right), professor of Internal Medicine and chief, Section of Medicine, were recognized as newly elected Fellows of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia at a reception on November 19, 2021.

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia is one of the oldest professional medical organizations in the United States. Fellows of the College are part of a distinguished legacy of leaders who have served the mission of advancing the cause of health while upholding the ideas and heritage of medicine.

Gustavo Aguirre, VMD, PhD, gave a virtual presentation on “Advances in Retinal Gene Therapy” at the Retina Iberoamérica meeting in Santiago, Chile on October 23, 2021. He published Badiei A, Beltran WA, and Aguirre GD, “Altered Transsulfuration Pathway Enzymes and Redox Homeostasis in Retinal Degenerative Diseases,” Experimental Eye Research, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2021.108902. He also published Aguirre GD and Kazacos KR, “Is It Canine DUSN? Another View of Retinopathies, Some Acquired, and Other Possibly ‘Inherited,’” Veterinary Ophthalmology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1111/vop.12951. He also published Sato Y, Gray AP, Takahashi K, Dufour V, Lutty G, Miyadera K, and Aguirre G, “Monocular Retinopathy of Prematurity-Like Retinal Vasculopathy in a Dog,” Veterinary Ophthalmology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1111/vop.12959. And he published Dufour VL, Cohen JA, Holle DM, and Aguirre GD, “Optic Nerve Colobomas Associated with Unilateral Focal Serous Retinal Detachment in a Dog – In-vivo Imaging and Outcome Following Laser Retinopexy,” Veterinary Ophthalmology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1111/vop.12948.

Gary Althouse, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, gave an invited talk on the selection and stability of antibiotics for use in gamete cell culture media at the first National Association of Animal Breeders Webinar on October 27, 2021. The event was attended by over 200 participants from 22 countries.

William Beltran, DVM, PhD, presented “Translational Retinal Gene Therapy: How Blind Dogs Have Led the Way” at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in October 2021. In addition, he presented Translational Retinal Gene Therapies: From a Dog’s Point of View, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, in December 2021, as part of the Frontiers in Vision Research Lecture series. He published Ripollés-Garcia A, Holle DM, Cohen JA, Beltran WA, and Aguirre GD, “Retinal Structural and Microvascular Abnormalities in Retinal Dysplasia,” Veterinary Ophthalmology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1111/vop.12952. He also published Ripollés-Garcia A, Ruthel G, Ying G-S; Chen Y, Cuenca N, Aguirre GD, and Beltran WA, “Characterization of the Canine Retinal Vasculature with Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography: Comparisons with Histology and Fluorescein Angiography,” Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnana.2021.785249. In addition, he published Oztürk BE, Johnson ME, Kleyman M, Turunç S, He J, Jabalameli S, Xi Z, Visel M, Dufour VL, Iwabe S, Marinho, L, Aguirre GD, Sahel J-A, Schaffer DV, Pfenning AR, Flannery JG, Beltran WA, Stauffer WR, and Byrne LC, “scAAVengr, a TranscriptomeBased Pipeline for Quantitative Ranking of Engineered AAVs with Single-Cell Resolution,” eLife, 2021, https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.64175.

Josh Benson was promoted to advanced imaging technical specialist at New Bolton Center.

Andres Blanco, PhD, published Yan F, Li J, Milosevic J, Petroni R, Liu S, Shi Z, Yuan S, Reynaga JM, Qi Y, Rico J, Yu S, Liu Y, Rokudai S, Palmisiano N, Meyer SE, Sung PJ, Wan L, Lan F, Garcia BA, Stanger BZ, Sykes DB, and Blanco MA, “KAT6A and ENL Form an Epigenetic Transcriptional Control Module to Drive Critical Leukemogenic Gene Expression Programs,” Cancer Discovery, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1158/2159-8290.CD-20-1459. He also published Blanco MA, Sykes DB, Gu L, Wu M, Petroni R, Karnik R, Wawer M, Rico J, Li H, Jacobus WD, Jambhekar A, Cheloufi S, Meissner A, Hochedlinger K, Scadden DT, and Shi Y, “Chromatin State Barriers Support an Irreversible Cell Fate Decision,” Cell Reports, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109967.

Ashley Boyle, DVM, DACVIM, presented on strangles at the Western Veterinary Conference in September 2021 as well as the 11th International Equine Infectious Disease Conference (IEIDC) in October 2021.

Leonardo Brito, DVM, PhD, was a member of the committee for the Master of Science thesis defense “Ovarian response and embryo production of cows superstimulated with different FSH regimens and inseminated with conventional or sex-sorted spermatozoa” from the University of Sao Paulo ESALQ, Brazil. He also presented “Advances in Sexed Semen Production” for the Agro-Sciences graduate program at the University of La Salle Bogota, Colombia, and “Nutrition and Sexual Development in Bulls” during the International Symposium of Ruminant Nutrition and Reproduction from the Universidade do Oeste Paulista, Brazil.

Stephen Cole, VMD, MS, DACVM, presented “What Can I Catch from That Doggie in the Window: Multidrug Resistant Organisms in Companion Animals” at the Infectious Disease Society of America’s IDWeek. In addition, he published Cole S and Rankin S, “Characterization of 2 Klebsiella Pneumoniae Carbapenemase (KPC)-Producing Enterobacterales Isolated from Canine Rectal Swabs,” Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1177/10406387211065501. He also published Cole SD, Harvey BK, Shea E, and Bradley CW, “Amycolatopsis spp. Infection with Correlative Histopathology from the Paw of a Cat,” Veterinary Dermatology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1111/vde.13047.

Tabitha Crothers was promoted to lead midnight nurse at New Bolton Center.

Zhengxia Dou, PhD, has been awarded a $1 million USDA grant for Developing Novel Feeds via Bioprocessing of Food Waste and Crop Residue Biomass to Support Sustainable Dairy Production. This threeyear project will focus on developing methods to produce feed or feed supplements for dairy cattle from food waste and crop residues. Dou and fellow investigators will study different procedures for fermentation using specific fungi and bacteria, and will evaluate the impact of incorporating these new feeds on the health, rumen microbial population, methane emission, and milking performance of cows, as well as on overall environmental impact and carbon footprint.

Raimon Duran-Struuck, DVM, PhD, DACLAM, published Matar AJ, Crepeau RL, and DuranStruuck R, “Noninvasive Imaging for the Diagnosis of Acute Rejection in Transplantation: The Next Frontier,” Transplant Immunology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trim.2021.101431. He also published Matar AJ, Crepeau RL, and Duran-Struuck R, “Cellular Immunotherapies in Preclinical Large Animal Models of Transplantation,” Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbmt.2020.09.032.

Diane R. Eigner, VMD, MBA, began a one-year term as the president of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care on January 1, 2022.

Brian Flesner, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), is a collaborator on Development of a Veterinary PET/CT Consortium for Multiinstitutional Clinical Trials. Penn Vet is one of six institutions involved in the project. The proposal aims to harmonize PET endpoints at the various sites, promoting veterinary patients with naturally occurring tumors as models for translational imaging. Dr. Lynn Griffin, a board-certified radiologist at Colorado State University, is the principal investigator. Flesner’s Penn Vet co-collaborator is Jenny Lenz. Joel Karp leads the PennPET Explorer and is also a study co-investigator. In addition, Flesner was appointed as associate professor of Clinical Oncology and Clinical Trials, as of November 1, 2021. He will also facilitate development and completion of oncology clinical trials and as such was named the director of oncology clinical trials in the Penn Vet Cancer Center. He also published Flesner BK, Torres BT, Hutcheson KD, Rindt H, Zalcman AR, and Maitz CA, “A Pilot Study of Cancer-Induced Bone Pain Using Validated Owner Questionnaires, Serum N-Telopeptide Concentration, Kinetic Analysis, and PET/CT,” Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.637195.

Erick Gagne, PhD, published Bashor L, Gagne RB, Bosco-Lauth AM, Bowen RA, Stenglein M, and VandeWoude S, “SARS-CoV-2 Evolution in Animals Suggests Mechanisms for Rapid Variant Selection,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2105253118.

Hannah Galantino-Homer, VMD, PhD, DACTC, published Holl HM, Armstrong C, Galantino-Homer H, and Brooks SA, “Transcriptome Diversity and Differential Expression in Supporting Limb Laminitis,” Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetimm.2021.110353. She also published Cassimeris L, Armstrong C, Burger QC, Stokes S, van Eps A, and GalantinoHomer H, “Continuous Digital Hypothermia Reduces Expression of Keratin 17 and 1L-17A Inflammatory Pathway Mediators in Equine Laminitis Induced by Hyperinsulinemia,” Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetimm.2021.110326. In addition, in November 2021, she presented a talk for lay horsepeople, “Why Do Horses Get Laminitis?” as part of the On Course Equine Nutrition lecture series hosted by Natalie Sullivan, MS, PAS.

Alexa Gray, PhD, presented “Applicability of a Handheld Portable Electroretinography Unit in the Characterization of RPGRIP1ins44-pra/crd Canine Model,” at the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists meeting in Indianapolis, September–October 2021.

Fuyu Guan, PhD, presented “Artificial Intelligence-Aided Untargeted Detection of Doping Agents in Biological Samples” at the 69th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics in Philadelphia, on November 3, 2021.

Bethany Healy was promoted to administrative manager to the hospital director and Clinical Services at New Bolton Center.

Suzanne (“Suzy”) Hindman retired on April 1, 2022, after 58 years of continuous service. Suzy worked at New Bolton Center as a histotechnologist, a skill she learned in the United States Army. Hired in 1964, she was one the longest-term employees of Penn Vet. Her dedication to her specialty and loyalty to the pathology section was unparalleled. Suzy often worked weekends and holidays to ensure continuity of service. She is voracious reader and an avid vegetable gardener, and she will continue to do so during her well-earned retirement.

Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, PhD, DACT, received the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 2020 Research Award in December 2021 during the AAEP’s annual convention.

Gayle Joseph, senior research resources manager, retired at the end of January. Joseph came to Penn Vet after having worked for John Trojanowski, Virginia Lee, and Yvonne Paterson at Perelman School of Medicine. In addition to her role running the Office of Research and Academic Resources, Joseph contributed to work related to research at Penn Vet. She transformed Student Research Day into an all-afternoon event with both oral presentations and poster sessions, made important contributions to the Research Retreat, and developed the Research Newsletter, which became a quarterly publication.

Adrienne Malchione was promoted to supervisor of field service support Staff at New Bolton Center.

Jay Mallory was promoted to manager of the Clinical Laboratory at New Bolton Center.

Nicola Mason, BVetMed, PhD and Don Siegel, MD, PhD, cofounded Vetigenics, an animal health biopharmaceutical company, in 2017. Recently named Startup of the Year 2021 by the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Center for Innovation, Vetigenics has introduced the first entirely canine phage display technology, as well as a growing portfolio of CANIBODY™ immunomodulators in various stages of production and testing to treat cancer, infections and immune-mediated chronic diseases. The company has also been accepted into the competitive awards-based Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and has entered into an extension of a collaborative discovery partnership with Merck Animal Health.

Michael May, PhD, published McCorkell KA, Jayachandran N, Cully MD, Freund-Brown J, Weinkopff T, Monslow J, Hu Y, Puré E, Freedman BD, Alvarez JI, Cancro MP, and May MJ, “Lymph Node Formation and B Cell Homeostasis Require IKK-α in Distinct Endothelial Cell–Derived Compartments,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2100195118.

Kathryn Minacci was promoted to supervisor of sports medicine and imaging technicians at New Bolton Center.

Andrew Modzelewski, PhD, was appointed assistant professor of molecular biology and biomedical Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences.

Luca Musante, PhD, was appointed director of the Extracellular Vesicle Core Facility.

Cynthia Otto, DVM, PhD, as lead investigator of the 9/11 Medical Surveillance Study, studies the short- and long-term health and behavioral effects to dogs deployed at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and the Fresh Kills Landfill at Staten Island. Otto has been awarded the Asa Mays, DVM, Excellence in Canine Health Research Award from the AKC Canine Health Foundation. The award is given biennially to a researcher who advances canine health.

Mark Oyama, DVM, MSCE, DACVIM (Cardiology) was appointed to chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine after serving as interim chair.

Meghann Pierdon, VMD, spoke at the Meat and Egg meeting in December 2021 about coryza and backyard birds. In addition, she was highlighted in the January issue of the Journal of Swine Health and Production as a member of the editorial board. She published Horback K, McVey C, and Pierdon M, “Association Patterns across Multiple Gestation Cycles within a Dynamic Sow Pen,” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105426.

Dipti Pitta, PhD, was promoted to associate professor with tenure. In addition, she presented “Application of Precision Technologies on Livestock Farms” at the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases at Chicago in December 2021. She published Pitta DW, Melgar A, Hristov AN, Indugu N, Narayan KS, Pappalardo C, Hennessy ML, Vecchiarelli B, Kaplan-Shabtai V, Kindermann M, and Walker N, “Temporal Changes in Total and Metabolically Active Ruminal Methanogens in Dairy Cows Supplemented with 3-nitrooxypropanol,” Journal of Dairy Science, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19862. She also published Kaplan-Shabtai V, Indugu N, Hennessy ML, Vecchiarelli B, Bender JS, Stefanovski D, Lage CFA, Räisänen SE, Melgar A, Nedelkov K, Fetter ME, Fernandez A, Spitzer A, Hristov AN, and Pitta DW, “Using Structural Equation Modeling to Understand Interactions Between Bacterial and Archaeal Populations and Volatile Fatty Acid Proportions in the Rumen,” Frontiers in Microbiology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.611951. And she published Indugu N, Hennessy ML, Shabtai-Kaplan VS, Lage CFA, Räisänen SE, Melgar A, Nedelkov K, Chen X, Oh J, Vecchiarelli B, Bender JS, Hristov AN, and Pitta DW, “Comparing Noninvasive Sampling Techniques with Standard Cannula Sampling Method for Ruminal Microbial Analysis,” JDS Communications, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2021-0094.

Lauren Powell, PhD, published Powell L, Reinhard CL, Serpell J, and Watson B, “A Survey of Veterinary Student and Veterinarian Perceptions of Shelter Medicine Employment,” Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme-2021-0112. She also published Powell L, Houlihan C, Stone M, Gitlin I, Xuke J, Reinhard CL, and Watson B, “Animal Shelters’ Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Survey of 14 Shelters in the Northeastern United States,” Animals, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092669. And she published Powell L, Duffy DL, Kruger KA, Watson B, and Serpell JA, “Relinquishing Owners Underestimate Their Dog’s Behavioral Problems: Deception or Lack of Knowledge?” Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.734973. In addition, she published Powell L, Reinhard CL, Satriale D, Morris M, Serpell J, and Watson B, “The Impact of Returning a Pet to the Shelter on Future Animal Adoptions,” Scientific Reports, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05101-5.

Laurel Redding, VMD, PhD, DACVPM, published Redding L, Huang E, Ryave J, Webb T, Barnhart D, Baker L, Bender J, Kristula M, and Kellya D, “Clostridioides difficile on Dairy Farms and Potential Risk to Dairy Farm Workers,” Anaerobe, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anaerobe.2021.102353. She also published Anis E, Barnart D, Barnard A, Kelly DJ, and Redding LE, “Performance of Commercial PCR Assays to Detect Toxigenic Clostridioides difficile in the Feces of Puppies,” Veterinary Medicine and Science, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.567. She also published Rule EK, Boyle AG, and Redding LE, “Antimicrobial Prescribing Patterns in Equine Ambulatory Practice,” Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105411. She also published Redding LE, Parsons B, and Bender JS, “Educational Interventions to Address Misconceptions about Antibiotic Residues in Milk Can Alter Consumer Perceptions and May Affect Purchasing Habits,” Journal of Dairy Science, 2021, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20595. She also published Chua KP, Perrone JM, Redding LE, Brummett CM, and Bohnert AS, “US Trends in the Receipt of Controlled Substance Prescriptions from Multiple Veterinarians, 2014–2019,” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, forthcoming. She also published Redding LE, Berry AS, Indugu N, Huang E, Beiting DP, and Pitta D, “Gut Microbiota Features Associated with Clostridioides difficile Colonization in Dairy Calves,” PLOS One, 2021.

Ana Ripollés-Garcia, PhD, presented “Applicability of a Handheld Portable Electroretinography Unit in the Characterization of RPGRIP1ins44-pra/crd Canine Model” at the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists meeting in Indianapolis, September–October 2021. Ripollés-Garcia is affiliated with the Beltran lab.

Antonia Rotolo, MD, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Nicola Mason's lab, has brought her experience and expertise in human hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and adoptive cell therapies using invariant natural killer T cells (iNKTs) to the veterinary arena. Rotolo has demonstrated the existence of functional iNKTs in the dog and their biological similarity with human iNKTs and is now elucidating their mechanisms of function in vivo. Her work will inform both canine and human clinical trials using allogeneic iNKT adoptive cell therapies for successful cancer immunotherapy and transplantation. The quality and relevance of Rotolo’s studies have been independently recognized by the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT), the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT), and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). Her work was accepted for an oral presentation at the EBMT 2022 annual meeting, and poster presentation at the 2022 tandem meetings of the ASTCT and CIBMTR.

Yu Sato, PhD, presented “Variation in Disease Phenotype in Outcrossed PRCD Affected Dogs: In Vivo Optical Coherence Tomography and Electroretinography” at the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists meeting in Indianapolis, September–October 2021. Sato is affiliated with the Beltran lab.

James Serpell, PhD, was awarded the 2022 Shomer Ethics Award by the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics. The award is given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the field of veterinary medical ethics through scholarship, advocacy, or mentorship.

Tej Pratap Singh, PhD, published Singh TP, Carvalho AM, Sacramento LA, Grice EA, and Scott P, “Microbiota Instruct IL-17A-Producing Innate Lymphoid Cells to Promote Skin Inflammation in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis,” PLOS Pathogens, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1009693.

Catherine Torcivia, VMD, was awarded the credentials of Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist by the Animal Behavior Society’s Board of Professional Certification.

Charles Vite, DVM, PhD, joined the Board of Trustees of The Seeing Eye.

Jeremy Wang, MD, PhD, presented the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) research award lecture, “Regulation of Meiosis in Mice,” at the 54th SSR Annual Conference in St. Louis, December 15–19, 2021. He published Guan Y and Wang PJ, “Golden Opportunity for piRNA in Female Fertility,” Nature Cell Biology, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-021-00749-z. He also published Liu R, Kasowitz SD, Homolka D, Leu NA, Shaked JT, Ruthel G, Jain D, Lin H, Keeney S, Luo M, Pillai RS, and Wang PJ, “YTHDC2 Is Essential for Pachytene Progression and Prevents Aberrant MicrotubuleDriven Telomere Clustering in Male Meiosis,” Cell Reports, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110110.

Grants

Gustavo Aguirre, VMD, PhD, received a $417,043 R-01 EY-06855 grant from the National Eye Institute for Models for Therapy of Hereditary Retinal Degeneration. The grant spans from December 1, 2021 to November 30, 2022. His collaborator is Keiko Miyadera, DVM, PhD. He also received a $205,000 grant from the Van Sloun Fund for Canine Genetic Research to cover direct costs for four years to fund the Sylvia M. Van Sloun Laboratory for Canine Genomic Analysis. His collaborator is Leonardo Murgiano, PhD.

William Beltran, DVM, PhD, received a $454,637 grant from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (U-24 NEI Subaward EY-029890) for Canine Retinal Disease Models for Translational Photoreceptor Regeneration. The grant spans from September 1, 2021 to August 30, 2022. He also received a $150,000 grant from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (NEI Subaward EY-029890) as an equipment administrative supplement. The grant spans from September 1, 2021 to August 30, 2022.

Andres Blanco, PhD, received a $200,000 grant from the Margaret Q. Landenberger Research Foundation to study the role of the histone acetyltransferase KAT6A in promoting acute myeloid leukemia. The goals are to uncover the molecular, epigenetic mechanisms by which KAT6A blocks the differentiation of AML cells, and determine the potential of KAT6A as a therapeutic target in AML. The grant spans from November 2021 to November 2023. He also received a $50,000 grant from the AACR to determine the efficacy of targeting the histone acetyltransferase KAT6A, alone or in combination therapy regimens, for differentiation therapy of acute myeloid leukemia. The grant spans from November 2021 to November 2022.

Molly Church, VMD, PhD, DACVP, received a $24,900 grant from the Clinical and Translational Science Award One Health Alliance for Development of Standardized, Multi-institutional Biorepository for Canine Biological Fluids. The grant spans from November 2021 to November 2022. Her collaborators are at UC Davis and the University of Wisconsin.

Stephen Cole, VMD, MS, DACVM, received a $74,510 FDA-U18FD007506 grant for Create a Path: Prevalence at Teaching Hospitals of CRE in Veterinary Patients through Passive Surveillance. The grant spans from September 2021 to August 2022.

Brian Flesner, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), received a $17,122 Clinical and Translational Science Award (COHA) for quantitative analysis showing the ability of the Vet PET/CT-C to harmonize the measured values obtained from images of uniform and NEMA phantoms across multiple facilities involved in the project, no matter the technology used. The grant spans from October 2021 to October 2022. Flesner is affiliated with PennPET Explorer. His collaborators are Jenny Lenz and Joel Karp.

Erick Gagne, PhD, received a $387,966 grant from the Pennsylvania Game Commission to improve knowledge of disease impacts on turkey survival and nest success. The grant spans from July 2021 to June 2025. Gagne is affiliated with the Wildlife Futures Program. His collaborator is Eman Anis, PhD.

Meghann Pierdon, VMD, received a $41,649 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for Origins of the Piglet Gut Microbiome: Using Samples from the Sow and the Environment as Well as Milk Metabolomics to Investigate the Source of the Piglet Gut Microbiome. The grant spans from September 2021 to June 2022. Her collaborator is Daniel Beiting, PhD.

Dipti Pitta, PhD, received a $325,000 grant from DSM Nutritional Products, Kaiseraugst, Switzerland for the Effect of 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), a Persistent Methane Inhibitor, on the Ruminal Microbiota in Dairy Cows with Distinct Microbial Syntrophic Clusters. The grant spans 18 months, from 2022 to 2023. Her collaborators are Drs. Linda Baker and Joe Bender. She also received a $34,500 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for Understanding the Role of the Microbiome-GutBrain Axis to Improve the Health and Welfare of Dairy Calves. The grant spans from September 2021 to June 2022. Her collaborators are Drs. Baker, Bender, Michaela Kristula, Billy Smith, and Meghann Pierdon. She also received a $650,000 USDANIFA/AFRI grant for Modulating Inflammation during the PeriParturient Period: Understanding the Link Between Rumen Microbiome and Inflammation. This was awarded to Dr. Adrian Barragan as the primary investigator and Pitta as the co-primary investigator. The grant spans from January 2022 to December 2024. Her collaborators are Drs. Barragan and Ernest Hovingh from Pennsylvania State University and Dr. Joe Bender from the University of Pennsylvania. She also received a $89,500 grant from the Pennsylvania Center for Livestock and Poultry Excellence for Deciphering the Role of Gut Microbiome in Reducing Haemonchus Contortus Infection in PA’s Small Ruminant Herds. The grant spans from January 2022 to June 2023. Her collaborators are Drs. Kristula, Smith, Dipastina, and Posbergh (Montana State University).

Lauren Powell, PhD, received a $29,631 grant from Nestlé Purina PetCare to support a research project investigating the characteristics, motivations, and experiences of foster caregivers at animal shelters. The grant spans from January 2022 to December 2023. She is affiliated with Shelter Medicine. Her collaborators are Brittany Watson, Chelsea Reinhard, and James Serpell.

Laurel Redding, VMD, PhD, DACVPM, received a $52,722 grant from the Human Animal Research Bond Institute to investigate whether the microbiome of pets and their owners co-evolve following antibiotic therapy. The grant spans from September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2023. She also received a $21,275 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to study the effects of dietary zinc on the prevalence of C. difficile in gestating sows, pre-fresh cows, piglets, and dairy calves; genetic variation in C. difficile in sows, piglets, cows, and calves; and the phenotypic characteristics of C. difficile isolated from these animals, including toxin production, motility, germination, sporulation, biofilm formation, and resistance to secondary bile acids. The grant spans from September 2021 through June 2022.

Kotaro Sasaki, MD, PhD, received a $1,354,140 ($833,317 direct) NIH 1U01DA054170-01 grant for Advancing Brain Health Research through Male Germline Editing in Marmosets. The grant spans from August 1, 2023 to May 31, 2026.

Zebin Xiao, MD, PhD, was awarded a CRI4168 Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Cancer Research Institute for Impact of FAP+ Stromal Cell Depletion on the Immune Landscape of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. The grant spans from January 2022 through December 2024. Xiao is affiliated with the Puré Lab.