Penn Vet Research Centers

Scientists at the School of Veterinary Medicine performed pioneering studies in the development of transgenic techniques and were responsible for production of the first transgenic mouse (Ralph Brinster, B.S., V.M.D., Ph.D) and farm animals.

Capitalizing on years of foundation research, the Center for Animal Transgenesis and Germ Cell Research was established in 1998. The primary mission was to undertake innovative research on stem cell biology, germ cell development, and animal transgenesis.

Techniques have been developed to enable the modification of individual genes in animals and plants and thereby precisely alter inherited traits. These genetically altered animals and plants are called transgenic and are of enormous value in medicine and agriculture.

An improved understanding of the basic processes governing germ cell and embryo development and of the biology of gametes (sperm and oocytes) and embryonic stem cells will enable us to improve reproductive efficiency, generate animal models of human and animal disease and help provide the knowledge base for regenerative medicine, as well as toward the treatment of infertility.

The center provides a platform for intellectual interactions to facilitate research in reproductive biology across the school and the campus.

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The Penn Vet Center for Host-Microbial Interactions (CHMI) formed in 2013 as an interdisciplinary center that helps faculty leverage cutting-edge genomic approaches to understand how microbes (viruses, bacteria and parasites) influence animal health and disease. These so-called ‘host-microbial interactions’ represent an ongoing evolutionary arms-race between mammals and the microbial world we live in. 

Most people are familiar with well-known viral infections caused by influenza, ebola; or bacterial infections caused by Salmonella or E. coli.  In each case, these pathogens can spread from animals to people, highlighting the notion that humans, animals, and our environment are inextricably connected by infectious diseases — a concept termed ‘One-Health’. 

In the past few years it has become increasingly clear that just as there are microbes that cause disease, there are also beneficial microbes that are crucial in maintaining health.  Beneficial bacteria colonize our gut, skin and urogenital tract at birth and these complex microbial communities - termed a microbiome - develop just as our organ systems develop.  

Researchers at Penn Vet, with assistance from CHMI, are actively studying the role of these the microbiome in animal diseases ranging from atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, to mental health.

Our mission is to better understand and treat disease through the study of microbes and the diverse ways animals respond to viruses, bacteria and parasites.

Our Goals:

• Establish an internationally recognized center that is the first of its kind at veterinary schools
• Engage the broader Penn Vet community in host-microbial research that leverages ‘omic approaches
• Develop stronger ties across schools at UPenn
• Leverage spontaneous animal models of disease commonly seen at the Penn Vet Ryan Hospital
• Establish a convenient ‘in-house’ solution for Penn Vet labs to analyze complex data sets that result from systematic studies of gene expression, microbial whole-genome sequencing, and the composition of microbial communities living on animals.

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The Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society (CIAS) was established to provide a forum for addressing the many practical and moral issues arising from the interactions of animals and society. The study of human-animal interactions—sometimes known as Anthrozoology—is still a new and developing field that straddles the boundaries between traditional academic disciplines. The CIAS therefore strives for an interdisciplinary approach and the involvement of scholars and researchers from a wide variety of different backgrounds and interests.

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Located at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, the Center for Stewardship Agriculture and Food Security operates at the intersection of agriculture, the environment, and emerging societal challenges. We are reimagining animal agricultural systems to secure a livable, sustainable, and more equitable future.

The Center is an integral resource to national and global stakeholders dedicated to safeguarding animal and human health, agricultural production, ecosystems, food and nutrition security, and bolstering disaster resilience through its collective of multidisciplinary experts.

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The Mari Lowe Center for Comparative Oncology Research (MLCCO) was established in 1994 as a result of an endowment from the estate of Miss Elizabeth Lowe. Members of the Mari Lowe Center represent all four departments of the School of Veterinary Medicine. The Center acts as a facilitator and works closely with other centers within the School and across the University of Pennsylvania to develop broad-based clinical oncology and interdisciplinary cancer research and training programs.

The Center’s mission is to develop a multidisciplinary program in oncology that exploits small animal spontaneous tumor models for use in understanding basic mechanisms of cancers and their treatment.

This program is envisioned to also develop diagnostic and treatment modalities beneficial to both animal and human patients.

Components of the program include basic, translational, and clinical research activities, and development of training programs in oncology. Members of MLCCO represent all four departments of the School of Veterinary Medicine. The Mari Lowe Center closely collaborates with the colleagues from the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania and Comparative Oncology Research Group.

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The Penn Vet Cancer Center bridges the laboratory and the clinic for a collaborative approach to cancer’s biggest questions. The result is new dialogue and integrated frameworks that move toward one shared goal: the prevention and treatment of cancer in all species. Read More About The Penn Vet Cancer Center

Established in 2007, the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine and serves as a national research and development center for detection dogs.

With the United States national security under constant threat from attacks, detection dogs are still the best tool that we have to detect and mitigate potential threats. Search dogs are also critical for the detection of victims of natural and man-made disasters.

Our goal is to increase collaborative research, scientific assessment, and shared knowledge and application of the newest scientific findings and veterinary expertise to optimize production of valuable detection dogs. 

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Today the US swine industry finds itself confronted with rapidly changing public opinion and policy on how gestating sows should be housed. Penn Vet is uniquely positioned to provide the industry with relevant scientific data collected from this living laboratory. Read More About The Swine Teaching and Research Center

The Veterinary Clinical Investigations Center (VCIC) at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine is an internationally recognized clinical research organization. 

In collaboration with industry sponsors, Penn Vet clinicians, and partner academic centers, the Penn Vet VCIC team supports the design, coordination, and efficient implementation of veterinary clinical trials designed to identify novel approaches to disease diagnosis, management, and prevention.

The Center has long established relationships with leaders in the veterinary pharmaceutical industry as well as collaborative partnerships with other innovative academic centers. In addition to performing clinical trials, the VCIC offers an extensive menu of clinical research operations services including:

• Clinical trial project management
• Recruiting and marketing strategies
• Trial site selection and monitoring
• Record auditing
• Data quality assurance and control

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Medical genetics is the broad field of science that deals with the role of genes in disease. This involves the identification and characterization of genes that cause disease, as well as the application of genetic knowledge to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of genetic diseases. Genetic diseases include disorders in which a single gene mutation is both necessary and sufficient to cause the disease, as well as complex disorders involving the interactions of multiple genes and other factors.

Essentially all of the genetic diseases that occur in humans can be expected to occur in other mammals due to the basic homology between the human genome and the genomes of other mammalian species. However, the recognition of genetic disorders in animals depends upon the degree of medical surveillance utilized and the amount of family information that is available. Domestic animals, particularly the dog and cat, are a rich source of potential models because they are examined by veterinarians for individual diseases at a level that is comparable to human medicine.

The Walter Flato Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics (CCMG) is designed to foster interdisciplinary research and research training in this field through the development of shared resources. The investigators focus their research primarily on naturally-occurring genetic diseases of animals that are true homologs of human genetic diseases.

Read More About The Walter Flato Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics