Left to right: Dean Andrew Hoffman, Kotaro Sasaki, and Christopher Lengner
Kotaro Sasaki, MD, PhD, has been named the Richard King Mellon Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Sasaki’s research is focused on the development and pathophysiology of urogenital and reproductive organ systems; his laboratory is advancing the understanding of human infertility, reproduction, and endocrinology. He possesses an exceptional record of academic accomplishments. His work on converting stem cells into male germ cells, and understanding how the human body generates spermatozoa, was awarded an Open Philanthropy grant of $2,585,990 in addition to grants from the NIH and other funding agencies. He is a recipient of the Endocrine Society’s 2023 Early Investigator Award, which supports early-career investigators in endocrine-related research; the 2023 Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence; and the 2023 ENS@T Award for best scientific work in the field of adrenal tumors.
The awarding of a named, endowed professorship is the highest honor bestowed upon a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania and reflects a commitment to scientific discovery, mentorship, and academic service.
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The Pew Charitable Trusts has named Louise H. Moncla, PhD, a 2024 Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Moncla is Penn Vet’s first Pew Scholar. Her research will reconstruct how avian influenza viruses accumulate mutations that allow them to jump from birds to humans.
This year’s Pew scholars were chosen from 198 applicants nominated by leading researchers and academic institutions throughout the United States. Dr. Moncla joins a community of more than 1,000 scientists who have received awards from Pew since 1985.
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Boris Striepen, PhD, achieved the exceptional honor of receiving a Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A MERIT Award is provided to support the principal scientific endeavor of an investigator who has demonstrated superior competence and outstanding productivity. These awards enable NIH institutes to give investigators with stellar records of research accomplishment a five-year award with the possibility of extending the initial award for up to five additional years without the usual competitive review. This award will support Dr. Striepen’s Genetic Analysis of Cryptosporidium project, which was first supported in 2014, and is now in its third round of funding. This project produced a breakthrough in genetic engineering for the Cryptosporidium parasite and several other key advances.
Dr. Dipti Pitta Receives More than Half a Million Dollars to Study Reducing Methane Emissions in Dairy Cattle
Dipti Pitta, MVSc, PhD, has received a $508,884 grant from Gerstner Philanthropies to support her continuing work to imprint the rumen function and prevent methanogen colonization in dairy calves, with the potential of permanently curbing methane emissions from dairy herds in the United States. This study represents a vital step towards developing novel microbial interventions to not only curb methane emissions but also to improve the performance of the American dairy system and the sustainability of animal agriculture.
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Dr. Stephen Cole Presents to Presidential Advisory Council on Antimicrobial Resistance
Stephen D. Cole, VMD, presented his work on carbapenem-resistant organisms in companion animals at a meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combatting Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB) on May 21, 2024. The PACCARB is a federal advisory council that provides advice, information, and recommendations on all things related to antimicrobial resistance to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) in close consultation with the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Defense (DoD). Federal advisory councils are a way for the federal government to use the knowledge of non-federal subject matter experts to help support and inform federal policies and actions in an open and public forum.
Dr. Sue McDonnell Receives 2024 NAEAA Don Henneke Educational Impact Award
The National Association of Equine Affiliated Academics (NAEAA) has named Sue McDonnell, PhD, adjunct professor of reproductive behavior and founding head of Penn Vet’s equine behavior program, the 2024 recipient of the Don Henneke Educational Impact Award.
The Don Henneke Award recognizes individuals who have had a sustained, industry-wide, national and/or international impact on education or educational practices within the equine industry. Dr. McDonnell was selected for her substantial body of research and knowledge on equine behavior, which has advanced the understanding and application of evidence-based practices within the horse sector.
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Dr. Nicola Mason Receives Alan Kelly International Achievement Award
Nicola J. Mason, BVetMed, PhD, is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Alan Kelly International Achievement Award, which is presented to an individual who is currently involved in world-class innovation in canine health and welfare research. The $100K prize is intended to finance future projects and to reward the winner’s outstanding contribution to canine health and welfare. The award is part of The International Canine Health Awards, which are granted by The Kennel Club Charitable Trust.
PETRL Receives Full Re-Accreditation by A2LA
The Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology and Research Laboratory (PETRL), directed by Mary A. Robinson, VMD, PhD, has been fully re-accredited by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) to ISO/IEC 17025 to perform chemical testing. In addition, characterization/identification of unknown samples in a variety of matrices has been added to the laboratory's scope of accreditation. The accreditation is valid June 5, 2024—May 31, 2026.
Established in 1978, A2LA is among the largest accreditation bodies in the world and the only independent, 501(c)3, non-profit, internationally recognized accreditation body in the United States that offers a full range of comprehensive conformity assessment accreditation services.
Dr. Chris Hunter Delivers Distinguished Lecture at Immunology2024
Christopher A. Hunter, BSc, PhD, delivered a Distinguished Lecture at Immunology2024, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists, on May 4, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Hunter’s presentation was entitled, From parasites to mRNA vaccines: cytokine networks that dictate T cell tempo.
Dr. Lauren Powell Receives the Animals Young Investigator Award
Lauren R. Powell, PhD, is the recipient of the 2023 Animals Young Investigator Award. Animals is a PubMed-indexed, international, peer-reviewed journal affiliated with the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine (ECAWBM), and the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA). The Young Investigator Award was established to acknowledge the achievements of young investigators in different fields of study involving animals, including zoology, ethnozoology, animal science, animal ethics, and animal welfare.
Dr. Katie Bardales Receives ACVIM Resident Research Abstract Award
Kathleen Bardales, DVM, is the recipient of an ACVIM Resident Research Abstract Award for her abstract, Transcriptional profiling of the immune tumor microenvironment in canine cutaneous mast cell tumors. The award was presented at the 2024 ACVIM Forum in Minneapolis. Dr. Bardales is mentored by Drs. Matthew J. Atherton, Jennifer Lenz, and Charles-Antoine Assenmacher.
Dr. Jared Crofts Receives JAVMA Journal Award
Jared L. Crofts, DVM, received a 2024 JAVMA Interns Journal Award for his publication, Increased incidence and shift in the location of gunshot wound injuries in dogs and cats during the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-authors include members of Dr. Crofts’ Emergency and Critical Care team, which was led by Erica L. Reineke, VMD.
Dr. Rebecka Hess Has Joined the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Rebecka S. Hess, MSCE, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, has joined Penn’s Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB). The CCEB is an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental program that links clinical epidemiology and biostatistics within the Perelman School of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and the Penn community. The Center exists to improve the health of individuals, communities, and populations through rigorous, innovative research and training.
Members of the Canine Cancer Crushers team begin to congregate before the 5K run/walk.
Steps to Cure Sarcoma 5K Raises More than $250,000 for Research
The 10th annual Steps to Cure Sarcoma fundraiser was held at Wilson Farm Park in Wayne, PA, on Sunday, May 19, 2024. Initiated in 2014, the 5K walk/run has raised more than $1 million for basic and translational sarcoma research being performed at the Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Runners and walkers from Penn Vet’s Comparative Immunotherapy Program team, the Canine Cancer Crushers, joined more than 50 other teams and collectively raised more than $250,000 for sarcoma research! Two canine cancer immunotherapy projects are being supported by the sarcoma program at Penn, and will hopefully lead to the implementation of two clinical trials in dogs with osteosarcoma that will benefit both canine and human patients.
Pat Wiedman, accompanied by his dog Batman, speaks at the Steps to Cure Sarcoma event. Batman received an experimental vaccine at Penn Vet in 2018 that aimed to prevent recurrence of his osteosarcoma. He is doing very well 6 years on, and the same vaccine is now being evaluated in a clinical trial in pediatric human patients with relapsed metastatic osteosarcoma.