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March 2020 - Vol. 15, No. 3

<February 2020 | April 2020>


Top Stories


COVID-19 UPDATE

Following directives from the administration at Kansas State University, the College of Veterinary Medicine is on limited operations status through the end of the semester as a strategy to minimize the risk of exposing anyone to coronavirus. This means the campus is closed and university activities are canceled or postponed till further notice.

Curriculum for the first three years of instruction is being delivered to students online. Fortunately, most of the laboratory instruction is already completed for the semester. Clinical instruction for fourth-year students in the Veterinary Health Center is limited to pressing/urgent/emergency cases only. The Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory remains operational to ensure continuity of support for NAHLN, Rabies testing, producers and clients.

Kansas State University has created a dedicated COVID-19 web page where more information and updates can be found. The link for this page is also posted on the College of Veterinary Medicine’s home page . We will share updates with the public when any new information becomes available.

 

Faculty license technology for coronavirus and norovirus compounds

By Erin Pennington

Drs. KC Chang and Yunjeong Kim

Amid increasing worldwide concern about a novel coronavirus, COVID-19, Kansas State University has licensed a technology through a research collaboration in the College of Veterinary Medicine that may lead to the production of an antiviral drug to treat coronaviruses and noroviruses.

 

 

CVM hosts annual Phi Zeta Research Day

By Piper Brandt

Students present posters at annual Phi Zeta Research Day

The College of Veterinary Medicine celebrated student research projects with the annual Phi Zeta Research Day on Tuesday, March 3.

Phi Zeta Research Day spotlights the research efforts of graduate students who are working toward a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Master of Science, Master of Public Health and/or a doctorate in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

 

 

Second-year student receives international veterinary scholarship

Second-year student Emily Eppler

Emily Eppler, second-year veterinary student from Manhattan, is one of 54 veterinary students selected from around the world to receive a $5,000 scholarship supported through a partnership between Merck Animal Health and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF).

 

More Headlines

 

CVM discontinuing GRE requirement for admissions

By Cheyenne Swoope

The college is dropping the Graduate Record Examination as a requirement of its application process beginning with the 2020-2021 application cycle. At the January 2020 faculty meeting, voting constituents elected to adjust the admissions procedures, including elimination of the GRE as a requirement of the college's comprehensive application process.

 

 

New research improves understanding of nanomedicine for cancer treatment

By Piper Brandt

Yi-Hsien Cheng, left, and Zhoumeng Lin, authors of the study, used a modeling and simulation approach to research the efficiency of nanomedicine for cancer treatment.

A new study from researchers with the CVM reports the current progress and limitations of using nanoparticle-based drug formulations to treat cancer. Nanoparticles — tiny particles between 1 and 100 nanometers in size — can be used to deliver medication directly to cancer cells.

 

 

College launches one-year master's degree program in biomedical science

Dr. Matt Basel instructs students on use of resources in microanatomy lab

Students interested in professional health careers now have an option to earn a master's degree that can be completed in one calendar year. The College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University has announced the launch of a new one-year master's degree in biomedical science.

 

 

News from the Center for Emerging Animal and Zoonotic Animal Diseases

By Bill Felber

Dr. Juergen Richt gets interviewed on local TV

A new diagnostic test developed by CEEZAD researchers, in collaboration with Silver Lake Research Compact, to fight the spread of African Swine Fever is getting important attention within the animal health community. Dr. Juergen Richt, Director of CEEZAD, was interviewed Feb. 24 in Washington by Elaine Reyes of China Global Television Network (CGTN).

 

 

 

VMAA Ad - It's Not Too Late to Join

 

 

Regular features

 

Alumni Events, Development and Continuing Education

VMAA logo The Veterinary Medical Alumni Association organizes alumni receptions at several of the national annual conferences plus continuing education events and more. This month's section includes the monthly listings of recently departed alumni and links to their obituaries, plus a new link for submitting nominations for Alumni Recognition Awards.

 

 

News Ticker

 

More activities and accomplishments in the College of Veterinary Medicine:

The Kansas State University Veterinary Health Center Dispensary announced it now has two technicians certified in Technician Product Verification (TPV). Joyce Nietfeld, CPhT (Pharmacy Manager) and Molly Carstenson, B.S., CPhT, CSPT (Compounding Manager) have both passed their national exam for this credential. The TPV Certificate demonstrates their skill in safeguarding patients from dispensing errors and expresses their commitment to excellence as pharmacy technicians. The dispensary is elated to be able to bring this level of training, service and safety to its patients. Both Joyce and Molly completed a 15 hour training program, which is a requirement to be eligible to sit for the national examination.

Alex Zabiegala, class of 2022, was awarded the prestigious AVMA/AVMF 2nd Chance Award. This will allow her to conduct research this summer with Dr. KC Chang. Last summer, Alex was a member of our Veterinary Research Scholars Program (VRSP), and with this funding she will be able to participate in VRSP for a second summer. She will receive funding ($6,000) as a stipend and for travel to the National Veterinary Scholar Symposium in San Diego in July. Alex is also interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in feline virology with Dr. Chang.

Anatomy and Physiology Ph.D. students, Andrew Curtis and Miriam Martin, presented their research at the American Society of Animal Science Midwest Meeting, as well as at Cattlemen’s Day. Andrew presented research on “A Subcutaneous Anaplasmosis Vaccine Implant” and Miriam presented on “An Assessment of the Diagnostic Sensitivity and Specificity of Pain Biomarkers in Cattle Using ROC Curves.”

Andrew Curtis and Miriam Martin
Andrew Curtis and Miriam Martin present research posters at the American Society of Animal Science Midwest Meeting.

Dr. Megan Niederwerder was an invited speaker at the Michigan Professional Pork Producers Symposium in Lansing, Michigan, on Feb. 20, where she delivered two talks. The titles of her talks were "Gut Microbiome and Respiratory Health" and "Risk of Foreign Animal Disease in Feed." Dr. Niederwerder was also recently featured by BioNexus KC on it's "Expert Exchange" page to talk about seeking ways to prevent swine epidemics:

The 2020 Dog N Jog 5K & 10K and 1-mile Pup Trot originally scheduled Saturday, April 4 has been canceled!

EquiFest of Kansas is one of the largest equine trade shows in the Midwest. It has been held in Topeka since 2016 but was held in Salina this year. The breed exhibitions featured more than 12 different breeds and associations. There were many workshop speakers, arena demonstrations, and a horse judging competition during the event. Drs. Katie Delph and Dylan Lutter provided live demos. Drs. Chris Blevins and Jason Grady attended/helped with the event along with Alison Brunner, Jamie Maike, veterinary assistants; Westley Daily, veterinary nurse; Ashley VanMeter, nurse supervisor; and fourth-year students Ashley Anderson and Nicole Hansen.

Dr. Jason Grady, Jamie Maike, Nicole Hansen, and Ashley Anderson at EquiFest
From left: Dr. Jason Grady, Jamie Maike, Nicole Hansen, and Ashley Anderson.
AAVMC group
The AAVMC Competency-Based Veterinary Education (CBVE) Working Group was presented with the AAVMC Presidential Award for Meritorious Service at the AAVMC Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., for the recognition of their service to the CBVE Working Group. Dean Bonnie Rush is pictured at far left.

This year, 36 participants completed the 2019-2020 AAVMC Leadership Academy. They participated in three face-to-face meetings in Indianapolis in September, at Texas A&M in December and in Washington, D.C. in March, as well as peer mentoring calls and activities. The program was comprehensive and included speakers on adaptive leadership, emotional intelligence, effective teams, strategic thinking in disruptive times, conflict management, fundraising and development, resilience and well-being, as well as communication, media and advocacy training. Seven ACVP diplomates among the 36 participants are photographed below.

ACVP group
From left: Drs. Jamie Henningson, Tim Snider, Oklahoma State University; Krista La Perle, Ohio State University; Amanda Fales-Williams, Iowa State University; Marilène Paquet, Université de Montréal; Pompei Bolfa, Ross University; and Melinda Wilkerson, St. George’s University.

Technician Internships offered at KSVDL for Summer 2020

Explore a Career in Veterinary Diagnostic Medicine

KSVDL internship

Are you looking to gain more experience in veterinary diagnostic medicine or explore your career options?

The Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KSVDL) is offering multiple paid technician internships for Summer 2020. This competitive program offers individuals the opportunity to gain experience and training within the KSVDL, as well as observe career possibilities in our laboratories first-hand.

The technical internships are open to both students and non-students. This includes individuals enrolled in universities, community colleges, certificate programs and technical schools as well as recent graduates and individuals looking to expand their career options.

To apply, please submit the following items with the subject line: Summer Internship Opportunities at KSVDL

  • letter of interest
  • resume
  • letter of recommendation

Applications must be submitted to:

Dr. Barbara Lutjemeier
blutjeme@vet.k-state.edu
913-522-4183

Dr. Sasha Thomason
sthomason@vet.k-state.edu
785-340-5046

Shawna Fitzwater
sshawna@vet.k-state.edu
785-473-6539

 

New Arrivals/Recent Departures

 

Lifelines is published each month by the Marketing and Communications Office at the College of Veterinary Medicine. The editors are Joe Montgomery, jmontgom@vet.k-state.edu, and Piper Brandt, pnbrandt@vet.k-state.edu.

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