Monthly Newsletter

Dr. James Roush was appointed to the position of associate dean for academic programs and student success for his commitment to CVM students.

Dr. Roush has been a faculty member at the College of Veterinary Medicine since 1989. He was appointed as the Doughman Professor of Small Animal Surgery in 2004 and has had this professorship renewed four times since the initial appointment. Dr. Roush is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and holds a master’s degree from the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which he earned in 1988. In 2020, he was named among the “World's Top 2% Scientists” by Stanford University, chosen on the basis of research publications and citations by other scientists.

Dean Bonnie Rush said, “I am delighted to have Dr. Roush join the College of Veterinary Medicine administrative team permanently and look forward to working with him to advance the mission of the college. Dr. Roush helped CVM faculty and students navigate the lockdown portion of the pandemic and the rest of the school year under circumstances of distancing and hybrid learning. He is committed to student success with a strong passion for developing excellence in educating future veterinarians.”

“I am honored by the recognition and support for what this College administration, faculty, staff, and students has accomplished together over the past 18 months while I served in the interim position,” Dr. Roush said. “I look forward to our continued progress while I serve as the Associate Dean of Academic Programs and Student Success.”

Dr. Roush teaches veterinary surgery and an ethics and jurisprudence course for third-year veterinary students and clinical small animal orthopedic surgery for fourth-year students at K-State. He has also taught at the Nebraska School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, St. Georges University (as a visiting professor), and the University of Wisconsin, the latter where he completed a residency and then served as a clinical instructor. He has trained nearly 50 resident and interns in surgery and small animal internal medicine.

Dr. Roush’s research interests include bone healing and blood supply; osteoarthritis and articular cartilage healing; and gait analysis. He has 49 funded research grants over 120 scholarly publications, 25 book chapters for academic textbooks and given over 100 national, regional and local presentations on veterinary surgery and advanced animal care.

Dr. Roush is a member of the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians, since 1991; American College of Veterinary Surgeons, since 1990; American Veterinary Medical Association since 1983; Veterinary Orthopedic Society from 1987 to 1998 and the American Veterinary Dental Society, from 1987 to 1990.

Dr. Kyeong-OK "KC" Chang, virologist, recently received a $3.7 million grant to further development of COVID-19 therapeutic treatment.

Dr. Kyeong-Ok "KC" Chang, a virologist at the College of Veterinary Medicine, is the principal investigator for the project, "Small Molecule Inhibitors Against 3C-Like Protease of SARS-CoV-2." The project's goal is to complete development of a drug for preclinical studies, ultimately leading to a COVID-19-specific antiviral therapeutic treatment.

"There is currently an urgent and unmet need for the discovery and development of antiviral therapeutics for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19," Dr. Chang said.

Dr. Yunjeong Kim, a virologist from Kansas State University, serves as co-principal investigator along with Drs. William C. Groutas, a medicinal chemist at Wichita State University; Stanley Perlman, a professor of microbiology and immunology from the University of Iowa; and Scott Lovell, a structural biologist at the University of Kansas.

Dr. Chang's group has been working on antiviral drug development against both human and animal coronaviruses for over a decade, with a focus on protease inhibitors.

"Recent advances of our efforts on the drug development include identification of potent compounds effective against SARS-CoV-2 confirmed by cell culture testing, X-ray co-crystallography and an animal model," Dr. Chang said.

Drs. Chang and Kim, along with Groutas and Perlman recently published new findings on SARS-CoV-2 treatment options.

"Drs. Chang and Kim have over 30 years of collective experience investigating coronaviruses and other similar viruses," said Dr. Derek Mosier, department head of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. "They have established a well-deserved international reputation for research excellence and discovery, so their recent success comes as no surprise. Their contributions to the research efforts of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Kansas State University are invaluable."

Volunteers from the College of Veterinary Medicine shared their expertise at Everybody Counts, an outreach event in Manhattan.

The purpose of Everybody Counts is to provide much needed no-cost services to the most vulnerable population in the Manhattan area. The event provides dental care, medical care and a variety of social services from local organizations, school district representatives and other community organizations.

A team consisting of about 40 volunteers, including veterinary students, nurses and veterinarians, participated at the Everybody Counts and served more than 50 pets. To provide an extra level of safety, the volunteers wore masks as a public health measure to help prevent spread of COVID-19. Pet owners invited to attend this event are those without a primary care veterinarian and cannot afford veterinary care elsewhere.

"It's truly a wonderful event," said Dr. Kate KuKanich, professor of small animal medicine. "We are honored that our K-State College of Veterinary Medicine can join Everybody Counts and make a positive difference on the health and human-animal bond of the pets and families in need in our community. By demonstrating to our veterinary students the wonderful local impact we can have when we give back, I hope to inspire them too to lead community events to benefit their neighbors throughout Kansas and beyond, wherever their future veterinary careers take them."

"It was a remarkable day," said Dr. Elizabeth Davis, head of the clinical sciences department and interim director for the Veterinary Health Center. "So many generous people in our program volunteered their time and expertise to help others in need by providing veterinary services to maintain the health of community pets. We were fortunate to be joined by several volunteers external to the college who also contributed to this important community service need, these individuals included both Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and registered veterinary technician professionals who helped make the event a huge success again in 2021."

The College of Veterinary Medicine team performed physical examinations, vaccinations and preventative care. Products were donated by generous pharmaceutical and nutrition/pet food corporations.

"We are so proud of all of those who volunteered their time and talent to this event," said Dr. Bonnie Rush, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. "By joining this event, we hope we were able to foster well-being through ownership of healthy pets and minimize transfer of zoonotic disease in our community."

"There are many excellent faculty researchers who mentor scholars in this program, both within the College of Veterinary Medicine and across the Kansas State University campus," said Dr. Kate KuKanich, professor of small animal internal medicine and director of the Veterinary Research Scholars Program. "Scholars work with their mentors day-to-day to learn laboratory techniques and various procedures for data collection, and participate in weekly journal clubs and interactive workshops to learn about research ethics, how to present research findings and veterinary career opportunities involving research."

This year, the competitive three-month summer program hosted 23 students who were then paired with faculty researchers.

"The goal of the Veterinary Research Scholars Program is to introduce veterinary students to biomedical research through an engaging summer experience and to encourage these talented veterinary professional students to enter veterinary careers involving research," Dr. KuKanich said. "At the end of the summer, scholars presented their research posters for K-State faculty and research colleagues, students, alumni, and corporate friends and donors. We were delighted to present an inaugural mentoring award to Dr. Natalia Cernicchiaro, who was nominated by Stephen Edache, a visiting scholar from Nigeria."

The mentoring award is sponsored by Elanco and includes a $1,000 stipend for the recipient.

"We had a number of excellent mentors nominated, confirming the strength of our mentor pool and the dedication of our mentors to their scholars and the VRSP, and we are so appreciative of Elanco for their support," Dr. KuKanich said.

Dr. Cernicchiaro, an associate professor of epidemiology, mentored Edache's project, which focused on how a preharvest fermentation product can reduce salmonella in cattle lymph nodes. Edache plans to return to K-State to work on a master's degree with Dr. Cernicchiaro after he completes his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine studies in Nigeria.

"I am truly honored and grateful to be the recipient of this inaugural award," Dr. Cernicchiaro said. "I have been extremely fortunate to work with brilliant and hard-working VRSP students over the years, and this year was no exception. The VRSP not only gives students an introduction to research but also faculty the possibility to attract and recruit very talented students for a graduate research program."

"We support the VRSP at K-State because we appreciate the role dedicated mentors make helping scholars be more successful and influence their potential career in research," said Ernst Heinen, vice president of clinical operations and technical development at Elanco, who was present to congratulate Dr. Cernicchiaro.

Other student projects this year included the use of various pharmaceutical substances to relieve pain in different species, analysis of SARS-CoV-2, vector-borne disease transmission and more.

Students, national veterinary leaders and veterinary college deans attending the recent celebration of the U.S.-China Joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program at Kansas State University.

"This past year brought unusual challenges due to the global spread of COVID-19," said Dr. Bonnie Rush, dean of the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine. "We normally bring a class of four to six Chinese students to the K-State campus to complete a one year of pre-veterinary studies so they can be acclimated to studying in the United States. Afterward, the students may apply to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs at K-State or one of the four other participating U.S. veterinary colleges. This year, the pre-vet students had to remain in China and participate in a hybrid system of online learning and virtual meetings. We were really pleased that they were finally able to be on campus for the next step in their educational journeys."

The U.S.-China Center for Animal Health at K-State provides scholarships to cover the first year of pre-veterinary tuition and five years of student activities through funding from Zoetis, Yebio Bioengineering and Banfield Pet Hospital. The China Scholarship Council supports four years of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program tuition and living stipends for five years.

As a precaution, the guest list was shortened for this year's homecoming and included Drs. Jose Arce, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association; Andrew McCabe, president of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges; Beth Sabin, director of global outreach for the American Veterinary Medical Association; Molly McCue, a 2000 K-State veterinary graduate who serves as associate dean of research at the University of Minnesota veterinary college; and Daniel Grooms, dean of veterinary medicine at Iowa State University.

Drs. McCabe and Grooms each presented leadership seminars during the meeting. Dr. Sabin gave a presentation about the American Veterinary Medical Association's global outreach program and plus an overview of an externship previously held by five previous students.

There were progress reports from one new graduate and 14 of the students who just finished their pre-veterinary year with K-State or are currently working on their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at K-State, the University of Minnesota, Iowa State University and University of Georgia. One of the pre-veterinary students will begin Doctor of Veterinary Medicine studies at the University of Missouri this fall.

As a surprise, Dr. Grooms presented a white coat to new Iowa State veterinary student Xingyi Tang, who couldn't attend the school's formal White Coat Ceremony.

Drs. Jishu Shi, director of the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health, explained the broader implications and expectations of the U.S.-China Joint Doctor Veterinary Medicine Program, and Frank Blecha, associate dean of research at the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine, served as the emcee for the two-day event.

In an ordinary year, the homecoming extends invitations to veterinary leaders from China and the industry partners that sponsor the joint DVM program. Dr. Shi said he hopes next year's homecoming will return to a normal level of participation.

A Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine student examines a horse. The college is accepting applications for its Early Admission Program starting Aug. 1.

The college's Early Admission Program is accepting applications beginning Aug. 1 and running through Feb. 1, 2022, after which interviews occur and selections will be announced.

The program is open to high school seniors who have been admitted as undergraduate students to K-State with an interest in veterinary medicine and a 29 or above composite ACT score — or SAT equivalent. Students must currently be enrolled in high school and plan to attend K-State in the fall semester following their high school graduation.

"The goal of the Early Admission Program is to recruit exceptional candidates for admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine and provide unique experiences that guide students toward advanced clinical and research training to produce future leaders in veterinary medicine," said Dr. Caroline Rost, assistant dean for admissions.

Brittany Kovar, K-State fourth-year veterinary student from Manhattan, said being accepted into the Early Admission Program was a huge weight off her shoulders.

"Knowing I wanted to pursue veterinary school, ideally at K-State, being accepted into the program allowed me to worry a little bit less about this step in my journey," Kovar said. "Not having to worry about my acceptance into veterinary school allowed me to focus more on clinical experiences and hands-on skills."

Students admitted to the Early Admission Program qualify for myriad learning experiences and opportunities before and throughout their time in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

"When I was a part of the program before beginning veterinary school, we had picnics with our veterinary school mentors and the opportunity to shadow them in the hospital and the classroom," Kovar said. "Through all of that, I was able to network and receive recommendations for different clinical experiences. My mentor in the early admissions program is somebody I still communicate with occasionally and they will absolutely be a close contact when I get into practice after graduation."

More information about the program and how to apply is online at vet.k-state.edu/admissions/early-admit.

Middle schoolers participate in a canine lab and learn how to perform examinations.

A high school student takes a sample from a fistulated cow named Copper.

Elementary school students prepare to take samples from a fistulated cow.

A student takes a look at a ball python from the CVM herpetarium.

Dr. Gregory Hammer named recipient of 2021 AVMA Award

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) today named former association President and CVM graduate Dr. Gregory Hammer, K-State DVM class of 1973, as the winner of the 2021 AVMA Award.

Established in 1931, this award recognizes distinguished members of the association who have contributed to the advancement of veterinary medicine in its organizational aspects, exerting outstanding leadership in building stronger local, state, or regional associations, or contributing to the improvement of the national organization.

“It would be hard to find another veterinarian who has been as active and involved in volunteer leadership, from the local to national level, as Greg Hammer,” said Dr. Douglas Kratt, president of the AVMA. “From joining the Delaware Veterinary Medical Association shortly after graduating veterinary school all the way to his election as president of the AVMA in 2007, Dr. Hammer has given so much of his time, energy and expertise to the profession, and is a most-deserving winner of the AVMA Award.”

See the full story here.

Dr. James Kenyon receives 2021 Alumni Recognition Award

Dr. James Kenyon, Cedar Falls, Iowa, is the recipient of the 2021 Alumni Recognition Award presented during an alumni reception being held in Kansas City, Missouri, Aug. 28 in conjunction with the annual Fetch dvm360 Conference. The award is given to veterinarians in grateful recognition for time and effort devoted to advancing veterinary medicine and for being an exemplary role model for future alumni in a professional and community setting.

Dr. Kenyon grew up on a farm caring for cattle, pigs, chickens, and horses in Graham County, Kansas, and graduated from Bogue Rural High School in 1966, one of a class of six people. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree at Kansas State University in 1975.

Dr. Elizabeth Davis, right, presents the 2021 Alumni Recognition Award to Dr. Kenyon at the alumni reception in Kansas City.

See Dr. Kenyon's full bio here.

CVM to honor Dr. J. David Wheat at Western Veterinary Conference

Dr. J. David Wheat, Arcadia, California has been selected by the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine and its Veterinary Medical Alumni Association to receive a 2021 Alumni Recognition Award. The award will be presented Sept. 7 in conjunction with the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas in recognition of his career in veterinary medicine and for having served as an exemplary role model for future alumni in a professional and community setting.

Dr. Wheat grew up in Manhattan, Kansas, where his father was a genetics professor for 30 years at Kansas State University. Having a keen interest in horses, he spent several years as a wrangler at Rock Springs Ranch, southwest of Junction City. Dr. Wheat earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science and industry in 1976 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1980, both at Kansas State University.

Read Dr. Wheat's full bio here.

Welcome to:

Dr. Haileigh Avellar, Clinical Sciences, Clinical Assistant Professor
Dr. Matthew Tanner, Clinical Sciences, Clinical Assistant Professor
Shawna Fitzwater, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Research Assistant
Dr. Ashley Bowyer, Veterinary Health Center, Intern
Dr. Kara Hiebert, Veterinary Health Center, Intern
Dr. Karen Hernandez Guzman, Veterinary Health Center, Intern
Dr. Jasmine Sarvi, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 1
Dr. Savannah Basham, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 1
Dr. Morgan Johnson, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 1
Dr. John Whittaker, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 1
Dr. Jocelyn Stedman, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 1
Dr. Anastasia McHaney, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 1
Dr. Mariajesus Soula, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 1
Amy Thornburrow, Veterinary Health Center, Program/Project Assistant
Kathleen Schmelzle, Veterinary Health Center, Veterinary Assistant
Ashley Loff, Veterinary Health Center, Veterinary Assistant
Erin Strathe, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Research Associate
Dr. Erin Schirtzinger, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Research Assistant Professor
Samantha Howell-Barie, Veterinary Health Center, Animal Technician I
Morgan Reves, Veterinary Health Center, Animal Technician I
Randi Smith, Veterinary Health Center, Animal Technician I
Natalie Uranga, Veterinary Health Center, Veterinary Assistant

Farewell to:

Tatjana Sitt, Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Research Assistant
Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Veterinary Health Center, Veterinary Assistant
Mark Loberg, Organizational Support Services, Program/Project Manager I
Emily Fields, Veterinary Health Center, Veterinary Nurse II
Bailey Day, Veterinary Health Center, Veterinary Assistant
Shawna Nehls, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, Lab Client Services Assistant
Austin Pinkston, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, Lab Client Services Assistant
Dr. Jordan Roberts, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 3
Dr. Merry Hetrick, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 3
Dr. Hannah Turner, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 3
Dr. Margaret Ewald, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 3
Dr. Lauren Aldrich, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 3
Dr. Heather Bornheim, Veterinary Health Center, Medical Resident Year 3
Dr. Matthew Tanner, Veterinary Health Center, Intern
Dr. Sandra Diaz Yucupicio, Veterinary Health Center, Intern
Dr. Theresa Rooney, Veterinary Health Center, Intern
Jane Keller, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, Lab Client Services Assistant
Ursula Burger, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, Lab Client Services Assistant
Diane Beets, Veterinary Health Center, Manager, Client Services
Morgan Johnson, Veterinary Health Center, Intern
Amy Thornburrow, USS, Client Services Assistant
Veronica Corn, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, Research Assistant
Frank Gonzales, Veterinary Health Center, Client Services Assistant