November 2024 - Vol. 19, No. 11

Launching the NIH-funded, multidisciplinary Biomedical Core Facilities

Pair of professors chosen for Iman Teaching and Research Awards

Two CVM faculty members each received a $5,000 award in recognition of their outstanding teaching and research at the K-State Alumni Center. Dr. Lisa Pohlman received the Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching. The recipient of the Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Research is Dr. Waithaka Mwangi.

VRSP research project by third-year student inspires award-winning practices in the VHC

K-State hosts collaborative Rabies Educational Symposium for World Rabies Day 2024

In commemoration of World Rabies Day 2024, the College of Veterinary Medicine, in collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and the Kansas State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, hosted the 2024 Rabies Symposium in October. More than 150 people attended in person and 225 attended virtually.

College of Veterinary Medicine receives Outstanding Support for International Initiatives Award

The K-State Office of International Programs recognized the CVM with its 2024 Outstanding Support for International Initiatives Award as part of International Education Week held Nov. 10-22. The CVM was noted for its education abroad and joint program innovations, international research and global engagement.

Dr. Raghavendra Amachawadi named 2024 International Educator of the Year

Dr. Raghavendra Amachawadi, associate professor in clinical sciences, was chosen as the 2024 International Educator of the Year by the K-State Office of International Programs. He was noted for his record of mentorship to students — including international students, collaborative international research and global engagement.

VHC clinician talks about going on farm calls with veterinary students

By Fox 43 TV Topeka

Dr. Chris Blevins, equine field service veterinarian, recently joined up with FOX43 AM Live to talk about teaching in the field service environment and plans for things to come for the equine section here at VHC. Dr. Blevins points out the importance and impact of research in the veterinary college on how it can improve strategies for treating animals.

Rabies in the Americas

Dr. Janine Seetahal, Esmeralda Perfecto and Rolan Davis from the KSVDL Rabies Laboratory attended the International Rabies in the Americas (RITA) Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Above they meet with a client (far left), Dr. Gustavo Garbino. Dr. Seetahal gave the key-note address, “Decoding Rabies: Advancing Science and Survival Through the Evolution of Diagnostics,” and she moderated the Human Rabies and Prophylaxis Round Table.

The 8th Annual Kind Heart celebration occurred on the first of November at the KSU Foundation Building. About 100 guests were in attendance for the event, where Hodes Family Dean Dr. Bonnie Rush gave a college update, and Dr. Brad White led a student panel discussion that included fourth-year students Orion Mathias, Harrell Phillips, Carlie Dill and Sierra Shelit. Willie the Wildcat delivered scholarship awards to the student panel and the evening ended with a visit from the Pride of Wildcat Land — the Kansas State University Marching Band.

Dr. James W. Carpenter gave the keynote address entitled “Whooping Crane Propagation and Reintroduction: Techniques Used to Save Whoopers from the Brink of Extinction" at the 2024 Celebration of Cranes organized by Audubon of Kansas and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. The conference was held on Nov. 2, at Sterling (Kansas) College.

Taylor McAtee, Ph.D. student with CORE, was selected as the Association for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (AVEPM) student representative and received a graduate student travel award for the 17th International Symposium on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics (ISVEE17) that was held in Sydney, Australia. Taylor presented her work, “Quantifying associations between cattle health and performance metrics with estimated greenhouse gas emissions in U.S. feedlots.”

Torre Dunlea and MaRyka Smith, Ph.D. students advised by Dr. Michael Sanderson, both presented at the 2024 United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) and American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) annual meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. Torre’s presentation was “A quantitative model of the risk of FMD transmission following cattle movements during an outbreak.” MaRyka presented “Modeled impacts of improved cattle traceability and size of control areas and surveillance zones on business continuity and Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak size.”

K-State Olathe is now publishing the One Health Newsletter, formerly published by the College of Veterinary Medicine since 2017. See the new issue here, which includes a story contributed by a CVM master's graduate and KSVDL research assistant, Antoinette Lona.

All's fair at the Professional and Graduate School Fair

The CVM and MPH program hosted a booth at the Professional and Graduate School Fair in the K-State Student Union on Nov. 6. From left, Dr. Ellyn Mulcahy, director of the Master of Public Health Program, Plern Kongsamut, student program coordinator for the MPH program, and Rosa Blaske, recruitment coordinator for the veterinary college.

CVM well represented at ACVP meeting

A) Dr. Aarathi Sureshkumar, a former KSVDL pathology intern who is mentored by Dr. Brittany Rasche, DMP pathologist; B) Camila Amrein Almira, third-year veterinary student; C) Dr. Brett Fisher, resident; D) Ph.D. student Rakshith Kumar; E) Dr. Katie Bauer, resident; and F) Jiashi Feng, fourth year veterinary student. [Note: Dr. Sureshkumar is currently in her first year of anatomic pathology residency at Oregon State University.]

A small group of CVM students and residents attended at the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) 2024 annual meeting in Seattle from Nov. 16 to Nov. 19. CVM pathologists also set up a booth during the student/resident forum to talk to interested prospective veterinary students about the pathology residency/internship program at KSVDL.

Jiashi Feng was selected as one of the recipients of the William Inskeep Scholarship Award, which is a prestigious award given two veterinary students per year: one from Colorado State University and one from a non-CSU veterinary school, each who has demonstrated the highest standards of scholarship in pursuit of a career interest in veterinary pathology.

ACVP President and K-State alumna Dr. Lauri Diehl, DVM 1988, presents the Inskeep Scholarship to Jiashi Feng.