Grand opening for Equine Performance Testing Center
The Veterinary Health Center held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony March 29 for a new $2.8 million state-of-the-art facility called the Equine Performance Testing Center.
The center offers an indoor riding arena with hard and soft footing to optimally evaluate and diagnose lameness or performance limiting issues affecting equine patients.
Dr. Elizabeth Davis (center) cuts a ribbon to launch the opening of Kansas State University’s Equine Performance Testing Center.
Top: Veterinary Technician Ashley VanMeter gives a live demonstration in the covered riding area. Below: Dean Tammy Beckham welcomes guests for the ribbon cutting.
Dr. Liz Santschi explains how a wireless respiratory endoscope works during a Facebook 'live feed' being recorded by WIBW photojournalist Rick Felsburg.
Also included in the facility are an indoor examination area, radiology suite, farrier space and consultation room. Nearly 50 percent of the roughly 2,500 services provided annually by the Veterinary Health Center equine clinicians involve performance-related disorders. The Equine Performance Testing Center provides safe, year-round access to consistent footing and shelter for patients, clients, students and clinicians.
“It is valuable for us to have an indoor facility where we can evaluate horses under-saddle,” said Dr. Beth Davis, head of the Clinical Sciences department. “We can teach veterinary students regardless of weather conditions. Today was a great example because of the rain. We were easily able to accommodate our guests indoors, all while giving a live demonstration of the type of testing that we can do.”
Private donations have funded more than $800,000 of the project, but Dr. Davis explained there are still opportunities to help purchase important equipment and support the equine program. For information on how to support the Equine Performance Testing Center, please contact the Development Office at 785-532-4378.
Dr. Ying Fang receives CVM’s top faculty research award
The College of Veterinary Medicine has presented the 2017 Zoetis Animal Health Award for Research Excellence to Dr. Ying Fang, professor of molecular virology in the diagnostic medicine and pathobiology department. The award, the college's highest research honor, was presented as part of the recent annual Phi Zeta Research Day activities.
Dr. Ying Fang (front row center), molecular virologist and recipient of the 2017 Zoetis Animal Health Award for Research Excellence, leads a team scientists, postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students on veterinary and human pathogen research in her lab. Front row: Xingyu Yan, Fang, Tori Matta. Middle row: Yongning Zhang, Yanhua Li, Hewei Zhang, Fangfeng Yuan, Will Patterson. Back row: Pengcheng Shang, Sailesh Menon, Rui Guo, Tao Wang.
Dr. Fang has been involved in the study of molecular pathogenesis of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, or PRRSV, for more than 18 years. She also has active research projects on other important veterinary and human pathogens, including influenza virus, coronaviruses, porcine circovirus and most recently, collaborative projects for emerging and foreign animal infectious disease pathogens.
Her laboratory has well-established technologies and systems for swine vaccines and diagnostic assay development. Fang's research activities have contributed to the receipt of more than $8 million total in extramural research support from various funding agencies from 2005-2017, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institutes of Health, National Pork Board and industry partners. In collaboration with other researchers, she has published more than 60 papers in peer-reviewed prestigious journals and has been invited to give more than 50 presentations by various universities, industries and professional conferences. She was honored as a keynote speaker at the 2015, 2013 and 2008 International PRRSV symposiums.
Dr. Fang has served as a session moderator, co-chair and member in organizing/scientific program committees for various national and international conferences. Currently, she serves as a co-chair and organizer for the 14th International Nidovirus Symposium in June 2017. In addition, she was invited to lead three teams of scientists to China to provide consultations to industry and academic professionals regarding problems with molecular epidemiology, vaccine and diagnostic test development for animal infectious diseases.
"I am very humbled by this honor," Dr. Fang said. "I believe the establishment of productive and mutually beneficial scientific collaborations is essential to the development of a strong research program. Besides research activities, I have really enjoyed supervising and teaching undergraduate and graduate students. I am currently mentoring one postdoc, three visiting scientists, four graduate students and two undergraduate students, as well as serving on five graduate student committees, which has kept me busy but has been very rewarding on a personal level."
"Dr. Fang is one of our outstanding 'triple-threat' faculty members: brilliant in research, teaching and service," said Frank Blecha, associate dean for research in the College of Veterinary Medicine. "She has supported her research program with $8 million of research funding and technology licenses, is extensively involved in graduate student and postdoctoral scholar training and education, and has been developing new diagnostic reagents and assays to serve the needs for swine industry."
Dr. Fang's many honors include the Distinguish Researcher Award in 2013 at South Dakota State University, Intellectual Property Commercialization Award in 2010, Dean's Research Award in 2006 and research paper award in 2004. She earned a master's degree in biology at Iowa State University in 1997 and a doctorate in microbiology from South Dakota State University in 2004. Fang joined the K-State faculty in 2013.
Two K-State veterinary students joined some of the nation’s top students in receiving a scholarship and poster competition awards at the AASV meeting in Denver.
Jordan Gebhardt was one of five students to receive a $5,000 scholarship. He also won the top prize of $500 in the Veterinary Student Poster Competition.
Jordan Gebhardt, center, was one of five students to receive a $5,000 AASVF/Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship presented at the AASV meeting in Denver. Jordan also won the top poster competition scholarship of $500 for his poster on PEDV.
Laura Constance came back to K-State with a $200 scholarship prize for her poster. Gebhardt and Constance are both concurrent DVM/Ph.D. students. The American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation (AASVF), the charitable arm of the AASV, partnered with Merck Animal Health to present the AASVF/Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarships.
To qualify, students must be in their second or third year of veterinary studies at American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited or recognized colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean Islands.
The AASV also provided an opportunity for 15 veterinary students to compete for awards in the Veterinary Student Poster Competition. Newport Laboratories sponsored the competition.
Jordan’s top student poster was entitled “Evaluation of the effects of flushing feed manufacturing equipment with chemically treated rice hulls on porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) cross contamination during feed manufacturing.”
Each student poster participant received a $250 travel stipend from Zoetis and the AASV.
Laura Constance, third from left, was one of the $200 poster competition winners.
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Dr. Brad Crauer receives Excellence in Engagement Award
Dr. Bradley Crauer, assistant professor in Shelter Medicine, had been in private practice for about 20 years when a natural disaster uprooted his life and career plans. Hurricane Katrina struck and Dr. Crauer was recruited by a friend to be a first responder. While in New Orleans, he helped opened a rescue shelter, saving over 1,300 animals. Upon returning to Seattle, he found his perspective on his work had changed, leading him to get in contact with local shelters and nonprofits to continue the work he began in New Orleans.
Eventually, this new path led him to K-State, where he initiated Mobile Surgery Unit or “Future Vets for Future Pets.” Part of the shelter medicine program at the CVM, the surgery unit provides spay/neuter procedures for regional shelters and other humane organizations, performed by senior veterinary students under the supervision of Dr. Crauer. As a result of his efforts, the Center for Engagement and Community Development (CECD) has awarded Crauer with the Excellence in Engagement Award.
One of the challenges that comes with shelter medicine is its novelty. Veterinarians who graduated decades ago are unfamiliar with the need for veterinarians to practice in animal shelters, especially in rural areas. Dr. Crauer is hoping to change this perspective and bring veterinarians into shelter medicine.
For Dr. Crauer, working with students has been the most rewarding aspect of this entire experience. “It really comes down to the students,” he said. “Being able to impact those students and watch them grow, learn and want to work in animal welfare.”
In the future, Dr. Crauer would like to expand the program so he can continue to encourage students to pursue work in shelter medicine. “My passion is definitely the impact and asking the question ‘How do we make a difference here?’” said Dr. Crauer. “I’m honored to receive this award because it resonates with the goal of our program.”
Veterinary students earn national recognitions for excellence
Two third-year veterinary students recently earned prestigious national honors.
Sohaila Jafarian is one of 34 students from around the world who was recently to receive a $5,000 scholarship from Merck Animal Health, in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation.
Maxwell Beal is a recipient of a $1,000 Dr. Jack Walther Leadership Award from the Western Veterinary Conference.
Above: Dr. Debbie White, WVC board member, and past President Dr. Joe M. Howell present Maxwell Beal with a 2017 Dr. Jack Walther Leadership Award. Below: Sohaila Jafarian won a $5,000 Merck Scholarship. She is presenting a poster about her recent trip to Nicaragua to help improve education on rural water supply, sanitation and environmental health.
The Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program is eligible to second- and third-year students pursuing careers in companion animal or large animal medicine.
Jafarian earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science and industry from K-State. She has been working for the past four years as a research assistant in the Microbiology Pre-Harvest Food Animal Safety Lab. Jafarian is concurrently working on a MPH while also studying for her DVM. She plans to work nationally and internationally as a public health veterinarian, serving underserved and underdeveloped areas.
Beal was one of 33 students chosen nationwide for the honor based on accomplishments, scholastic excellence and long-term leadership potential. The award also includes complimentary registration, lodging, airfare and a daily stipend to attend the WVC hed March 4-8.
Beal was honored to be the K-State recipient of the Walther Award.
“I was able to meet a lot of veterinarians from all over the world, Beal said. “This is an amazing opportunity for anyone in veterinary school to experience the largest veterinary conference in the U.S. and make connections all over.”
A devastating spate of wildfires in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas made national headlines in early March. One of the areas hit the hardest in Kansas has been in Clark County around the city of Ashland.
There has also been an outpouring of donations and volunteers from farmers and other volunteers from across the country. Truckloads of hay and supplies have arrived from states such as Wisconsin and Illinois. A group of Kansas 4-H youth have “adopted” several orphaned calves to try to provide care while veterinarians, including faculty from K-State, have been volunteering to help treat surviving cattle.
Dr. Dan Thomson with the CVM has explained that relief is still needed, and that while certain supplies are useful, that monetary donations might be a better option.
The Veterinary Health Center held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony March 29 for a new $2.8 million state-of-the-art facility called the Equine Performance Testing Center.
Dr. Bradley Crauer, assistant professor in Shelter Medicine, had been in private practice for about 20 years when a natural disaster uprooted his life and career plans. Hurricane Katrina struck and Dr. Crauer was recruited by a friend to be a first responder. While in New Orleans, he helped opened a rescue shelter, saving over 1,300 animals. Upon returning to Seattle, he found his perspective on his work had changed, leading him to get in contact with local shelters and nonprofits to continue the work he began in New Orleans.
