(August 2, 2012   Stillwater, OK) – Thirteen veterinary students recently completed a 12-week Summer Research Training Program at Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.  The program is designed to identify talented and highly motivated veterinary students interested in exploring a career in veterinary research and then provide those students with an outstanding biomedical research training experience.

Front Row (left to right): Brittany Evans, Carrie Sanders, Kahla White, Emily Messner, Luisa Velasquez and Dr. Mason Reichard. 
Middle Row (left to right): Kacie Woodward, Jacqueline Paritte, Amber Schofield, Shannon Lynch, Quinci Layman and Jason Anton. 
Back Row (left to right): Dr. Chris Ross, Justin Plunk and Shawn Lane.

During the research program, first and second year veterinary students conduct a summer research project with a basic or clinical research faculty mentor.  Mentors guide the students through all aspects of a research project including experimental design, methodology, data collection and analysis, and drawing conclusions.

This year’s participants, their mentors and research topics are:

• Jason Anton, class of 2015, mentor Dr. Dianne McFarlane – “Neutrophil adhesion in horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction”
• Brittany Evans, class of 2015, mentor Dr. Alex Ophir, - “Septal V1a receptor knockdown and its effects on the monogamous behavior of male prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)”
• Shawn Lane, class of 2015, mentor Dr. Myron Hinsdale – “An in vitro model for influences of extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycans on cyst development as seen in Polycystic Kidney Disease”
• Quinci Layman, class of 2014, mentor Dr. Anthony Confer – “A retrospective study of equine actinobacillosis, 1999-2011”
• Shannon Lynch, class of 2014, mentor Dr. Glenn Zhang – “Augmentation of host defense peptide gene expression and disease resistance of chickens by intestinal microbial metabolites”
• Emily Messner, class of 2014, mentor Dr. James Meinkoth – “Using virtual microscopy in the clinical pathology rotation”
• Jacqueline Paritte, class of 2015, mentor Dr. Mason Reichard – “Tissue predilection and diagnosis of Trichinella infection in Arctic wolverines (Gulo gulo)”
• Justin Plunk, class of 2015, mentor Dr. Melanie Boileau – “In vitro assessment of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorous 109J as a preventative measure for bovine respiratory disease”
• Carrie Sanders, class of 2015, mentor Dr. Heather Fahlenkamp – “Quantification of mast-cell regulatory growth factors produced by endothelial cells and fibroblasts in a 3D allergen contact site tissue model”
• Amber Schofield, class of 2015, mentor Dr. Lin Liu – “Axin 1: A novel antiviral mediator”
• Luisa Velasquez, class of 2014, mentor Dr. Susan Little – “Inhibition of detection of Dirofilaria immitis antigen in canine samples”
• Kahla White, class of 2015, mentor Dr. Susan Little – “Hepatozoon americanum in wild-caught Amblyomma maculatum”
• Kacie Woodward, class of 2015, mentors Drs. Gary White and Dianne McFarlane – “The role of cytomegalovirus in immunosenescence of baboons”

Students also receive specific instruction on a number of research-related topics, tour specialized research facilities in the region, present their results at College Research Day, and have the opportunity to travel to present their research at a national research meeting. 

Program faculty directors are Drs. Jerry Malayer, associate dean of research and graduate education, Chris Ross, associate dean for academic affairs, and Mason Reichard, associate professor, veterinary pathobiology.  The summer research program is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Merial Veterinary Scholars Program, and OSU's Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.

The Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences is the only veterinary college in Oklahoma.  One of 28 veterinary colleges in the United States, it is fully accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association.  The center’s Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital is open to the public and provides routine and specialized care for small and large animals.  It also offers 24-hour emergency care and is certified by the American Animal Hospital Association.  For more information, visit www.cvhs.okstate.edu or call (405) 744-7000.

Contact: Derinda Blakeney, APR | OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences | 405-744-6740 | This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it