Notebook: March 2022
News briefs from across the industry and beyond. This month’s articles include:
- $175K donation supports diversity, inclusion in vet med
- Cats can “read the room”
- Greenhill Recognized with PrideVMC 2021 Leadership Award
and more!
Canine Lymphoma Drug Gets Full Approval
Elanco Animal Health’s newly acquired Tanovea has been granted full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Tanovea is the first conditionally approved new animal drug for dogs to achieve full FDA approval under the agency’s Minor Use and Minor Species program, Elanco says. The program is intended to make more medications legally available to veterinarians for the treatment of minor animal species as well as uncommon diseases in the major animal species.
“[This] approval shows that drugs to treat rare animal diseases, like canine lymphoma, can go through FDA’s conditional approval pathway to reach full approval,” says Steven M. Solomon, MPH, DVM, director of the agency’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. “This gives veterinarians another important tool to help extend the quality of life for dogs with lymphoma and potentially give them and their owners more time together.”
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Cats “Read the Room” Better Than One Might Think
A recently published Purina study revealed that cats can “read the room” and adjust their own attention-getting behavior to the attentional state of the person they are trying to seek help from. This is counter to previous assumptions that cats have limited interest or ability to communicate with their people, a trait more often associated with dogs.
In the study, cats easily figured out how to access a hidden treat and did not try to involve the person in the process. However, when cats could not access the treat by themselves, they used behavioral strategies to communicate their intention to the person such as repeatedly looking at the treat and then at the person.
Not only did they ask for help, but they also modified their behavior depending on the availability of the person. When the person was looking at them and paying attention, the cats were more engaged; they looked to the person sooner and more often and approached the treat container more often. When people weren’t paying attention, the cats adjusted their strategy, presumably having noticed that the person was not engaged. These sophisticated cognitive abilities were previously believed to be used by dogs but not by cats.
“A key part of any relationship is communication, and this study shows that cats are perhaps better communicators than we’ve given them credit for,” said François Martin, MA, PhD, applied behavior and welfare research section leader at Purina, and lead Purina scientist on the project. “The more attentive a cat owner is, the more engaged their cat will be in return, making their relationship stronger.”
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new.”
—Socrates
Greenhill Recognized with PrideVMC 2021 Leadership Award
AAVMC Senior Director for Institutional Research and Diversity Lisa M. Greenhill, MPA, EdD, has been awarded the 2021 PrideVMC Leadership Award from PrideVMC. The award recognizes people who actively support PrideVMC’s mission to create a better world for the LGBTQIA+ veterinary community.
“Dr. Greenhill has been and continues to be an inspiration for all of us at PrideVMC,” said PrideVMC President Dane Whitaker, DVM. “Her leadership on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion issues in veterinary medicine, and particularly issues that affect LGBTQ+ individuals in our profession, is invaluable. We are so honored to continue this important work with her and look forward to further collaboration on advancing PrideVMC’s mission and vision.”
“I am humbled and filled with gratitude by this recognition from PrideVMC,” said Greenhill. “There continues to be so much to be done in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ populations. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with PrideVMC in advancing the amazing work of the organization. We’ve still got work to do!”
PrideVMC, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2023, strives to foster acceptance and inclusivity for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender presentations within the veterinary medical profession and community. PrideVMC fights discrimination, builds collaborative networks, and supports LGBTQIA+ veterinary students through mentorship and scholarship programs. Membership is open to the entire animal health and veterinary community regardless of role, race, color, religion, national origin or citizenship status, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, or military status.
$175K Donation Supports Diversity, Inclusion in Vet Med
Royal Canin announced it is expanding its support of Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine with a five-year financial commitment.
“The Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) appreciates this intentional and impactful partnership with Royal Canin. Of the thousands of veterinarians in the United States, only 2% are African Americans, and of this number, we are proud that 70% are our graduates. Together, we are positioned to provide meaningful support to TUCVM veterinary students to sustain the legacy of training and educating underrepresented minorities as veterinarians in the veterinary profession,” said Ruby L. Perry, DVM, dean of the college.
New Treatment Could Help Cats Suffering from Deadly Head and Neck Cancer
Morris Animal Foundation–funded researchers at Utrecht University in the Netherlands are using light and a tumor cell targeted light-sensitive chemical to precisely trigger cancer cell death.
“There is a great need for treatments of this specific type of cancer, oral squamous cell carcinoma,” said Sabrina Santos Oliveira, associate professor at Utrecht University. “Nanobody-targeted photodynamic therapy could provide a new opportunity for treating cats with this cancer.”
Morris Animal Foundation reports that oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common oral cancer in cats, accounting for roughly 8 to 10% of all cancers diagnosed. The cancer spreads locally and imbeds deeply into the oral tissue, and complete surgical removal is rare. The average survival time is a dismal three months for cats diagnosed with this cancer.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats is a cancer that appears amenable to this treatment, and the team is hopeful that the therapy will be a safe, quick, and effective way to help cats suffering from this disease.
AAVMC Award Winners
The AAVMC has announced the recipients of five awards that recognize professional excellence, achievement, and service in academic veterinary medicine. The professional awards, as well as a student scholarship award, will be presented during the AAVMC’s 2022 Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, which will be held in-person and virtually March 3–5, 2022.
“The AAVMC is proud to recognize these outstanding individuals,” said AAVMC Chief Executive Officer Andrew T. Maccabe. “Their contributions inspire colleagues, provide a model for future generations of veterinarians and elevate the overall excellence of our member institutions. We look forward to honoring them during our 2022 annual conference.”
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Erin Malone University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine 2021 AAVMC Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award Presented by Zoetis |
Barry T. Rouse University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine 2022 AAVMC Excellence in Research Award Sponsored by Elanco |
Lorrie Gaschen Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine 2022 Iverson Bell Award Sponsored by Banfield |
Ron Orchard Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine Patricia M. Lowrie Diversity Leadership Scholarship |
Daryl D. Buss University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine and retired editor of the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education 2022 AAVMC Billy E. Hooper Award for Distinguished Service Sponsored by the AAVMC |
Another Increase in Veterinary Medical School Applicants
The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) reports that record numbers of applicants continue to seek admission to veterinary medical schools affiliated with the organization. They report that a total of 10,834 qualified applications had been received by colleges and schools throughout the system for the 2021–2022 Veterinary Medical College Application Service admissions cycle. This represents a 5.5% increase over last year’s cycle, when a total of 10,273 applicants applied for admission to the class that matriculated this year.
The AAVMC says that 2021–2022 cycle applicants applied to an average of 5.37 different schools. They also report that a series of natural disasters that temporarily shut down some academic institutions impaired applicant ability to finalize their applications. The number of applicants seeking admission to veterinary college has been growing steadily in recent years. Factors influencing the increases remain unclear; however, they may include an extended application cycle and growing awareness and appreciation for the veterinary medical profession.
Rowan University to Offer New Jersey’s First Veterinary School
New Jersey’s Rowan University reports that, in response to an increased national demand for veterinarians, veterinary specialists, and skilled technicians, it is establishing the first school of veterinary medicine in New Jersey. The Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine will offer New Jersey’s first doctor of veterinary medicine degree, as well as additional degrees and training programs.
In November, the New Jersey legislature approved $75 million in funding to construct the school’s primary academic and clinical facility in Sewell. The school plans to welcome its inaugural class of 60 students in fall 2025, pending approval from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education.
“Launching New Jersey’s first school of veterinary medicine at Rowan University is just the latest in a series of strides we have made in expanding and improving the quality of medical education and research over the past decade,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney. “With this investment, we will be able to keep our best and brightest veterinary students in New Jersey, and we will attract aspiring veterinarians from other states to study here as well.”
New $13.8M Center at U of Michigan Will Study Infectious Diseases, Pandemics
The University of Michigan’s Biosciences Initiative is awarding $13.8 million over five years to the university’s new Michigan Center for Infectious Disease Threats.
“Since 2000, we’ve had three coronaviruses that are new to humans cause outbreaks or the current pandemic. And we’ve had three influenza viruses try to make the jump from animals to humans, and one succeeded,” said Aubree Gordon, associate professor of epidemiology and an infectious disease expert at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
The center, led by Gordon, will allow researchers from public health, engineering, medicine, evolutionary biology, and social sciences to work across disciplines on issues key to infectious disease preparedness and response, including public health workforce development, increasing laboratory capacity, expanding protein production for disease-testing capacity, and adding testing of zoonotic pathogens.
“The overall objective of the center is to connect researchers here on campus and better prepare the University of Michigan both locally and globally for pandemic preparedness and response, to create a community here on campus revolving around infectious disease,” Gordon said.
Karin Allesnpach, left; Jon Mochel, right; and members of their laboratory are perfecting a means of culturing organoids from patient urine samples on which to test bladder cancer treatments.
They say their method has a number of advantages that could lead to better outcomes for patients.
Scientists Studying New Method to Model Bladder Cancer Treatments
New Jersey’s Rowan University reports that, in response to an increased national demand for veterinarians, veterinary specialists, and skilled technicians, it is establishing the first school of veterinary medicine in New Jersey. The Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine will offer New Jersey’s first doctor of veterinary medicine degree, as well as additional degrees and training programs.
In November, the New Jersey legislature approved $75 million in funding to construct the school’s primary academic and clinical facility in Sewell. The school plans to welcome its inaugural class of 60 students in fall 2025, pending approval from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education.
“Launching New Jersey’s first school of veterinary medicine at Rowan University is just the latest in a series of strides we have made in expanding and improving the quality of medical education and research over the past decade,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney. “With this investment, we will be able to keep our best and brightest veterinary students in New Jersey, and we will attract aspiring veterinarians from other states to study here as well.”
Photo credits: Capuski/E+ via Getty Images. Nils Jacobi/iStock via Getty Images; Photos courtesy of AAVMC. BrianAJackson/iStock via Getty Images; Photo courtesy of Rowan University/Craig Terry. solarseven/iStock.com via Getty Images; Aleksei Morozov/iStock via Getty Images. Photo of Dr. Greenhill courtesy of AAVMC; PeopleImages/iStock via Getty Images. urfinguss/iStock via Getty Images; Photo courtesy of Christopher Gannon
