Preceptor Profile - Western University of Health Sciences

Shining STARS of Summer★★SEVENTEEN STUDENTS PRESENTED AN ARRAY OF SUMMER RESEARCH PROJECTS inthe CVM portion of Western University of Health Sciences’ Third AnnualStudent Technology and Research Symposium – STARS. The daylong eventon July 27 featured presentations on subjects as wide ranging aspedigrees of snow leopard and seal histology to canine ehrlichiosis in thehighlands of Peru.As part of the program, participating students wrote an abstract on theirresearch, then gave a 15-minute oral presentation and answered questionsfrom faculty, fellow students and visitors.Tom Phillips, DVM, PhD, who oversees the program, praised the projectsand presenters, noting this was the third year the event has been held. “Itstarted out as a college-sponsored event, but the last two years, due to itssuccess, it has been a university-wide event. Each year the quality ofpresentations, the data, and the research have improved over the previousyear’s entries.”★Dr. Phillips also lauded the benefits of the program itself. “The summerstudent research program is important, as it gives students, in a clinicaldegree program, a ‘taste’ of research. The STARS acronym really says it all,for participating students have the potential to become stars of theprofession – to contribute knowledge and understanding to the scienceof medicine, and to make new discoveries that will benefit human andanimal health. The students gain a better appreciation of research and theeffort needed to succeed in this field. This greater understanding will helpthem become better veterinary professionals, no matter what career paththey choose. Research is the underpinning of our current understandingof medicine and will be the source of future advancements. Byparticipating in this program, they are better positioned to determine thevalidity of new information and what changes, if any, should be made toveterinary practice. For those who consider a research career path aftergraduation, this early exposure will inform this important decision. We areproud of these students, for choosing to spend their summer in thepursuit of new knowledge.”Dr. Phillips said special thanks should go to the sponsors of the studentsummer research stipends: Merial, Morris Animal Foundation, WesternU’sSummer Student Research Grants, and CVM Summer Student ResearchGrants.Even though many of the students were nervous and had trepidationsabout presenting their results at STARS, a post-seminar survey revealedthat 92 percent of responding students (response rate, 64 percent)enjoyed the STARS symposium. And although awards wereonly given to four students, all the presentations were of an exceptionallyhigh quality, which made the selection process difficult, according toDr. Phillips.★★★★ ★ ★ This year, the following students participated in the CVM STARS program: ★ ★ ★Bradley Ahrens, mentored by Dr. Carlos CockerBacterial etiology of necrotic arachnidism in black widow spider bitesSuzanne Benedict, mentored by Dr. Linda KiddPersistent hyperadrenocorticism in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism on trilostane therapyAleli Camacho, mentored by Dr. Kristopher IrizarryComparative analysis of gene expression in skin under pathologic conditionsJanet Cometa, mentored by Dr. Janis JoslinA study on the incidence of various diseases in captive snow leopards in North AmericaCharli Dong, mentored by Dr. Peggy BarrSnow leopard pedigreeSonia Fang, mentored by Dr. Wael KhamasHistomorphology and functional correlates of the vasculature in the female reproductive tract of northernelephant seals and California sea lionsErica Faulhaber, mentored by Dr. Kristopher Irizarry and Dr. Katherine Mitsouras from COMPGene amplification and analysis of snow leopard papillomavirusEric. J. Fish, mentored by Drs. Pedro Paulo Diniz, Frank Bossong,Ellen Collisson and Yvonne DrechslermRNA detection and genomic analysis of feline coronavirus in monocytes of healthy shelter catsin Southern CaliforniaGordon Hui, mentored by Dr. Kristopher IrizarryConstruction of host and papilloma viral protein interaction map to facilitate understandingof papillomavirus genomeKimberly Lin, mentored by Dr. Hrvoje SmodlakaSeal histologyLisa Lippman, mentored by Dr. Yvonne DrechslerIsolation and cloning of an avian coronavirusBridget Morton, mentored by Dr. Pedro Paulo DinizDetection of an intracellular pathogen by direct PCR from blood samplesBridget Morton, mentored by Dr. Pedro Paulo DinizCanine ehrlichiosis in the Highlands of PeruSean Perry, mentored by Dr. Pamela GovettComparing MS-222 (tricaine methanesulfonate) and propofol’s influenceon acid-base status in elasmobranches during anesthesiaLindsey Porterfield, mentored by Dr. Josep RutllantThe use of canine testicles as a model to retrieve viable epididymal spermatozoafrom related endangered speciesKursten Roderick, mentored by Dr. Jennifer BuurPharmacokinetics of N-acetylcysteine in healthy catsStephanie Rodriguez, mentored by Dr. Maria Pia PhillipsComparison of glutathione and liposomal glutathione on the levels of oxidativestress in FIV-infected astrocytesJennifer Scudder, mentored by Dr. Katherine Mitsouras from COMPand Dr. Kristopher IrizarryThe use of trait mapping to evaluate differences in phenotype and geneticvariation between bullmastiff littermates★ ★ ★This year awards were given to:Best Presentation (tie): Lisa Lippman and and Stephanie RodriguezMost Research Progress: Eric FishMost Potential for a High Impact Publication: Jennifer ScudderMost Daring Research: Bradley Ahrens5