Vet Cetera magazine 2015

“WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR
HYPOTHESIS OF WHAT YOU EXPECT
TO FIND AND YOU FIND SOMETHING
DIFFERENT, THAT IS NEW AND
SURPRISING AND YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU’VE MADE A CONTRIBUTION.”
— PAMELA LLOYD
Because Lloyd’s research is focusing on identifying
signaling pathways that control blood
vessel growth, several treatments could come
from the results, including treatments for ischemic
cardiovascular disease and cancer.
“The work we are doing, although we are
looking at human disease, if we can understand
this protein, it is actually something that
could be important in diseases that are veterinary
focused as well,” says Lloyd. “Especially in
diseases like cancer, where you have blood vessels
growing where you don’t want them. If you
can block the signaling, then maybe you can
have a cancer therapy.”
Lloyd’s lab is specifically focused on the signaling
pathways that regulate the expression of
placenta growth factor (PLGF), a protein that
stimulates blood vessel growth.
“We are studying one specific protein, placenta
growth factor, and the things that regulate
its expression,” she says. “We are looking at
the effect of flowing blood on the cells in blood
vessels and how that activates the signaling that
causes the protein to produce, which makes the
blood vessel enlarge.”
Because Lloyd’s research can potentially help
both humans and animals, her lab is funded by
a grant from the National Institutes of Health
and has been funded by the Oklahoma Center
for Adult Stem Cell Research.
“They (Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell
Research) are looking at the same growth factor
as us, but in lung disease,” says Lloyd. “In
that situation, the protein we are studying has
a negative role and it actually makes lung disease
worse. That would be another area that we
could look at with the protein.”
Lloyd recently received the Zoetis Award for
Veterinary Research Excellence for her work
with blood vessel growth, which is useful in
treating disease in pets and people. Winners
are selected based on research accomplishments,
innovations and contributions to the profession.
“It was really exciting to win this award,” she
says. “I didn’t expect to be chosen for it.”
Lloyd’s influence extends beyond the
researching world. She also teaches cardiovascular
physiology and a course for graduate students
in professional skills.
“In the professional skills class, we talk about
how to write a scientific paper, how to write
grants and how to apply for a position or different
jobs,” says Lloyd.
Students have an opportunity to research
alongside Lloyd and learn techniques and accumulate
their own results and data.
“It is really exciting for me when students get
their own results,” she says. “You learn something
new that nobody knew before and the
research doesn’t always give us the answers that
we thought it was going to but that is kind of
more interesting. When you have your hypothesis
of what you expect to find and you find
something different, that is new and surprising
and you feel like you’ve made a contribution.”
Lloyd also serves as the graduate coordinator
for the graduate college and helps organize the
three-minute thesis contest. She credits Zoetis,
the sponsor of the award she received, for helping
sponsor multiple events for CVHS.
“Zoetis has been really helpful to us,” says
Lloyd. “The three-minute thesis program is a
contest that allows students to explain their
research to regular people and not faculty. Zoetis
has been really helpful with providing us
judges. We really appreciate them supporting
that event.”
KAROLYN BOLAY
2015 Oklahoma State University 41