Seventeen Students Participating in Veterinary Summer Scholars Program

Seventeen students were selected to participate in the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Summer Scholars Program, an introduction to biomedical research through research-driven activities. The 2012 Summer Scholars Program is funded by the Merial Veterinary Scholar Program, the National Institutes of Health, and the Morris Animal Foundation.

The Summer Scholars Program serves to further students’ learning and experiences beyond the required classroom and clinical training. The program is competitive and based on proposals submitted by first- and second-year veterinary students. The program encourages innovative studies in human and animal diseases, and lends further understanding to veterinary careers in biomedical research. Each year Merial selects veterinary schools to participate in its biomedical research program, and LSU has received the funding for the eleventh consecutive year. For the eighth consecutive year, students will also receive grants from the National Institute of Health (NIH) for summer study. There are only 11 veterinary schools in the country with summer grant programs funded by both Merial and the NIH.

Each student receives a $5,400 stipend. Merial will also sponsor the students’ participation at the 2012 Merial Symposium on August 2-5 at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., where research will be presented by students from the participating veterinary schools. This conference will bring together scientists from academia, the pharmaceutical industry, and NIH leadership in one setting.

To participate in the Summer Scholars program, the students developed their own research plan proposals with the guidance of a faculty member, and a faculty committee selected the participants based on the proposals. All first and second year veterinary students throughout the country and abroad had the opportunity to submit proposals.

The recipients of the Merial Summer Research Awards and their project titles are as follows:

David Cradic is a member of the Class of 2014 from New Orleans, La. His project is entitled, “A comparison of the strength of facial closure using a square knot for simple continuous closure in fresh and frozen canine linea alba,” and his mentor is Katrin Saile, DVM (LSU SVM 2006), MS, DACVS, assistant professor of veterinary surgery.

Daniel Cutler is a member of the Class of 2014 from Alexandria, La. His project is entitled, “Comparison of calculated radiation delivery vs. actual radiation measurements in Avian,” and his mentor is Javier Nevarez, DVM (LSU SVM 2001), PhD (LSU SVM 2007), DACZM, DECZM.

Elise Desonier is a member of the Class of 2015 from Lafayette, La. Her project is entitled, “Efficacy of antibiotic therapy for treatment of Edwardsiella ictaluri infection in Zebrafish Danio rerio, and her mentor is John Hawke, PhD, professor of veterinary microbiology and parasitology.

Giavanna Gayman is a member of the Class of 2014 from Tuskegee University. Her project is entitled, “The effect of the volumes of an antacid suspension on gastric juice pH,” and her mentor is Frank Andrews, DVM, DACVIM, director of the Equine Health Studies Program.

Jannel Irons is a member of the Class of 2014 from Tuskegee University. Her project is entitled, “Receptor interacting protein 2 (RIP-2)- mediated signaling in the lungs in response to pulmonary Klebsiella infection,” and her mentor is Samithamby Jeyaseelan, DVM, PhD, associate professor in Pathobiological Sciences.

Sarah Shedenhelm is a member of the Class of 2014 from Cotter, Ark. Her project is entitled, “Development of methods for producing prolonged anestrus & permanent sterility in mice,” and her mentor is Bruce Eilts, DVM, MS, DACT, professor of theriogenology.

Meghan Simoneaux is a member of the Class of 2014 from Rayne, La. Her project is entitled, “Effect of exercise on upper airway abnormalities in a population of Thoroughbreds,” and her mentor is Laura Riggs, DVM, PhD, DACVS, assistant professor of equine surgery.

The recipients of the NIH Biomedical Research Experience for Veterinary Students Awards and their project titles are as follows:

Meghan Allen is a member of the Class of 2015 from Mandeville, La. Her project is entitled, “Myocardial PDE-s expression in Boxer arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy,” and her mentor is Caryn Reynolds, DVM, DACVIM, assistant professor of veterinary cardiology.

Jasmine Cavallaro is a member of the Class of 2015 from Abbeville, La. Her project is entitled, “Reprogramming hepatocyte stem cells into functional insulin secreting β-cells, and her mentor is Henrique Cheng, DVM, MS, PhD, assistant professor in Comparative Biomedical Sciences.

Lauren Dodd is a member of the Class of 2014 at Tuskegee University. Her project is entitled, “The Virological Investigation of a Burgeoning Outbreak in New Orleans, Louisiana,” and her mentor is Chris Mores, SM, ScD, associate professor in Pathobiological Sciences.

Domingue Gueringer is a member of the Class of 2014 at Tuskegee University. Her project is entitled, “Characterization of tissue macrophages in SIV infected macaques,” and her mentor is Marcelo Kuroda, MD, PhD, is an associate professor of microbiology, immunology and pathology and chair of the Division of Immunology at the Tulane National Primate Research Center.

Bailey Herring is a Class of 2015 from Sarasota, Fla. Her project is entitled, “Improving cognitive and motor performance of aged mice via stimulation of AMPK,” and her mentor is Donald Ingram, PhD, professor and director of the Animal Metabolism and Behavior Core, Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

Kimiko Dixon is a member of the Class of 2015 from New Orleans, La. Her project is entitled, “A study of specificity of tick vaccines and screening white tail deer for bacteria pathogens,” and her mentor is Lane Foil, PhD, professor of entomology, LSU AgCenter.

Kaitlin Kasparek is a member of the Class of 2015 from New Orleans, La. Her project is entitled, “The evaluation of pentoxifylline on cutaneous IgE-mediated immediate and late phase reactions in dogs,” and her mentor is Cherie Pucheu-Haston, DVM (LSU SVM 1992), PhD, DACVD, assistant professor of veterinary dermatology.

Lauren Stump is a member of the Class of 2015 from DeRidder, La. Her project is entitled, “Host genetics & immunological response to mycobacterium leprae promoting the use of monozygotic twins in research,” and her mentor is Richard Truman, PhD, CAPT, U.S. Public Health Service and National Hansen’s Disease Program.

The recipient of the Morris Animal Foundation Award and her project title are as follows:

Jenna Dessauer is a member of the Class of 2014 from Slidell, La. Her project is entitled, “Desmoglein proteins in Equine hoof laminae: Finding a stem cell solution for laminitis,” and her mentor is Mandi Lopez, DVM, MS, PhD, associate professor and equine research scientist.

The recipient of the Nestlé Purina Award and her project title are as follows:

Lauren Peterson is a member of the Class of 2014 from Phoenix, Ariz. Her project is entitled, “Ultrasound evaluation of the effects of various prokinetics administered intravenously on gastric and duodenal motility in healthy dogs,” and her mentor is Frederic Gaschen, Dr.med.vet., Dr.habil., DACVIM, DECVIM, professor of companion animal medicine.

Photo: The 2012 Veterinary Summer Scholars and mentors are (from left to right) Jenna Dessauer, Dr. Mandi Lopez, Dr. David Baker, David Cradic, Dr. Katrin Saile, Sarah Shedenhelm, Dr. Bruce Eilts, Daniel Cutler, Dr. Javier Nevarez, Dr. Henrique Cheng, Jasmine Cavallaro, Dr. Carrie Elks (representing Dr. Donald Ingram), Bailey Herring, Dr. Cherie Pucheu-Haston, Dr. Christopher Mores, Lauren Peterson, Dr. Laura Riggs, Meghan Simoneaux, Lauren Stump, Kaitlin Kasparek, Dr. Frank Andrews, Meghan Allen, Elise Desonier, Dr. Samithamby Jeyaseelan, Kimiko Dixon, Dr. Lane Foil, Dr. Caryn Reynolds and Dr. John Hawke.

Top Photo: Kimiko Dixon works on her research project as part of the Summer Scholars Research Program.

Media Contact:  

Ginger Guttner      

Director of Public Relations

LSU School of Veterinary Medicine

225-578-9922 or gguttner@lsu.edu

Mission:

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is a dynamic community dedicated to saving lives, finding cures, and changing lives through outstanding clinical and community service, groundbreaking research, and educational excellence.