Innovative research for the animals in our lives
Through the Humane Scholars Program, selected veterinary students develop and disseminate solutions-driven science that has a direct impact on the health and welfare of companion animals. Students participate in 8-12-week scientific research projects and are matched with leading academic and scientific faculty mentors who will oversee their research, providing a unique opportunity to contribute to scientific research benefiting animals.
New 2013 application coming soon.
2012 Humane Scholars
St. George’s University: Identifying Causes of Sub-Clinical Mastitis in Goats
Humane Scholar:
Stephanie Wells
Faculty Mentor:
Kathryn Gibson, MS, DVM, PhD
Subclinical mastitis (infection of the mammary gland) is considered a health and economic issue for goats living in Grenada. With the support of American Humane Association, milk samples were collected from 50 goats in three parishes on the island and screened for infection using tests often employed in the dairy industry. The milk was also cultured for typical bacteria that cause infection, as well as cultured using stringent conditions to isolate a specific bacterium called Mycoplasma. DNA was extracted directly from the milk to employ molecular methods to determine if there were any Mycoplasma bacteria within the milk samples. Although some of the samples were found to contain the Mycoplasma organism through the molecular testing, there was no correlation between these positive test results and the more rapid tests (e.g., somatic cell count) used by the industry. The student summarized her summer work by stating that these results provide the basis for much more work to be done to characterize goat mastitis in Grenada
University of California-Davis: Effects of Secondhand Smoke on Canine Lung Tumors
Humane Scholar:
Alexandra Zierenberg-Ripoll
Faculty Mentor:
Rachel Pollard, DVM, PhD, DACVR
One in four dogs will die of cancer and it is the leading cause of death in many breeds. With the support of American Humane Association, this study evaluated the potential relationship between dog cancer and a known carcinogen for humans – tobacco. In order to investigate tobacco smoke as an environmental toxin and to assess its detrimental health effects on dogs, home environments of dog owners diagnosed with primary lung cancer were evaluated. Preliminary results indicate that smoking occurred in 13% of households where dogs were diagnosed with primary lung tumors, 16% where dogs were diagnosed with mast cell tumors, and 6% where dogs showed no evidence of cancer. The study is expected to continue for several months, with the prospect of expanding to other regions of the U.S. This study is positioned to demonstrate the “One Health” model shared between people and pets – what is good for our health might prove to be good for our pets.
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