Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine will host its annual Science of Veterinary Medicine Research Day on Oct.11. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public.
This year’s symposium opens at 10 a.m. with a brief welcome followed by a keynote address from Dr. Dennis O’Brien, a professor of veterinary neurology in the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine. O’Brien’s lecture on “Fireflies in the Brain: Comparative Studies of Hereditary Neurologic Diseases” will focus on his work in hereditary neurologic disease in dogs. His work in neuroscience recently was recognized with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine’s Robert W. Kirk Award for Professional Excellence.
Also speaking are Sonia Altizer, associate dean of faculty affairs in the Odum School of Ecology and an associate professor, who will discuss animal migrations and associated risks of infectious diseases. Dr. Sonia Hernandez, an assistant professor of wildlife disease in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, or SCWDS, will give an overview of her video-based studies of feline behavior; Maria Viveiros, an assistant professor of pharmacology in the veterinary college, will talk on the use of stem cells in medicine and research; and Dr. Steve Budsberg, a professor of orthopedic surgery in the veterinary college, will discuss recent advances in the understanding of pain management.
With the exception of the keynote address, all scheduled lectures will be held from 3:10-4:10 p.m.
Registration for the symposium begins at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 11. From late morning through early afternoon, UGA veterinary students, graduate students, interns, residents and faculty will present basic and clinical research conducted in the veterinary college. Awards will be given for the best presentations at approximately 4 p.m.
The symposium is supported by donations from Boehringer Ingelheim, Iams, Pfizer and Novartis. For more information, see http://www.vet.uga.edu/GO/symposium.php.
UGA College of Veterinary Medicine
The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, founded in 1946, is dedicated to training future veterinarians, conducting research related to animal and human diseases and providing veterinary services for animals and their owners. Research efforts are aimed at enhancing the quality of life for animals and people, improving the productivity of poultry and livestock and preserving a healthy interface between wildlife and people in the environment they share. The college enrolls 102 students each fall out of the more than 600 who apply. For more information, see www.vet.uga.edu.