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 VCS Department Chair to receive WSAVA Award
Robert J. Washabau, VMD, PhD, DACVIM, has been nominated by his peers and affirmed by the WSAVA Executive Board as the 2009 recipient of the WSAVA WALTHAM International Award for Scientific Achievement. This award is based on outstanding contributions by a veterinarian who has had a significant impact on the advancement of knowledge concerning the cause, detection, cure and/or control of disorders of companion animals. Dr. Washabau will receive the award during the Opening Ceremonies of the WSAVA 2009 World Congress taking place from July 21 - 24, 2009 |
VCS Researchers Identify Gene Linked to Common Ailment in Labrador Retrievers Researchers at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine have identified a gene in Labrador retriever dogs highly associated with the syndrome of exercise-induced collapse (EIC). After intense hunting or retrieving exercise, activities these dogs are trained to perform, affected Labradors start to lose control of their hind limbs. In most cases, their legs get wobbly and the limbs give out, and in rare cases the dogs may die. Labradors are the most common dog breed in the world and an estimated 3-5 percent of Labradors have this condition. The research is published in the journal Nature Genetics. More... |
 VCS Faculty Member Teams Up with Medicine Faculty to Develop Experimental Brain Cancer Therapy
Batman (for his black, pointed ears that resemble the superhero) was diagnosed in July with the cancerous brain tumor which, left untreated, would have been fatal. Elizabeth Pluhar, DVM, PhD, performed the three-hour procedure on the ten-year old shepherd mix as the first step of a two-step therapy for the treatment of brain cancer. The initial surgery involved the removal of as much of the brain tumor as possible, followed by the injection of a gene therapy around the perimeter of the tumor area. The injection serves to prime the remaining cancer cells for receiving a vaccine, which was develped in the research laboratory using tumor tissue removed during the surgery. Stephen Haines, MD, of the University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview assisted in the surgery with Dr. Pluhar. John Ohlfest, PhD, Director of the University's translational neurosurgery gene therapy program provided the gene theraphy and created the vaccination. |
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