WSU College of Veterinary Medicine

?? Congratulations to all of our faculty recognized for tenure and promotions at tonight’s #WSU Celebrating Excellence Banquet inside Beasley Coliseum. Newly promoted faculty at #WSUVetMed include: Dr. Jon Oatley, promoted to regents professor; Dr. Jeff Abbott,? Dr. Cynthia Cooper, Dr. Felix Lankester, Dr. Tina Owen, and Dr. Bert Tanner, promoted to rank of professor; and Dr. Sarah Guess, Dr. John Hinz, Dr. Miranda Bernhardt, and Dr. Lisette Maddison, promoted to associate professor. #GoCougs

For much of the past decade and a half, the career of #WSU veterinarian Dr. Jillian Haines has been consumed by a rare and often fatal condition in dogs and cats known as megaesophagus. Inspired by a beagle mix named Cake she adopted, Haines has become internationally recognized for her efforts to better understand, manage, and treat the condition, spearheading numerous studies that have transformed how the disease is viewed and treated. At WSU, Haines has also established and heads the Megaesophagus Care and Research Center, where she recently completed a study into how changes in the microbiome of the esophagus may influence disease severity and outcomes. She is currently leading projects to develop standardized quality-of-life scales to improve patient care and to investigate the role of achalasia in #megaesophagus. #WSUVetMed #GoCougs Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gUAuPbqR

This past weekend #WSUVetMed hosted its annual Veterinary Spring Conference. Year after year the event draws veterinarians from throughout the region to #WSU. The event offered continued education for large and small animal veterinarians, as well as a track for technicians and assistants. #ContinuedEducation #WSU #GoCougs

?? Congratulations, Charles Ugwu, PhD student in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, for placing second and representing #WSUVetMed on the university level at today’s 11th annual #WSU Three Minute Thesis competition. Mentored by professor Dr. Anders Omsland, Charles is leading research to identify strategies that can limit the ability of a common type of pathogenic bacteria to utilize the metabolic requirements critical for its proliferation. By earning second place in the competition, Charles earned a travel grant worth $1,500 to be applied to a research conference of his choice. #3MT #GoCougs What Charles’ full presentation: https://lnkd.in/g66nDEFq

???? Trenna Pannier-McQuillan is just weeks from beginning her veterinary career and, thanks to surgery and round-the-clock care at Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Shirley, her once gravely ill horse, is going with her. “We went back and forth on it – whether to continue or to humanely euthanize. I didn’t want her to suffer but we also wanted to give her a fighting chance. After 12 hours of intensive treatment, she started to trend upward,” said Pannier, a veterinary student in her senior year at WSU. #Equine #WSU #WSUVetMed #GoCougs Read Shirley's story: https://lnkd.in/dFFi7C52

???? ?? ?? Congratulations to all of our students who presented their research at #WSU's Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities. This year students from the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine earned awards in five of the nine research categories. Here’s a list of our award-winning undergraduate students, as well as those who received honors who were mentored by College of Veterinary Medicine faculty. Molecular, Cellular, and Chemical Biology: genetics and cell biology student Kaitlyn Ipsen, Gray Award; microbiology student Giselle Sotelo, Gray Award; genetics and cell biology student Gabriella "GiGi" Searle, Gray Award; bioengineering student Michael Fasci, Gray Award; neuroscience student Riana Abeshima, Gray Award; neuroscience student Lauren Benjamin, Gray Award; neuroscience student Taylor Christopherson, Gray Award; neuroscience and psychology student Tiana LaFollette; biochemistry student Sahil Ganjyal, Crimson Award. Applied Sciences: students Niamh Berry, Georgia Bohm, Olivia Christensen, Edward Naumann, and Fernando Pimienta Echeagaray, Gray Award. Research Proposal: psychology student Emily Eddy, Crimson Award; animal sciences student Mackenzie Potter, Crimson Award. Organismal, Population, Ecological, and Evolutionary Biology: biochemistry and chemistry student Braeden Stiffler, Gray Award. Social Sciences: neuroscience and psychology student Travis Hale, Gray Award. #UndergradResearch #WSU #GoCougs

Tonight, six distinguished alumni from the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine were recognized for their exceptional contributions to the veterinary profession at the college's Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony. Congratulations to all of our alumni who received some of their alma mater’s highest honors. Dr. Terry McElwain – Distinguished Alumni Award: Dr. McElwain, an expert in global disease surveillance, co-founded the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health and helped establish the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Dr. Duane Wolverton ('77 DVM) – Outstanding Service Alumni Award: Dr. Wolverton served his community in Orofino, Idaho, for over four decades, offering discounted spays, neuters, and a sanctuary for pets while supporting local 4-H programs. Dr. Jennifer Erickson ('06 BS Neuroscience) – Undergraduate Alumni Award: Dr. Erickson, an assistant professor at the University of Washington, specializes in collaborative care and brain injury, mentoring future psychiatrists. Dr. Peter Anderson ('81 DVM) – Excellence in Teaching and Research Award: Dr. Anderson, a professor of pathology at UAB, has published over 100 papers and holds six patents in cardiovascular research. Dr. Paul Morley ('86 BS, '87 BS, '89 DVM) – Excellence in Teaching and Research Award: Dr. Morley, a professor and research director at Texas A&M, has published over 230 articles and secured $21 million in research funding in epidemiology and infectious diseases. Dr. Loren Koller ('65 DVM) – WSU Alumni Association’s Alumni Achievement Award: Dr. Koller, a pathologist and researcher, pioneered immunotoxicology and carcinogenesis and served as dean at Oregon State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. More about the Alumni Awards and our distinguished alumni: https://lnkd.in/gQvdxQ2k

?? ?? A bond so profound that no amount of money could persuade most people to part with their dog. A bond so deeply rooted that dogs have evolved to understand human social cues better than primates. A bond so prevalent that nearly half of American households include a canine companion, with most considering them family. These themes took center stage at tonight’s Distinguished Bustad Lecture, delivered by Dr. Kerri Rodriguez, PhD, a leading human-animal bond researcher and veterinarian at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Rodriguez shared key insights into the science behind the human-dog relationship, including her study that found veterans working with service dogs had 66% lower odds of receiving a PTSD diagnosis from a mental health professional after three months with a dog.?She also focused on scientifically-backed benefits of canine companionship: increased human interaction, emotional support, lower stress, a healthier lifestyle, to name a few. The Bustad Lecture is an annual honor of late veterinarian and longtime WSU College of Veterinary Medicine dean Dr. Leo Bustad known for his early research on the human-animal bond. #HumanAnimalBond #WSUVetMed #WSU #GoCougs

In June 1933, Dr. Catherine Roberts became the first woman to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University, breaking barriers in a male-dominated field. She didn’t stop there—Dr. Roberts went on to become the first woman to pass the California veterinary board exam, setting a record for the highest score ever achieved at the time. Decades later, in 1977, Lorain Miller, a high school student from Burien, Washington, and aspiring veterinarian, reached out to Dr. Roberts to document her story for the National Organization for Women’s essay contest on American women pioneers. Dr. Roberts responded with a detailed 10-page letter, typed out with care, offering a rare firsthand account of her groundbreaking achievements. Miller’s essay won first place in her school district, earning her a $1,000 award. Today, Lorain Miller—now Dr. Lorain Abel—is a proud 1987 graduate of Washington State University and has been practicing veterinary medicine for nearly 40 years. Her award-winning essay, along with Dr. Roberts’ letter, remains a vital record of Washington’s first female pioneer in veterinary medicine. #WomensHistoryMonth #WSUVetMed #WSU #GoCougs Read Dr. Roberts’ story, her letter, and Dr. Abel's award-winning essay: https://lnkd.in/gc3qAzhw

Wei Yan M.D., Ph.D., director of #WSU's School of Molecular Biosciences, has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the American Society of Andrology | ASA’s Distinguished Andrologist Award. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the ASA and is presented annually to an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to advancing andrology, the medical specialty focused on the male reproductive system. With a membership of over 600 professionals worldwide, the ASA is dedicated to fostering scientific exchange and expanding knowledge in the field of male reproductive health. More about Dr. Yan's and the Distinguished Andrologist Award: https://lnkd.in/gnj9NCSj