1.23
Katherine Unger Baillie
Senior Science News Officer
kbaillie@upenn.edu
Penn researchers are studying the propensity of SARS-CoV-2 to cross between species, and they are working to protect people, pets, and wildlife from COVID-19 infection.
A chain reaction led by cells lining the intestines tips the immune system off to the presence of the parasite Cryptosporidium, according to a study led by researchers in the School of Veterinary Medicine.
The Outstanding Achievement Prize highlights the contributions of the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Gustavo D. Aguirre and the Perelman School of Medicine’s Jean Bennett and Albert M. Maguire toward a gene therapy for a form of blindness.
Whether the signaling molecule IL-33 wakes up or turns down the immune response depends on what cell type releases it, School of Veterinary Medicine researchers found.
Five faculty from Penn are among the newest members of the National Academy of Medicine: William Beltran of the School of Veterinary Medicine, Matthew McHugh of the School of Nursing, and Ronald DeMatteo, Raina Merchant, and Hongjun Song of the Perelman School of Medicine.
The launch of Penn Vet's training program comes at a critical time for spotted lanternfly management in Pennsylvania. Beyond causing severe damage to trees and the insect poses a significant threat to state agriculture.
A study of search and rescue dogs led by the School of Veterinary Medicine showed little difference in longevity or cause of death between dogs at the disaster site and dogs in a control group.
The interdisciplinary “One Health in Practice” curriculum positions veterinarians for new career pathways in human, environmental health.
The inherited disease, which typically kills children before their second birthday, has no cure, but a School of Veterinary Medicine study in a canine model offers hope for an effective gene therapy with lasting results.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Penn Vet’s Sherrill Davison has seen an increase in phone calls from new flock owners looking for general management resources for their birds. Here, she offers health and safety advice for keeping flocks healthy.
Katherine Unger Baillie
Senior Science News Officer
kbaillie@upenn.edu
Lauren Powell, a postdoc in the School of Veterinary Medicine, spoke about research she led that found links between dog behavior and the personalities of owners. “Extroverted owners were more likely to see improvements in dogs’ fearful behaviors and introverted owners less so,” she said. “Introverted owners may find it tough to leave their dog or give it space if it is required as part of the dog’s treatment.”
FULL STORY →
Lauren Powell of the School of Veterinary Medicine co-led a new study that explored the links between dog training and the personalities of dog owners. The most important factor affecting success, she said, was how bad the dog’s behavior was to begin with, but owner traits seem to play a role, too.
FULL STORY →
Cynthia Otto of the School of Veterinary Medicine spoke about training dogs to identify COVID-19 infections by scent. “The dogs can do it. The challenge is the ignorance that we have as humans as to what can confuse the dogs,” she says.
FULL STORY →
Research from the School of Veterinary Medicine tracked the causes of death for 95 search-and-rescue dogs deployed on 9/11 and showed that most of the dogs died of typical age-related conditions and outlived others of their breeds. “Dogs have a really good filtering system,” said Cynthia Otto. “Their lungs are different—they don’t get asthma, for example.”
FULL STORY →
Rachel Williams and Martin Hackett of the School of Veterinary Medicine spoke about Billy, a local dog that survived multiple gunshots sustained while protecting his owners from armed robbers. “He’s really almost a miracle,” said Williams.
FULL STORY →
Shelley Rankin of the School of Veterinary Medicine spoke about pets and COVID-19 transmission. “If you are not taking precautions … you are putting both yourself and your animal at risk,” she said. “If you are a responsible pet owner, then it is probably safe to say that your animal’s risk [of infection] is lower than yours.”
FULL STORY →