School of Veterinary Medicine

A hub for zoonotic disease research

The new Institute for Infectious and Zoonotic Diseases, launched by the School of Veterinary Medicine, leans on Penn’s strengths in immunology and infectious disease to prepare for emerging threats to animal and human health.

Katherine Unger Baillie

9/11, 20 years later

Experts across the University share their thoughts on how 9/11 transformed their field, their research, and the world.

Kristen de Groot, Louisa Shepard

Forging healthy bonds with canine companions

School of Veterinary Medicine postdoc Lauren Powell’s research illuminates how the personalities of both dogs and their owners influence the pairs’ ability to overcome behavioral challenges.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Tracking the earliest steps in parasite infection

The parasite Cryptosporidium, a leading global cause of diarrheal diseases in children, injects host cells with a cocktail of proteins. Using powerful video microscopy, School of Veterinary Medicine researchers tracked the process in real time.

Katherine Unger Baillie

The search for the culprit behind songbird deaths

Across the United States, songbirds are dying from a mysterious condition. Working with long-established partners, researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine are striving for a diagnosis.

Katherine Unger Baillie



In the News


The Washington Post

Dogs may be able to communicate by pressing buttons, research suggests

Postdoc Amritha Mallikarjun of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that dogs use buttons as a trained behavior to try and get the things they want.

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Popular Science

Dogs really are communicating via button boards, new research suggests

Postdoc Amritha Mallikarjun of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that dogs are using button boards to communicate non-randomly and with intent, although they don’t necessarily have formal language ability.

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WHYY (Philadelphia)

Saving Philly’s bats, one DIY condo at a time

The Wildlife Futures Program at the School of Veterinary Medicine has facilitated the design and construction of wooden bat boxes to be installed in campus parks, with remarks from Julie Ellis. The project is the brainchild of Penn undergraduate Nick Tanner.

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Voice of America

Can honeybees and dogs detect cancer earlier than technology?

Cynthia Otto of the School of Veterinary Medicine and colleagues at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center are training dogs to recognize certain cancer odors.

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The Scientist

Dogs engage in scent-sational science to sniff out staphylococcus bacteria

Meghan Ramos and Cynthia Otto of the School of Veterinary Medicine and colleagues are training dogs to detect infections that accumulate on orthopedic implants after surgery.

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