VMSRTP

The Veterinary Medical Scientist Research Training Program (VMSRTP) provides stipends to first- and second-year veterinary students for a summer research experience. Students are accepted from Texas A&M University and from other colleges/schools of veterinary medicine.

The VMSRTP is funded by awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program, the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation, the William & Doris Klemm Fellowship, and by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

Upcoming Events

2024 VMSRTP Symposium

Friday, Aug. 2 | VENI 107A
Thank you to all the participants, mentors, and attendees for your presence!

8:30 a.m. | Welcome & Introductions	Deans & VMSRTP Committee
Session 1	Dr. Dana Gaddy, Moderator
*Outstanding Clinical Research Presentation Award – TIE* 8:45 a.m. | Harry Brightman Mentors: Dr. Sarah Hamer, Dr. Meredith Anderson	Does immunosuppression of wild birds by neonicotinoid pesticide exposure alter pathogen infection prevalence? The case of Texas birds and malaria parasites.
9:00 a.m. | #Kayleigh Shumaker Mentor: Dr. Larry Suva	Monocortical bone defect healing is impaired in a mouse model of Down Syndrome
9:15 a.m. | Hannah Nichols Mentor: Dr. Kate Aicher	Canine schistosomiasis in the southwestern United States: a cross-sectional prevalence study
9:30 a.m. | Kevin Rekoff Mentors: Dr. J. Jill Heatley, Dr. Alice Blue-McLendon	Investigation of the composition of Texas tortoise urine
9:45 a.m. | Dylan Thomas Mentor: Dr. Larry Suva	Endocrine regulation of P3 Digit regeneration
10:00 a.m. | Cody Westmoreland Mentor: Dr. Nicole Buote, Cornell University	Ex vivo comparison of ending technique on canine enterotomy site leakage pressures using the vLoc suture.
10:15 a.m.	Break
Session 2	Dr. Tracy Vemulapalli, Moderator
10:30 a.m. | *Michaela Stavropoulos Mentor: Dr. Christine Rutter	Comparison of canine blood pressure measurements before and after therapeutic removal of abdominal fluid
10:45 a.m. | Gabriela Hansen Mentor: Dr. Vanna Dickerson	Impact of ice pack application on perfusion to the skin
11:00 a.m. | Nicholas Matthews Mentor: Dr. Sara Lawhon	Determining the detection limit of Staphylococcus pseudintermdedius in Canine Feces with Chromogenic Agar
11:15 a.m. | Caleb Metts Mentors: Dr. Laura Bryan, Dr. Sara Lawhon	Increased prevalence of mupirocin resistance in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius found in dogs and cats
11:30 a.m. | Cierra Cadena Mentor: Dr. Sara Lawhon	Validation of a semi-automated method of Salmonella nucleic acid extraction
11:45 a.m. | Ashley Kibodeaux Mentors: Dr. Jessica Hokamp, Dr. Mary Nabity	Validation of urinary miR-126 as a diagnostic marker for immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis in dogs
12:00 p.m.	Lunch & Group Photo
Session 3	Dr. Tracy Vemulapalli, Moderator
*Outstanding Basic or Translational Research Presentation Award* 12:45 p.m. | Samantha Hicks Mentor: Dr. Natalie Fowlkes, MD Anderson Cancer Center	Neuropathologic analysis of IL-15 engineered NK cell therapy in a murine GBM model
1:00 p.m. | Jessica McCaskill Mentor: Dr. Angela I. Bordin	Serum Complement Components C1q and C3b in Healthy and Pneumonic Foals
1:15 p.m. | Victor Zhidkov Mentor: Dr. Noah Cohen	Activities of total and anti-rhodococcal IgA in BAL fluid increase with age in foals
*Outstanding Clinical Research Presentation Award – TIE* 1:30 p.m. | Daniela Sierra Mentor: Dr. Guilherme Verocai	The zoonotic rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, in black rats (Rattus rattus) from Houston, Texas
1:45 p.m. | *Isaac Neuman Mentor: Dr. Meriam Saleh	Influence of geographic distribution on Borrelia prevalence in Ornithodoros spp.
2:00 p.m. | Closing Comments	VMSRTP Committee
6:00 p.m. | Banquet & Awards Dinner	for Students & Mentors at Casa do Brasil