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 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 School 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