Home
About
Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine has a robust research program that spans basic biomedical sciences in infectious (viral, bacterial, and parasitic) and non-infectious (immune-mediated and oncologic) diseases to veterinary clinical research to translational to public health. The program's overall goal is to apply our research to improve the lives of pets and people.
Basic biomedical sciences include the use of appropriate animal models for diseases to better understand the disease process, a prerequisite for the development of better preventive and therapeutic strategies.
With a focus on One Health, our program brings together veterinarians, physicians, and other scientists to address public health threats affecting both people and animals.
Our translational research approach aims to take laboratory findings directly to clients in a clinical setting.
Ongoing clinical trials in our hospitals test research discoveries to develop better methods of disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Our faculty, students, staff, and research partners are committed to discovery, service, and training future researchers and veterinarians.
Signature Research Programs
-
Article ItemCenter for One Health Research , article
The Center for One Health Research (COHR) gathers faculty, staff, and students from VA-MD Vet Med and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine who have a shared interest in cooperative research and scholarship related to infectious diseases. This collaboration is founded on the two schools’ One Health philosophy, which is based on the understanding that animal health, human health, and the environment are inextricably linked; consequently, professionals from these fields must work together to protect, promote, and improve overall health. The center coordinates research, instruction, and outreach activities related to understanding the disease processes that affect both animal and human health, and supports the continued advancement of the science and technology of disease-intervention strategies.
-
Article ItemComparative, Translational, and Veterinary Research , article
Research themes include clinical veterinary medicine research and translational medicine from laboratory animals to clinical veterinary and human patients; stem cell biology and its application; clinical trials management; and human-animal bond/interactions.
-
Article ItemImmune-mediated / Inflammatory Diseases Research , article
Research themes include animal models for immune-mediated diseases, and understanding the mechanisms of such as autoimmune diseases and inflammatory diseases (eg. inflammatory bowel disease). Specific interests include role of epigenetics, microbiome, and environmental hormonal factors on these diseases; transition of inflammation leading to cancer; induction of immunity in oncologic conditions; and translational research.
-
Article ItemNeuropathobiology Research , article
Research themes include animal models for neurodevelopment and traumatic injury, neurovascularization, neuroinflammation, and neuro-oncology; and translational research.
-
Article ItemPathogenic Microbiology / Infectious Diseases Research , article
Research themes include animal models for human and veterinary infectious diseases; and understanding the pathogenesis of the diseases, immunity to infectious and its prevention: development of vaccines and drugs, mechanisms of drug resistance, and translational research.
-
Article ItemPublic Health Research , article
Research focused on infectious diseases epidemiology and public health education that addresses the individual, social, and ecological determinants of health, reflects the human-animal-environment One Health interface, promotes health equity, and builds healthy communities.
Laboratories
-
Article Item
-
Article Item
-
Article Item
Research Training Programs
Latest News
-
Article Item'Curious Conversations' podcast: Audrey Ruple talks about the Dog Aging Project , article
Ruple discussed the Dog Aging Project, the largest-known study of dog health that aims to understand the keys to healthy aging in dogs and the risks to their health. She explained what information they are collecting, what it means for dogs, and how it might also be used to better understand human health.
Date: Mar 25, 2024 -
Article ItemStanton Foundation grant to fund canine mitral valve diagnosis research at veterinary college , article
Research will determine if veterinarians using only a stethoscope and chest X-rays can be effective in identifying dogs that would benefit from medical treatment for mitral valve disease.
Date: Mar 21, 2024 -
Article ItemTwo Fralin Biomedical Research Institute postdoctoral associates awarded American Heart Association fellowships , article
The awards will help Karthi Sreedevi and Samar Antar advance their academic careers while conducting research related to cardiovascular disease.
Date: Mar 19, 2024 -
Article ItemNew research aims to use AI to make cancer diagnostics for pets more available and affordable , article
Ph.D. student Christina Pacholec will use artificial intelligence to analyze thousands of cytological images in an effort to identify lymphoma in dogs more quickly and less invasively.
Date: Mar 12, 2024 -
Article ItemRare Disease Day brings worldwide attention to more than 7,000 rare diseases , article
Virginia Tech research into rare diseases — those that individually affect 200,000 or fewer but collectively touch 1 in 10 people in the U.S. — provides hope in identifying, treating, and supporting patients.
Date: Feb 28, 2024 -
Article ItemAudrey Ruple collaborates with Dog Aging Project, largest-known study of dog health , article
Information collected on more than 47,000 dogs is helping scientists explore many angles of animal, environmental, and human health.
Date: Feb 28, 2024 -
Article ItemDetecting COVID-19 in the air , article
A team of more than a dozen faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and student researchers are combining their expertise to develop a device that can assess the environmental risk of COVID-19 transmission in real time. Led by University Distinguished Professor Linsey Marr, the team has made great strides in figuring out how to successfully capture the necessary amount of air, filter it, deposit it onto a test strip, and identify virus particles.
Date: Feb 23, 2024 -
Article ItemResearch grant aimed at improving wastewater monitoring for diseases in rural Appalachian communities , article
Amid the ongoing efforts to combat and monitor the spread of diseases, a new project aims to bridge the gap in wastewater surveillance between urban and rural areas.
Date: Feb 15, 2024