Summer Veterinary Student Research Program
The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) is pleased to offer the Summer Veterinary Student Research Program (SVSRP), a biomedical research training opportunity for veterinary students. The SVSRP is supported by the following sponsors:
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program (BIVS)
- Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM)
Students applying to the SVSRP must commit to a continuous 11-week summer program.
- The SVSRP application form (PDF) and the SVSRP demographics form (PDF) are now available. The deadline to apply is Monday, February 3, 2025.
- Inquiries about the SVSRP should be addressed to Dr. S. Ansar Ahmed at ansrahmd@vt.edu.
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Bio ItemS. Ansar Ahmed, BVSc, PhD , bio
Professor of Immunology, Director, Summer Veterinary Student Research Program, Co-Director, T32 Program
News Stories
- Application process
- Mission and funding
- Program timeline and schedules
- Program overview
- Potential SVSRP mentors
- Former SVSRP trainees
- FAQs
Deadline
The application deadline for the SVSRP is Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.
Eligibility
- DVM students: Applicants must be in a DVM program at an accredited veterinary medical college to be considered for these scholarships.
- VMCVM students: Applicants must be DVM students in the first- or third-year, when summers are available. Third-year DVM juniors of VMCVM who are interested should plan to have block 5 as a public corporate or elective block, and they should notify Dr. Pelzer of their interest in participating in the program when they submit their schedule requests.
- Other DVM Students from AVMA-accredited universities: Applicants from other AVMA-accredited colleges must be DVM students from their first or second year when summers are available.
- International Students: Due to funding sponsor restrictions, DVM students eligible for summer program research must be US citizens or Permanent Residents of the USA. DVM students considered are from AVMA-accredited schools. We may also consider applicants from the Boehringer-Ingelheim-Veterinary Scholars Program (BIVSP) sponsored Europe and Japan Veterinary Scholars program from BIVSP-approved veterinary schools. These students are pre-selected by BIVSP and sponsored by this program.
Application
The application form (PDF) requests the following personal information:
- Name and contact information
- Citizenship and other eligibility questions
- Career plans and goals
- Education
- Research experience (if any)
- Ranking of areas of interest
- Research interests
In addition, applicants must submit a CV and two letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from a faculty member at the applicant's veterinary medical college. One of the two recommendation letters can be from a faculty in the B.S. program who is familiar with the student’s research passion or project.
Selection criteria
The SVSRP Committee will select students based on the likelihood that the student will pursue a career in research. Selection criteria include scientific curiosity, passion for experiential learning, academic record, and references from veterinary medical college faculty. Please note that prior research experience is not required to participate in the program. Passion for research and compelling reasons to learn research will be highly valued. Regardless of the funding source, all selected students will be exposed to the same training opportunities.
The committee will make every effort to match the research interests of applicants to those of the mentors.
Contact
For additional information about the program or assistance with the application process, please contact Dr. S. Ansar Ahmed, director of SVSRP, at ansrahmd@vt.edu.
Mission
The objective of the SVSRP is to expose veterinary students to the diverse research opportunities for a biomedical/health science research career. Veterinarians with a biomedical/health science research background are in demand, and this career path provides many opportunities in academic, federal, biotech, and pharmaceutical institutions. To achieve the program's objective, four key success factors have been identified:
- Close interaction of highly motivated students who show an interest in research with enthusiastic, competent scientists as mentors
- Educational activities that support a fundamental learning experience in biomedical/health science research
- Exposure to DVM scientists in federal governmental agencies, academia (medical and veterinary school), and industry who have chosen to pursue a biomedical research career
* The program's distinguishing features are its close proximity to Washington, D.C., and the presence of VMCVM's campus in College Park, Maryland. Summer scholars will have an opportunity to visit DVM scientists working in federal agencies, such as the NIH, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration-CVM - Breakfast seminar with DVM scientists from federal agencies, pharmaceutical and biotech industry, and medical schools
- Strong follow-up program ensuring research options for program alumni
Funding
- SVSRP trainees receive a stipend by direct deposit to their designated bank account. Historically, stipends have been equivalent to the amount specified by the annual NIH Ruth Kirschstein National Service Award standard.
- Travel, lodging, and meals for the Washington, D.C., trip and the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium will be covered by the program.
Tentative timeline
Date | Activity |
---|---|
FEBRUARY 3 | Deadline for application (PDF) receipt |
EARLY MARCH | Mentor and trainee meeting |
MAY 22-26 | Orientation short courses |
MAY 26 | Submit approved summer research project proposal |
MAY 29 (to be finalized) | Travel to Washington, D.C. |
MAY 30 - JUNE 1 (to be finalized) | Veterinary medicine and public health visits in Washington, D.C. |
JUNE 2 – JULY 28 | Nine-and-a-half weeks of summer research with one-on-one mentor contact, and eight weeks of Friday breakfast seminars |
AUGUST 7-9 | National Veterinary Scholars Symposium |
Week 1: Orientation
The SVSRP includes an initial one-week orientation with short courses in the following subjects:
- Biostatistics and Experimental Design: Students obtain a basic understanding of the requirements for the design of studies, the planning and implementation of data collection and organization, approaches for data analysis, how to evaluate the output of such analyses, and critical evaluation of published information. Topics covered include the characteristics of distributions, indicators of central tendency and variability, sampling distributions and probability, regression and techniques of hypothesis testing (parametric and non-parametric uni- and multivariable tests of continuous and categorical variables), and specific learning resources outside of the course.
- Research Management: This course describes the requirements and procedures for successfully managing a research project and developing a research program. Methods of project planning, monitoring, and reporting are discussed. Also, various forms of research organization structure and research development opportunities are illuminated, within a context of career paths and opportunities, including a brief discussion of intellectual property issues.
- Scientific Writing: This workshop focuses on helping students avoid the most egregious errors of scientific writing. These errors include improperly organizing the information, not emphasizing the key details, not writing clearly, not making smooth transitions between details, and not selecting persuasive illustrations.
- Common Experimental Techniques and Methods: Trainees will be exposed to common laboratory techniques that could include cell isolation, microscopy, flow cytometry, and molecular biology.
- General Workshops: Workshops are tailored to include topics as presentation skills, poster and PowerPoint design, and keeping a laboratory notebook.
- Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals: The first hour of this course covers laws, regulations, and guidelines affecting animal care and use; ethical issues; introduction to replacement, reduction, and refinement (referred to as the 3Rs); and methods used to assess availability of alternatives. The second hour covers husbandry requirements for common laboratory animal species, recognizing and controlling variables, recognizing and minimizing pain and distress, and common laboratory animal technical and surgical procedures. The third hour covers animal model criteria, animal model selection, and common animal models.
- Ethical Conduct of Research and Policy: Instruction in the responsible conduct of research includes three one-hour classes during orientation. Scientists are now increasingly required to go beyond experimental design and factor in ethical, social, and legal responsibilities as they plan and conduct their programs of animal research. We consider the nature of these responsibilities from two perspectives: scientific community and general public. Overall, the course examines the professional values, policies, and procedures emanating from within the scientific community itself that undergird the responsible conduct of research, which include the following areas: research conduct; peer review; authorship; publication; mentoring; conflict of interest; data ownership; record-keeping; environmental health and safety; and policies and guidelines for responsible conduct of research.
The ethical issues involved in the use of research subjects are not covered in this course. Policies and ethical considerations regarding the use of animal subjects are handled during the orientation in a separate short course. Students are provided materials for self-learning about the use of human subjects, but due to time constraints, human studies are not covered in this short course. This short course and the associated research subject material covered is meant to be an overview. A career in research would require further in-depth treatment of these subjects. SVSRP trainees are expected to attend this short course, and readings and exercises are provided in class that require the students to interact with other students and their mentors who are asked to attend, if possible, as part of their mentoring responsibility.
Week 2: Trip to Washington, D.C.
A four-day visit to Washington, D.C., which is provided through cooperation with the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine, is designed to accomplish the following:
- Expose students to a spectrum of research conducted by DVM scientists at various governmental facilities, industry, and nongovernmental organizations; and
- Guide students to develop an understanding of public policy as it relates to and is influenced by biomedical research and public and animal health.
The Washington, D.C., metropolitan area has the highest concentration of veterinarians working in the public and corporate sectors in the world. Students participating in the program have facilitated visits with multiple veterinarians engaged in research careers in many government agencies and corporations. The visits provide students with the opportunity to network with these veterinarians. Students will likely meet with potential future colleagues and employers at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (including the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration), U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Coordinated travel is organized to and from Blacksburg, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Weeks 2–11: Summer research
Trainees spend nine-and-a-half weeks in the laboratory implementing a research plan finalized during orientation under close guidance by their assigned mentor.
Weekly seminar
- An hourlong seminar is held at 9 a.m. each Friday during the summer research period.
- Each year's seminar series theme will be "DVMs in Biomedical Research." Past lectures have been presented by role model faculty members with diverse expertise, including DVMs from Boehringer-Ingelheim, Pharmaceuticals, the NIH, medical schools, Contract research organizations, and diagnosticians.
Potential mentors: Research areas and contact information
These faculty were selected as potential mentors because they have active research funding (mostly from NIH), as well as substantial experience in mentoring research trainees at the pre- and post-doctoral level. Detailed information about each potential faculty mentor is available through the links provided below. Applicants who wish to discuss their application and research interests may contact these faculty. Please note that some faculty members may not be available for a particular summer. Prospective students are encouraged to contact potential mentors for their availability to discuss their research interests and ascertain to have a student in their laboratory for the summer. Some faculty members not listed below (especially from other colleges) may also be considered mentors contingent upon the agreement with the mission of this program and the approval of the program director, Dr. Ahmed.
Please click on faculty name for more research and academic information.
Infectious Diseases
- Clayton Caswell, PhD, associate professor of bacteriology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (caswellc@vt.edu, 540-231-5591).
- Andrea S. Bertke, PhD, associate professor of infectious diseases in public health, Department of Population Health Sciences (asbertke@vt.edu, 540-231-2707).
- Nisha Duggal, PhD, associate professor of molecular and cellular biology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (nduggal@vt.edu, 540-231-6705).
- Luis E. Escobar, assistant professor, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Virginia Tech (escobar1@vt.edu, 540-232-8485).
- Raj Gaji, BVSc, MVSc, PhD, assistant professor of parasitology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (rajgaji@vt.edu, 540-231-0918).
- Erin Gloag, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology and biofilm biology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (erinsg@vt.edu, 540-231-9995).
- Kylene Kehn-Hall, PhD, professor of virology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (kkehnhall@vt.edu, 540-231-6705).
- Kevin Lahmers, DVM, PhD, DACVP–Anatomic Pathology, clinical associate professor of anatomic pathology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (klahmers@vt.edu, 540-231-7632).
- X.J. Meng, MD, MS, PhD, University Distinguished Professor of Molecular Virology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology; professor of internal medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (xjmeng@vt.edu, 540-231-6912).
- Roger A. Ramirez Barrios, DVM, MS, PhD, clinical associate professor of veterinary parasitology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (raramirez@vt.edu, 540-231-0436).
- Mohamed Seleem, DVM, MS, PhD, professor of bacteriology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (seleem@vt.edu, 540-231-6705).
- James Weger-Lucarelli, PhD, research assistant professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (weger@vt.edu, 540-231-6594).
Immume-Mediated and Inflammatory Diseases
- Ansar Ahmed, DVM, PhD, professor of immunology, professor of faculty of health sciences (ansrahmd@vt.edu, 540-231-5649).
- Irving C. Allen, MS, MBA, PhD, professor of inflammatory disease, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (icallen@vt.edu, 540-231-7551).
- Liwu Li, professor of biological sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science (lwli@vt.edu, 540-231-1433).
- Tanya LeRoith, DVM, PhD, DACVP–Anatomic Pathology, clinical professor of anatomic pathology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (tleroith@vt.edu, 540-231-7627).
- Xin M. Luo, PhD, professor of immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (xinluo@vt.edu, 540-231-0977).
- Christopher Reilly, PhD, associate professor and discipline chair of physiology, Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine; adjunct faculty, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (creilly@vcom.vt.edu, 540-231-5345).
- Joanne Tuohy, DVM, PhD, DACVS–Small Animal, assistant professor of surgical oncology, Animal Cancer Care and Research Center (jltuohy@vt.edu, 540-526-2328).
- Lijuan Yuan, PhD, professor of virology and immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (lyuan@vt.edu, 540-231-5154).
Comparative, Translational, & Veterinary Research
- Orsolya Balogh, DVM, PhD, DACT, associate professor of theriogenology, JoAnne S. O'Brien Professor of Theriogenology, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (obalogh@vt.edu, 540-231-6954).
- Giulio Menciotti , DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM-Cardiology, assistant professor of cardiology, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (giuliom@vt.edu, 540-231-7588).
- Richard Shinn, DVM, MS, DACVIM–Neurology, assistant professor of neurology, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (shinndvm@vt.edu, 540-231-4666).
- Jamie Stewart, DVM, PhD, MS, DACT, assistant professor of production management medicine, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences (jlstewart13@vt.edu, 540-231-9251).
- Ashley Wilkinson, DVM, MS, DACVIM, assistant professor of internal medicine, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (ashleyrw@vt.edu, 540-231-7690).
- Sharon Witonsky, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, associate professor of equine field services, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences (switonsk@vt.edu, 540-231-2773).
Neuropathobiology
- Blaise Costa, MPharm, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (bcosta@vt.edu, 540-231-1468).
- Shannon Farris, PhD, assistant professor of neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (farrissl@vtc.vt.edu).
- Paul Morton, PhD, assistant professor of neurodevelopment and neurobiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (pmorton@vt.edu, 540-231-4891).
- Yuchin Pan, PhD, associate professor of neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (yapan@vtc.vt.edu).
- Rell Parker, DVM, PhD, DACVIM–Neurology, assistant professor of neurology and neurosurgery, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (rell@vt.edu, 540-231-2735).
- John H. Rossmeisl, Jr., DVM, MS, DACVIM–Internal Medicine and Neurology, Dr. and Mrs. Dorsey Taylor Mahin Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (jrossmei@vt.edu).
- Sharon Swanger, PhD, assistant professor of neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (saswanger@vtc.vt.edu).
- Michelle Theus, PhD, associate professor of molecular and cellular neurobiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (mtheus@vt.edu).
- Hehuang "David" Xie, PhD, professor of epigenomics and computational biology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology (davidxie@vt.edu, 540-231-9244).
Population Health Sciences/Public Health
- Laura Hungerford, DVM, MPH, PhD, CPH, professor of veterinary public health and epidemiology, Department of Population Health Sciences (lhungerf@vt.edu, 540-231-3532).
- Cassidy Rist, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, assistant professor, Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health Sciences (crist6@vt.edu, 540-231-3373).
- Audrey Ruple, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVPM, MRCVS, associate professor of quantitative epidemiology, Metcalf Professor of Veterinary Medical Informatics, Department of Population Health Sciences (aruple@vt.edu, 540-231-0342).
2023 SVSRP
- Alexandra Tolleson
Thromboelastography in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - Tara Long
Exploring correlations between horse behavior and serologic antibody presence for Borrelia burgdorfer - Jessie Gaine
Assessment of teleneurology and its accuracy in neurolocalization during a veterinary neurologic exam - Annika Heyder, Freie Universität Berlin
Fitness of Usutu Virus in mosquito and mouse cells - Brett Connolly
Assessment of teleneurology and its accuracy in neurolocalization during a veterinary neurologic exam - Ryan Jordan
DNA Sequence Variation Assessment of Toll-Like Receptor, Immune Response Gene mgTLR+, in Meleagris gallopavo - Alex Marsh
Analysis of Piroplasmids in Ectoparasites of snakes in the Peruvian Amazon - Julianna Scardina
Strolling with shelter cats - Taylor Mortensen
The bacterial microbiome of ectoparasites found on snakes in the Peruvian Amazon - Kelli Gillespie
Validation of iSperm analyzer for assessing ram semen quality - Noah Goldfarb
An Investigation of High Pulse Repetition Frequency Histotripsy for Osteosarcoma Ablation
2022 SVSRP
- Olivia Echols
Investigating the ablative and immunomodulatory effects of high-frequency irreversible electroporation in osteosarcoma - Matthew Santos
Assessing T-Cell Responses to a Novel Preclinical Zika Virus Vaccine Candidate - Zach Kirkpatrick
The Effect of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds on Estrogen and Progesterone in Pregnant Mice - Daniel Eichelberger
Assessing spectrophotometric turbidity testing as a rapid assessment of failure of passive transfer of immunity in neonatal lambs - Anna Foley
Determining Genetic Markers of SARS-CoV-2 Adaptation to Human and Animal Hosts - Eric Britton
Chronic Wasting Disease Risk Analysis related to ViTALS NAHLN Accreditation - Kayla Rojas
Characterization of the BAB2_0857 protein in Brucella abortus - Katie Gingrich
Evaluating infectivity of Spondweni virus and Zika virus on murine spermatogonia cells - Mishana Smith
A Presumptive Diagnostic Technique of Identifying Bovine Anemia Associated with Theileria orientalis Ikeda Genotype in Virginia - Haleigh Hixson
Evaluating the effects of histotripsy-treated canine osteosarcoma on monocyte phenotype - Nicolette Smith
Evaluating the relationship of mechanical allodynia and downregulation of the Chrna6 gene in mice models
2021 SVSRP
- Katherine Bukovec
History of eccentric contractions in Duchenne muscular dystrophy - Elaina Davis
Immunomodulatory effects of high-frequency irreversible electroporation on canine primary lung cancer - Amy Lin
Investigating the mechanism behind a phenotypic drift in lupus-prone mice - Emma Loessberg
Susceptibility of mosquito and bird cells to Usutu virus - Julia Mykins
The role of the gut microbiome on neurogenesis and cortical development in germ free piglets - Holly Newberne
Using DAPI-PI staining to determine Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst viability compared to qPCR quantification - Brigid Sexton
Deslorelin-induced infertility affects expression of selected antioxidant enzymes in the testis of dogs
2020 SVSRP
- Cara Costanzo
Phylogenetic Analysis and Protein Level Mapping of Mutations in African and European Usutu Virus Strains - Rebecca Weiske
The contribution of sympathetic neurons to recurrent disease caused by Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and 2, in a Guinea Pig model
2019 SVSRP
Read more about the 2019 program→
- Ian Anderson
Characterizing the role of fucose in Brucella pathogenesis - Kate Bukovec
Effect of human gait modeling in mdx mouse soleus on muscle oxidative stress - Catherine Buryn
A Novel Flavivirus Vaccine to Prevent Vertical Transmission of Zika Virus - Zach Groff
Effect of Germ-Free Conditions on Radial Glial Progenitor Stem Cells in the Subventricular and Outer Subventricular Zones - Taylor James
QAC Resistance Study in Hospitalized Horses - Taschua Jeboda
Evaluating the role of miR-183-96-182 miRNA cluster in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Meg Oberer
Creation and characterization of single amino acid variant mutants of Mayaro virus - Nicholas Pietrobono
What is the ability of African and European isolates of Usutu virus to infect cells from non-avian species such as bats and rodents? - Alex Safian
Impact of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry5B crystal protein on strongylid larvae development - Joshua Scharf
Screening of AAV serotype panel for efficient transduction of sensory and autonomic neurons in guinea pigs - Yiannis Sotiropoulos
Influence of endothelial cell-specific erythropoietin-producing-hepatocellular carcinoma receptor (Eph) on the blood-brain barrier following traumatic brain injury - Kelli Stone
The role of M2-polarized macrophages in canine soft tissue sarcoma progression
2018 SVSRP
Read more about the 2018 program→
- Roel Becerra, Purdue University CVM
A Natural Murine Infection Model to Delineate the Immunobiology and Persistence of Noroviruses - Alex Bradshaw
Quantitative Evaluation of the Effects of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) on Molecules Associated with T Cell Stimulation - Sabrina Callaway
Role of microRNAs in the lupus-gut microbiome axis - Stephanie Crawford
Assessment of Zika Virus Persistence in Various Tissues after Subcutaneous and Sexual Transmission - Francesca Frere
Susceptibility of Commons U.S. Birds and Mosquitoes to USUV Strains and the Possibility of Cross-Neutralization by WNV or SLEV - Elise Hennessy, Auburn University CVM
Understanding the role of Culex mosquitoes and avian host in the sylvatic transmission of Mayaro virus - Shawn Kozlov
Evaluating the Effects of Boiling Histotripsy on Immune Response and Metastasis using a 4TI Breast Tumor Model - Mitchell Meyerhoeffer
Investigating the immune response to High Frequency Irreversible Electroporation (H-FIRE) in canine hepatocellular carcinoma - Ying Ngo
Synovial Macrophage Response to Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells in Normal versus Inflamed Equine Joints - TJ Quinn
Purification of mouse embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes via metabolic-selection using lactase supplemented medium - Taylor Simmons
Dysregulated noncanonical NF-kB signaling is associated with eosinophilic esophagitis and the effect of NIK on eosinophil migration - Sierrah Travis
Impact of gut microbiota on the fate of neural stem cells
2017 SVSRP
Read more about the 2017 program→
- Kristin Blount
The Effect of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) on Development of IgA Responses - Kaya Bryant, Tuskegee University CVM
Environmental heat exposure among pet dogs in rural and urban counties of the South - Meghan Dau
Characterization of genes involved in infection by Brucella abortus by the oral route - Glenn Elias
qPCR Detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. in eggs obtained from Ranged-Reared and Small Backyard Chicken Flocks in the New River Valley of Virginia and the Relationship to Non-Tuberculosis Mycobacterial Disease in Humans - Elizabeth Majette
Evaluation of immunogenicity of candidate rotavirus vaccine P-VP8* in gnotobiotic pig model of human rotavirus infection and disease - Nick Moore
Using Differences in Gene Expression to Differentiate Histiocytic Sarcoma from Soft Tissue Sarcoma - Andrea Oliver
Meta-Analysis of human patient samples after Traumatic Brain Injury using the Federal Interagency Traumatic Brain Injury Research (FITBIR) informatics system - Samantha Perry
Expression of Immune Checkpoint Molecules in Canine Histiocytic Disease - Chelsea Pollak
Understanding cellular mediators of breast and pancreatic cancer tumor clearance following ablation therapy using high frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) - Evymarie Prado-Sanchez
Characterization of the nikR gene in Brucella abortus - Ashley Saver
Assessment of Zika Virus neurotropism and pathogenesis - Tracy Wachbrit
Determining the role of single viral capsid mutations in altering the host range and fitness of viruses - Caleb Whitfield
Role of CX3CR1 in Pathogenesis of Murine Lupus
2016 SVSRP
Read more about the 2016 program→
- Stephanie Folkerts, North Carolina State University CVM
Isolation of antibiotic-producing bacteria from New River Valley (NRV) soil - Kari Hecker
Commercialization of an ELISA for Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale using hemolytic and non-hemolytic isolates - Bathilda Lake
Equine PCV, Erythrocyte Potassium and Transferrin Correlations - Tyler Lawnichak
Influence of donepezil on the development of Toxoplasma gondii and its potential relationship to Alzheimer’s - Melissa Lopez, Tuskegee University CVM
Characterization of Vascular remodeling in the canine brain following Traumatic Brain Injury - Caitlin Mason
Native and Recombinant PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 mRNA Variants for Study of Porcine Circovirus Associated Disease - Lauren Page
Efficacy of a New Diagnostic Procedure, the Mini-FLOTAC, in the Diagnosis of Canine Giardia Infection - Evymarie Prado-Sanchez
Nickel Homeostasis and Bacterial Pathogenesis: Examining NikR Regulatory System in Brucella abortus - Ellen Russell
NLR Inflammasome Recognition of Clostridium difficile - Vincent Travella
Control of lupus nephritis by manipulating gut microbiota during active disease
2015 SVSRP
- Mitch Caudill
Characterization of the putR gene in Brucella abortus - Corren Freeman, Tuskagee University CVM
Exploring the mechanisms of the components interleukin-1 - Chris Gow
Characterization of Arteriogenesis in Juvenile Mice Following Traumatic Brain Injury - Judy Jean, University of Wisconsin CVM
Use of digital droplet PCR to quantify DNA copy number of hsp90 gene in Aedes aegypti - Anna Jiang
Targeting glioblastoma for enhanced oncolysis by Newcastle disease virus - Kelsey Jorge, Midwestern University CVM
Efficacy of butyrylcholinesterase as a topical scavenger agent against the organophosphate paraoxon - Caroline Moon
The Effect of common commercial rodent diets on lupus associated epigenetic factors and glomerulonephritis in MRL-lpr mice - Sandra Muller, University of Utrecht CVM
Anatomic regurgitant orifice area (AROA) obtained using 3D-echocardiography as an indicator of severity of mitral regurgitation in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease - Erika Olney, Midwestern University CVM
Evaluation of RNActive®-based rotavirus vaccine in the gnotobiotic pig model of human rotavirus infection - Luis Rivero
Beating cardiac aggregate survival in long term culture can be enhanced by alginate-based microencapsulation - Deepinder Sidhu
CT-guided brain biopsy using an inexpensive brain phantom and a veterinary specific stereotactic system
2014 SVSRP
- Camille Brandenburg
Studying iron transport in Drosophila melanogaster and the effects of iron on insect cells - Melissa Brusie
Expression of miR-181a in immune cells from a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus - Kristen Hill
Isolation and identification of antibiotic producing microbes from soil - Andrew Jones
X and Y feline chromosomal DNA probe generation and placental tissue staining for the improved differentiation of maternal and fetal tissue - Jasmine Jones
Characterization of the regulatory response of Brucella abortus to deoxycholate stress - Kye Kable
Caspase-11 attenuates gastrointestinal inflammation and experimental colitis pathogenesis - Anna Katogiritis
Donepezil hydrocholoride inhibits development of tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii in human retinal epithelial cell cultures - Vincent Michels
The effect of bacterial depletion on pial collateral development - Stephanie Paultre
A look at the detrimental effects of quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) on sertoli cells - Jason Regalado
Evaluation of an isothermal DNA amplification assay for Salmonella with applications for food safety - Muzzy Sayyid
Differentiation of male germ cells from murine pluripotent stem cells in vitro - Tim Scott
Investigating the trophic capabilities of equine adipose-derived cells - Taylor Stephens
Effect of high fat diet and endotoxemia on mTOR activiation
2013 SVSRP
- Jordan Adair
The Role of EphA4 in Pial Arteriole Collateral Development - Camille Brandenburg
Visualizing the Colocalization of Proteins involved in RNAi using IFA in Aedes aegypti - Penelope Burchfiel
Three-Dimensional Culture of Equine Mesenchymal Stem Cells Mitigates Anti-Inflammatory Properties - Elle Donnini
Ability of Stromal Vascular Fraction Cells to Induce a Regenerative Response in Tendon Fibroblasts Via Secretion of Soluble Factors - John Gil
All-Trans-Retinoic Acid (atRA) Regulates CpG-mediated Production of Inflammatory Cytokines in Human Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell (pDC) Line CAL-1 - Madison Jubirt
Characterization of a Novel Small Regulatory RNA, Bsr7, From Brucella abortus 2308 - Sarah Peloquin
The Influence of Simvastatin on Cytokine Responses To Norovirus or P Particle Vaccine in Gnotobiotic Pigs - Jonathan Samuelson
Preconditioning of hCSCs with LPS Enhances Cell Survival through a TLR-4-Mediated Anti-Apoptotic Mechanism - Patricia Shanteau
The Reproductive and Developmental Effects of Ubiquitous Quaternary Ammonia Compounds - Vanessa Wallace
Acute Effects of Multiple Dose Fullerene Exposures in Mice After Intravenous or Intraperitoneal Exposure
2012 SVSRP
- Stephanie Apple
Role of Adipose-Derived Adult Stem Cells as Trophic Mediators of Tissue Regeneration - Emma Kate Evans
Fluorescent Labeling of Carboxymethylcellulose Acetate Butyrate (CMCAB) for in vitro and in vivo Uptake Studies - Brent Gordon
Alterations in Plasacytoid Dendritic Cells in the Progression of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Jessica Gould
The Effect of Environmental Conditions on the Viability of Parascaris equorum Eggs - Ellie Kornfeind
Maternal Nutrition Increases Risk of Metabolic Disease in Mature Offspring - Sarah Repsher
The Role of EphA4 Receptor in Tube Formation of Cultured Primary Endothelial Cells Derived from the Cerebral Vasculature of C57BL/6 Mice - Lauren Robinson
Differential, Tissue-specific Micro-RNA Expression in Lupus and Non-lupus Mice - Jennifer Shonts
Phenotypic Modulation of Porcine Dendric Cells Following in vitro Co-infection with Porcine Circovirus Type 2 and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus - Greg Simonek
Delineating the Estrogen-mediated effects of megakaryocytes on Mesenchymal Stem Cells - Jesse Sugrue
Household Teratogens and Their Effects on Neural Tube Defects
2011 SVSRP
- Kathryn Dorsey
Identifying Regulatory T Cell Epitopes in Porcine Circovirus 2 - Melani French
Detrimental Disinfectancts? Neural tube defects in mice exposed to quaternary ammonium compounds - Cassandra Martin
Isoforms of VEGF-A Expressed in the Feline Placenta - Savannah McReynolds
Differential Expression of Lupus-associated microRNAs in Male and Female Autoimmune-prone Mice - Elizabeth Mongeon
Molecular Characteristics of Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococci Isolated from Animals at Three Teaching Hospitals - Cyrus Wegbreit
Cell Cycle Arrest by Newcastle Disease Virus for Tumor Selectivity - Jacob Cawley
Morphological Evaluation of Dysplastic Megakaryocytes in a Mouse Model for Myelodysplastic Syndrome - Gabriel Mills
Isolation of Canine Spermatogonial Stem Cells Using Thy1 (CD90) with Magnetic-activated Cell Sorting - Amanda Weakley
Use of Hair Scores as a Simple Method to Detect Fescue Toxicosis in Cattle
2010 SVSRP
- Christine Keyserling
The effects of exogenous sphingosineon clusteringene expression in a mouse model of progressive ovarian cancer - Robert Cullen
Cytokine Measurements to Judge Effects of Maternal Immune Stimulation on Teratogen-Exposed pregnancies - Rachael Edwards
Maternal Alcohol Use on the Immediate and Long Term Health of Offspring - Galit Frydman
A Study of VEGF-A and Vascularization in the Feline Reproductive Tract - Dorothy Jones
Effect of Lactobacillus Acidophilus on Serum Antibody Responses Induced by Rotavirus Vaccine - Tara Martin
A Comparison of the Interactions of PRRSV and PCV2 in vitro - Michelle Welton
Delineation of the Antigen-Activated T-cell Response in the NUP98HOXD13 Mouse Model for Myelodysplastic Syndrome
2009 SVSRP
- Anastasiya Soper
Effects of Dietary Leucine on Calpain/Calpastatin and mTOR/p-mTOR Contents in Cardiac Tissues of MDX Mice - Carmen Ledesma
Viability and Efficacy of Chimeric Porcine Circovirus (PVC) Constructs using PSV1 and PCV2 Strains - Elizabeth Ferguson
Evaluation of Murine Skeletal Defects from Maternal Exposure to Tap Water - Janice Thomas
Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial DNA Variation, and Immune Response in the Domestic Chicken, Gallus gallus - Kyle Webb
Incorporating Viral M2e Proteins as an Adjuvant on Virus Surface - Lara Brennecke
Effect on Fertility in Male Dogs Vaccinated with a GnRH Vaccine containing B-cell Adjuvant - Robert Edwards
Folate Targeted Newcastle Disease Virus for Cancer Therapy
2008 SVSRP
- Kristin Eden
Anti-inflammatory Activity of Curcumin in a Murine Model of Autoimmune Glomerulonephritis - Ashley Manari
Exacerbation of Lupus in 36-Week Old SNF1 Mice Prenatally Exposed to TCDD - Melanie Burgess
Ultrastructure of Sensory Neurons in Organophosphate-Induced Delayed Neuropathy (OPIDN) - James Corrigan
Oral Rabies Vaccine Bait Contact at Culverts Evaluated with Tracking Plates - Michelle Creame
rValidation of a Human ELISA Assay to Detect c-Kit Protein in Plasma from Canine Patients with Cutaneous Mast Tumor Cells - Michelle Larson
Does Interlukin-1 Receptor Associated Kinase-1 (IRAK-1) Modulate Differentiation of Alternatively Activated Macrophages that are Dose-dependent Induces by IL-4? - Katrina Rower
Distribution and Histological Evaluation of Intra-peritoneal Administered Nanoparticles - Sheryl Coutermarsh-Ott
Developmental TCDD Exposure Induces Autoimmune Lupus in 36-Week Old C57BL/6 Mice - Kimberly Horton
Oncolytic Efficacy of Recombinant Newcastle Disease Virus against Glioma Cells
2007 SVSRP
- Cara Cherry
Characterization of a lipooligosaccharide biosynthesis locus (lob) in Histophilus somni (H. somni) - Toshiko Kobayashi
Prion Knockdown in Differentiating Embryonic Stem Cells - Paul Listrani
5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribofuranoside (AICAR) Inhibits Inflammatory Mediator Production in vitro in SNF1 Mice - Tannia Clark
Evaluation of gross/histological lesions in mouse model - Laura Owens
Evaluating Raccoon Activity Zones on Virginia Tech's CampusHeather GrochImmune Consequence of Exposure to Endocrine Destructive Chemicals - Javiera Bahamonde
Heart Developmental Alterations in Gestation Day 17 CD1 Mouse Fetuses of Diabetic Mothers: a Study Using Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Mouse Models
1) If I am selected for SVSRP, will I be funded during the summer?
Yes. All selected summer research trainees will be paid a stipend based on the NIH scale. This program is funded by NIH T35, Boehringer-Ingelheim, and the College.
2) The application states, "Please send a copy of your resume/CV and two letters of recommendation by email to ansrahmd@vt.edu." Can I get one recommendation letter from my Bachelor of Science faculty?
Yes. We need at least one recommendation letter from your veterinary college professor. The other recommendation letter can be from any faculty member, including your B.S. program faculty, familiar with your academic background and/or scientific curiosity.
3) I have no prior research experience. Will I be considered for the summer research program?
Yes. There is no requirement for prior research experience. This program is designed to give hands-on research exposure to DVM students. An important driver is your research interest, passion for exposure to a research environment, and not previous research experience.
4) Is it mandatory to have a mentor selected when applying?
No. It is not mandatory. It is recommended that you communicate with potential mentors to assess the fit and their availability. A potential mentor can also be a source of a reference letter. Please click the "Potential SVSRP Mentors" tab above and then click on the faculty hyperlink for more details.
Suppose a mentor is not identified when applying. In that case, it is important to rank the order of your research interests (e.g., "Infectious Diseases, Inflammatory Diseases, Comparative, Translational & Veterinary Research, and Population Health Science/Public Health." The Program Director (Dr. Ahmed) can guide you in finding a suitable mentor.
5) Is it mandatory to be present throughout the summer? I am excited about the research opportunity, but I have an unavoidable family event that requires me to be out of town for a few days. Will this exclude me from the program?
We highly recommend student participation throughout the summer since the program is valuable for building contacts with DVMs in science and future career opportunities. The stipend stipulates the time spent. That said, it is recognized that the student may need to be out of town for a legitimate family obligation for a few days. Working with the mentor and the program director is recommended to address absences and the potential to make them up. If feasible, a Zoom participation can be arranged. The mandatory participation will be in the orientation week, meeting DVMs when scheduled, presenting their research to the college, and attending the national meeting.
6) Can I continue the project after the program and hopefully be a co-author on future publications or presentations?
Yes. You are highly encouraged to work with your mentor about potential future participation (even if brief intermittent periods over the DVM period). Typically, most professors would encourage continued interactions. Also, when feasible, you can spend time in the lab during your future elective block. Should you be a co-author on a presentation or publication, please notify Dr. Ahmed since he has to report these achievements to the sponsors.