Brayden Routh, DVM, an ophthalmology resident and graduate student at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, was recently awarded a $5,000 grant by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists Vision for Animals Foundation Grant Committee. The award will fund Routh’s proposed research titled, “Evaluation of a novel ophthalmic formulation for the treatment of corneal fibrosis.” Additionally, the award includes an invitation to submit and present her findings at the next ACVO conference.
Routh’s co-investigators for the project included Elizabeth Giuliano, DVM, MS, DACVO, professor of veterinary ophthalmology at the CVM, Rajiv Mohan, PhD, FARVO, professor of ophthalmology and molecular medicine at the CVM, and Ratnakar Tripathi, PhD, assistant research professor of veterinary medicine and surgery at the CVM.
Routh says the funding not only helps the research but has extra meaning because of the benefits it can bring for animals and humans alike. “It’s a huge honor to receive extramural funding from the ACVO Vision for Animals Foundation as a first-year veterinary ophthalmology resident,” says Routh. “I was only one of three ophthalmology residents in the country to receive a grant this year from this funding source. This award is a testimony to the terrific mentorship I am receiving at the University of Missouri thanks to the longstanding successful comparative ophthalmology clinical and research collaborations between Professors Giuliano and Mohan and their terrific laboratory team members. This research is critical to improving vision and thus, the human-animal bond. As a devoted dog owner, it is wonderful to be involved in research that can help restore vision for animals and that has important translational implications for people.”
By Nick Childress
Sinha, a postdoctoral fellow in the labs of Professor of Ophthalmology and Molecular Medicine Rajiv Mohan, PhD, FARVO, and Assistant Research Professor Ratnakar Tripathi, PhD, was one of eight individuals selected by ISER for the travel award from a pool of more than 200 applications from 34 different countries.
The project is a retrospective study focusing on dogs with thyroid tumors that were treated with radioactive iodine, or I-131, as a sole agent. Cowan says the idea initially developed when she was a veterinary student at Mizzou taking care of a golden retriever patient treated with I-131. “The client understandably had many questions that we have clinical bias and experience to answer, but unfortunately there is little published literature assessing this treatment modality in dogs,” said Cowan. “I-131 is standard of care for many humans with thyroid tumors and has been used to treat veterinary patients for many years. It requires patients to have a brief stay in radiation isolation, which is a legal and safety necessity, but understandably a less ideal circumstance for most owners and patients. In many cases, the benefits of I-131 therapy outweigh these factors. Having literature to support outcomes, side effects and overall survival helps oncologists and owners alike to make the most informed decisions in treatment choices.”
University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Senior Business Support Specialist and CVM Staff Advisory Council Chair Billy Jamison was recently named as one of McPherson College’s three Young Alumni Award recipients. Jamison, who has been at Mizzou since 2004, has served in different departments across campus. He began his current role at the CVM in 2012. Jamison graduated from McPherson in 1988. His alma mater will recognize him Oct. 14, 2022, in McPherson, Kansas, during the college’s 2022 homecoming celebration.
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