Stephen W. Barthold, DVM, Ph.D., of the University of California Davis school of veterinary medicine will receive the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges’ (AAVMC) 2011 Merial-AAVMC Excellence in Research Award, it was recently announced. Dr. Barthold will receive the award on Aug. 6 at the Merial-NIH National Veterinary Scholars Symposium in Florida. The AAVMC board of directors established the award in 2010 to recognize outstanding research and scholarly achievements in the field of veterinary medicine. It recognizes an individual who has demonstrated excellence in original research, leadership in the scientific community and mentoring of trainees and colleagues in any discipline of veterinary medicine. “It's very fitting that Dr. Barthold has been selected to receive this inaugural Merial-AAVMC Excellence in Research Award,” said Dr. Marguerite Pappaioanou, the AAVMC's executive director. “His scholarly achievements in veterinary and comparative medicine are extraordinary and he is highly respected as a visionary leader, inspiring mentor, and role model whose work has done much to advance biomedical research and demonstrate the important contributions veterinarian scientists make to advancing human and animal health.” Dr. Barthold researches the interaction between infectious disease agents and their hosts. While on the faculty of Yale University, he had a role in coordinating a team of researchers that investigated and developed a vaccine for Lyme disease that can be used for humans and animals. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded Barthold’s research for more than 30 years. Over the past 25 years, he ranked above the 95th percentile in total funding. Since 1997 he has directed the comparative medical science training program for graduate veterinarians training in biomedical research. He also obtained funding for the summer training in advance research program, a summer research program for veterinary students. He has published close to 300 peer-reviewed articles, chapters and books. Individuals are nominated for the Merial-AAVMC Excellence in Research Award by their individual institutions and a selection committee appointed by the AAVMC board chooses the international honoree. <Home>
