Bryanna Leazer, who will become a first year resident in July 2024, was awarded the ASLAP Veterinary Student Award. The VSAP is intended to increase awareness of the practice of laboratory animal medicine by recognizing six current senior veterinary students who have demonstrated significant interest and potential in the field. The Veterinary Student Award Program (VSAP) provides a certificate, one year’s membership in ASLAP, a copy of the 3rd edition of the ACLAM Laboratory Animal Medicine textbook, and a monetary award of $300.

Bryanna completed a BS in Organismal Biology at Auburn University and is currently finishing her DVM at North Carolina State University. She has had a passion for laboratory animal medicine since she discovered it while working with laboratory piglets at age 19. During her veterinary degree, she has developed a love for animal welfare, anesthesia, pharmacology, and promoting DEI initiatives in the veterinary field. She completed her ASLAP Fellowship at the University of Chicago in 2022 and is excited to return. In her free time, she enjoys reading, weight lifting, and cuddling with her boxer-pitt mix named Zuko. Bryanna will start at UChicago on July 1.

Bryanna Meredith’s ASLAP Summer Fellowship research project manuscript has been accepted to JAALAS. Dr. Bridget Clancy was the resident mentor and co-first author.  Titled “Extended Sanitation Intervals for Cage Components and Automated Watering Valves: Validation and Cost Analysis,” the project evaluated extended sanitation intervals of rodent cage components (automated watering valve, wire bar lid, and filter top) of mouse IVCs at our institution. It also assessed the time and cost savings of moving from our standard sanitation interval to an extended one.

Dr. Bridget Clancy, recent graduate of the residency program, had her residency research project manuscript featured as the cover image for the July issue of JAALAS! The project entitled “The Effect of Noise, Vibration, and Light Disturbances from Daily Health Checks on Breeding Performance, Nest Building, and Corticosterone in Mice” sought to assess the effect of partial cage undocking or LED flashlight use during daily health checks on fecundity, nest building scores, and hair corticosterone in C57BL/6J mice in order to assess the least disturbing method of performing health checks for mice on IVC racks.

Refinement of Animal Transport Carts to Reduce Noise and Vibration Exposure. BM Clancy, FB Robinson, KR Luchins, BR Theriault, GP Langan.

This is the second award Bridget has won for this research project! Congrats!

Dr. Bridget Clancy’s residency research project manuscript has been accepted to JAALAS. Titled “The Effect of Noise, Vibration, and Light Disturbances from Daily Health Checks on Breeding Performance, Nest Building, and Corticosterone in Mice,” the project sought to assess the effect of partial cage undocking or LED flashlight use during daily health checks on fecundity, nest building scores, and hair corticosterone in C57BL/6J mice in order to assess the least disturbing method of performing health checks for mice on IVC racks.

Joanna Copio, who will become a first year resident in July 2023, was awarded the ASLAP Veterinary Student Award. The VSAP is intended to increase awareness of the practice of laboratory animal medicine by recognizing five current senior veterinary students who have demonstrated significant interest and potential in the field. The Veterinary Student Award Program (VSAP) provides a certificate, one year’s membership in ASLAP, a copy of the 3rd edition of the ACLAM Laboratory Animal Medicine textbook, and a monetary award of $300. There are a total of five awards presented.

Joanna Copio completed her BS in Zoology at North Carolina State University and is currently completing her DVM training at The Ohio State University. During her advanced education, she was involved in research projects encompassing topics that include behavioral endocrinology in invasive rodent species, swine colostrum and piglet mortality, murine cage density and its effects on the gut microbiome, and suture reuse in serial rodent procedures. Joanna will start at UChicago on July 1.

Bridget Clancy, DVM, currently a third year resident, will become a Clinical Veterinarian at the Division of Comparative Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, when she graduates our program. Congratulations Bridget!

Dr. Jenna Schoenberger’s residency research project manuscript has been accepted to JAALAS. Titled “Implications of Laboratory Mouse Trap Preference on Your Pest Control Program,” it analyzes the results from her research year project which sought to characterize the behavioral interactions of laboratory mice with common vermin traps in an effort to improve pest control in animal facilities.