Veterinary Medicine
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Veterinary Medicine SUMMER 1999 It's in the Genes Explaining the College's Role in the Cornell Genomics Initiative by Metta Winter Cornell Media & Technology Services Imagine if all you needed was a single blood test to tell whether a six-week-old puppy — its bones still cartilage — was destined to develop hip dysplasia, the most common orthopedic abnormality of dogs. "Right now, even with all the information breeders have about parents, grandparents, and siblings, all we can say is that the dog will have a certain percent chance of doing well, but that really doesn't tell you anything about the animal in Photomicrography enlargement showing the structure of rod and cone matrix sheaths in the eye of a dog. question," says Rory Todhunter, BVSc, MS, PhD, assistant pro- had some success in identifying dysplasia poses a particular fessor of surgery in the college's carriers of progressive retinal challenge to genetics research- department of clinical sciences, atrophy (PRA), a group of ers because it is a polygenic speaking of the modest progress inherited blinding diseases of disease, one that is caused by that's been made in diagnosing dogs. Several years ago they the interplay of multiple gene this polygenic disease first found the gene responsible for a defects. While Todhunter's all- described in North America form of the disease that occurs in-one test for hip dysplasia is 60 years ago. only in Irish setters. More still in the future, he knows he Even if you diagnose a dog importantly in terms of the is on the right track. His un- as unaffected based on a pheno- number of dogs affected, they usual breeding studies, in type, it still can carry some of have recently identified a set of collaboration with George Lust, the mutations at the loci control- markers that allow them to PhD, professor of physiological ling trait expressions. "To make identify dogs at risk of passing chemistry at Baker Institute, predictions for an individual, on the defect responsible for involve more than 215 dogs, you need to know its genetic progressive rod-cone degenera- allowing him to begin separat- make-up." tion, the most common form of ing out the various mutations And to know its genetic PRA. And genetic tests are that are always present in dogs make-up, you need to know becoming common for some with the disease. how to detect the genetic coding other single gene-inherited The college, as a leader in errors that cause a disease to diseases, among them hyper- the field of canine molecular develop. kalemic period paralysis, which biology, has joined forces with Already, scientists in the can devastate Quarter horses. 50 Cornell faculty members college's James A. Baker Insti- Unlike these examples of from six colleges and two tute for Animal Health have simple recessive traits, hip The Changing Role of the Academic Clinician I am frequently reminded of the sciences basic to medicine: comparative medicine and extraordinarily high regard that cell biology, physiology, immu- biomedical research towards Cornell students hold for our nology, pathology, and, increas- basic biological research. The clinical faculty. With so many ingly, molecular biology and mammalian genomics revolu- outstanding opportunities now molecular genetics. Addition- tion, featured in this issue of available for students to supple- ally, many of our clinicians Cornell Veterinary Medicine, is ment their core clinical training assist in developing and shap- one manifestation of this shift. at a multitude of institutions, ing the framework for the basic- Many clinical faculty, mean- specialty, and referral practices, science portion of the veterinary while, are embracing a new role why is Cornell's teaching hospi- curriculum. When students as translational biologists, using tal still regarded as the sine qua enter our teaching hospital, they their unique knowledge of non for experiential learning by encounter faculty who are not animal-model systems to bring our students? only familiar with basic-science biomedical and veterinary It begins and ends, of course, concepts but also knowledge- relevance to basic research with teaching, with faculty and able about both the conceptual involving biological systems. staff who take their commit- design and the disciplinary The modern university veteri- ment to education seriously, content of pre-clinical courses. nary hospital is exceptionally and with people who combine a Clinicians therefore are able well positioned to be central to love for instruction and learning to help students comprehend this endeavor. with an equal commitment to clinical experiences within the There is anxiety both in this the highest quality patient care. context of basic biomedical country and elsewhere about The major teaching respon- concepts. They help students the long-term viability of the sibility of clinicians is to provide create links between surgery university-based veterinary instruction in promoting animal and pathophysiology, between teaching hospital. Can the health and in the treatment and infectious-disease therapy and expenses associated with run- prevention of animal disease. pharmacokinetics, between ning teaching hospitals be However, contemporary clinical cancer therapy and cell-signal- justified as public appropria- faculty are not only knowledge- ing pathways. When done well, tions lag behind operating costs, able about clinical disciplines. this integration of content and as opportunities for experi- They are also well-versed in the across courses creates an inter- ential learning expand in the nal set of checks and balances private sector? that adds both relevance and For teaching hospitals to be rigor to the entire curriculum. most effective in achieving their Meanwhile, veterinarians missions of teaching, providing in the private sector are often patient care, and contributing to CORNELL the expansion of veterinary and M Veterinary Medicine willing — and sometimes anxious — to contribute to the biomedical knowledge, clinical Cornell Veterinary Medicine is published learning environment by accept- faculty must bring an expanded quarterly for friends and alumni of the ing students into their specialty set of teaching skills, knowl- college. Visit our World Wide Web site at: practices. These expanded edge, and scholarly aspirations http://www.vet.cornell.edu partnerships with the practicing to the clinical environment. Office of Public Affairs — Box 39 community greatly benefit the I am confident that our College of Veterinary Medicine Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401 students, and they also create faculty is meeting this challenge Email: [email protected] opportunities for faculty and successfully and, in doing so, Managing Editor: Margaret Hendricks colleagues in private practice to defining new standards for Editor: Jeri Wall share useful information. the profession. ©1999, College of Veterinary Medicine, Basic-science faculty in Cornell University. All rights reserved. colleges of veterinary medicine Cornell University is an equal opportunity, affiliated with major research affirmative action educator and employer. universities are migrating from Donald F. Smith, dean 9/99 8.5M CP Dr. Stephen J. Ettinger and Dr. Patricia A. Socha Ettinger at the Foremost Benefactors Wall at Cornell's Uris Library terrace. College Honors Foremost Benefactors ornell University and its the Ettingers, who live in the member of the college's Advi- CCollege of Veterinary Los Angeles area. sory Council since 1990. His Medicine recently honored two Donald F. Smith, dean of the practice has offered externships foremost benefactors: Stephen}. college, presented the Ettingers for Cornell students for a Ettinger '62, DVM '64 and with a bronze replica of the number of years. He also estab- Patricia Socha Ettinger, DVM. statue on the Cornell Arts lished the Ettinger Incentive The husband-and-wife pair Quadrangle of university Award, an annual award given have established an advised founder Ezra Cornell, a gift to the second-year Cornell bequest that will support the from the university to its fore- veterinary student with the college. most benefactors. greatest improvement in grade- A ceremony for the "Stephen Ettinger has made point average between the first Ettingers at the college followed many valued contributions to and second year of study. viewing of the stone etched with the college and the veterinary Stephen Ettinger cited his their names in the university's profession," said Smith. "He is a personal appreciation for the Foremost Benefactors Wall on pioneer in veterinary cardiology inspiration of Drs. Robert Kirk the Uris Library terrace. and has written one of the and Howard Evans, his instruc- "The Ettingers' gift of profession's standard texts on tors in the veterinary college generous unrestricted financial internal medicine. His practice, and his "two principal men- resources shows the depth of specializing in companion tors." their confidence, commitment, animals and cardiology, em- Speaking for both his wife trust, and leadership regarding ploys eleven veterinarians. He and himself, he said, "We are the College of Veterinary Medi- is a strong advocate for the overwhelmed by your generos- cine," said Inge Reichenbach, college when speaking with his ity to us. You know how I feel university vice president for own clients, several of whom about Cornell — this is where it public affairs, speaking at the have made their own significant all started for me. My education ceremony. gifts to the college." Ettinger is here gave us the opportunity to Numerous senior veterinary serving his second term as a live a full life, so we are now faculty from the college at- member of the university's able to give back. That's what tended the ceremony to honor Council; he also has served as a education is all about." • In the Genes jag** c CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 institutes to form Cornell • V * \f : ^^ ~ University's Genomics Initiative; the College of Veterinary Medi- cine is represented by four )93 ASN faculty members on the §68 GUV Genomics Initiative task force: Gustavo Aguirre, VMD, PhD; 13b 3 ASN Douglas Antczak, VMD, PhD; Colin Parrish, PhD; and Rory * *«V j Todhunter, BVSc, MS, PhD.