Students tout discoveries in Summer Research Training Program
Thursday, January 2, 2025
Media Contact: Taylor Bacon | Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator | 405-744-6728 | taylor.bacon@okstate.edu
Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine students participated in the Summer Research Training Program this past summer.
SRTP offers mentored training for veterinary students in biomedical research through a 12-week paid summer immersion experience. The goal of the program is to foster the development of the next generation of veterinary research scientists.
Dogs’ preference for a red coat versus a white coat when offered a food reward in
the exam room
— Jacinda Berokoff
Mentor – Dr. Leticia Fanucchi
Jacinda Berokoff participated in the SRTP this past summer, focusing on the impact of veterinarians’ coats on canine stress levels.
Her research investigates how the traditional white coat can elevate heart rate, temperature, respiration rate and blood pressure in dogs, potentially leading to misdiagnoses. Berokoff conducted trials comparing the effects of a white coat versus a red coat on various dogs.
“I have been very interested in behavior medicine for a long time,” Berokoff said. “I think this project is great because it can benefit not just patients but vets as well because it puts them at less risk for aggression and also means our patients are less stressed and will respond better.”
Under the supervision of Dr. Leticia Fanucchi, behavior medicine clinical assistant professor, Berokoff conducted trials on 30 dogs and has plans to conduct more. Her research found that out of the 30 dogs, 60% approached the red coat first and 40% approached the white coat first.
These numbers could indicate that the coat’s color isn’t the issue, but the coat itself is.
“My advice to someone considering this program would be to trust yourself,” Berokoff said. “You are smarter than you think, know more than you think, and just as welcome in this area as anyone else.”
Intake causes of wild raptors to a wildlife rehabilitation center in Oklahoma
— Juliet Campbell
Mentor – Dr. João Brandão
Juliet Campbell’s study assessed the intake and outcomes of raptor species admitted to WildCare Oklahoma from 2020-22.
These birds of prey are vital to their ecosystems and serve as crucial indicators of environmental health.
“From a young age, I have always wanted to do wildlife conservation, so when this opportunity arose to understand what raptors are doing in Oklahoma, I was very interested,” Campbell said.
Under the guidance of her mentor, Dr. João Brandão, zoological medicine professor, Campbell discovered that WildCare received a total of 8,548 birds between 2020 and 2022, with 1,546 of those being raptors.
The data gathered during this study will not only serve as a valuable database for future retrospective research and protocol development at WildCare, but it may also offer insights that benefit other wildlife rehabilitation centers.
“Before joining SRTP, I didn’t see myself doing research, but I fell in love with it and could definitely see myself doing more,” Campbell said.
Establishment of protocols and conditions for culturing bovine embryonic stem cells
— Jade Wilkinson
Mentor – Dr. João Moraes
Jade Wilkinson’s summer research training project focused on developing a protocol for bovine embryonic stem cells.
Stem cell research is currently a vibrant field, with established protocols for smaller lab animals and equine, but a gap exists for bovine species. This work has significant implications for regenerative medicine, enhancing reproductive efficiency and various other applications.
“Dr. Moraes, my current research advisor, said, ‘What’s better than learning the big picture things like anatomy and physiology in vet school, and then being able to connect it deeper with specific scientific research?’ and I said, ‘You know what? You’re right,’ so I joined SRTP in hopes of giving it a try,” Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson and Moraes successfully established bovine ESC through SRTP research. However, while typical differentiation success rates range from 40-50% under ideal conditions, their results showed a rate of about 16%. This highlights the opportunity to optimize techniques and protocols to improve yield in future experiments.
“What I am most grateful for this summer was the opportunity to grow more independent as a thinker and researcher, as well as connections I made and continue to foster in research and veterinary medicine,” Wilkinson said.
Cyanidin alleviates palmitic acid-induced senescence and inflammation in microglial
cells
— Samantha Burke
Mentor – Dr. Madhan Subramanian
Samantha Burke’s research consisted of the use of human microglial cells and how a compound called Cyanidin-3-Rutinoside (C3R) can reverse the effects of obesity in the brain.
“What inspired me to choose this topic was that it is part of One Health,” Burke said. “I wanted to do veterinary medicine so that I can help humans and animals so this was very interesting to me.”
The results suggest that C3R may help counteract PA-induced changes in human microglia, such as neuroinflammation, senescence and excitotoxicity, indicating its potential as a therapeutic approach for obesityrelated cardiovascular diseases.
“This research definitely opened my eyes to the other fields out there because I never thought I wanted to do research until I joined SRTP,” Burke said. “My experience helped me in terms of understanding how different systems work which will help me be a better veterinarian.”
Other SRTP Students:
- Paige Johnson mentored by Dr. Rudra Channappanavar: SARS-CoV-2 membrane (M) protein utilizes TLR4 and Myd88 signaling to induce inflammation
- Victoria Lindsay mentored by Dr. Giovani Catandi: Optimizing oocyte quality in mares undergoing repeated TVA procedures: The potential benefits of firocoxib
- Eden Manuel mentored by Dr. Reed Holyoak: Delineation of miRNAs as biomarkers in equine chronic endometritis during different phases of the estrous cycle
- Amelia Martens mentored by Dr. McKale Montgomery: Efficacy of novel lipid-based transfection method for the study of tauopathy in zebrafish neurons
- Mary Neff mentored by Dr. Kathryn Duncan: Active tick surveillance on cattle farm in central Oklahoma determines vegetation type alters tick risk
- Emily Regier mentored by Dr. Jennifer Grindstaff: Effects of temperature on innate immunity in house sparrow nestlings
- Regan Smith mentored by Dr. Patrick R. Stephens: Comparative analysis of drivers of zoonotic disease outbreaks in the United States vs. globally
- Michael St. Clair mentored by Dr. Clint Jones: E2F1 and E2F2 mediate certain aspects of HSV-1 gene expression in murine neuroblastoma cells
- Kate Watts mentored by Dr. Liz McCullagh: Physiological and behavioral differences of female prairie voles housed in different social environments