In 2025, the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine made headlines for excellence in teaching, research, and service. The college advanced impactful initiatives—from addressing the rural veterinarian shortage and combating avian influenza to pioneering traumatic brain injury treatments and advancing breakthrough Parkinson’s research. Join us as we celebrate a year of innovation and achievement with a selection of highlights.
View more news and updates from the college here.
January
Dr. Angie McDaniel is helping leading the charge in facing the shortage of large animal veterinarians. With her rural practice background, Dr. McDaniel is bridging the service gap for livestock and equine owners in underserved areas of South Georgia, while also inspiring the next generation of veterinarians.
What is bird flu, and should you be worried?
The spread of avian influenza is concerning. But people shouldn’t panic, says the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine’s flu experts. Mark Tompkins, head of the Center for Influenza Disease and Emergence Research, is here to offer reassuring insights and answer your questions in this clear and informative Q&A.
February
UGA veterinary medicine professor honored with prestigious Presidential Early Career Award
Jesse Schank is among 400 researchers named recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on science and engineering professors in the early stages of their research careers.
Herod, Trent named Regents’ Professors
M. Stephen Trent has been selected as one of two University of Georgia faculty members to be named Regents’ Professors. Trent is internationally recognized as a leading researcher in bacterial cell surfaces and cell envelope biology. His work plays a pivotal role in understanding antibiotic resistance and impacts the development of new antibiotics, vaccines, and treatments for infectious diseases.
March
Sonia Hernandez receives 2025 Richard Reiff Award
The Richard Reiff Award for Campus Internationalization recognizes full-time faculty members who have made exceptional contributions to global education at the University of Georgia. Sonia Hernandez, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor, is a faculty member in the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources with a dual appointment in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Alison Bradbury (DVM ’12) has always worked tirelessly to care for her feline patients — even when it meant adapting treatments developed for dogs. But with the new University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine endowed research position in her honor, she’s one step closer to a future where therapies are tailored specifically for cats.
April
UGA Vet Med teams up to provide veterinary care in Guatemala
Dr. Rachael Green from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine traveled to Guatemala in partnership with the Equitarian Initiative to deliver veterinary care to nearly 300 working equids across five remote mountain villages. The team’s efforts included vaccinating, deworming, and providing wound care, along with performing 154 dental procedures, including five cheek tooth extractions.
Hope Through Research: A Senator’s Legacy and a Coach’s Mission
When former U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, he transformed his personal challenge into a driving force for change. His legacy continues through the Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research. Coach Mark Richt, also living with Parkinson’s, has joined the cause, hosting the annual Chick-fil-A Dawg Bowl to raise critical funds for research.
May
Buell, Perez elected to National Academy of Sciences
Two University of Georgia professors have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Among them is University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine’s Dr. Daniel R. Perez, recognized for his groundbreaking research on emerging viral diseases, particularly zoonotic viruses like influenza, at the college’s Center for Vaccines and Immunology and the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center.
A Legacy of Love and Gratitude
A legacy of love and gratitude. Lou and Georgia Sobh have turned their personal experiences at the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital into lasting support for future generations. From honoring Dr. Nicole Northrup with a heartfelt statue to funding scholarships and faculty excellence, their generosity continues to impact lives — both human and animal.
June
A new specialty takes flight at UGA VetMed
The apiary at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine was an early proving ground for the world’s first vaccine against American foulbrood disease in honeybees and is now a laboratory for research into the effectiveness of apitherapy, which uses bee products such as honey and venom to prevent and treat illnesses including cancer.
New vaccine works against multiple fungal infections
A new vaccine, developed by University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine’s Karen Norris, targets multiple fungal infections and could be a game-changer in global health. If successful, it will be the first vaccine to prevent pathogenic fungal infections—named by the WHO as one of the top public health threats.
July
New compound may help the brain heal itself after injury
University of Georgia researchers have identified a promising compound that may help the brain heal itself after traumatic brain injury by enhancing its natural antioxidant defenses. Jarrod Call, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine professor of pharmacology, is collaborating with the UGA Regenerative Bioscience Center to advance this discovery and explore its potential in helping in human TBI treatment.
From farm girl to forensic pathologist, Dr. Doris Miller (DVM ’76) has spent more than 50 years breaking barriers, solving medical mysteries, and shaping the future of veterinary medicine at University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. Today, she continues to serve as both an advocate and educator—as associate director of State Government Relations for the College of Veterinary Medicine and professor of anatomic pathology at the Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
August
Roy Berghaus named John R. Glisson Professor
Dr. Roy Berghaus, head of the Department of Population Health at University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, has been appointed the John R. Glisson Professorship in Veterinary Medicine—an honor recognizing his leadership in veterinary medicine, animal agriculture, and poultry health. The professorship honors the legacy of Dr. John Glisson, a pioneer in avian medicine and longtime University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine faculty leader.
Doctor, Senator, Governor, Chancellor
Dr. Sonny Perdue (DVM 1971) has built a life of public service on the foundation of his education in veterinary medicine. Now Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, Perdue advocates for higher education and the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.
September
VetMed curriculum changes with the times
Change is the only constant in veterinary medicine. Since welcoming our first class in 1946, the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine has continually adapted its curriculum to reflect the field’s growth. When the Class of 1950 entered vet school, areas of focus for students were limited to animal size—small or large. Today, the American Veterinary Medical Association recognizes 22 veterinary specialty organizations comprising 48 distinct veterinary specialties.
Alumnus returns to UGA CVM to advance feline health
As one of only a few feline kidney transplant centers in the nation, the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine is leading the way in advancing feline health. Since performing the first successful transplant here in 2008, Dr. Chad Schmiedt (DVM ’00) has completed more than 40 procedures—bringing hope to cats worldwide. His research continues to focus on earlier detection and improved treatments for feline kidney disease.
October
A diagnostic tool in development could lead to earlier heartworm detection
Could a dog’s breath help detect heartworms? Elyssa Campbell, a parasitologist at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, is contributing to research aimed at developing a simple, noninvasive breath test to detect heartworm infections earlier than current diagnostics.
She Wants to Start a Blood Bank for Zoos
Former University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine small animal emergency and critical care resident has received a grant to investigate the feasibility of freezing red blood cells from a variety of exotic species. With a goal to build up a blood bank for zoos and aquariums.
November
A tale of geckos and wolves: How Avery Tilley weaves his heritage into science
A third-year doctoral student at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Avery Tilley has woven his Cherokee heritage into his wildlife research and veterinary care. From his undergraduate work on a gray wolf research project with the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe) in Minnesota to now leading a conservation effort in Madagascar to protect and relocate a rare day gecko, Tilley’s work blends Western science with his Native American heritage.
Trusting your gut may take on a whole new meaning for people with Parkinson’s disease. Researchers from the Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research were recently published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe discussing how their innovative work explores how a safe, century-old probiotic could become a living drug-delivery system, potentially transforming treatment for Parkinson’s disease.
December
Avian influenza isn’t new — but the rapid, wide-ranging spread of the latest H5N1 outbreak is raising alarm. “Bird flu” is something of a misnomer: while the virus originated in birds, it has moved quickly across multiple species, making it far more challenging to contain. Fortunately, teams across the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine are on the case working together to track, understand, and combat this evolving threat.
Biomedical physiology joins UGA Cortona’s curriculum
This past fall, the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine’s biomedical physiology course joined the roster of UGA programs studying year-round in Cortona, Italy—Athens’ sister city perched atop a Tuscan hill. Spearheaded by Dr. Dax Ovid, the semester-long experience brought seven students to Cortona to explore the powerful intersections of medicine and the humanities. What’s often seen as a choice between art and science instead became a celebration of their natural harmony.
