Texas Tech University 's School of Veterinary Medicine fourth-year students Kayden Tanner and Marshall Mays are both published in international journals after putting hundreds of hours into their research papers.
Tanner's work he authored about a rare equine disorder – " Genomics in Equine MEED: Whole-Genome Sequencing and Target Mutation Identification " – was shared in Animals and selected as the feature article. This is evidence of the contribution he has made to the field of veterinary science, as he was able to sequence the whole genome of the chronic wasting disease in horses and make that information public.
Those findings provided insight into the potential underlying cellular mechanisms of multisystem eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease (MEED), which is so severe and progressive that horses are usually euthanized within one year of diagnosis. The data can be used to further understand the disease and even develop therapeutic strategies.
May's paper, " Evaluating the synergistic effects of cisplatin and tamoxifen in canine osteosarcoma cells ," was published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science. This research has One Health implications, as it offers a potential treatment for the form of bone cancer in dogs.
The opportunity for these research projects came from the laboratory of Thu Annelise Nguyen , the associate dean for research and a professor of toxicology, and mentorship from her postdoctoral fellow, Tomas Lugo.
Lugo not only answered questions and provided coaching to the pair but also created the modeling and computational approach that earned him a star next to his name as the corresponding author of both papers. This is an honor no student has achieved before at the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Nguyen is proud of Lugo's commitment to the students as he helped them transition from quiet observers to inquisitive minds who were conducting experiments. She also applauds the dedication displayed by Tanner and Mays: showing up to school at 6 a.m. and even working through a week of Christmas break.
"This is a big deal for veterinary scholars because they had never worked in science before," she said. "For Tomas and me, it's our job to do this. But for trainees to get this done in the time span they did is huge."
These research projects don't just further the understanding of diseases that affect horses and dogs, but bolster applications that will help Tanner and Mays earn the internships they need to one day become surgeons.
Tanner is thankful his research has led to connections that will not waver moving forward.
"Tomas has helped us through this whole process and been there for us when we needed him, and he's been a really good friend," Tanner said. "He will always be somebody I depend on and lean on in the research aspect."
"Then Annelise, the same thing. She threw us a bone when nobody else would, was there for us, wanted to see us succeed and gave us every opportunity to do so. For that, I'll forever be grateful to her."
As for Lugo, being able to guide two inexperienced researchers to publication confirms he can push a project through to completion as he applies for grants from federal and private institutions. He feels reassured that he's chosen the right career path – to become a professor leading his own lab one day.
"It was really good seeing them mature over time, just like me," Lugo said. "I was more focused on one task, but after I gained more confidence, I was thinking about the bigger picture. So, it was a great learning experience for everyone, and that's my main goal – to make great opportunities not just for myself, but for the students."
Learn more about the unique research happening at the School of Veterinary Medicine by exploring the doctoral program in One Health Sciences .
