Research

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have uncovered new details about how a once-deadly coronavirus disease in cats spreads through the immune system. The findings may help scientists better understand long COVID and other long-lasting inflammatory illnesses in people.

A recent publication in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association marks an important contribution to radiation-safety understanding in veterinary imaging. The lead author of the review is Lisa Carstens, a registered veterinary technician at UC Davis.

When Tommy Ma and Tiffany Pan adopted a 3-month-old Ragdoll kitten named Lychee in 2022, they expected joy, not heartbreak.

“Lychee was a dream come true,” Pan said. “Growing up, I’d never been allowed to have any large pets. Even cats are considered a large pet in my family.”

Just weeks after coming home, Lychee fell gravely ill. He began showing signs of feline infectious peritonitis, or FIP, a disease that was once fatal for cats.

***This article first appeared in the UC Davis Health Clinical and Translational Science Center Connections newsletter***

In the near future, a researcher works in a lab to receive and analyze data when an alert goes off. The data, from a network of strategically placed sensors, indicates the pandemic potential of a disease spreading between animal species. The researcher informs other teams of scientists to further investigate the issue, possibly mitigating the spread of that disease and stopping a new pandemic before it even starts. 

Protecting wildlife health is critical to achieving a more sustainable future, according to new research linking wildlife health surveillance to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Early in his career at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Philip Kass received an unexpected visit from Dr. Peter Pascoe, an anesthesiologist with a troubling question. Several dogs had developed acute kidney failure after routine surgeries, and no one could explain why.

Now in its third year, the Reaching Across the Causeway (RAC) Symposium held on October 8 brought together RAC awardees in addition to new faculty and other guest speakers. Every year, the UC Davis Schools of Veterinary Medicine and Medicine rotate in hosting an annual symposium that provides an opportunity for "cross-causeway" networking and engagement.

In recent decades, the global landscape of health has shifted dramatically. Pandemics, climate change, food insecurity and emerging zoonotic diseases have highlighted intricate connections between animals, humans and the environment, underscoring the fact that veterinary medicine is not just about the care of animals — it is essential to the health of people and the planet.

UC Davis Health’s Department of Internal Medicine and the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine have been jointly awarded an R38 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

The grant will support the development of the Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StaRR) Program, which intends to boost the pipeline of physician- and veterinarian-scientists. The new program will provide research opportunities for veterinary residents and human internal medicine residents specializing in pulmonary, hematology and cardiovascular medicine.