Veterinary Students Advance Animal And Human Health Through Research As Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars

DULUTH, Ga., June 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 200 students from 42 veterinary schools in the U.S. and six other countries will forego vacation this summer and spend time in labs and classrooms. They will conduct hands-on research, network with academic and industry leaders and develop presentations of their research that they will share at a symposium in Boston in late July.

This group of promising veterinarians, most of whom are between their first and second years of veterinary school, will gain practical insight into the skills required and opportunities for careers in biomedical research. They also will help advance understanding of diseases affecting animals and humans, such as cancer and diabetes, and research public health threats like antibiotic-resistance and emerging diseases. The students are the latest of about 3,500 to participate in the Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars program, which marks its 30^th anniversary this year.

As the founding sponsor of the program, Boehringer Ingelheim funds a challenge grant supporting $5,000 stipends for half of the veterinary students participating this summer, which is matched by the participating universities for the remaining participants. That assistance supports students conducting research in laboratories at virtually all accredited schools of veterinary medicine in North America, as well as in Germany, France, and The Netherlands. As part of the program, students also participate in seminars and discussion groups on the scientific process, research techniques, ethics and career opportunities.

Each Veterinary Scholar is assigned a mentor and laboratory, and conducts a hypothesis-driven research project developed by the scholar and mentor. The research project is typically conducted over 10-12 weeks. At the end of the program, scholars present their findings to peers and attending faculty. Scheduled activities supplement the research work, providing opportunities for students to learn about the broader aspects of research.

"The Veterinary Scholars program provides an invaluable opportunity for students to learn the basic laboratory and data-analysis skills that set the foundation for scientific rigor. They learn to develop a compelling hypothesis and gain exposure to the complexity and iterative process involved in proving concepts, as well as the critical thinking and communications skills required to translate and present their theories and findings to others," explained Roberto Alva Valdes, DVM, MS, PhD, executive director of the Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program.

"Students who have participated in this program have gone on to pursue impressive careers advancing both veterinary and human health care and paying it forward by nurturing subsequent generations of veterinary students, and their contributions over the years are immeasurable," he said.

At the conclusion of the summer program, students have the opportunity to present their research findings at the annual National Veterinary Scholars Symposium. This year's Symposium, hosted by Tufts University, will be held July 26-29 in Boston. In addition to scientific sessions and keynote presentations, students have the opportunity to learn more about potential careers in biomedical research, as well as practical topics, such as grant and manuscript writing and time management. The Veterinary Scholars also have the opportunity to network with each other and with mentors from academic, industry and government backgrounds.                                            

The Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program and Symposium have grown over three decades from sponsorship of a handful of students to a well-established and highly competitive program. The number of sponsored students and participating schools has more than doubled since 2000, from 54 students at eight schools to more than 100 students at 42 schools in 2019.

Since its inception, more than 3,500 veterinary students have participated in this annual program and benefited from the experience and exposure to career pathways. The impact is significant to the students involved, to industry and to human and animal patients. Veterinary Scholar alumni now work in a variety of careers and settings, researching cures for cancer in humans and dogs, developing vaccines for emerging diseases in livestock, advancing regulatory standards and monitoring public health threats, and teaching and mentoring tomorrow's innovators and veterinarians.

Read more about the contributions of some of these previous Veterinary Scholars here.

About Boehringer Ingelheim's Animal Health business
Boehringer Ingelheim is the second largest animal health business in the world, with net sales of almost $4.7 billion (3.9 billion euros) worldwide in 2018, about 10,000 employees and a presence in more than 150 markets. The company has pioneered advancements in vaccines, parasite-control products and therapeutics that limit pain and slow disease, and aims to create the future of animal wellbeing for pets, horses and livestock by focusing on prevention.

Boehringer Ingelheim's Animal Health Business has a significant presence in the United States, with more than 3,000 employees in places that include Georgia, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey and Puerto Rico. To learn more, visit www.boehringer-ingelheim.us, www.facebook.com/BoehringerAHUS or www.twitter.com/Boehringer_AH.

About Boehringer Ingelheim
Improving the health of humans and animals is the goal of the research-driven pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The focus in doing so is on diseases for which no satisfactory treatment option exists to date. The company therefore concentrates on developing innovative therapies that can extend patients' lives. In animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim stands for advanced prevention.

Family-owned since it was established in 1885, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the pharmaceutical industry's top 20 companies. Some 50,000 employees create value through innovation daily for the three business areas: human pharmaceuticals, animal health and biopharmaceuticals. In 2018, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of around $20.7 billion (17.5 billion euros). R&D expenditure of about $3.8 billion (3.2 billion euros), corresponded to 18.1 per cent of net sales.

As a family-owned company, Boehringer Ingelheim plans in generations and focuses on long-term success. The company therefore aims at organic growth from its own resources with simultaneous openness to partnerships and strategic alliances in research. In everything it does, Boehringer Ingelheim naturally adopts responsibility towards mankind and the environment.

SOURCE Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc.

Related Links

https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.us