# VMD-PhD Training in Infectious Disease-Related Research

> **NIH NIH T32** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2024 · $224,327

## Abstract

Publications by the National Research Council and National Academy of Sciences have highlighted a
continuing shortage of veterinarian-scientists nationwide and the pressing need to train more.
Similarly, the 2014 NIH Physician-Scientist Workforce Report stressed the need for more
veterinarian-scientists and recommended expansion of veterinary combined degree programs. Human
disease outbreaks caused by animal pathogens emerge and re-emerge with unsettling frequency, and
over 60% of all infectious diseases of animals can also affect humans. The complex problems presented
by animal and human medicine and infectious disease biology today are ideally approached by
investigators with broad experience in numerous species and who understand biology in both
molecular and whole animal contexts, as well as wildlife-human interfaces, and environmental
connections with infectious diseases. Our program seeks to directly address this national need through
our VMD-PhD training program in infectious disease-related research which has a strong history of
generating scientists in academia, industry, and government. This program is contained within the
umbrella of our larger VMD-PhD program which has a 53 year track record of success. Our training
program includes focused activies on infectious diseases including as a global heath course, a zoonotic
and infectious disease discussion group, infectious disease-related seminars, annual infectious disease-
related retreats, and externships at government health agencies. This is coupled with infectious disease-
related veterinary and graduate didactic education, rigorous infectious disease-related PhD thesis
research, and veterinary clinical training. The program is further supported by synergistic activities
provided by the larger Penn VMD-PhD and MD-PhD programs. Students receive VMD training at the
Penn School of Veterinary Medicine, and PhD training within one of the Penn Biomedical Graduate
Groups devoted to research in infectious disease-related research: (1) Microbiology, Virology, and
Parasitology, 2) Immunology, or 3) Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Our program brings together 34
faculty trainers with established research experience in the above disciplines. These faculty have a rich
history of predoctoral and postdoctoral training and have trained nearly 300 predocs and postdocs in the
past decade. Throughout the program, VMD and PhD curricula are interdigitated and programs are in
place to bridge the two training programs to provide maximal synergy. Extensive oversight and advising
systems are also in place to provide an efficient and well structured program. Our tracking data indicate
over 84% of alumni are in research careers. In summary, we seek to address a pressing national need
for more veterinarian-scientists through our VMD-PhD program in infectious disease-related research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10912551
- **Project number:** 5T32AI070077-17
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael Lee Atchison
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $224,327
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2008-06-01 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10912551

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10912551, VMD-PhD Training in Infectious Disease-Related Research (5T32AI070077-17). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10912551. Licensed CC0.

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