LSU School of Veterinary Medicine

03/13/2026

During Women's History Month, our Palpation Team is making history as the school’s first all-women team! Selected through a competitive exam led by Dr. Clare Scully, the third-year veterinary students spend months honing their bovine reproduction skills—traveling every Saturday to the LSU AgCenter Southeast Research Station Dairy in Franklinton, La., to perform pregnancy checks and practice re**al palpation while also studying advanced theriogenology.

The team is now at the Student American Veterinary Medical Association Symposium 2026, hosted by North Carolina State University, where they are competing in challenges that test their knowledge and precision in bovine reproduction. As the true trailblazing women they are, they have already advanced beyond the first round. If they place among the top five teams, members will advance to palpate cattle in the final round—an exciting opportunity to showcase the precision, knowledge, and dedication they have developed all year long. Way to represent LSU Vet Med! We celebrate you and wish you much success as you compete for honors this weekend!

03/07/2026

Welcoming the more than 400 pre-veterinary students for their annual conference at for a jam-packed day of education and networking! Excited and proud to share our space and expertise with these future colleagues.

03/07/2026

425 future veterinarians and 24 advisors from around the country are on campus this weekend as LSU Vet Med proudly hosts the American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association Symposium. It is a full weekend of learning, networking, and exploring the veterinary profession.

Thank you to Dr. Gretchen Delcambre, the LSU Vet Med organizing committee, and the LSU Pre Vet Club for their leadership in bringing this remarkable event to LSU.

03/05/2026

Professor Fabio Del Piero of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine has been recognized with LSU’s prestigious Rainmaker Award, honoring his outstanding contributions to research and scholarship.

An internationally respected comparative pathologist whose work advances the One Health approach, Dr. Del Piero has authored more than 170 peer-reviewed publications and four books while helping deepen scientific understanding of zoonotic and epidemic animal diseases. He emphasized that the award reflects the collective impact of LSU Vet Med’s comparative pathologists whose work in science, service, and teaching advances both human and animal health.

Read the story: https://www.lsu.edu/blog/2026/03/lsu_honors_rainmakers.php

03/04/2026

Once a waitress, a singer, and a pre-law student, Gabrielle Acquaviva took an unconventional route to veterinary medicine. Now a third-year student, she reflects on the twists, pivots, and moments of courage that led her to LSU Vet Med, where she has finally found the purpose, passion, and career she knows she was made for. Pull up a chair and read her captivating personal essay. It is so vivid and insightful that we believe she could have a dual career in writing!

https://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/blog/2026/acquaviva.php

03/04/2026

Dr. Alma Roy (Ph.D., LSU, 2000) has been named the 2025 LSU Vet Med Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in the Ph.D. category. The award recognizes graduates for excellence in research, contributions to One Health, and service to LSU Vet Med and the broader community. Dr. Roy currently serves as director of LSU Diagnostics (Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory) at LSU Vet Med and was recently celebrated by LSU for achieving 50 years of service to the university. Congratulations, Dr. Roy!

03/03/2026

Dr. Mustajab Mirza (MS, LSU, 1998) has been named the 2025 LSU Vet Med Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in the master’s category. The award recognizes graduates for excellence in research, contributions to One Health, and service to LSU Vet Med and the broader community. Dr. Mirza currently serves as associate professor of equine surgery at LSU Vet Med and is nationally recognized as a leading equine surgeon. Congratulations, Dr. Mirza!

02/27/2026

After 20 remarkable years at LSU Vet Med, Dr. Frederic Gaschen is retiring. Since joining the LSU Vet Med faculty in 2006 as Professor of Small Animal Medicine, Dr. Gaschen has taught countless veterinary students. He has been a dedicated clinician, a successful researcher, a leader within the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and—most importantly—a generous mentor and colleague. We are deeply grateful for his years of service and the lasting mark he leaves on LSU Vet Med.

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Gaschen and thanking him for two decades of commitment to LSU and our profession.

02/26/2026

Research that changes lives was on full display at LSU Vet Med’s Phi Zeta Research Emphasis Day.

This annual event recognizes the outstanding research contributions of our veterinary students, residents, graduate students, and faculty, and encourages the next generation of scientists to pursue careers in discovery and innovation. Their work advances animal health, strengthens communities, and expands what is possible in veterinary medicine and biomedical science.

Participants were recognized for excellence in research, and we were honored to welcome Dr. Andrew Hoffman, dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, as the keynote speaker.

At LSU Vet Med, research is powerful and transformative. It improves the lives of animals and the people who care for them, and its impact extends through Louisiana and across the world.
University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine

02/24/2026

Welcome, National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association! 45 attendees from the annual NWRA Wildlife Conference in Baton Rouge came to for a tour, with a focus on our Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana and flight cages. Wildlife Hospital Director Dr. Mark Mitchell addressed the group and is giving a keynote at the conference.

02/23/2026

It's National Engineers Week and we spotlight Dr. Alexander Lee, assistant professor of anatomy, who blends engineering and biomechanics to create practical, high-impact solutions. Dr. Lee is developing anatomically precise, 3D-printed prosthetics that restore mobility in animals while also building interactive teaching tools that make complex anatomy more accessible for students. His work focuses on improving function, flexibility, and affordability, while collaborations with clinicians extend these innovations into surgical planning, visualization, and medical device development, advancing both clinical care and education.

“My goal is to push the boundaries of how we use technology, whether it's designing prosthetics that enhance the lives of animals and humans or developing tools that empower students," he said. Read the story: https://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/blog/2026/alexander_lee.php

02/21/2026

We are so proud of Dr. Rebecca Christofferson of LSU Vet Med’s Department of Pathobiological Sciences. Her lab researches the factors that drive patterns of emergence and transmission of viruses, especially zoonotic and arboviruses. She provides expert commentary on bird flu, transmission, and surveillance.

At LSU, our experts are leading conversations that protect both animal and human health.

Quoted in Fox News Digital on bird flu, LSU Vet Med’s Dr. Rebecca Christofferson emphasized, "Surveillance is key to preventing uncontrolled spread, and understanding the patterns of where the virus is — and is going — can help mitigate the ongoing risk to our animal and human populations."