Foundation Awards Scholarship to UPenn Vet Student
The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) has awarded the Robert L. Kelly Memorial Scholarship to Rebecca Csomos, Ph.D., who is originally from Toledo, Ohio. A student at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Csomos receives $2,500 for her veterinary studies and interest in canine heart diseases.
“I was ecstatic and honored to receive the CHF scholarship,” said Dr. Csomos, who is using the scholarship to pay for her tuition at UPenn. “I adore purebred dogs and respect the mission of CHF. It is nice to have CHF support a rising VMD-Ph.D. who aspires to work in translational medicine for dogs.”
Dr. Csomos, who has always had a keen interest in scientific research, earned a Ph.D. in molecular and cellular pathology from the University of Michigan. While there, she primarily studied cell death signaling in cancer, the innate immune response, and the effects of copper on protein function. She is taking this background and now applying it to canine disease research.
“When I started vet school, I volunteered in the Cardiology department to help with enrollment for an ongoing study by Boehringer Ingelheim to assess the use of Pimobendan in Dobermans with asymptomatic dilated cardiomyopathy” said Dr. Csomos. That volunteer work moved her to rescue a purebred Doberman named Euro, now three years old. “I love Dobermans and Cardiology. I hope to complete a residency in cardiology and conduct clinical research to help advance our understanding and treatments for dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in Dobermans, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) in Boxers and other cardiovascular diseases that afflict dogs.”
The Robert L. Kelly Memorial Scholarship is named for one of CHF’s founding directors and former American Kennel Club board member and is presented annually to students pursuing dual degrees in veterinary medicine and research.
Learn more about the awards and scholorships presented by the AKC Canine Health Foundation.
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