Cvm Researchers Receieve Nearly $20 Million in Extramural Awards

>> Through the hard work and perseverance of its researchers, the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine recently completed a record-setting fiscal year by bringing in nearly $20 million in extramural research awards. >> DR. FRANK BLECHA: It’s certainly a great achievement. It’s a record achievement for us . . . and we’re a university that's primary mission is education. And so, we educate veterinarians. We educate graduate students. And education really can’t occur without the creation of new knowledge. And so creation of new knowledge is essentially research. This amount of research funding . . . provides a tremendous opportunity for all of the students in the college to have very hands-on, practical experience in research, as much or as little as they want. >> The almost $20 million granted during the 2013 fiscal year was made up of 90 extramural awards spread throughout the college, with Anatomy and Physiology and Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology among the top departments on campus at bringing in research awards. These grants came from a variety of sources, including federal, state, industry and private organizations. The funding has helped the college to continue to build its research strengths in animal health and infectious disease, comparative biomedical sciences and food safety and security. No matter the department, the secret to the college’s success lies in its researchers. >> DR. M.M. CHENGAPPA: You hire good people and you cut them loose. Get out of their way, let them do their work and you provide an environment that’s ideal and conducive for their growth and success. You have to establish a clear game plan, a vision, and execute that vision, carefully and strategically. >> Through investments in infrastructure and grants-management support staff, the college has developed an atmosphere necessary for research success. >> DR. MICHAEL KENNEY: We have been given from the college and the university, many opportunities for us to perform our research. We have lighter teaching loads. We are given access to many multi-use facilities, which provide important areas for people to complete their research. We have multiple research programs, both from individual, distinct programs as well as research programs that interact or collaborate. This environment provides us an ability to seek extramural support. >> With new opportunities for growth and collaboration in the future with groups such as the USDA and NBAF and through large, multi-institution grants, the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine is prepared to continue its research success in the future >> DR. M.M. CHENGAPPA: I think we’re positioned very well to move forward with some solid research accomplishments. Although the funding is pretty competitive and challenging, we are pretty well positioned to attract some good extramural support and I’m very confident of our future here at K-State. >> To learn more about research at the College of Veterinary Medicine, please visit the college’s website.