Vet student receives fellowship to paratuberculosis conference

University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine graduate student Pablo Pinedo has received the Richard Merkal Memorial Fellowship to attend the International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, to be held Oct. 29-Nov. 2 in Tsukuba, Japan.

Pinedo is pursuing a Ph.D. under the supervision of Owen Rae, D.V.M., a professor in the department of large animal clinical sciences. Pinedo's travel and registration costs will be covered through the fellowship, which is sponsored by the International Association for Paratuberculosis. While at the event, Pinedo will give a presentation on his research, which focuses on genetic resistance to paratuberculosis - also known as Johne's disease - in beef and dairy cattle.

Paratuberculosis is a chronic, debilitating disease of ruminants characterized by progressive weight loss and profuse diarrhea. It resembles Crohn's disease in humans and produces high losses for the animal industry in the United States.