Veterinary oncology chief named chairman of small animal clinical sciences at UF

Rowan Milner, B.V.Sc., M.Med.Vet., the Hill’s Associate Professor of Oncology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named the new chairman of the college’s department of small animal clinical sciences following a national search.

Milner, who also serves as chief of the oncology service for the UF Veterinary Hospitals, will succeed Colin Burrows, B.Vet.Med., Ph.D., in the position following Burrows’ upcoming retirement after nearly 30 years of service. Milner’s appointment will be effective July 1.

“As chair, Dr. Milner will assume overall responsibilities for faculty recruitment, mentoring and promotion,” said Glen Hoffsis, D.V.M., the college’s dean. “He will also be responsible for budget management, leadership in research and veterinary and graduate student education.”

Milner will work closely with the hospital’s chief of staff to continue provide high-quality clinical service to the nearly 20,000 small animal patients that are treated annually at UF.

“Dr. Milner also will work with the scientific community of the Health Science Center, practicing veterinarians from Florida and other constituents of the college and our hospital,” Hoffsis said.

Dually board-certified in veterinary internal medicine and veterinary oncology, Milner received his early academic training from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. His research interests include osteosarcoma, melanoma vaccine, stereotactic radiosurgery, targeted radiotherapy and tumor suppressor genes.

He joined UF’s faculty in 2001 and has twice received Clinician of the Year awards from UF veterinary students. In recognition of his development of a promising new melanoma vaccine and for other research, Milner was named Clinical Researcher of the Year by the Florida Kennel Club in 2007. In 2011, he won the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence and in 2009 he received a faculty enhancement opportunity award from the Office of the Provost at UF.