View from our Dean
Research is one of the basic missions of the CVM. It differentiates a university such as UF from many other educational institutions, and as a member college of UF, we are expected to contribute to the total portfolio of new knowledge discoveries.
As a serious research enterprise, our discoveries must pass the test of truth, which means the research must be conducted under the precepts of the scientific method. In this day of infomercials and hype, the general public does not have a clear grasp of what this means or how discovery is accomplished.
Performed correctly, research is expensive and therefore must be funded. In the UF CVM, more than half of the research is conducted with funds competitively awarded by the National Institutes of Health. Since there is no animal division within NIH (only human), all research applications must have a connection to human health. Our strategy, therefore, is to gain knowledge that helps both man and animals. While this may seem mercenary, it is a fact of life that our faculty cannot conduct research simply because it is important for animal health or because they are interested in it. Considerable amounts of funding are required to conduct quality studies that establish new truths. At the UF CVM, our research budget is about $12 million per year. Since we have almost no funds appropriated for this purpose, nearly all of these funds are generated by faculty applying to NIH, as well as other granting agencies and foundations. This is an amazing accomplishment, and one that is little known and appreciated outside the UF community.
What's most important is the productivity of a research program. At the UF CVM, we can list many noteworthy accomplishments. Our faculty have discovered new viruses, new mechanisms of tick borne diseases, explained the epidemiology of many diseases, explained important mechanisms of neurologic and respiratory diseases, and made discoveries in toxicology that have helped improve both animal and human health. In the clinical sciences, our faculty have pioneered foal intensive care; developed new knowledge in small and large animal medicine and in the specialties of oncology, cardiology, neurology and ophthalmology as well as zoo medicine and aquatics; have developed new surgical procedures; and are responsible for a whole host of other findings.
Research is heady stuff: Making a true discovery is exhilarating. But it’s not easy. To do high quality research takes lots of training and preparation. It also takes lots of time and so requires patience. Research is the primary reason many faculty are attracted to UF, and those who contribute to the body of knowledge make a tremendous contribution to the university, to our college and to the veterinary profession.