Testimonials
The recipients of Surgery Resident Research Grants and Diplomate Research Grants approach research in new and innovative ways. The grants they receive give them the opportunity to explore their unique theories and possibly change the future of veterinary surgery.
Research is seeing what everybody else has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought.
- Albert Szent-Gyögyi, Nobel Prize-winning pharmacologist
Charlotte K. Barton, BVetMed, MS, DACVS (Large Animal)
2026 ACVS Foundation Diplomate Research Grant recipient
We are so thankful for the support of the ACVS Foundation for our study evaluating the use of a novel 3D printed implant for complex comminuted P2 fractures in horses. We are very excited about this project as it represents an opportunity to improve outcomes and provide treatment options for horses with complex P2 fractures that have bi-articular communication.
Clare Anna Foster, BVSc
2026 ACVS Foundation Diplomate Research Grant recipient
To me this grant represents more than just funding; it is a vote of confidence in the future of large animal surgery. I hope our findings help advance minimally invasive techniques in large animal surgery, increasing the accessibility of these procedures so we can provide the best possible care for the greatest number of patients. Thank you to the ACVS Foundation for advocating for these vital improvements.
Liara M. Gonzalez, DVM, PhD, DACVS (Large Animal)
2026 ACVS Foundation Diplomate Research Grant recipient
While colic remains a formidable challenge for our horses and those who love them, it is not an insurmountable one. We are fueled by the relentless drive to discover novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions to minimize the impact of colic. This mission is not ours alone, and the support of the ACVS Foundation Research Grant helps power our innovation.
Elisabeth Lemmon, VMD, PhD
2026 ACVS Foundation Diplomate Research Grant recipient
I am truly grateful to the ACVS Foundation for supporting this work at an early stage in my career. It allows me to explore questions that I see every day in practice, and to contribute—hopefully in a small but meaningful way—to improving care for our patients.
Vaiva Palunas, DVM
2026 ACVS Foundation Diplomate Research Grant recipient
Receiving this grant means that I can chase scientific questions that have direct clinical impact on the horses that I work on day to day. Many aspects of equine veterinary practice lack specific scientific evidence, since much is extrapolated from small animal or human medicine, and some aspects are based on theory alone. Thank you so much for your support of my work and the future of equine health.
Molly Kearney, BVSc, MSc, MRCVS
2025 Surgery Resident Research Grant recipient
Receiving the ACVS Foundation grant has provided an incredible opportunity to pursue an area of research that I am impassioned by. It has provided an extremely rewarding experience to have started from the conceptualization of the project to now starting the investigative phase. This grant has been invaluable to myself, and I am hopeful will ultimately prove to be of benefit to our patients as well.
Rodrigo Sanchez-Arjona, DVM
2025 Surgery Resident Research Grant recipient
I applied for the ACVS Foundation Research Grant with the goal of advancing my research skills and contributing meaningful knowledge to the veterinary surgical community. Being awarded this grant provides an invaluable opportunity to grow as a researcher, explore questions that directly impact equine health, and develop solutions that improve surgical and post-operative care for our patients. I am grateful for the ACVS Foundation’s commitment to supporting residents and fostering innovation that ultimately benefits both the profession and the horses we serve.
Hunter Piegols, DVM, DACVS (Small Animal), ACVS Fellow Surgical Oncology
2025 Diplomate Research Grant recipient
I would like to thank the generous donors to the ACVS Foundation that make it possible for us to advance veterinary surgery through research. It is an honor to have been selected for a grant in 2025. Our work specifically aims to semi-quantitatively assess the microscopic extension of canine soft tissue sarcomas using a rigorous histopathologic approach. The study findings will provide evidence to support or refute current surgical recommendations, with the intent to improve patient care.
Julia Linda Gaida, DVM
2024 Surgery Resident Research Grant recipient and 2025 Creativity of Design or Approach Award recipient for a presentation based on a 2024 research grant at the Large Animal Residents’ Forum at the 2025 ACVS Surgery Summit
Receiving the ACVS research grant is not only a significant professional accomplishment during my surgery residency, but also a unique opportunity to contribute personally to the advancement of equine surgery and make a meaningful difference for individual surgeons.
Sarah Marvel, DVM, DACVS (Small Animal)
2024 Diplomate Research Grant recipient
I am grateful to be a recipient of a research grant from the Foundation. It is an honor to be able to perform prospective studies that contribute to the advancement of small animal surgery which would not be possible without the generous support of the Foundation. We hope to gain more information on lymphatic drainage of the lungs in normal dogs using near infrared fluorescence imaging which can fuel additional research on pulmonary lymphatic drainage in dogs with lung tumors.
Avery F. Loyd, DVM, CF
2023 Surgery Resident Research Grant recipient
I am honored to have received a Surgery Resident Research Grant from the ACVS Foundation. The Foundation not only provides grant funding, but valuable resources including instructions, tips, and workshops on writing effective grants. This shows that they care not only about research, but also helping residents succeed, which creates exponential impact for our careers. Thank you to the ACVS Foundation and all supporters for providing residents the opportunity to further the field of veterinary surgery.
Jenna M. Young, DVM, DACVS (Large Animal)
2023 Diplomate Research Grant recipient
As a young faculty member early in my research career, being awarded this grant means so much and will allow me to really start my own research journey while improving the outcome for horses following colic surgery. The results of this research will help fill a critical gap in the current literature. I am so grateful to the ACVS Foundation and donors who support this funding.
