2014 Veterinary Research Fellowship

Liara Gonzalez, DVM, DACVS
North Carolina State University

Elaine Norton, DVM, MS
University of Minnesota


2014 Research Fellows

Left to Right: Dr. Jeff Berk, AAEP Foundation Chairman, Elaine Norton, DVM,
Dr. Richard Mitchell, DVM, EQUUS Foundation Board Member, Liara Gonzales, DVM,
and Dr. Jeff Blea, AAEP President.


Two equine researchers were presented with the 2014 EQUUS Foundation Research Fellows for their work to advance veterinary knowledge during the American Association of Equine Practitioners' 60th Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.

North Carolina State University doctoral candidate Liara Gonzalez, DVM, DACVS, and University of Minnesota doctoral candidate Elaine Norton, DVM, MS, received the 2014 EQUUS Foundation Research Fellows for their work to advance equine veterinary knowledge.

Liara Gonzalez, DVM, DACVS
North Carolina State University

Dr. Gonzalez's research aims to identify new and effective regenerative medicine therapies for horses diagnosed with intestinal ischemia, a condition that worsens the prognosis for colic cases. With limited available therapeutic options, her study investigates the use of intestinal epithelial stem cells as a possible therapeutic target due to their capacity to regenerate the mucosal epithelial barrier.

Dr. Gonzalez received her DVM from Cornell University in 2006. She completed her large animal surgery residency at North Carolina State in 2010.
Elaine Norton, DVM, MS
University of Minnesota

Dr. Norton's research seeks to identify genetic risk loci and potential candidate genes in horses with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) by phenotyping 100 Welsh Ponies and genotyping them on the new equine 670,000 single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping array.

The study has the potential to substantially expand understanding of the genetic and molecular factors that contribute to the pathophysiology of EMS and improve ability to predict disease risk and identify animals that could benefit from management changes or therapeutic intervention.