Congratulations to Dr Urs Giger!
Professor Urs Giger, Endowed Professor of Medicine for the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and former Chair of the WSAVA Hereditary Disease Committee, has received the 2020 International Canine Health Lifetime Achievement Award – one of the most distinguished global veterinary awards.
He received the award in recognition of his work, which spans four decades and which has been dedicated to the study of clinical haematology, hereditary diseases and genetic predispositions in dogs, and veterinary transfusion therapy, the results of which have impacted diagnostic testing and therapies among many canine breeds.
Many of Professor Giger’s investigations have involved the discovery of new disorders, the development of new specific diagnostics and the introduction of improved therapies in dogs. His studies have advanced clinical transfusion therapy and blood banking in dogs and helped make canine transfusion practical and safe. He has been PennGen Laboratory Director of the National Institutes of Health resource on Animal Models of Human Disease for the past three decades and was Chair of our Hereditary Disease Committee chair for more than a decade.
He says: [blockquote author=”” link=”” target=”_blank”]Whilst I very recently officially retired from the University of Pennsylvania, I will continue to research and aim for precision medicine in the diagnosis and management of hereditary and blood diseases, some of them are breed-specific. This generous award will certainly encourage me and facilitate future studies and thereby greatly contribute to companion animal health.[/blockquote]