Student honoured for Mycobacterium bovis study
A student at the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science has been awarded the MSD Animal Health Connect Bursary Award 2011 for his research project titled 'Detection of Mycobacterium bovis in UK sheep at slaughter using quantitative PCR.”
Derrick Fall, a fourth year student, studied samples taken from the lung-associated lymph nodes of ewes from three geographical locations. He sought to confirm if bovine TB could be detected using molecular analysis methods, and successfully demonstrated that amplification methods were accurate and sensitive enough to detect Mycobacterium bovis DNA in a range of positive samples.
Mr Fall was one of several students to receive the sum of £1000 towards their research projects. However, he was selected as the overall winner by a panel of judges from MSD Animal Health, and therefore received another £1000 and a trophy.
“I offer my warmest congratulations to Derrick and to all of the students who took part,” said MSD Research and Development Director Mike Francis. “Once again the judging panel was impressed by the quality and depth on information that each project delivered and by the level of technical competence and knowledge that each student demonstrated. By using a novel method of investigation, Derrick's project came to an interesting conclusion.”
MSD Animal Health Connect Bursaries were founded with the intention of providing students with the opportunity to undertake their own research projects. A secondary effect is to foster closer working relationships between the veterinary universities and industry.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
