MSD Animal Health UK, a division of Merck and Co., is delighted to announce the winner and runners up of the MSD Animal Health UK’s research bursary awards day presentations.
Each year, MSD Animal Health UK offers bursaries aimed at veterinary students, veterinary nursing students, nurses and surgeons to help encourage and support research that furthers the health and wellbeing of livestock and companion animals. One year after receiving the bursaries, the veterinary student and nurse recipients are invited to MSD Animal Health UK’s Milton Keynes head office to present their findings to a panel of judges where they have the opportunity to win a £1,000 first prize, and a £500 runner-up prize for the best presentations.
The 2023 bursary recipients delivered their presentations on Thursday 7 November 2024 to a panel of judges including British Veterinary Association (BVA) President, Dr Liz Mullineaux, and MSD Animal Health UK veterinary advisors Nicole De Rosa, Michelle Townley, and John Helps.
The judges were thoroughly impressed by all of the presentations, which covered a broad variety of topics, including One Health, welfare standards, and practical farm solutions.
Meet the 2024 winners
First prize winner, Sophie Scrimgeour, completed her research at the Roslin Institute, Edinburgh Veterinary School during her 5th year of veterinary school. Sophie’s winning presentation was focused on feline dementia and explored the association between glial reactivity and dementia in the feline brain. Describing her experience with the MSD Animal Health Research Bursary Awards, Sophie said: “This experience has been fantastic for both broadening my understanding of the diverse career options available to vets, as well as motivating me to continue my interest in research.”
She added: “The funds were invaluable for facilitating the laboratory project, and the project itself has allowed me to develop useful skills such as immunohistochemistry, brightfield microscopy, image editing software, and statistical analysis. I greatly appreciate the opportunity.”
Judges awarded two candidates with the runner up prizes, including Hannah Berry, recent graduate of Edinburgh Veterinary School who conducted her research in the role of scrubber brushes in reducing bacterial load at milking, and Nicky Shaw, a final year student at Edinburgh Veterinary School, who focused on bovine dentistry in her project.
Liz said of her experience judging the candidates: “It has been fantastic judging the awards! We have had three presentations that have genuinely blown us away and their subject knowledge has been fantastic.” Liz continued: “All recipients have seemed really relaxed and happy. I think they are all really appreciative of the support they have received from MSD Animal Health and for making this research possible for them.’
Commenting on the impact that the bursary’s have on the veterinary industry, Liz added: “I think it is really great that MSD Animal Health offers this opportunity, as it is difficult to carry out research without funding, and this bursary pushes students on to do what they are able to do.”
To continue supporting research in the veterinary industry, MSD Animal Health UK offers the following bursaries every year:
- Two bursaries aimed towards ruminant veterinary surgeons up to £4,000
- One bursary aimed towards companion animal veterinary surgeons up to £4,000
- One bursary for a student or qualified veterinary nurse up to £1,000
- Five bursaries for veterinary students in the UK up to £1,000
Nicole De Rosa, veterinary advisor at MSD Animal Health, comments: “We know that veterinary professionals are driven by a passion for animal health and welfare, and research plays a vital role in ensuring they can deliver the best care. As part of MSD Animal Health’s commitment to the science of healthier animals and the future of the veterinary community, we hope that the MSD Animal Health Bursaries will encourage and support more research ventures within small and large animal medicine.”
The 2024 application window closed on the 1 November and successful applicants will be announced early next year. For further details about how to apply for the 2025 bursaries, please keep an eye on the MSD Animal Health Research Bursary website.
