From its beginning, it has been the aim of Phi Zeta to stand for constant advancement of the veterinary profession, higher educational requirements, and high scholarship. The objective of the society is to recognize and promote scholarship and research in matters pertaining to the welfare and diseases of animals.
The competition is designed to recognize and promote scholarship and research related to the welfare and diseases of animals. There are two categories:
- Basic research
- Clinical research
The national Phi Zeta award for each category includes a plaque and $1,000. The University of Tennessee Phi Chapter of the Society of Phi Zeta is entitled to submit one article in each category to compete for the national awards.
To submit a manuscript for the University of Tennessee competition:
State which category (basic research or clinical research) your manuscript belongs to (see definition of clinical research below).
- The entrant does NOT have to be a Phi Zeta member.
- The entrant must be a veterinarian involved in a graduate or research program within the past two years. Current residents or residents who have finished their residencies within the past two years are welcome to participate.
- The entrant must be the first author.
- The paper must have been already published or accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. If the paper has not been published yet, then the submission must include a verifying letter from the journal.
Recognizing that the distinction between basic and clinical (applied) research may not always be clear, the author or nominator should designate the category in which the paper is to compete. The awards committee will use as a guide the NIH definition of clinical research (with the word human being replaced by animal) as follows:
Clinical Research: Research that is patient oriented and thus involves animals (or tissues of animal origin), but not tissues that cannot be linked to a living animal (e.g., in vitro studies). Such research includes clinical trials, epidemiologic studies, studies that focus on mechanisms of diseases, and studies that focus on a diagnostic or therapeutic intervention.
The selection committee chooses one submission in each category to participate in the National competition. We will also recognize the winners at the UTCVM Honors Convocation Banquet in April
Clinical or Applied Research Category Winner:
Lily V. Davis (with Chiara E Hampton, Stephanie A Kleine, Chris K Smith, Genevieve Bussières, Xizojan Zhu and Reza Seddighi)
“Effects of hydromorphone alone and combined with medetomidine-vatinoxan or dexmedetomidine on alfaxalone induction dose and mean arterial pressure in dogs anesthetized with sevoflurane.”
Vet Anaesth Analg. 2025 Jan-Feb;52(1):43-52
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaa.2024.10.138
Basic Research Category:
Chie Tamamoto-Mochizuki (with Mishra SK)
“Transcriptomic profiling of dorsal root ganglia in atopic and healthy dogs: A comparative RNA sequencing study with implications in cutaneous itch research.”
Vet Dermatol. 2025 Jan 27
DOI: 10.1111/vde.13324
The Tennessee (Phi) Chapter of Phi Zeta presents a certificate and $250 to a senior veterinary professional student in recognition of outstanding scholastic achievement.
Class of 2025 Winners
Dara Case
Abbey Moreland
Previous Winners
2024 – Emily Lewis & Adam Swayze
2023 – Jenna Sullivan & Nicole Nanof
2022 – Kristina Kravchenko & Hannah Durick
2021 – Margaret Elaine Cheney & Sarah Bell Layne
2020 – Ashleigh Jessica Sullivan & Paxton Ann Parker
2019 – Courtney Lynn Holscher
2018 – Leonard Jordan
2017 – Jennifer Morgan Storer
2016 – Callie Blackford Winders
2015 – Mary Dell Deweese
2014 – Nick Tataryn
During the Phi Zeta Research Day event held annually in September, the Phi Chapter provides a certificate and $250 for one presentation that represents Phi Zeta’s goal to excel in scholarship and research in matters pertaining to the welfare and diseases of animals.
2025 1st Place Winner
Maxwell Phillips
Previous Winners
| Year | Winner’s Name | Winners Mentor(s) | Presentation Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Chessa Brown | Dr. Elizabeth Collar | Clinical effect of multidose oral administration of firocoxib and t-TUCB alone and in combination for the treatment of osteoarthritis in horses |
| 2022 | Taylor Demers | Drs. Deb Miller and Wesley Sheley | Parasites in wild-caught Notophthalmus viridescens experimentally infected with Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans” |
| 2021 | Julie Bedwani | Drs. Michelle Dennis and Rick Gerhold | Establishing a wildlife biobank at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine with a pilot study of wildlife pathology |
| 2020 | Kassandra Downing | Dr. David Anderson | Effects of Local Gentamicin Delivery on Tissue-implant Interfaces |
| 2019 | Megan Wright | Dr. Andrea Lear | Clinical Trial to Determine Efficacy of Copper Oxide Wire Particles Against Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Adult Alpacas |
| 2018 | Megan Miller | Drs. Stephen Kania and Rick Gerhold | Serological Diagnosis of Elaeophora schneideri Infection in Moose (Alces alces) |
| 2017 | Dr. Rebecca Hardman | Dr. Debra Miller | Investigating Disease and Skin Health of Wild Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) |
| 2016 | Manasi Balachandran | N/A | Expression of Protein A in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius |
| 2015 | Dr. Brynn McCleery | N/A | Use of Cardiac Troponin I (cTnl) as a Biomarker of Myocyte Injury in an Avian Model Following Administration of Cardiotoxin Doxorubicin: A Pilot Study |
| 2014 | CPT Matthew Riley | N/A | Determining Virulence Factors, Multi-Drug Resistance and Typing Methods of 7 Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Clinical Isolates by Whole Genome Sequencing |
| 2013 | Dr. Katherine Baine | N/A | Pharmacokinetics of Gabapentin in Hispaniolan Amazon Parrots (Amazona ventralis) |
| 2012 | Pelagie Favi | N/A | Bacterial Cellulose and Equine-Derived Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells as a Potential Biomaterial Construct for Tissue Engineering of Cartilage and Bone |
| 2011 | Jacqueline Bryan | Dr. Linda Frank | Treatment Outcome of Dogs with Methovillin-susceptible Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Pyoderma |
| 2010 | Laura Eberlein | N/A | Data not collected. |
| 2009 | Angela Lusby | Dr. Claudia Kirk | High Molecular Weight Adiponectin Ration Correlates Better with Body Fat Mass and Indices of Glucose Metabolism than Total Adiponectin in Lean and Obese Cats |
| 2008 | April Durant | N/A | Kinematics of Stair Ascent Versus Trotting in Healthy Dogs |
Dr. Deb Miller – President
Dr. Julie Albright – Secretary/Treasurer
Former Officers
President
Began October 11, 1978
1978–1980 Dr. W. W. Armistead
1980–1981 Dr. Suzanne Kennedy
1981–1991 Dr. Rebecca Gompf
1991–1993 Dr. Ralph Harvey
1993–1995 Dr. Steve Adair
1995–1999 Dr. Kevin Hahn
1999–2001 Dr. Melissa Kennedy
2001–2004 Dr. Patricia Tithof
2004–2007 Dr. Robert Donnell
2007–2009 Dr. Diane Hendrix
2009–2011 Dr. William J. Kelch
2011–2014 Dr. Hwa-Chain R. Wang
2014–2016 Dr. José Castro
2016–2018 Dr. Maria Cekanova
2018–2020 Dr. India Lane
2020–2023 Dr. Diane Hendrix
Secretary/Treasurer
1996–2002 Dr. Dianne Mawby
2005–2007 Dr. Michael Fry
2007–2009 Dr. Casey J. LeBlanc
2009–2011 Dr. Patricia Sura
2011–2013 Dr. Amy K. LeBlanc
2013–2018 Dr. Ricardo Videla
2018–2020 Dr. Carla Sommardahl
2020–2023 Dr. Luca Giori
