MSD Animal Health Research Bursary for Veterinary Students
Research is essential for the welfare of animals and the future of the veterinary profession. The 2024 MSD Animal Health Research Bursary is now welcoming applications from veterinary students in support of their research projects which are completed within 24 months.
The MSD Animal Health Research Bursary for Veterinary Students grants the opportunity to 5 veterinary students within the UK to win an award of £1,000 for their research project. All bursary recipients will be invited to present their research conclusions at the annual MSD Animal Health Research Bursary Awards Day. The two best research projects presented on the day will also be awarded a further £1,000 top prize and a £500 runner-up prize respectively. The two winners will also be encouraged to present their findings at a relevant UK veterinary conference. This will be facilitated by MSD Animal Health with funding of hotel accommodation, delegate registration and a further award of £500.
Alysia Empert-Gallegos was awarded the runner-up prize at the Research Bursary Awards Day in 2020 for her project on dog owner perspectives on the risks, benefits, and nutritional value of raw diets compared to commercial cooked diets. Her work has been published and can be found here.
The deadline for entries is the 1st of November 2024. For further information please download the documents and application form below. For any specific questions please contact us at msdahbursary@msd.com.
The judging criteria for the research project applications are:
• Quality and clarity of the research project application
• The realistic aspirations of the proposed research project
• The project’s potential value in terms of clinical relevance, and its societal/welfare impact
• The originality of the research project
“The bursary was great to get some research experience and was super applicable to clinical practice, as ultimately research is what drives this profession. It’s given me skills in data analysis and interpretation, as well as presentation skills. It’s been useful even in terms of just having the confidence to talk to clients and public speaking. It’s been helpful all-round really!”
Alex Bartlett , 2022 MSD Animal Health Research Bursary recipient and first prize winner for her research presentation
The successful applicants for the 2022 MSD Animal Health Research Bursaries for Veterinary Students were:
- Adri Aparicio-Chagolla for her assessment of Coxiella burnetii within a Scottish dairy cattle herd and its impacts on production
- Alex Bartlett for her development of isothermal phage-based methods to detect Mycobacterium bovis
- Estelle Marrier d’Unienville for her study of the influence of MMP9 Inhibition on the migration and proliferation abilities of canine and human osteosarcoma cells
- Rowan Wishart for her development of a 3D lung tissue culture system to investigate type II airway epithelial cell proliferation in relation to ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma pathogenesis
- Zoe Jamieson for her analysis of the use of sexed semen on two intensively managed dairy farms in Scotland to identify best practice guidelines for cow selection
Royal Veterinary College
Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
