Dr. Thrall Recipient of ACVR Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Don Thrall, professor of radiology in the Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, is the recipient of the American College of Veterinary Radiology Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award.
In addition to receiving the prestigious honor at the 2011 ACVR annual meeting, Dr. Thrall gave the invited keynote address at the conference in Albuquerque, NM.
The Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award is given to members of the ACVR who have made an “outstanding contribution in the form of service, teaching or research to the College and represents the ACVR’s highest honor.” Not an annual award, the recognition is given only as individuals are nominated. Dr. Thrall is the third recipient.
In presenting Dr. Thrall with the award, ACVR President Dr. Val Samii said, “Don Thrall meets and goes well beyond the criteria set forth for the Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award. His accomplishments in research, teaching, and service are outstanding. I cannot think of a more deserving person for this award.
“Dr. Thrall was the driving force in establishing the Specialty of Radiation Oncology,” Dr. Samii continued. “His commitment to veterinary radiology in combination with his attention to detail and demand for excellence has made our journal what it is today–the premier journal in veterinary imaging. He has been without a doubt one of the most significant contributers to veterinary radiology and veterinary radiation oncology to date.”
Dr. Thrall’s primary research focus is the use of spontaneous tumors in dogs and cats as a model to study tumor physiology and novel treatments. He says information derived from study of these large animal models is relevant to animal and human cancer patients. Data can be used to assess causes of treatment failure, for identifying tumors and patients likely to respond favorably to treatment, to streamline introduction of potentially beneficial new treatments into the human clinic, and to avoid human clinical trials of ineffective or potentially harmful therapies.
The mission of the ACVR is to enhance and promote the highest quality of service in diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology, to optimize veterinary patient care, and to advance the science of veterinary radiology through research and education. Today the ACVR has 438 board-certified veterinary radiologists and radiation oncologists serving veterinary professionals, pet owners and their animals, and is the world’s leading authority in veterinary diagnostic imaging.
Posted Oct. 24, 2011
