Merck Animal Health Names 2017 High Quality Pork Ph.D. Award Recipient

MADISON, NJ, March 21, 2017 – Merck Animal Health (known as MSD Animal Health outside the US and Canada) is proud to announce it has bestowed the 2017 High Quality Pork Ph.D. Award on Andreia Goncalves Arruda of The Ohio State University.

Arruda’s presentation titled “Examining PRRS with fresh eyes. Can novel combinations of epidemiology tools help us?” will discuss how data routinely collected in PRRS control programs can be successfully used to better understand disease dynamics and potentially inform its control and prevention. Provided examples will include questions from swine veterinarians and producers that were answered using readily collected data, some creativity, and by making use of novel epidemiological tools that are becoming increasingly available to researchers.

“We were impressed with the caliber of research content that was submitted for this year’s High Quality Pork Ph.D. Award,” stated Rika Jolie, DVM, Ph.D., MBA, global technical director, Swine Merck Animal Health. “As a company committed to the Science of Healthier Animals™, we are excited for the future of swine research as exemplified in Dr. Arruda’s submission. Disease management is a growing concern for swine farmers around the world and Dr. Arruda’s research will add to growing data needed to keep swine farms healthy and productive.”  

Arruda was selected among several candidates that defended their doctoral (Ph.D.) research in either veterinary or animal science with an emphasis on swine within the last 12 months.

“It is a pleasure and immense honor to receive this award. Being able to present my research and interact with a large group of swine specialists will allow me to learn more about this global industry,” Arruda said. “I look forward to discussing this topic that I have been devoted to, and that I am extremely passionate about; and to identifying opportunities for collaborations at the initial stages of my career.”

Arruda is originally from Brazil where she obtained her DVM at São Paolo State University. She then completed a MSc in Veterinary Medicine at University of Minnesota followed by a Ph.D. in Epidemiology at University of Guelph. She recently accepted a position as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University. She will deliver her presentation at upcoming Merck Animal Health High Quality Pork meetings in Europe, the Americas and Asia throughout 2017.

About Merck Animal Health
For over a century, Merck has been a global health care leader working to help the world be well. Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Through its commitment to the Science of Healthier Animals™, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter at @MerckAH.

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