Describe the work for which you received the IRIS award
In 2002 I was extremely honoured to receive the Iris award as an individual starting my career in veterinary nephrology. The prize was given for the work that had formed the basis for my PhD studying ’The epidemiology and aetiology of systemic hypertension in the cat’. The clinical material that formed the basis for this work was obtained by visiting first-opinion and charity clinics on a weekly basis. This means we are able to recruit large numbers of cats to our studies that have renal disease, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, or at times a combination of these problems. Most cats with chronic renal disease do not get referred to specialist veterinary hospitals for further evaluation because the diagnosis of renal failure, and institution of appropriate treatment, is well within the expertise of veterinary surgeons in general practice. As a result of this there is a paucity of information available about cats with naturally occurring renal disease.
How have you used the IRIS Award?
The Iris award has allowed me to continue to participate in these studies, in spite of moving on to a new position as a small animal internal medicine lecturer, located at a different campus within the Royal Veterinary College. With the computer software that I have been able to buy with the funds from the award, I can now access our database of clinical case material, even though I am located at a different site. It has also meant that I have funds to do initial pilot studies without first having to apply for external funding. One of the first of these projects was to evaluate the clinical significance of urinary protein excretion in cats that were not azotaemic. The results of this study were presented as a scientific abstract at the ACVIM forum this year [Walker et al. (2004) JVIM 18:417] and this is an area in which I now hope to do further work.
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