VCCIS SIG - Business Meeting & Scientific Presentation

Limited to 60 participants. Register early as we are expected to sell out.

Join VCCIS for an evening of presentations over dinner and drinks. We have organized a wonderful interactive Special Interest Group meeting at the ACVIM Forum conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Please contact us at info@vccis.org if you have trouble logging in.

Brit's Pub & Eating Establishment
1110 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis MN 55403

Jun 6, 2024

6:30 - 9:30 pm Central

$75.00 per person (for professionals) or $30.00 per person (for trainees) - includes dinner, drinks, educational lectures, and 6-month membership (current members will have their membership extended 6 months)

Parking

Brit's Pub does have limited parking in their lot which is on 11th Street. Go through Nicollet and it's approximately 30 yards on your left (underneath the British flags). It is credit card only. Up to 1 hour - $3.00; 1 to 4 hours - $8.00. Drive to the entry gate; press button and take ticket; when leaving present ticket to scanner at exit; pay by credit card (no cash taken).

Brit's Pub & Eating Establishment is within easy walking distance from the Minneapolis Convention Center. If you're coming directly from the convention, there is no need to drive and park your car. The walk is just a few minutes.

Sponsor: Boehringer Ingelheim

Our program this evening is made possible with the generous support of Boehringer Ingelheim.

Program Details:
 

A Multidisciplinary Perspective on Immune-mediated Ocular and Cutaneous Disease in Dogs, Cats, and People

The skin is often a target of pathological immune responses, which, to simplify it, can be primarily driven by T cells, antibodies or even by innate immune cells. In true autoimmune diseases, the aberrant immune response targets autoantigens, which then leads to an injury of a specific skin structure and a characteristic lesion formation (e.g., blister and adhesion molecule targeting, depigmentation and melanocyte targeting, alopecia and hair follicle targeting, epidermal sloughing and keratinocyte targeting). In autoinflammatory skin diseases, the aberrant activation of the immune system, often innate immune system, results in tissue damage that is not autoantigen specific. In many instances, skin may not be the only organ targeted by the immune system. In this session, we will briefly review the basic immunological characteristics of the skin and eye and point out their similarities as well as differences. We will then focus on the pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnostic approach and treatment of selected inflammatory skin and eye diseases. Because our knowledge about the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases in animals remains limited, Dr. Schultz will review the current pathogenesis of selected homologous skin diseases and advances in their treatment.

Presenters:

Dr. Petra Bizikova, MVDr, PhD, dipACVD, dipECVD
Dr. Brian Gilger, DVM, MS, dipACVO, dipABT, FARVO
Dr. Brittney Schultz MD

Dr. Petra Bizikova graduated at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Kosice [Koshice], Slovakia in 2001 with honors. She subsequently joined one of the largest private veterinary clinics in Slovakia at that time, where she worked for four years and focused primarily on internal medicine, cytology and dermatology. A personal quest to improve her skills and medical knowledge in veterinary dermatology led her to multiple, self-funded, externships at private referral dermatology clinics and university teaching hospitals in Europe and in the United States. A fortunate trip to North Carolina State University gave her the chance to start an internship followed by a residency in veterinary dermatology and immunology PhD. She became boarded by both American and European Colleges of Veterinary Dermatology in 2010 and defended her PhD in 2012. As a result of her PhD, she was able to identify the major target autoantigen in canine pemphigus foliaceus. After finishing PhD, she then joined the Dermatology Faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012 as a clinician-scientist with a main interest in autoimmunity and atopic dermatitis. She is also managing equine dermatology at the NCSU. In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding, hiking and bouldering.

Dr. Brian Gilger is a native of Akron, Ohio, USA. After an internship and residency in ophthalmology, he joined The Ohio State University as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology in 1992. In October of 1995, Dr. Gilger joined the faculty at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine as an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and is now a Professor of Ophthalmology. Dr. Gilger is particularly interested in ocular diseases of horses and is the editor and author of three editions of the textbook, Equine Ophthalmology. He has over 130 peer reviewed scientific publications, over 30 book chapters, and has research interests in ocular drug delivery, immunology, pharmacology, and toxicology.

Dr. Brittney Schultz, MD, is a dermatologist who sees patients at M Health Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center - Minneapolis. Her clinical interests include autoimmune blistering diseases, complex medical dermatology and quality improvement.

To reserve a seat, you must RSVP with VCCIS directly. Click on the "Register Now" button (above) to RSVP.