Dr Mike Nolan receives 2022 AVMF/EveryCat Health Foundation Research Award

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recognized Mike Nolan, DVM, PhD, DACVR, professor of oncology at the North Carolina (NC) State University College of Veterinary Medicine, as the winner of the 2022 American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF)/EveryCat Health Foundation Research Award.

“Dr Nolan has been instrumental in important discoveries that are changing our understanding of the development and treatment of cancer in cats and controlling pain in feline cancer patients,” expressed Lori Teller, DVM, DABVP (Canine/Feline), CVJ, president of the AVMA, in an association release.¹ “Dr. Nolan’s vision and innovative approach to the treatment of feline cancer makes him extremely deserving of this award.”

Dr Mike Nolan (Photo courtesy of the AVMA).

Nolan achieved a PhD in radiation and cancer biology at Colorado State University and is board certified in radiation oncology from the American College of Veterinary Radiology. He has made significant contributions to feline cancer. Additionally, he dedicated his skills in radiation oncology to collaborative work in feline gastrointestinal cancer and feline urinary interstitial cystitis.

According to the release,¹ Nolan arrived at NC State in 2013, and developed a research program with a focus on comparative oncology. He has been granted over $1.7 million in external funding, including receipt of a prestigious National Institutes of Health MERIT award, and he has published over 50 peer-reviewed publications, with others in the works.

Nolan has also contributed significant teaching responsibilities. He created course materials in general oncology for the core veterinary student curriculum, and in radiation oncology for elective courses. Additionally, Nolan is key in graduate student training. Recently, he has finished work with his first doctoral student, who was granted a government scholarship from the Taiwanese Ministry of Education to work specially with Nolan on the treatment of feline squamous cell tumors of the tongue. Their work was honed in on the control of tumor growth and pain control of this feline tumor, according to the release.

Nolan’s work on companion animals has allowed him to develop new treatment procedures that have displayed promise in the human field. He has also played a major role in the development of C3O, a comparative oncology program that links the Duke Cancer Institute and the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine, and is a primary member of the board that oversees this program.

A 2009 graduate of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Nolan has been recognized with the Outstanding Recent Alumni Award from his alma mater, the Early Career Investigator Travel Award from the Radiation Research Society, the NC State Coat of Excellence (twice). This year, he was appointed as an N.C. State University Faculty Scholar.¹

Reference

Dr. Mike Nolan named recipient of 2022 AVMF/EveryCat Health Foundation Research Award. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. August 6, 2022. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://www.avma.org/news/press-releases/dr-mike-nolan-named-recipient-2022-avmfeverycat-health-foundation-research