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One Health in ACTION …   Unheralded Veterinary Medical Research Doctor Contributes to Clinical Human and Animal Medical Health   Another prime example of interdisciplinary professionals collaborating and influencing the course of medical (health) research discoveries has been the important work by veterinarian George E. Lees, DVM, MS, currently with the Small Animal Clinical Sciences department of Texas A & M’s college of veterinary medicine in College Station, Texas (USA). Dr. Lees has collaborated with a large number of individuals (at several centers) who are not veterinarians - most are physicians and some are PhD scientists (mostly geneticists).  These include doctors affiliated with the University of Minnesota School of Medicine (in Minneapolis) such as Clifford E. Kashtan, MD.  Others, whose names appear as co-authors on various scientific publications are Alfred F. Michael, MD, Young Ae Kim, PhD, Michelle Rheault, MD and Yoav Segal, MD, PhD.  Among other scientists affiliated with Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, Dr. Lees has worked with Dominic Cosgrove, PhD and Velidi H. Rao, PhD.  In addition, other collaborators have been a canine geneticist Dr. Keith E. Murphy, now Professor and Chair of Genetics and Biochemistry at Clemson University of South Carolina (USA), and physicians affiliated with Arhus University in Denmark, such as Dr. Eric Christensen. A diplomate in the prestigious American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM), Dr. Lees’ outstanding contributions to “One Medicine” (now commonly referred to as One Health) were discussed in an excellent feature called a “Hero in Medicine” Our Hero in Medicine: George Lees, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Small Animal Internal Medicine).  “… On the outside, humans and canines may seem like complete opposites, but science is proving the two are more alike than different. Certain genetic disorders, such as Alport syndrome in people and hereditary nephropathy in dogs, are caused by similar genetic mutations. Because of these similarities, studies into treatments for the disorders--including work conducted by George Lees, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Small Animal Internal Medicine)--benefit both species. ...”Hereditary nephropathy and Alport syndrome are due to defects in the genes that guide the synthesis of type IV collagen, Dr. Lees said. In dogs, this in turn leads to progressive deterioration of kidney function and the development of chronic renal failure during adolescence.  People with Alport syndrome often suffer from kidney damage, hearing loss, and sight deterioration. … Please read the entire article on the specific link http://www.acvim.org/websites/acvim/index.php?p=560. Permission to reprint this article on the One Health Initiative website was graciously granted on April 19, 2011 by: Jenn Armbruster Communications & Media Relations Manager American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) 1997 Wadsworth Blvd. | Lakewood, CO  80214 -5293 303-231-9933 | 800-245-9081 (US or Canada) | 303-231-0880 (Fax) Jennifer@ACVIM.org  | www.ACVIM.org  | www.ACVIMForum.org