Over the past two years, Belmont University’s College of Pharmacy has been working closely with the Nashville Zoo’s Veterinary Services to provide an answer to a research question that could help zoos across the globe provide better care for their lorikeets. Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Steven Stodghill and several students have been working with the zoo’s flock of over 80 lorikeets to conduct their research and come up with a reliable conclusion.
The goal of the study is to discover how large a dosage of the drug ponazuril lorikeets need to protect them from Sarcocystosis, a seasonal parasitic disease, without overdosing them. The drug is given to the lorikeets regularly and up until this point, few studies have been conducted to determine the actual amount needed. Once the results are in, findings will be shared in the Exotic Animal Drug Formulary for use by other zoos that keep their lorikeets in an outdoor aviary environment.
“Accuracy of dosing is critical for accurate treatment,” Director of the Nashville Zoo’s Veterinary Services Dr. Heather Robertson said in a post on the Zoo’s blog. “If you overdose, you could cause other unintended health concerns. If you under dose, you are not treating appropriately which isn’t helping the animal improve. The results derived from this research will positively impact institutions housing parrots and lorikeets around the world.”
For more information on this research project, visit the Nashville Zoo’s blog.
Caroline Melby, career development specialist for the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, recently hosted a Roundtable event for students at FlyteVu, a full-service marketing agency located in the Gulch. All seven employees, including the organization’s two founding partners, were in attendance and spent time with the student participants.
Dr. Amanda Miller, College of Theology and Christian Ministry, recently presented a paper called “Cut from the Same (Purple) Cloth: Women as Patrons and Prophets in Luke-Acts” at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in San Antonio.
Douglas Murray, professor of English, recently participated in an Improvisation Competition sponsored by the University of Michigan Department of Music. Judges from the United States and Germany awarded him 3rd place and a cash award.
Belmont’s Bunch Library completed its annual Food4Fines event on Monday, November 21. Each fall, the library takes food donations for Second Harvest Food Bank in the place of overdue fine money, and this year, the library collected 365 items, representing a total of $730 in fine forgiveness. In total, including the donations that were provided to the library, Second Harvest received more than 400 items before Thanksgiving.
Dr. Steve Murphree, professor of biology and entomologist, participated in many community events this semester. Events included an insect presentation to 40 preschool children at the Montessori Centre in Nashville, an insect ecology presentation to 75 4th graders at Fall-Hamilton Enhanced Option School, a forensic entomology presentation to 25 McGavock High School seniors in Brad Tracy’s criminal justice class, an insect presentation to 18 preschoolers at Robert Churchwell Museum Magnet School in Nashville, several insect presentations to Brownie Girl Scout Troops in Brentwood and Bellevue and an insect presentation to Mid-Cumberland Head Start’s preschool classes in Lebanon.