Translational research

Now, also, I understand that some of the research Every Cat Has provided grants support to, has created medical insights that benefit humans as well.

If you would, tell us a bit about the translational research findings that have come to light here.

You know, this is probably one of the more exciting things that we're able to do.

When I think about translational medicine, probably the most important thing that the American Cat Health Foundation has done relates to a disease called feline infectious peritonitis.

Yeah.

Thanks so much for touching on that.

And then translational research findings.

They're so important and awesome report there.

And I really did enjoy that.

And I missed it early on, but ultimately kind of at least how I rationalized it or got comfortable with it is I felt for my skillset and my interests, I could have a much bigger impact on medicine on the business side and trying to solve some of those bottlenecks and in particular, Translation bottlenecks and bringing great ideas out to patients and then rather than than doing two surgeries a day and then seeing eight patients in clinic the next day.

I could do something that impacts hundreds of thousands or millions of lives or play a key role in that.

And that was really kind of self-inspiring.

In my role, I am the director of the Pediatric Adolescent Young Adults Cell and Gene Therapy Program at the University of Maryland Golisano Children's Hospital.

And I also have the role as the Associate Director of Translational Research in the University of Maryland Greenbaum Comprehensive Cancer Center.

And so I joined here after 17 years at the NIH and National Cancer Institute.

That's a long time to be any one place, but obviously a great place and gave you a lot of good training and experience and I'm sure set you up for success in this new role.