Congratulations to Dr Eleanor Raffan who is the 2025 recipient of the Blaine Award. The award is presented to veterinarians who are not client facing (e.g. pathology, clinical laboratory) for contributions to the advancement of small animal science in aspects of non-client-facing sciences, including, but not limited to, laboratory based research, pathology, and epidemiology clinical laboratory work.
Dr Raffan has also been awarded a £125,000 grant through the Springboard programme from the Academy of Medical Sciences. This grant, alongside mentoring and career development support will allow her to continue her groundbreaking research exploring the genetic connections between obesity and appetite by comparing canine and human genetics. Speaking about the award, Dr Raffan said:
"I’m delighted to be part of the Springboard programme – both because the funding will accelerate an exciting new project studying the genes which affect appetite and obesity, and because the career support will help me operate strategically and effectively at a key career stage."
An increase in levels of obesity in dogs mirrors that in humans – reduced exercise and ready access to high calorie food are likely to blame in both. However, although owners control their pets’ diet and exercise, some breeds of dog are more prone to obesity than others, suggesting the influence of genetic factors. Dr Raffan's Go Dogs project finds that certain breeds of dog are predisposed to develop obesity, and have genetic traits that are easier to map due to selective breeding. The study will analyse the DNA of over 1,000 pet dog participants to identify genes related to obesity, then determine whether these same genes influence weight and eating behaviour in humans. By focusing on genes that affect both dogs and humans, this research could unlock undiscovered biological pathways, and transform our understanding of why some people struggle more with weight management than others.