Clinical pathologist
honored by alma mater

Dr. Rick Alleman

Dr. Rick Alleman, a professor of veterinary clinical pathology at the University of Florida, has received the 2012 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

This award was bestowed at the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association’s winter meeting in Shreveport, La., on Jan. 28.

The award recognizes alumni of the LSU veterinary school for outstanding professional and personal achievements. The award consists of a plaque and placement of the honoree’s name on a group plaque at the school.

A 1980 graduate of LSU’s veterinary school, Alleman worked in private practice as a veterinarian for several years prior to returning to the academic environment to complete a residency in clinical pathology at UF’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Subsequently, he received his Ph.D. from UF, with a focus on molecular biology of infectious disease.

Alleman joined UF’s veterinary faculty in 1994. His primary research focus is on developing molecular methods of diagnosis and the persistence of infection from tick-borne pathogens, specifically Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. This work has resulted in the recognition of different antigens used in the serological diagnosis of infections with these pathogents, which commonly affect livestock in parts of the world but which are also known to affect people and other animals, such as dogs.

Alleman has coauthored four patents, three of which resulted in license agreements for market development. He has twice been named the UF veterinary college’s Teacher of the Year and has received numerous other awards for his teaching.