Michael R. Lappin, DVM, PhD Department of Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicines and Biomedical Sciences Colorado State University , U.S.A.

Biographical Information
After graduating from Oklahoma State University in 1981, Dr. Lappin completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Georgia . After 2 years in a small animal practice in Los Angeles , he returned to the university of Georgia where he completed a small animal internal medicine residency and a PhD in Parasitology. Dr. Lappin was board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal medicine in 1987. He is currently Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University and is the section head of Small Animal Internal Medicine. Dr. Lappin studies feline infectious diseases and is the author of more than 175 research papers and book chapters. His principal areas of interest are prevention of infectious diseases, the upper respiratory disease complex, infectious causes of fever, infectious causes of diarrhea, and zoonoses of cats. Dr. Lappin on the editorial board of Feline Medicine and Surgery and Compendium for Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian and is the editor of the textbook, Feline Internal Medicine Secrets. Dr. Lappin has received the Beecham Research Award and the Norden distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Lappin is the Kenneth W. Smith Professor in Small Animal Clinical Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University and is currently the Assistant Department Head for Research. He was the chairperson of the AAFP Panel on Feline Zoonoses and the AAFP Bartonella Panel Report. Dr. Lappin is the director of the “Center for Companion Animal Studies.”

Takuo Ishida DVM, PhD, Dipl. JCVP President of Japanese Board of Veterinary Practitioners Japan

Biographical Information
Dr. Takuo Ishida graduated from International Christian University in 1973 with BA Degree. He spent 3 years at Nippon Veterinary and Zootechnical College and graduated with DVM degree in 1976. He obtained his PhD in 1981 with coronavirus pathology studies. After his PhD, he joined Oncology Section at Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and studied molecular biology and immunology for a period of 3 years. He specializes in hematology, cytology, immunologic diseases and oncology.