Dr. Sian Durward-Akhust, a doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota (UM), received the 2018 EQUUS Foundation Research Fellow from the AAEP Foundation for her equine genetics research. | Photo: Courtesy AAEP

Sian Durward-Akhust, BVMS, MS, Dipl. ACVIM (LAIM), MRCVS, a doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota (UM), received the 2018 EQUUS Foundation Research Fellow from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation for her equine genetics research.

She received the $5,000 grant, awarded annually to a doctoral or residency student who has made significant progress in the field of equine health care research, at the 2018 AAEP Convention, held Dec. 2-5 in San Francisco, California. She also received a $500 stipend to support her travel to San Francisco.

Durward-Akhurst’s research is focused on identifying potential causative mutations for highly detrimental—likely Mendelian—diseases in the horse by developing and using the first database of genetic variation across the equine population. Her research is aimed at helping veterinary professionals understand genetic variants and allow them to group genetically similar patients together, ultimately improving management options and treatment outcomes