Penn veterinarian named 'top dog' for research work

Norman Peterson, 36, was honored for research in areas of concern to human beings. Laboratory research wasn't what Norman Peterson had in mind when he decided to be a veterinarian. But so far, at least, the field has treated him well. In November, Peterson, a research associate in the University Health System's Pathology Department, received the Young Investigator Award from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. The award recognizes an "outstanding young scientist who has made significant contributions" to the field. The award, presented at the Laboratory Animal Science Association's annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif., honored Peterson for research in areas such as "the modification of antibodies to study and treat cancer," according to a statement from the organization. It also notes Peterson's future promise. Much of Peterson's work these days is ultimately for human benefit, a role Peterson said he is uniquely suited for -- even if it means he doesn't get to work in a traditional veterinarian environment. He explained that animals are used for much of the research on human diseases and treatments. "What better person to do that [than me]?" said Peterson, 36. "Few doctors really understand the animals." The award, which recognizes Peterson's past research and future promise, is the most recent in a series of awards to a man whose chosen field was something of a compromise. Born and raised in Peoria, Ill., Peterson had wanted to be a veterinarian since junior high school. It was only in his senior year at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana that Peterson, a biology major, became interested in research. His search "for ways to combine the two" interests in research and animals led Peterson to lab animal research. Placed on the waiting list after his first attempt to enroll in a primate residency -- the first step in an academic career -- Peterson earned a master's degree in biology at Illinois. "I thought I'd hang around for another year," he said. "I knew I'd get in the next year." As he hoped, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., accepted him to its program the next fall, in 1990. But "things didn't work out well" at Wake Forest, Peterson said, so he came to Penn, which held a "twofold" attraction to the young researcher. "Molecular biology was a real strength [of Penn's] and there are so many pharmaceutical companies in the area," Peterson said. While most residencies are master's degree programs, Peterson wanted to earn a doctorate at the University. University Veterinarian Harry Rozmiarek "was very supportive" of Peterson's efforts, Peterson said, adding that Rozmiarek "designed a program" especially for Peterson. Peterson added that he was the first person to earn a doctorate while completing a residency in laboratory animal science at the University. Peterson completed his residency in 1993 and finished his doctorate last month. Currently working on a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health, Peterson said he'd like to stay at Penn when the grant ends in two years. "My interests are mainly towards academia," he said. "But [if offered] the right industry job, I'd consider it as well." However, Peterson's success in research has come at a cost to his childhood dream. "I'm losing a lot of my vet skills," he acknowledged. "It would take me an hour to spay an animal."