Through the Latin American Student Membership Grant for the Wildlife Disease Association, the Wildlife Disease Association, WDA (Wildlife Disease Association) recognized the Master’s student in Natural Resources and attached researcher at the Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic Ecosystems and Subantarctic (BASE) Claudia Ulloa, among more than 75 applicants.
A membership scholarship aimed at promoting and promoting research in Latin America, together with positioning Latin American researchers internationally, is the objective of the Latin American Student Membership Grant for the Wildlife Disease Association, which recognized the Veterinary Doctor and Master’s student in Natural Resources from the Pontificia Universidad Católica, Claudia Ulloa, as one of its beneficiaries.
Ulloa, also a member of the UC Molecular Biodiversity Laboratory directed by Dr. Juliana Vianna, points out that the scholarship allows the creation of contact networks with researchers from all over the world, who are developing issues related to diseases in wildlife: “also I will be able to attend this year’s International Congress, in order to present the results of my master’s research, as well as access funds that allow me to develop my research ideas this year”, he says.
After the success of the call for the program, and with more than 75 applications, the selection results brought a long-awaited news to Claudia Ulloa, who says that she is happy to know that the effort and passion she has dedicated to her formative years is bearing fruit. : “My trajectory and the results I have obtained are recognized. This motivates me to continue researching for the conservation of wildlife, and to continue creating and working on research projects, now together with the Millennium Institute BASE”, she affirms.
Regarding future links, Claudia emphasizes that her membership of the Bioethics Committee of the Millennium Institute BASE will allow her to make contact with international researchers with extensive experience in the management and well-being of wildlife from different taxonomic groups: “I will be able to make available the new updates and international standards, along with jointly finding the best options and establishing high-standard local management and biosecurity protocols. This, in a context of increasing zoonotic diseases (transmitted from animals to humans) and outbreaks of diseases in wildlife, research with wildlife must maintain high biosafety standards in order to reduce the risks of contagion. or transmission of diseases in humans and between animals”, he says.
The mission of the Wildlife Disease Association is to promote healthy wildlife and ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, and environmentally sustainable solutions to One Health challenges.
More information about the Latin American Student Membership Grant, part of the Latin American Student Membership Grant for the Wildlife Disease Association here: https://www.wdalatinoamerica.org/beca-membresia-estudiantes/
By: Nadia Politis
Main picture: Claudia Ulloa in Antarctica, within the framework of ECA 59 of INACH (2023).
