ST. LOUIS — Mars, Incorporated’s Royal Canin brand announced it has gifted $500,000 to the Texas A&M University’s (TAMU) College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) for the creation of the Royal Canin Small Animal Clinical Nutrition Endowed Chair. According to the pet food company, the gift represents a large-scale investment in the future of veterinary medicine, benefitting veterinary coursework and nutritional programming. 

Through the investment, TAMU will be able to enhance its nutritional programming with increased curriculum development, clinical service experience and nutrition consultation services. It will also support the VMBS Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and its Small Animal Clinical Nutrition Services, which provided nutritional support for more than 130,000 patients and veterinarians.

“Royal Canin is proud to play a role in the future of small animal medicine at Texas A&M University,” said Todd East, DVM, director of veterinary affairs at Royal Canin North America. “Through the support of nutritional programming, students will have the opportunity to directly observe nutrition’s role in disease management. This endowment provides a tangible impact on the future of the profession and the patients that will benefit from this support.”

Katie Tolbert, DVM, Ph.D., associate professor at TAMU’s VMBS, will serve as the inaugural recipient of the endowed chair, through which she will continue her work with the university’s Gastrointestinal Laboratory. Her research focuses on the treatment of acute and chronic gastrointestinal diseases in cats and dogs. Tolbert has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and currently served on a global gastrointestinal scientific advisory board for Royal Canin. 

“The endowment will enable me to bridge the gap between research discoveries and clinical practice by building upon Royal Canin’s established legacy of translating complex nutritional science into actionable knowledge for veterinary professionals,” Tolbert said. “Through this position, I will expand and enhance these educational initiatives by developing innovative training modules, evidence-based clinical tools, and practical guidelines that empower veterinary health professionals at all levels to make informed nutritional recommendations with confidence.”

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