WSU veterinary pathologist named to institute

Guy Palmer, a veterinary pathologist at Washington State University, has been elected to the National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine, one of the top honors for scientists in biomedical research and health care.

Palmer has researched what allows disease-causing agents to live long past the initial infection, disease transmission and infection, and possible vaccines to combat disease. Most recently, he’s focused on Anaplasma marginale, the most prevalent tick-borne pathogen in cattle worldwide, WSU said. It causes millions of dollars in losses to ranchers each year.

The institute announced Palmer’s selection Monday in Washington, D.C. Most of the institute’s 1,600 members are physicians, but about a quarter come from related fields. Palmer is the fifth veterinarian with direct ties to WSU, the most of any veterinary college in the country, WSU said.

The institute studies health issues and makes recommendations.