Leader in the Making

Katie Griffin, Ph.D. ’24, is crafting a career at the intersection of science and service, where discoveries in the lab can improve lives for horses through research implementation.

As part of the school’s prestigious Veterinary Scientist Training Program, she recently earned her Ph.D. in immunology and  will receive her DVM degree in the spring. With more than a decade of hands-on experience in large animal critical care to complement her laboratory experience, Griffin is committed to advancing equine health through regenerative medicine.

Growing up along California’s central coast in Salinas, Griffin was surrounded by what she describes as a menagerie of pets, including dogs, rabbits, and fish. As the daughter of science-minded parents—her mom is a nurse, and her dad has degrees in chemistry and engineering—Griffin’s natural scientific curiosity was supported, and she was encouraged to ask questions. Finding a way to combine these interests and answering a call to service has driven her career path.

“I have found great fulfillment in relieving suffering in people and animals,”  Griffin reflected. “But I feel an extra calling to care for those who cannot speak  for themselves.”

As an undergraduate microbiology major at UC Davis, Griffin got her first taste of research in Dr. Leigh Griffith’s cardiovascular tissue engineering lab. She was simultaneously employed by the veterinary hospital’s large animal critical care unit, where she has now worked as a student technician for more than 10 years. These parallel experiences helped her understand that research and clinical care are converging paths that can inform and strengthen one another.
 

I have found great fulfillment in relieving suffering in people and animals...but I feel an extra calling to care for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Those insights deepened during her collaborative Ph.D. work in Dr. Kent Leach’s musculoskeletal tissue engineering lab in the UC Davis School of Medicine’s Orthopedic Surgery Department. There she investigated immune system response to biomaterials—substances engineered to interact with biological systems for medical purposes, often to improve natural functions, or to replace or repair defects and injuries. As part of her research, Griffin developed an engineered bone marrow model to study osteosarcoma.

Griffin’s drive to help others extends beyond the laboratory and clinic. She co-led the Student Veterinary Emergency Response Team, organizing student deployment to the devastating Kincade Fire in Sonoma County during October of 2019. She has also served on the school’s Community Council and Research Committee, worked as a treasurer for the Student American Veterinary Medical Association at UC Davis, and organized hands-on events for the Equine Medicine Club.

When she’s not in the lab or the clinic, Griffin prioritizes her mental health and wellbeing through hobbies such as ceramics, running, hiking, and rock climbing. She can be found at the Davis Farmers Market on Saturday mornings and loves spending time with her 8-year-old gray tuxedo cat, Milo.

After graduation, Griffin plans to complete a rotating internship at an equine private practice to further develop her clinical skills. Her long-term goal is to return to academia as a practicing veterinarian and researcher.

“I hope to improve regenerative medicine options for horses,” said Griffin, “and develop better tools to understand the immune system’s role in health and healing.”