Penn Veterinary Medicine Appointments	Print Issue
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Lisa Murphy is the new resident director of the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS) at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center (NBC). Sherrill Davison is now Penn Vet’s agriculture spokesperson.

“We look forward to Dr. Murphy’s leadership at PADLS as she takes the reins from Dr. Davison, who has led the laboratory through an extremely dynamic time over the past eight years,” said Joan C. Hendricks, the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

In her new role as PADLS resident director, Dr. Murphy is responsible for oversight of all PADLS NBC laboratories: toxicology, mammalian pathology, poultry and microbiology. She is responsible for maintaining PADLS’s accreditation from the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD).

Dr. Murphy will continue as an assistant professor of toxicology in the department of pathology at NBC, a position she has held since returning to Penn Vet in 2005 after graduating with her VMD in 1997. Dr. Murphy will also continue in her roles as a researcher and as head of the PADLS NBC Toxicology Laboratory.

“The health and well-being of our clients and the animals they care for is very important to me, both personally and as a veterinarian,” Dr. Murphy said. “I am committed to our laboratory’s role in keeping our clients, their animals, the environment and the general public safe in the face of infectious diseases and other dangerous hazards.”

The PADLS system is comprised of laboratories at Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center, Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Established by the state in 1991, PADLS is dedicated to providing accurate diagnoses to help protect animals and humans from health threats.

“Dr. Murphy brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position,“ Dean Hendricks said. “We are confident she will make great contributions in her new role and help Penn Vet continue to shine as a One Health leader, improving the health of humans, animals and the environment.”

As Dr. Davison takes on the newly created role of agriculture spokesperson, she will continue as director of the Penn Vet Laboratory of Avian Medicine and Pathology and as associate professor of avian medicine and pathology.

“We are drawing on Dr. Davison’s experience to enhance Penn Vet’s reputation as the trusted source of information on agriculture issues in society, balancing the interests of food animal producers and the public,” Dean Hendricks said.

Dr. Davison has been at the University of Pennsylvania for nearly 40 years, graduating with a BA in 1979 and a VMD from Penn Vet in 1983. She came back to Penn Vet as a resident in 1985 and joined the faculty as a lecturer of avian medicine and pathology in 1988. She steadily advanced, reaching the position of associate professor in 1999, laboratory director in 2005 and PADLS resident director in 2006. She also earned an MS in epidemiology in 1988 and an MBA from The Wharton School in 2004.

“I look forward to bringing a balanced, science-based approach to educating and informing people about veterinary medicine and animal agriculture,” Dr. Davison said. “My goal is to increase regional and national awareness of Penn Vet’s substantial research, educational and service commitments to animal agriculture.”

Lisa Murphy in her lab	Sherrill Davison in her lab