The concept of One Health is key to the REVEAL Program. Animals and people share many of the same diseases. It's much more effective and efficient to study these diseases in collaboration instead of in parallel, to work together with our physicians and other scientists to study ideas together rather than separately.
REVEAL Program: Cummings School’s Incubator for Upcoming Researchers
Going strong for 20 years, the REVEAL Program provides residents with exposure and guidance in pursuing a career in research
As a first-year student at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Dr. Lisa Freeman planned to become an equine veterinarian and had no interest in research—that is until a professor invited her to take part in a summer research project. That encouragement and initial experience in research altered the course of her career.
"I came into vet school having no concept of academic careers and research," says Freeman. "I had my first taste, and a second opportunity drew me in further. I got the research bug and became more interested in nutrition. By the end of four years of vet school, I decided to abandon equine medicine and specialize in nutrition."
Now a professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School, Freeman was instrumental in launching the Residents' Enhanced Veterinary Education & Academic Learning (REVEAL) Program, securing an initial five-year educational grant in 2004 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with the support of a multidisciplinary team of faculty from Cummings School, Tufts University School of Medicine, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, and Tufts Office of Institute Research.
"The goal was to attract more veterinarians to academic and research careers to help solve One Health problems," says Freeman, who continues to head the REVEAL Program to this day. "There are many diseases shared by people and companion animals. If we attract more veterinarians to these research and academic careers, we can have a larger force working on these shared problems and improve the health of all our species."
To this end, the REVEAL Program brings research education and opportunities to the fingertips of residents through mentoring and other endeavors under the auspices of the One Health approach, taking into account the intersectionality of humans, animals, and the environment to tackle health issues.
The arc of Freeman's educational and career path epitomizes the value of the REVEAL Program, starting with her professor opening the door to research.
"I'm a triple Jumbo. I've spent most of my life at Tufts," says Freeman, A86, V91, NG96, who started teaching at Cummings School during her postdoctoral training and was officially appointed to the faculty soon after. For many years, she ran the Nutrition Service at Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals (FHSA) and served as director of Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute's One Health Program. More recently, she moved over to the Cardiology Service at FHSA, researching the role of nutrition in preventing and treating heart disease in pet dogs and cats and how these learnings from animal patients translates to human health.
"Conversely, we can take what we learn from human medicine to help pets as well," Freeman explains. "The concept of One Health is key to the REVEAL Program. Animals and people share many of the same diseases. It's much more effective and efficient to study these diseases in collaboration instead of in parallel, to work together with our physicians and other scientists to study ideas together rather than separately."
Conditions common in cats, dogs, and humans include heart disease, cancer, obesity, kidney disease, gastrointestinal issues, and asthma, among others.
"The key is understanding the value of the many naturally-occurring diseases, like heart disease, that affect both human and veterinary patients, rather than relying only on induced animal models. As veterinarians, we have comparative training. We're trained to understand medical issues and improve health across species, including humans," says Freeman.
The REVEAL Program encompasses a variety of research opportunities open to residents and often interns. REVEAL Academic Rounds have been a part of the program since it began. Residents and interns take part in REVEAL Academic Rounds every month to foster interest in research and develop research skills. These rounds address such topics as clinical teaching, small group teaching, statistical analysis, grant writing, time management, and interpersonal skills.
"Academic Rounds benefit all interns and residents," says Freeman. "These are not only important topics for researchers, but skills that all house officers need to be successful vets."
The REVEAL mentoring program is available to all residents to pair with a faculty member (in addition to their advisor) for in-depth guidance on their specific area of research interest.
Dr. Noa Berlin, VR21, came into residency at Cummings School planning on a career in academia and found the REVEAL Academic Rounds and faculty mentorship invaluable.
"The REVEAL Program has been instrumental in my research career development," says Berlin. "Through Academic Rounds, we met with various clinician-scientists who inspired me to find ways to enhance my research skills further. Having a mentor from outside my service who was focused on my career development beyond the residency was an empowering and mind-broadening experience that had a direct impact on my career trajectory."
Berlin was paired with Freeman as her mentor. At a REVEAL career panel, Berlin learned about postdoctoral research fellowships, and Freeman advised her on finding and applying to programs. She was accepted as an NIH research fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School.
"The REVEAL mentorship program is an amazing resource for the residents," says Berlin. "Beyond research training, there are so many other tools to gain from this program that you will carry with you through your entire career."
Berlin joined the faculty at Cummings School as an assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine and critical care in the Department of Clinical Sciences just over a year ago and hopes to become involved in the REVEAL program as a mentor and possibly in other areas.
"Mentoring residents and getting them excited about research and academic careers is one of the most gratifying things I do," says Freeman. "Even if they don't go into a research career, they have better knowledge of research as clinicians. To see someone get that spark and go into an academic career and research makes my day. It's been gratifying for over 20 years."
Additionally, the REVEAL Program's research and training electives enable house officers to conduct research in labs across the university for one or two weeks for a short burst of research exposure in considering further pursuit.
Since its inception, the REVEAL Program has also provided travel awards annually for residents to participate in human scientific conferences and meetings. In 2024, travel awards were distributed to six residents to attend meetings of the Society of Immunotherapy of Cancer and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. Freeman finds these conferences not only inspiring for residents, but also of tremendous value in learning about the latest advances and best practices in various fields of human medicine to bring back to their work in veterinary medicine.
REVEAL's website serves as a resource for funding and learning opportunities. Freeman plans to build the site out further. She also hopes to revisit REVEAL interdisciplinary animal model symposia that were hosted as part of the original NIH grant to elicit collaboration between veterinary and human medicine.
The REVEAL Program is run by an advisory committee chaired by Freeman and includes Dr. Mary Labato, associate chair and clinical professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences and Anne Engen and Belle Term Professor in Clinical Nephrology; Dr. Cheryl London, associate dean for Research and Graduate Education, Anne Engen and Dusty Professor in Comparative Oncology, and professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences; Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences Dr. Leslie Sharkey; and Dr. Cynthia Leveille-Webster, professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences.
"If we can attract and attain a few residents each year that go into academic and research careers, we've achieved our goals," says Freeman. "It will be a win-win since it will help both animal and human health."