The Michelle LeBlanc Young Presenter Award is awarded to an individual who is early in their career and who gives an oral presentation at International Symposium on Equine Reproduction. Individuals currently in a Residency, Master’s program, Ph.D. program (or regional equivalent) or a postdoctoral researcher, or within 2 years of having completed their final degree are eligible.
Abstracts that are eligible to be considered are shown on the scientific programme.
Michelle LeBlanc
Michelle was a breath of fresh air in the equine reproduction research and veterinary worlds. Physically beautiful, mentally charming and academically very bright and dedicated, she was a joy to be with and a great pleasure to talk and listen to. Her premature death from an aggressive cancer was a great loss to equine veterinary science.
Michelle’s two areas of special interest and research endeavour included chronic degenerative endometritis or, as the late Bob Kenny wisely named it, ‘endometrosis’, in the mare and the causes and sequelae of abortion in the later stages of gestation. She researched novelly, observed acutely and published usefully in both areas and her name will long be associated in America with the value of oxytocin administration to clear accumulated fluid from the uteri of aged, endometrotic mares.
Michelle was a great proponent for and supporter of students, both veterinary undergraduates and postgraduates studying for Masters and Doctorate degrees. It is therefore very fitting that that the ISER Young Presenter Award should be named after such a lovely and vigorous supporter of the next generation.
