Swine in Minnesota

For the average person, packages of pork products in the grocery store meat section represent ingredients for a meal.

For the Swine Disease Eradication Center (SDEC) at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), those products represent the culmination of years of productive partnerships between academia and the swine industry that have advanced research into eliminating deadly diseases that cost pork producers billions of dollars each year.  

For Marcello Melini, the role of a veterinarian doesn’t stop at the exam room door. It’s a charge that extends beyond the realm of animal health care and into human health as well. 

When it came to a career path, swine health provided an opportunity for him to make an impact in areas benefiting both people and animals.

“For me, the swine field in veterinary medicine allows me to be involved in several of these areas and also provides an additional challenge, which is making the best decision for a herd based on the evidence of a few,” he says.