Tufts University: 175 Years of Innovation

Susan Cotter, Distinguished Professor Emerita at Tufts University, produced landmark research on the feline leukemia virus (FeLV). In 2009 Cotter published findings critical to the creation of diagnostic tools and an effective vaccine for FeLV, significantly decreasing the incidence of one of the world’s most common—and feared—infectious diseases in cats. These studies also helped lay the groundwork for later studies identifying the virus that causes AIDS in people, which was an integral step in formulating treatments for affected individuals.