Titles and Education

1. Small Animal Surgical Residency – University of Wisconsin-Madison 2014
2. Doctorate of Philosophy  – University of Wisconsin-Madison, Comparative Biomedical Sciences 2011
3. Rotating Medicine / Surgery Internship – University of Wisconsin-Madison 2011
4. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine – University of Wisconsin-Madison 2009
5. Masters of Science – University of Wisconsin-Madison, Comparative Biomedical Sciences 2007
6. Bachelors of Science – Northwestern University, Biomedical Engineering 2004

Research

Dr. Sample is one of the principal investigators in The Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory (CORL), which has several major fields of interest. Dr. Sample’s primary research is focused on understanding the genomics and neuropathology of canine laryngeal paralysis. She also has active projects investigating the genetic basis of osteosarcoma in the Irish Wolfhound and tooth resorption in domestic cats. Dr. Sample is also involved in other aspects of genetic research being undertaken by the CORL team, including understanding the genetic contribution to canine cruciate ligament rupture and equine surgical disease.

Responsibilities

Dr. Sample is a principal investigator in the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory (CORL). She also assists in the training of small animal general surgery and surgical science to veterinary students, veterinary surgery residents, research fellows and graduate students.

Clinical Interests

The Comparative Genetics and Orthpaedic Research Lab has several areas of interest.  Broadly the laboratory focuses on sponatneous diseases in companion animals, studying the genetic, pathologic and biomedical features of various diseases to benefit both animal and human health.  Within the laboratory team, Dr. Sample's primary area of focus is in the genetic and pathologic basis of a common degenerative late-onset peripheral neuropathy in dogs, often referred to as "laryngeal paralysis."  Her current invesgative focus is in the Labrador Retriever, in which the diesease is prevalent and life limiting.  Laryngeal 

Dr. Sample also has active research investigating osteosarcoma in Irish Wolfhounds. Osteosarcoma is responsible for up to 20% of deaths in this breed.  Her team is focusing on dogs affected at a younger age to investigate the genomic arcitecture and determine whether a cancer predisposition gene is implicated in this breed.

Feline tooth resorption is another area of active study. Tooth resporption in cats is a common occurance, resulting in pain and affecting quaility of life. The condition is often recurrent, wherein affected cats will continuely resorb teeth throughout their life. Dr. Sample's team is working to understand the genetic basis of type 2 tooth resorption in the domestic cat population. 

Other studies within her laboratory team include investigations of cruciate ligament rupture in dogs, suspensory ligament desmitis in horses, fibrotic myopathy in German Shephard dogs and predictive modeling of stress fractures in horses using standing CT scanning for fracture prevention.

Learn more at the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory  http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/lab/corl

Or connect with us!  https://www.facebook.com/SVMgenetics/

Graduate Training

Trainer in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences graduate program.  Students who recently graduated include Alex Chu (MS - 2022),'A quantitative, pathological observation of late-onset laryngeal paralysis in Labrador Retrievers'; Jackie Perino (MS - 2022), 'Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain (pNfL) Concentration in Labrador Retrievers Affected with Idiopathic Laryngeal Paralysis (ILP)"

Recent Publications

1. DeForge TL, Momen M, Conidi G, Muir P, Sample SJ. Age of neutering contributes to risk of cruciate ligament rupture in Labrador Retrievers. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2024;263(3):318-322. Published 2024 Oct 9. doi:10.2460/javma.24.06.0406
2. Anderson, R. S., Chu, A. K., Rylander, H., Binversie, E. E., Duncan, I. D., Baker, L., Salamat, S., Patterson, M. M., Gruel, J., Kohler, N. L., Kearney, H. K., Ale, S. M., Momen, M. M., Muir, P., Svaren, J. P., Johnson, R., & Sample, S. J. (2024). Pathologic classification of a late-onset peripheral neuropathy in a spontaneous Labrador retriever dog model. The Journal of comparative neurology, 532(3), e25596. https://doi.org/10.1002/cne.25596
3. Perino, J. H., Patterson, M., Momen, M., Borisova, M., Heslegrave, A., Zetterberg, H., Gruel, J., Binversie, E. E., Anderson, R. S., Rylander, H., Cameron, S., Miranda, B., Conidi, G., Svaren, J., & Sample, S. J. (2024). Neurofilament light chain concentration does not correlate with disease status in Labrador Retrievers affected with idiopathic laryngeal paralysis. American journal of veterinary research, 85(4), ajvr.23.12.0292. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.23.12.0292
4. Wilson, S. A., Binversie, E. E., Kohler, N., Patterson, M. M., Sample, S. J., & Muir, P. (2023). Fibrotic myopathy and contracture of the caudal thigh musculature: a prospective study of 41 dogs (2019-2022). Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 261(11), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.23.04.0183
5. Momen, M., Kohler, N. L., Binversie, E. E., Dentino, M., & Sample, S. J. (2021). Heritability and genetic variance estimation of Osteosarcoma (OSA) in Irish Wolfhound, using deep pedigree information. Canine medicine and genetics, 8(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40575-021-00109-y
6. Perino, J., Patterson, M., Momen, M., Borisova, M., Heslegrave, A., Zetterberg, H., Gruel, J., Binversie, E., Baker, L., Svaren, J., & Sample, S. J. (2021). Neurofilament light plasma concentration positively associates with age and negatively associates with weight and height in the dog. Neuroscience letters, 744, 135593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135593
7. Baker L, Muir P, Sample SJ. Genome-wide assocation studies and genetic testing: understanding the science, success and future of a rapidly developing field. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2019; 255(10):1126-1136.

8. Baker LA, Rosa GJM, Hao Z, Piazza A, Hoffman C, Binversie EE, Sample SJ, Muir P. Multivariate genome-wide association analysis identifies novel and relevant variants associated with anterior cruciate ligament rupture risk in the dog model. BMC Genet 2018; 19:39.

9. Sample SJ, Racette MA, Hans EC, Volstad NJ, Schaefer SL, Bleedorn JA, Little JP, Waller KR, Hao Z, Block WF, Muir P. Use of platelet-rich plasma-collagen scaffold as a bioenhanced repair treatment for management of partial cruicate ligament rupture in dogs. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197204.
10. Sample SJ, Heaton C, Behan M, Bleedorn JA, Racette MA, Hao, Z, Muir P. Role of calcitonin gene-related peptide in functional adaptation of the skeleton. PLoS ONE 2014; 9(12):e113959
11. Sample SJ, Bleedorn JA, Schaefer SL, Olson CJ, Mikla A, Muir P. Student’s perception of learning gain using case-based continuous assessment in a small animal surgery course for veterinary students. Vet Surg 2014;43(4): 388-99.
12. Sample SJ, Hao Z, Wilson A, Muir P. Role of calcitonin gene-related peptide in bone repair after cyclic fatigue. PLoS ONE 2011;6(6):e20386.
13. Sample SJ, Behan M, Smith L, Oldenhoff WE, Markel MD, Kalscheur VL, Hao Z, Miletic V, Muir P.   Functional adaptation to loading of a single bone is neuronally regulated and involves multiple bones. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 2008; 23: 1372-1381.