Professional Profile

MS, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Thesis:  Effects of ophthalmic disease on acute phase proteins in the horse.

DVM, University of California, Davis

BS, University of California, Davis

(Concurrent studies with DVM)

Pre-veterinary undergraduate study, Arizona State University and University of Arizona

Specialty Board Certification: Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists

Veterinary Licensure: Connecticut (inactive), Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey (inactive), New York (inactive)

Dr. Labelle received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of California, Davis, in 2004.  She completed an equine internship at BW Furlong and Associates in New Jersey in 2005.  Following completion of her internship, Dr. Labelle worked in equine ambulatory practice in Long Island, N.Y., for two years.  She concurrently completed an ophthalmology internship at Animal Eye Clinic in Norwalk, Conn.  Dr. Labelle completed her three-year residency and master's degree program in Comparative Veterinary Ophthalmology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010 and achieved board certification by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists that same year. She was a member of the faculty at The Ohio State University from 2010-2011 before returning to Illinois in 2011 as an assistant professor.

I love to teach.This is the basis of my teaching philosophy: genuine passion for my subject material (veterinary ophthalmology) and for sharing that passion with others.I was fortunate to be educated in a system where the fundamental principles of anatomy and physiology were used as a basis of understanding pathophysiology.I strive to integrate student’s didactic and clinical learning experiences by emphasizing the interrelationships between the fundamentals they learned in the classroom setting with the cases they see in the clinical setting.The key to my success as a teacher lies in harnessing my enthusiasm and passion for the subject material and funneling it into easily understood, relevant class and clinical material.

• VM609 Small Animal Medicine and Surgery I (Ophthalmology)
• Senior Ophthalmology Rotation

• Pigmentary keratitis in pugs
  
• Ocular manifestations of systemic disease
• Equine ophthalmology
• Novel ocular imaging techniques
• Infectious keratitis
• Treatment of equine glaucoma

My primary academic interest is bridging the gap between scientists and clinicians.  My experience as a veterinary ophthalmologist allows me insight into the areas where more research as needed, while my training as a scientist allows me to formulate solutions to clinical problems.  I believe that the clinician-scientist relationship is fundamental to improving animal and human health.

Coolest Small Animal Resident, presented by the College of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2009 for excellence in teaching and mentoring

American Livestock Insurance Company/American Association of Equine Practitioners award, $1800, for contribution to the future of equine veterinary medicine

Labelle AL, Hamor RE, Mitchell MA, Townsend WM, Zarfoss MK, Breaux CB, Thomasy SM, Hall T.  Ophthalmic lesions of equine neonates presenting to a referral hospital for non-ophthalmic disease.  Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2011 239(4): 486-492.

Labelle AL, Hamor RE, MacNeill AL, Lascola KM, Breaux CB, Tolar EL.  Effects of ophthalmic disease on the acute phase proteins fibrinogen and serum amyloid A in the horse.  Equine Veterinary Journal 2011 41(3): 461-467.

Labelle AL, Low ML, Hamor RE, Breaux CB, Zarfoss MK, Zachariah TT, Langan JN.  Ophthalmic findings in a captive colony of Western gray kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus).  Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 2010 41(3): 461-467.

Labelle AL, Hamor RE, Narfström K, Breaux CB.  Electroretinographic findings in the Western gray kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus).  Veterinary Ophthalmology, 2010 13: 41-46.

American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, 1^st Annual Juried Photography Competition Chair and Chief Judge, 2011.

International Equine Ophthalmology Consortium, Public Relations Committee Chair, 2010-2011.

American Association of Equine Practitioners, Student Relations Committee Vice Chair, 2009-2012.

America Association of Equine Practitioners, “Ask the Vet: Equine Ophthalmology”, June 2011.

America Association of Equine Practitioners, “Ask the Vet: Equine Ophthalmology”, May 2010.

American Veterinary Medical Association Veterinary Leadership Conference, Liason from the American Association of Equine Practitioners, 2010.

American Association of Equine Practitioners, Student Relations Committee Member 2006-2008.

Ad hoc reviewer, Journal of Herpetology 2010.

Ad hoc reviewer, Veterinary Ophthalmology 2010-2011.

Ad hoc reviewer, Clinical Ophthalmology 2011.

• Pigmentary Keratitis in Pugs (blog)