Bridging Science and Practice: The Transformative Impact of Ethos Discovery
November 14, 2025
For Kris Kruse-Elliott, DVM, PhD, DACVAA, a career in veterinary anesthesiology has always been about more than providing excellent care—it’s about curiosity, creativity, and discovery. After decades in academia and clinical practice, she found a new kind of balance through Ethos Discovery, a nonprofit affiliate of Ethos Veterinary Health that connects clinical practice to groundbreaking research and innovation.
“My involvement started when one of the anesthesiologist clinician-scientists reached out,” she recalls. “After a few conversations with the Ethos Discovery team, I realized this was something special. The idea that I could continue my clinical work and also be part of meaningful research—without having to leave my day job—was incredibly appealing.”
Ethos Discovery offers a unique model: clinicians stay hands-on in their hospitals while helping drive studies that address real-world medical challenges. For Dr. Kruse-Elliott, those challenges include one of the biggest unmet needs in her field—better options for pain management.
“We’re preparing to launch a study on the use of gabapentin for post-operative pain,” she explains. “Right now, we have very few good oral analgesic options beyond NSAIDs, and those can have side effects that many of our patients can’t tolerate. Discovering safer, more effective alternatives would make a huge difference for so many animals.”
Though new to the Discovery program, Dr. Kruse-Elliott isn’t new to research. For more than a decade, she’s been involved with The Marine Mammal Center, using MRI to study sea lions, harbor seals, and sea otters. “Until I found Ethos Discovery, that was how I kept my research interests alive,” she says. “We’ve published several papers, most recently a neurological examination protocol for harbor seal pups. But what’s different about Ethos Discovery is that the work directly loops back into improving patient care. It’s science in action.”
For many clinicians, Ethos Discovery represents what’s possible when curiosity is part of the culture. “It’s reignited that spark for innovation and given me a way to explore ideas that can truly change how we care for patients,” she says. “It’s exciting to know that this kind of work is encouraged and supported.”
Ready to reignite your spark?
At Ethos, clinicians can pursue their passion for innovation while continuing hands-on clinical work. Talk to our Talent Team about opportunities to collaborate with Ethos Discovery, or learn more about how our teams are shaping the future of veterinary medicine.