Posted: May 13, 2013

OVC scientists and veterinarians were featured recently in University of Guelph and mass media publications.Cancer patient Ramona mugs for the camera under the watchful eyes of ICCI co-directors Brenda Coomber and Paul Woods. Photo by Dean Palmer

Check out the cover story of the spring issue of the U of G’s alumni magazine, The Portico, which features researchers and clinicians in the Mona Campbell Centre for Animal Cancer and the Institute for Comparative Cancer Investigation.

The story highlights the work of several OVC faculty members including Drs. Paul Woods, Brenda Coomber, Byram Bridle, Geoff Wood, and Alicia Viloria-Petit.

Two OVC professors are quoted in a Toronto Star story today on the increasingly popularity of bengal and savannah cats, a genetic mixture of domestic and wild animals.

Dr. Gabriela Mastromonaco, curator of reproduction programs and research at the Toronto Zoo and an adjunct professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, discussed the crossover genetics involved in wild-domestic mixing and possible concerns. While Dr. Cathy Gartley, a reproductive specialist and professor in OVC’s Department of Population Medicine, says humans have been living with wild cats as pets since civilization’s dawn, but that doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea.

Posted: May 13, 2013

This week’s Community of Teachers session will feature several OVC faculty members who will share their “one-minute papers” on the teaching gems that they brought home from the INVEST 2012 conference last summer.

INVEST is an acronym that means “International Veterinary Simulation in Teaching”. The conference represents a group of educators from North America and Europe who have come together in order to champion the use of simulation in veterinary education, and to encourage research regarding its use and effectiveness. The three-day conference focused on the teaching, learning and assessment of veterinary clinical skills, with special attention paid to the use of clinical simulation including computer based, simulated clients and technical/procedural skills trainers.

The session, facilitated by Dr. Joanne Hewson of the Department of Clinical Studies, will take place Friday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Room 1810 Pathobiology / AHL building.

Posted: May 13, 2013

The OVC’s Big Bike riders will host a pair of fun events next week to raise funds in support of their Bike Bike ride for the Heart and Stroke Foundation on June 13.

Get your cowboy boots on for line dancing lessons with Sue Bottrill on Tuesday, May 21 at 12:15 p.m. in Room 1707B (OVC cafeteria). Tickets are $5 for an hour of music and fun.

You can also help out by joining the riders for a pizza lunch on Friday, May 24 at 12:15 p.m. in the Lifetime Learning Centre Room 1714. Five bucks will get you two slices of pepperoni or vegetarian pizza.

Pizza orders must be placed by May 22 at noon.

Tickets for both of these events can be purchased from our OVC riders:

Jennifer Lawlor; Cathy Bernardi; Emily Gilbert; Judy Metherel; Jackie Radley; Jason Vieira; Hanna Peacock; Lily Arpa; Samantha Russell; Jacqueline Dynes; Lindsay Bergeron; Gavin Armstrong; L. Antonio Gonzalez Grajales; Carolyn Nairn; Jeffrey Caudle; Rami Kridli; Kasra Khalaj; Andrea Steele; Carolyn Bennett; Faisal Alibhai; David Durbin, and Brenda Ford.

Posted: May 13, 2013

A longtime staff member and a retired professor in the Department of Pathobiology were honoured recently with awards celebrating their contributions.

Elizabeth Gilbertson, secretary to Pathobiology chair Robert Jacobs, is this year’s recipient of the Carlton L. Gyles OVC Support Staff Excellence Award.

The award is presented annually to the OVC staff member who exemplifies the qualities of University professor emeritus Carlton Gyles, including: being an exemplary role model; being thoughtful and compassionate, and being willing to accept responsibility that goes beyond their job function.

Professor emerita Julie Yager was one of five U of G community members honoured at the 2013 Guelph YMCA-YWCA Women of Distinction Awards held May 2.

Yager received the award for Lifetime Achievement in the science, technology and research category. One of only seven women in her graduating class, Yager has been a role model and inspiration to women entering veterinary medicine. She was a professor in the Department of Pathobiology for more than 25 years. Her world-renowned research in veterinary pathology has been published in more than 100 books and research publications.

For more, see the campus bulletin and the Guelph Mercury article.

Posted: May 13, 2013

Researchers in the Department of  Human Health and Nutritional Sciences are recruiting adults (18-75 years old) who are not currently taking vitamin D supplements to participate in a six-month nutrition study on the effect of consuming a vitamin D supplemented cheese on risk factors of diabetes and heart disease.  

If eligible for the study, participants will be required to:
• Consume one 30 g package of cheddar cheese each week for 6 months        
• Attend study visits at weeks 0 (2.5hrs), 8 (30min), 16 (30min), 24 (2.5hrs)
• Provide fasted blood samples
• Complete two oral glucose tolerance tests (consume a glucose drink and have blood drawn for a period of 2 hours)
• Fill out questionnaires about your food intake and sun exposure

Financial compensation is provided.  This study has received clearance from the University of Guelph Research Ethics Board (REB#12SE021).

If you are interested please call Ext. 58081 or email cheese@uoguelph.ca.

Posted: May 6, 2013

The broad range of cancer studies taking place at the University of Guelph will be showcased at the 2013 Cancer Research Symposium hosted by the U of G Institute for Comparative Cancer Investigation (ICCI).

The symposium takes place Thursday, May 23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Room 1714 of the OVC Lifetime Learning Centre.

Dr. David Argyle

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. David Argyle, the William Dick Professor of Veterinary Clinical Studies and Head, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh.

Argyle’s talk, “A funny thing happened to me on the way to malignancy: Can comparative biology inform rational cancer drug development?” will take place at 3:30 p.m.

All interested members of the university committee are invited to attend. Registration is free and includes lunch. The deadline for abstracts for poster and short oral presentations is May 13. Visit the ICCI website to register and / or complete the abstract submission form.

Posted: May 6, 2013

Members of the OVC community are invited to learn about participatory epidemiology at a pair of lectures tomorrow.

The public talks will help kick off an intensive eight-day training workshop taking place at OVC May 7-15. The workshop has attracted participants from the University of Guelph and University of Saskatchewan as well as students from Thailand and Mexico.

The talks feature Dr. Jeff Mariner of the Participatory Epidemiology Network for Animal and Public Health (PENAPH).

Lecture 1, “Introduction to participatory epidemiology” takes place on Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon, while Lecture 2, “What is participation? Livestock owners knowledge,” is scheduled for 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Both talks take place in Room 1713 OVC Lifetime Learning Centre.

Participatory epidemiology (PE) integrates human and animal health research, and uses community-based research techniques to bring new perspectives and solutions to public health issues.

Mariner is a veterinarian and scientist working with the International Livestock Research Institute in Kenya. A Tufts graduate, he applied participatory epidemiology techniques in the early 1990s in Africa to tackle rinderpest, a highly contagious and deadly viral disease that affects cattle.

The workshop is presented in partnership with PENAPH and Vets Without Borders-Canada.

Posted: May 6, 2013

The OVC Health Sciences Centre is offering a Pet Loss Support Group to help support pet owners through the process of loss and grief.

This support group meets monthly and is for any OVC client whose pet is terminally ill or has died.

The group offers:

• Emotional and moral support

• A welcoming environment where you can talk about your loss and grieving.

• A place to remember and share stories about the life of your pet.

• Opportunities to connect with other bereaved pet owners and learn additional ways of coping with your loss.

Although the sessions are for pet owners to support one another, the OVC Health Sciences Centre’s clinical counsellor, Bojena Kelmendi, will be available to answer questions, provide suggestions, information and resources.

You do not need to signup you may just drop in but please consider calling first to confirm time and date, said Kelmendi.

The group meets the first Thursday of each month from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Animal Cancer Centre  client lounge (adjacent to the waiting area).

For more information contact clinical counsellor, Bojena Kelmendi at 519-824-4120 Ext. 54426 or email at bkelmend@uoguelph.ca.

Posted: May 6, 2013

The Department of Population Medicine’s silver jubilee symposium held May 3 celebrated 25 years of working to make the world a better place.

The daylong symposium, titled “The Many Faces of Population Medicine,” opened with welcoming remarks from Dr. Elizabeth Stone, OVC dean, and Dr. Cate Dewey, chair of the department.

Dr. Cate Dewey, chair of the Department of Popluation Medicine, cuts the cake with help from Dr. Wayne Martin, the department’s founding chair.

“Together, I think we are making the world a better place,” said Dewey, who also relayed best wishes from former colleagues including former OVC dean Ole Nielsen.

Nielsen wrote that establishing the department was “one of the most significant and seminal events during my tenure as dean” and that Popmed faculty, students and staff should be justly proud of their remarkable achievements over the past 25 years.

The event featured talks by current and former faculty members on a variety of subjects including:

• Dr. Ken Leslie, “Perspectives on historical events leading to the formation of the Department of Population Medicine”

• Dr. Wayne Martin, “Perspectives on the roles of epidemiology in supporting population and public health”

• Dr. Karen Morrison, “Ecohealth and One Health”

• Dr. Andrew Papadapoulos, “Public health within Population Medicine: an evolution and an exploration of possibilities”

• Dr. Paula Menzies, “Population Medicine in the fields: Field Service”

• Drs. Michele Guerin and Zvonimir Poljak, “From production medicine to public health to animal welfare: the multiple dimensions of animal health management”

• Dr. Walter Johnson, “Population Medicine and theriogenology”

• Dr. Olaf Berke, “Population Medicine from a statistical epidemiology point of view”

• Dr. Jason Coe, “What is all the talk? OVC’s commitment to improving communications”

Posted: May 6, 2013

OVC’s senior development manager, Clare Olmstead, will be leaving the college to accept a promotion to Advancement Director with Sunnybrook Health Science Centre in Toronto. Clare’s last day at the OVC will be May 30.

Clare Olmstead

We are grateful for the many things that Clare has done to advance donor relationships for the Ontario Veterinary College and the University of Guelph.

This is a wonderful opportunity for Clare and we wish her every success.  Recruitment activities for the future Senior Development Manager are now underway and we will share this announcement next week with the community via the bulletin.