The Department of Population Medicine is pleased to welcome Jennifer Thurtell in the role of OVC Medical Communications Program Manager.
Jennifer has previously worked closely with the OVC Medical Communications Manager and was part of the Veterinary Skills, Training and Enhancement Program (VSTEP) management team.
In her previous role as an Ontario Certified Teacher, Jennifer taught at a private career College. Jennifer’s experience with simulated clients, teaching, training, and coaching make them an excellent fit in the clinical-communication curriculum.
Jennifer will be joining the department on Monday, August 26, 2019.
OVC Pet Trust The NEW Spring summer issue of Best Friends is now available to read and share! Take a look inside the pet magazine of the Ontario Veterinary College and learn how your support helps us improve companion animal health and well-being for the pets we love: https://ovc.uoguelph.ca/pettrust/best-friends
OVC Pet Trust The NEW Spring-Summer issue of Best Friends is now available to read and share! Take a look inside the pet magazine of the Ontario Veterinary College and learn how your support helps us improve companion animal health and well-being for the pets we love: https://ovc.uoguelph.ca/pettrust/best-friends
Wednesday, September 4, 2019 9:00 am Presentation, Room 1810, PAHL Examination to follow in Room 3826, PAHL
Interested members of the Ontario Veterinary College are invited to attend the Final Oral Examination for the Degree of Master of Science
Tamara Morrill, Department of Pathobiology
Thesis Title:“Immune profiling of cerebrospinal fluid in dogs”
Examination Committee: Dr. Patrick Boerlin, Chair of Examination Committee, (Pathobiology) Dr. Stefan Keller, Advisor, (Pathobiology) Dr. Janet Beeler-Marfisi, Committee Member (Pathobiology) Dr. Luis Gaitero, Non-Committee Member (Clinical Studies)
Advisory Committee: Dr. Stefan Keller (Advisor) Dr. Fiona James (Co-Advisor) Dr. Janet Beeler-Marfisi
Thursday, September 5, 2019 9:00 am Presentation PAHL 1812 Examination to follow, 4838
Interested members of the Ontario Veterinary College are invited to attend the Final Oral Examination for the Degree of Master of Science
Jonathan Moffat, Department of Pathobiology
Thesis Title:“Frequency and distribution of ESC and gentamicin resistant Enterobacteriales from Canadian turkeys” Examination Committee: Dr. Dorothee Bienzle, Chair of Examination Committee, (Pathobiology) Dr. Patrick Boerlin, Advisor, (Pathobiology) Dr. Richard Reid-Smith, Committee Member (Population Medicine) Dr. John Fairbrother, Non-Committee Member (Pathobiology)
Deirdre Stuart, VT, BScH, MSc candidate joins the Ontario Veterinary College in the role of the Tumour Bank Coordinator. As a member of the Clinical Trials team, the Tumour Bank Coordinator supports cancer research and other clinical research investigating advanced disease and chronic illnesses.
As a lifelong pet lover and veterinary technician of over 25 years, Deirdre returned to Guelph to complete her undergraduate and is currently completing her Master of Science degree in Reproductive Biology in the Department of Biomedical Sciences.
“A passion for knowledge has fueled my love of research, but I love the bonds that I have formed with my clients over the years. As the Tumour Bank Coordinator, I can combine all of these together to provide our patients and their families with reassurance and a means to help many others with their contributions to the work of ICCI.”
The Ontario Veterinary College thanks Kaya Skowronski for her years of service in this role and wishes her the very best in her future academic pursuits.
About the Companion Animal Tumour Bank:
The University of Guelph Institute for Comparative Cancer Investigation (ICCI) has developed a unique resource that provides access to clinical specimens from naturally occurring cancers to the scientific community: The Companion Animal Tumour Sample Bank (CATSB). This depository facilitates retrospective analysis of cancer cases for which outcome data is available, providing a powerful tool for identification of biomarkers for more reliable prognostic prediction, and obtaining insight into the underlying causes of cancer. The CATSB aims to promote basic and translational cancer research in the University of Guelph and elsewhere, with the ultimate goal of improving the lives of companion animals with cancer.
Specimens of tumours and adjacent normal tissue are stored at –80ºC or colder in the following formats: OCT embedded, flash-frozen, and in RNA later®. Samples of blood (serum, plasma and buffy coat) and urine are also collected and stored at –80ºC. Tumour samples are also formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded. Diagnostic information and patient outcome are stored in a secure, advanced database, facilitating rapid retrieval of clinical details.
For inclusion in the CATSB, informed owner consent must be obtained, and banking of tumour samples must not interfere with the clinical histologic diagnosis for the patient. Aliquots of samples are available to qualified investigators for retrospective studies. We currently have in excess of 18000 aliquots from over 1000 unique cases, and cell lines from approximately 40 different cases. More information on CATSB samples are available here.
Samples stored in ultracold environments maximizes the integrity of biological components (such as nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites). Thus, samples from the CATSB are suitable for molecular analysis of nucleic acids, proteins, metabolites, and other circulating biomarkers.
As of January 2016, CATSB is registered in the Biobank Resource Centre, developed by University of British Columbia Office of Biobank Education and Research and the Canadian Tissue Repository Network.
The Companion Animal Tumour Bank as well as the staff that support it - the Tumour Bank Coordinator and the Clinical Trials Coordinator - are supported by donations made to OVC Pet Trust through The Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund.
Welcome
to a new academic year at the Ontario Veterinary College! I hope everyone had
an opportunity to enjoy a change of pace over the summer months and hopefully some
time with family and friends.
I’m particularly pleased to welcome
new students, interns and residents, staff and faculty who are joining us (or
who have joined us over the summer) and look forward to meeting you over the
coming year.
More
than 120 graduate students are joining OVC in various graduate programs in
Biomedical Sciences, Clinical Studies, Pathobiology, and Population Medicine.
They’ll be welcomed at orientation sessions in each of OVC’s departments as
well as with the U of G’s Office of Graduate Studies. As well, the number of
students in the Bio-Medical Science Major is at an all-time high.
Orientation
for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2023 is also underway this week. This
year’s orientation for DVM students offers a new approach to sharing
information with online videos and documents that have been shared with
students over the summer months. The videos include a welcome to OVC, an
overview of the DVM curriculum, introductions to faculty who are teaching first
year DVM courses as well as OVC staff who frequently interact with the Phase
1’s.
Throughout
the week, students will participate in sessions focused on study skills,
wellness, embracing diversity, exploring their personality and strengths assessments,
and getting to know their classmates, as well as a lunch talk sponsored by OVC
Pet Trust on the benefits of the human-animal bond.
The
week culminates with an off-site leadership camp to help students connect and
begin to build the relationships they will continue throughout their veterinary
career. Sponsored by VCA Canada, the leadership camp will focus on community
building and engagement - concepts introduced during the week.
There are also a few new faces on
OVC’s leadership team. Mr. Ilya Bogorad joined us as Executive Director,
Strategy and Planning on August 12, 2019 and Dr. Shayan Sharif began his term
as Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies on September 1, 2019. I’m
looking forward to working with Ilya, Shayan, Dr. Joanne Hewson, Associate
Dean, Students and Academic, and Dr. Stephanie Nykamp, Associate Dean, Clinical
Programs, to continue the many initiatives we have underway at OVC.
Please
mark your calendars for an OVC Community Update meeting on Thursday, October
24, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., in PAHL 1800 where
we will share updates on some of these areas.
I’m
looking forward to another successful year at OVC and keeping connected with
all of you!
The Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN) has been busy
over the past quarter and have prepared new reports for multiple species
groups.
These reports combine information from veterinary
surveys, laboratory data, quarterly expert network conference calls, and
updates from veterinarians across Ontario, to provide information for
veterinarians, animal owners and producers.
The Ontario Animal Health Network, a collaboration with the
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the
University of Guelph’s Animal Health Laboratory (AHL), is comprised
of expert networks across the animal
spectrum including food animal, companion animal, fish and wildlife. Their focus: coordinated early detection, preparedness and response
to animal health and welfare, through sustainable cross-sector networks with a
focus on public health, food safety, production.
You must register and sign in to view veterinary
reports, lab data, and quarterly clinical impressions. All Ontario Veterinary
College students are welcome to sign up for access to vet reports and resources
on OAHN. Click here for more information on registering with OAHN. (https://oahn.ca/sign-up/)
The Association
of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) is
pleased to announce that the nomination period for the following awards is now
open.
Eligibility for these awards is generally limited to
members of the AAVMC member institution community unless otherwise noted in the
individual award announcements. Nominators are encouraged to review individual
award criteria and to consider the importance of diversity as an AAVMC core
value in selecting potential nominees for recognition.
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 9:00 am in Room 1812, Pathobiology Building, OVC Examination to follow in Room 2511, Stewart Building, OVC
Interested members of the Ontario Veterinary College are invited to attend the Final Oral Examination for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy of
May Kamleh of the Department of Population Medicine
Thesis Title:“Perceptions and attitudes towards human and companion animal nutrition, nutrition education and nutrition guidance received from healthcare professionals”
Examination Committee: Dr. Olaf Berke (Chair), Dr. Deep Khosa, Dr. Elizabeth Stone, Dr. Jason Coe, Dr. Laura Nelson
Advisory Committee: Dr. Deep Khosa (Advisor), Dr. Elizabeth Stone (Co-Advisor), Dr. Cate Dewey, Dr. Adronie Verbrugghe
You are invited to visit the Ontario Veterinary College’s website http://bulletin.ovc.uoguelph.ca/ for the results of the study once it has been completed. This study has been approved by the Research Ethics Board of the University of Guelph (REB# 19-02-036) Have any questions or concerns? Please contact Dr. Sarah Dodd at csnutri@uoguelph.ca
Congratulations to Gerry
DiCicco, in OVC’s Health Sciences Centre (HSC), who received the 2019 3M Canada
Recertification Education Award for the
Medical Device Reprocessing Association of Ontario
(MDRAO). Gerry, a technician in the HSC’s Sterile
Processing Department (SPD), received the award on September 6, 2019. Gerry also received this award in 2013.
The 3M Canada
Education Award recognizes the ongoing
commitment of the Reprocessing Department Technician to continuing education.
3M believes education is a significant factor in ensuring that patients receive
the highest standard of care and is dedicated to supporting the efforts of
these individuals to maintain and expand their knowledge throughout their
careers. The award is $600 to fund the Medical Device Reprocessing Association
of Ontario (MDRAO) recertification course for three MDRAO members who
successfully passed their recertification exam in the education year of the
conference.
Katherine Iversen has accepted the regular full time
position of Graduate Programs Assistant - Biomedical Science and Clinical
Studies MSc. Katherine has been on a secondment in this position since July,
and has already proven to be a very valuable member of our team. We are very
happy to welcome Katherine.
Katherine Iversen
OVC Shared Administrative Services (SAS)
Graduate Program Services Drop-in Sessions will start
up again Monday, October 7, 2019 and conclude Monday, December 16,
2019. During this period, a Graduate
Programs Assistant will be located in each department for 90 minutes every Monday. In
situations where Monday is a holiday, the session will move to Tuesday.
This initiative is intended to be a
convenient opportunity for graduate students to ask questions related to the
administrative aspect of their studies. The sessions are targeted at students
in the local department, but faculty members were also welcome (as are students
from other departments).
The Graduate
Program Assistants can be found in the Stewart Building room 2509.
Joanna Panayiotopoulos
joins the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) Advancement team in the role of Senior Development Manager,
beginning September 9, 2019.
Joanna with Maddy, her nine-month old Golden Retriever.
Joanna is a seasoned fundraising professional who brings a
strong background in all aspects of advancement. In her previous role, Joanna
was Development Manager for the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, where
she was responsible for a portfolio of major, planned and leadership giving
donors. In this capacity, she has also worked successfully with corporate
partnerships, capital projects, and scholarships. In addition to her extensive
experience in the education sector, Joanna also has worked in a development
role in healthcare for the Toronto Rehab Foundation and the University Health
Network. She holds a BSc in psychology, a post-graduate diploma in gerontology
and is currently working toward a Masters of Education on a part-time basis.
With a rescue golden retriever at home, Joanna is a
passionate advocate for animal welfare and is excited to be joining the OVC
community.
Please welcome Joanna to OVC. You
can contact her at jpanayio@uoguelph.ca, ext.
56026, office: 2638B, OVC Main Building
The Association of American
Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) is inviting submissions for the 2019 AAVMC
Annual Conference March 6 to 8, 2020 in Washington, D.C. Proposals for
educational sessions and posters should be submitted no later than September 16,
2019.
The theme of the 2020 conference
is “Catalyze 2020: Innovate & Inspire.”
Proposals will be considered in
the following categories: research, diversity (curriculum, institutional climate);
education (artificial intelligence/virtual reality, future of innovation); finance;
mental health and well-being.
The following attributes are
encouraged for educational sessions: evidence-based presentations that examine
research and survey trends; presentations that feature interactive learning
and/or small group discussion; proposals from collaborative,
multi-institutional teams; Incorporation of interprofessional perspectives; proposals
with an international or global focus.
Interested
members of the Ontario Veterinary College are invited to attend the Final Oral Examination
for the Degree of Doctor of Veterinary Science of Christopher Hagen of
the Department of Clinical Studies
Thesis
Title:“Surgical
Site Infections in Veterinary Medicine; A Focus on the Tibial Plateau Levelling
Osteotomy and an In Vitro Evaluation of the Elution of Amikacin and Dispersin B
From a Local Drug Delivery System”
Examination
Committee: Dr.
Luis Arroyo Castro, Exam Chair, Dr. Tom Gibson, Dr. Scott Weese, Dr. Ron Johnson,
Dr. Kelley Thieman, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine &
Biomedical Sciences
Advisory
Committee: Dr.
Tom Gibson (Advisor), Dr. Ameet Singh, Dr. Scott Weese, Dr. Alex zur Linden
This year’s rabies titre clinic is on Tuesday
September 24, 2019 for the following departments:
OVC HSC (Companion Animal Hospital, Large Animal Hospital, Animal Cancer
Centre, Smith Lane Animal Hospital)
Population Medicine
Clinical Studies
Biomedical Science
Clinic date: Tuesday,
September 24, 2019 Time: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Location: Lifetime Learning
Centre, Room 1701
If an employee is unable to attend the clinic, they
can schedule an appointment with Occupational Health & Wellness at
extension 52647 to get a rabies titre drawn.
You must bring your provincial
health card or UHIP card to the clinic.
You will only be notified by
Occupational Health & Wellness of results if a booster is required. If you
need to know your titre result, please contact Occupational Health &
Wellness, ext. 52647.
