ACZM board certification: Dr. Miranda Sadar, assistant professor in exotic, wildlife and zoological medicine at the WCVM, successfully obtained her board certification with the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM) in September. She joins a select group – there are only about 10 ACZM-boarded Diplomates in the world.
Sadar graduated from Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2009. After graduation, she came to the WCVM for a one-year clinical internship in exotic, wildlife and zoological medicine. Her next move was to Waynesboro, Va., where she participated in a two-year fellowship at the Wildlife Center of Virginia.
In 2015, Sadar joined the WCVM faculty after completing a zoological companion animal residency at the University of California, Davis.
ACVP board certification: Drs. Lilani Munasinghe and Steven Mills, former graduate students in the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Pathology, recently passed board certification examinations and are now Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP).
The designation, which requires specialist knowledge and expertise in veterinary pathology, involves completion of ACVP training requirements as well as the ACVP examination.
Munasinghe completed a Master of Veterinary Science degree at the WCVM in 2014. She was co-supervised by Dr. Beverly Kidney of the WCVM and Dr. Nicole Fernandez from the University of Calgary. Munasinghe was a senior resident and then a part-time clinical associate in the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Pathology. She also worked part-time as a clinical pathologist at Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS), and she joined PDS as a full-time clinical pathologist in September 2016.
Dr. Steven Mills completed a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the WCVM in 2011. He then earned a Master of Veterinary Science degree in 2013 under the supervision of Kidney and Dr. Elemir Simko at the WCVM. Mills was a senior resident in the pathology department, and he conducted research regarding feline mammary carcinoma. Mills now practises at Edmonton South Animal Hospital.
Canadian Student Health Research Forum: PhD candidate Aline Costa de Freitas won a silver medal for her poster presentation at the 2016 Canadian Student Health Research Forum which was held in Winnipeg, Man., from June 7 to 9.
Under the supervision of Dr. Janet Hill from the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Costa de Freitas is conducting research aimed at understanding the relationship of the vaginal microbiome to women's health during pregnancy.
The Canadian Student Health Research Forum provides an opportunity for PhD students in all fields of health research to present their work and receive recognition for their contributions. Each year Canadian faculties are invited to select the top five per cent of their PhD students in the health sciences to participate in the event.
World Animal Protection conference: Dr. Yolande Seddon from the WCVM's Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences was recently a keynote speaker at a conference aimed at moving pig and poultry welfare forward in Thailand.
The two-day conference, which was organized by World Animal Protection, featured speakers from around the world who presented information on advances and current knowledge on pig and poultry welfare to the Thai industries and veterinarians.
Seddon's presentation outlined the changes and progress of the Canadian swine industry in moving to group housing for gestating sows. She also had a chance to meet with others who are working to help advance animal welfare in farming practices.
An associate professor of swine behavior and welfare, Seddon's research has focused on developing solutions to animal welfare challenges and helping to advance sustainable farming practices.
Scholarship recipient: WCVM graduate student Serena Caunce recently received the 2016 CETA/ACTE Annual Convention Student Scholarship Award. The scholarship funded her attendance at the 2016 Canadian Embryo Transfer Association and American Embryo Transfer Association Joint Scientific Convention in St. Louis, Mo., from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2016.
Caunce is a Master of Science candidate in the Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences who's working under the supervision of Dr. Jaswant Singh.
CETA/ACTE is the organization charged with maintaining excellence in embryo transfer in Canada. It sets out standards of technical performance and ethical conduct for CETA/ACTE practitioners with the goal of protecting users of the embryo transfer industry.
Continuing education lectures in Japan: Dr. Kathleen Linn, an associate professor of small animal surgery in the WCVM's Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, was recently invited to present continuing education lectures for the Nippon Animal Hospital Association in Japan. She presented lectures in three locations: Fukuoka, Osaka, and Tokyo.
PDS pathologist contributes to textbook: Dr. Sherry Myers, a clinical pathologist at Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS) has co-authored a chapter in the new edition of Pathological Basis of Veterinary Disease, the textbook used by many North American veterinary students.
Myers is an adjunct professor with the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Pathology who regularly contributes to the WCVM's graduate and undergraduate education programs.
WCVM student earns scholarship: Third-year veterinary student Raissa Perrault recently received a Winnipeg Police Association Scholarship. Perrault, who hails from Winnipeg, Man., was involved in the Winnipeg Police Service's canine training program. As a secondary handler and trainer, she provided basic training for the dogs – several are now working K9 dogs.
SVMA's star technologist: Lois Ridgway received the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association's Technologist of the Year Award at the association's annual awards night on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. A long-time staff member at the WCVM and Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS), Ridgway is the necropsy lab supervisor in the PDS Necropsy Lab.
Waterfowl research award: Dr. Jane Harms, a recent PhD graduate from the WCVM, received the 2015 Ducks Unlimited Canada Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research (IWWR) Student Publication Award.
As part of a research team investigating the stress levels of Arctic migratory birds over a five-year period, Harms was lead author for a research paper entitled, "Feather corticosterone reveals effect of moulting conditions in the autumn on subsequent reproductive output and survival in an Arctic migratory bird."
Harms is now a program veterinarian with Environment Yukon whose job involves monitoring wildlife health and disease and working with the territory's Agriculture Branch to support livestock health.
The annual IWWR Student Publication Award spotlights the IWWR student program and recognizes students and the publications for their contributions to waterfowl and wetland research.
WCVM professor leads workshop in Ecuador: In July 2016, Dr. Catherine Soos led a workshop called "Ecology of Health and Diseases of Wildlife" in the town of Puerto Ayoro, Isla Santa Cruz, Galapagos.
Soos is an adjunct professor in the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Pathology and a research scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada. Ecuador's Ministry of Environment invited her to present the workshop that was attended by 28 scientists, veterinarians, biologists and technicians from the region.
Soos also led seminars and discussions on wildlife health, stress, disease and avian migration. She shared the results of her research on the effects of climate change on wildlife health, the ecology of avian cholera in the Canadian Arctic and the ecology of low pathogenic avian influenza viruses in North America.
New role for Cartwright: Carolyn Cartwright is the new manager of the BJ Hughes Centre for Clinical Learning. Cartwright worked in the WCVM's Veterinary Medical Centre for 31 years and is well known and respected for her dedication to clinical service and to the education of veterinarians and veterinary technologists.
The new clinical learning centre, which officially opened on September 22, is designed so that students can practise their clinical techniques and hone their skills. Cartwright's experience and enthusiasm will greatly benefit the faculty and students as they access the facility.
Student's research image makes journal cover: Jessica Nicoletti from the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences recently had a paper published in the prestigious journal Reproduction. Her article was entitled, "Induction of expression and phosphorylation of heat shock protein B5 (CRYAB) in rat myometrium during pregnancy and labour."
In addition, her confocal microscopic image was chosen as the cover photo for the July 2016 issue of Reproduction. The confocal microscope image showed "the co-localization of serine-59 phosphorylated (pSer59) CRYAB with CD63 in hTERT-human myometrial cells."
Nicoletti, who has now completed her Master of Science degree, was working under the supervision of WCVM researcher Dr. Daniel MacPhee. Another of Nicoletti's microscopic images, "Making pregnancies safer," was also named a top 20 finalist in NSERC Science Exposed, an NSERC competition that's devoted exclusively to images of scientific research. A second WCVM graduate student, PhD candidate Émilie Bouchard of the Department of Veterinary Microbiology (supervised by Dr. Emily Jenkins), was also in the contest's lists of finalists with her image entitled, "Tracking parasites in Nunavut."
Graduate student's research lauded: In August 2016, PhD candidate Arinjay Banerjee received an award for the best oral presentation at the International Conference of Diseases in Nature Communicable to Man Conference, which was held in Guelph, Ont.
He presented a seminar entitled, "Activation of the toll-like receptor-3 (TLR 3) pathway in big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) cells does not activate pro-inflammatory genes: A reason for the lack of overt virus-induced pathology in bats?"
The conference, which was hosted by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and the Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, was aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness of zoonotic disease within the medical and public health communities.
Earlier in June, Banerjee also presented his research posters at the 18th Banff Conference on Infectious Diseases in Banff, Alta., and at the University of Alberta's 20th Immunet Research Day in Edmonton, Alta.
Under the supervision of Dr. Vikram Misra of the Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Banerjee has been investigating the antiviral responses of brown bats.
WCVM student invited to swine conference: Third-year veterinary student Lauren Redies has been invited to present her research poster on swine influenza at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians' annual meeting which will be held Feb. 25-28, 2017, in Denver, Colo.
Society recognizes WCVM professor: Dr. David Janz of the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences received the SETAC Regional Chapter Award during the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)'s annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., in early November.
Janz received the award in recognition of his efforts to grow regional networks, particularly for his work to establish the Prairie Northern Chapter of SETAC in 2010. SETAC also commended his dedication to fostering the growth of researchers by encouraging his students to attend and present their research at chapter meetings.
SETAC is an international organization made up of individuals and institutions dedicated to investigating environmental problems, managing and regulating natural resources and promoting environmental research, development and education.
Graduate student first Canadian award winner: Taylor Grusie from the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences was the first Canadian to earn the World Mycotoxin Forum's Best Poster Award. She presented her poster at the organization's international conference held in Winnipeg, Man., from June 6 to 9.
Grusie received a cash prize, a one-year subscription to the Mycotoxin Journal and an opportunity to submit a manuscript – a total value of over $3,000. Her poster, "Sampling and extraction procedures for ergot measurements," was one of 152 entries at the conference. Grusie is a Master of Science candidate working under the supervision of Drs. Barry Blakley and Jaswant Singh at the WCVM.
The unique event combined the World Mycotoxin Forum and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry International Symposium on Mycotoxins. This was the first time Canada hosted the international meeting which is aimed at increasing the awareness of human and animal health risks due to mycotoxin contamination.
Swine research pays off: Diana Murcia Rodriguez recently received $7,500 and a Founding Chairs Fellowship with the University of Saskatchewan's Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture (CCHSA). Established in 1986, the CCHSA is aimed at promoting research, education and health promotion programs for the benefit of agricultural, rural and remote populations.
In addition, Rodriguez recently earned a $2,500 graduate student scholarship from the Western Canadian Association of Swine Veterinarians. The Master of Science student is working in the Department of Veterinary Pathology under the supervision of Dr. Susan Detmer.
Sadar graduated from Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2009. After graduation, she came to the WCVM for a one-year clinical internship in exotic, wildlife and zoological medicine. Her next move was to Waynesboro, Va., where she participated in a two-year fellowship at the Wildlife Center of Virginia.
In 2015, Sadar joined the WCVM faculty after completing a zoological companion animal residency at the University of California, Davis.
ACVP board certification: Drs. Lilani Munasinghe and Steven Mills, former graduate students in the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Pathology, recently passed board certification examinations and are now Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP).
The designation, which requires specialist knowledge and expertise in veterinary pathology, involves completion of ACVP training requirements as well as the ACVP examination.
Munasinghe completed a Master of Veterinary Science degree at the WCVM in 2014. She was co-supervised by Dr. Beverly Kidney of the WCVM and Dr. Nicole Fernandez from the University of Calgary. Munasinghe was a senior resident and then a part-time clinical associate in the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Pathology. She also worked part-time as a clinical pathologist at Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS), and she joined PDS as a full-time clinical pathologist in September 2016.
Dr. Steven Mills completed a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the WCVM in 2011. He then earned a Master of Veterinary Science degree in 2013 under the supervision of Kidney and Dr. Elemir Simko at the WCVM. Mills was a senior resident in the pathology department, and he conducted research regarding feline mammary carcinoma. Mills now practises at Edmonton South Animal Hospital.
Canadian Student Health Research Forum: PhD candidate Aline Costa de Freitas won a silver medal for her poster presentation at the 2016 Canadian Student Health Research Forum which was held in Winnipeg, Man., from June 7 to 9.
Under the supervision of Dr. Janet Hill from the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Costa de Freitas is conducting research aimed at understanding the relationship of the vaginal microbiome to women's health during pregnancy.
The Canadian Student Health Research Forum provides an opportunity for PhD students in all fields of health research to present their work and receive recognition for their contributions. Each year Canadian faculties are invited to select the top five per cent of their PhD students in the health sciences to participate in the event.
World Animal Protection conference: Dr. Yolande Seddon from the WCVM's Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences was recently a keynote speaker at a conference aimed at moving pig and poultry welfare forward in Thailand.
The two-day conference, which was organized by World Animal Protection, featured speakers from around the world who presented information on advances and current knowledge on pig and poultry welfare to the Thai industries and veterinarians.
Seddon's presentation outlined the changes and progress of the Canadian swine industry in moving to group housing for gestating sows. She also had a chance to meet with others who are working to help advance animal welfare in farming practices.
An associate professor of swine behavior and welfare, Seddon's research has focused on developing solutions to animal welfare challenges and helping to advance sustainable farming practices.
Scholarship recipient: WCVM graduate student Serena Caunce recently received the 2016 CETA/ACTE Annual Convention Student Scholarship Award. The scholarship funded her attendance at the 2016 Canadian Embryo Transfer Association and American Embryo Transfer Association Joint Scientific Convention in St. Louis, Mo., from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2016.
Caunce is a Master of Science candidate in the Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences who's working under the supervision of Dr. Jaswant Singh.
CETA/ACTE is the organization charged with maintaining excellence in embryo transfer in Canada. It sets out standards of technical performance and ethical conduct for CETA/ACTE practitioners with the goal of protecting users of the embryo transfer industry.
Continuing education lectures in Japan: Dr. Kathleen Linn, an associate professor of small animal surgery in the WCVM's Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, was recently invited to present continuing education lectures for the Nippon Animal Hospital Association in Japan. She presented lectures in three locations: Fukuoka, Osaka, and Tokyo.
PDS pathologist contributes to textbook: Dr. Sherry Myers, a clinical pathologist at Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS) has co-authored a chapter in the new edition of Pathological Basis of Veterinary Disease, the textbook used by many North American veterinary students.
Myers is an adjunct professor with the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Pathology who regularly contributes to the WCVM's graduate and undergraduate education programs.
WCVM student earns scholarship: Third-year veterinary student Raissa Perrault recently received a Winnipeg Police Association Scholarship. Perrault, who hails from Winnipeg, Man., was involved in the Winnipeg Police Service's canine training program. As a secondary handler and trainer, she provided basic training for the dogs – several are now working K9 dogs.
SVMA's star technologist: Lois Ridgway received the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association's Technologist of the Year Award at the association's annual awards night on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. A long-time staff member at the WCVM and Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS), Ridgway is the necropsy lab supervisor in the PDS Necropsy Lab.
Waterfowl research award: Dr. Jane Harms, a recent PhD graduate from the WCVM, received the 2015 Ducks Unlimited Canada Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research (IWWR) Student Publication Award.
As part of a research team investigating the stress levels of Arctic migratory birds over a five-year period, Harms was lead author for a research paper entitled, "Feather corticosterone reveals effect of moulting conditions in the autumn on subsequent reproductive output and survival in an Arctic migratory bird."
Harms is now a program veterinarian with Environment Yukon whose job involves monitoring wildlife health and disease and working with the territory's Agriculture Branch to support livestock health.
The annual IWWR Student Publication Award spotlights the IWWR student program and recognizes students and the publications for their contributions to waterfowl and wetland research.
WCVM professor leads workshop in Ecuador: In July 2016, Dr. Catherine Soos led a workshop called "Ecology of Health and Diseases of Wildlife" in the town of Puerto Ayoro, Isla Santa Cruz, Galapagos.
Soos is an adjunct professor in the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Pathology and a research scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada. Ecuador's Ministry of Environment invited her to present the workshop that was attended by 28 scientists, veterinarians, biologists and technicians from the region.
Soos also led seminars and discussions on wildlife health, stress, disease and avian migration. She shared the results of her research on the effects of climate change on wildlife health, the ecology of avian cholera in the Canadian Arctic and the ecology of low pathogenic avian influenza viruses in North America.
New role for Cartwright: Carolyn Cartwright is the new manager of the BJ Hughes Centre for Clinical Learning. Cartwright worked in the WCVM's Veterinary Medical Centre for 31 years and is well known and respected for her dedication to clinical service and to the education of veterinarians and veterinary technologists.
The new clinical learning centre, which officially opened on September 22, is designed so that students can practise their clinical techniques and hone their skills. Cartwright's experience and enthusiasm will greatly benefit the faculty and students as they access the facility.
Student's research image makes journal cover: Jessica Nicoletti from the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences recently had a paper published in the prestigious journal Reproduction. Her article was entitled, "Induction of expression and phosphorylation of heat shock protein B5 (CRYAB) in rat myometrium during pregnancy and labour."
In addition, her confocal microscopic image was chosen as the cover photo for the July 2016 issue of Reproduction. The confocal microscope image showed "the co-localization of serine-59 phosphorylated (pSer59) CRYAB with CD63 in hTERT-human myometrial cells."
Nicoletti, who has now completed her Master of Science degree, was working under the supervision of WCVM researcher Dr. Daniel MacPhee. Another of Nicoletti's microscopic images, "Making pregnancies safer," was also named a top 20 finalist in NSERC Science Exposed, an NSERC competition that's devoted exclusively to images of scientific research. A second WCVM graduate student, PhD candidate Émilie Bouchard of the Department of Veterinary Microbiology (supervised by Dr. Emily Jenkins), was also in the contest's lists of finalists with her image entitled, "Tracking parasites in Nunavut."
Graduate student's research lauded: In August 2016, PhD candidate Arinjay Banerjee received an award for the best oral presentation at the International Conference of Diseases in Nature Communicable to Man Conference, which was held in Guelph, Ont.
He presented a seminar entitled, "Activation of the toll-like receptor-3 (TLR 3) pathway in big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) cells does not activate pro-inflammatory genes: A reason for the lack of overt virus-induced pathology in bats?"
The conference, which was hosted by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and the Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses, was aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness of zoonotic disease within the medical and public health communities.
Earlier in June, Banerjee also presented his research posters at the 18th Banff Conference on Infectious Diseases in Banff, Alta., and at the University of Alberta's 20th Immunet Research Day in Edmonton, Alta.
Under the supervision of Dr. Vikram Misra of the Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Banerjee has been investigating the antiviral responses of brown bats.
WCVM student invited to swine conference: Third-year veterinary student Lauren Redies has been invited to present her research poster on swine influenza at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians' annual meeting which will be held Feb. 25-28, 2017, in Denver, Colo.
Society recognizes WCVM professor: Dr. David Janz of the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences received the SETAC Regional Chapter Award during the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)'s annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., in early November.
Janz received the award in recognition of his efforts to grow regional networks, particularly for his work to establish the Prairie Northern Chapter of SETAC in 2010. SETAC also commended his dedication to fostering the growth of researchers by encouraging his students to attend and present their research at chapter meetings.
SETAC is an international organization made up of individuals and institutions dedicated to investigating environmental problems, managing and regulating natural resources and promoting environmental research, development and education.
Graduate student first Canadian award winner: Taylor Grusie from the WCVM's Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences was the first Canadian to earn the World Mycotoxin Forum's Best Poster Award. She presented her poster at the organization's international conference held in Winnipeg, Man., from June 6 to 9.
Grusie received a cash prize, a one-year subscription to the Mycotoxin Journal and an opportunity to submit a manuscript – a total value of over $3,000. Her poster, "Sampling and extraction procedures for ergot measurements," was one of 152 entries at the conference. Grusie is a Master of Science candidate working under the supervision of Drs. Barry Blakley and Jaswant Singh at the WCVM.
The unique event combined the World Mycotoxin Forum and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry International Symposium on Mycotoxins. This was the first time Canada hosted the international meeting which is aimed at increasing the awareness of human and animal health risks due to mycotoxin contamination.
Swine research pays off: Diana Murcia Rodriguez recently received $7,500 and a Founding Chairs Fellowship with the University of Saskatchewan's Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture (CCHSA). Established in 1986, the CCHSA is aimed at promoting research, education and health promotion programs for the benefit of agricultural, rural and remote populations.
In addition, Rodriguez recently earned a $2,500 graduate student scholarship from the Western Canadian Association of Swine Veterinarians. The Master of Science student is working in the Department of Veterinary Pathology under the supervision of Dr. Susan Detmer.
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