WCVM graduate students showcase research

This year there were 42 posters entered in the annual competition, which gives University of Saskatchewan graduate students based at the WCVM a chance to discuss their research and findings with fellow students as well as faculty and staff at the college and the broader university community.

A team of judges volunteered their time to evaluate the posters, choosing three award recipients in three different categories.

Dr. Elisabeth Snead, the WCVM's acting associate dean of research, distributed a total of $1,350 in bursaries to nine graduate students at an award ceremony on March 10. First place winners won $200 while second- and third-place winners received $150 and $100 respectively. Two of the awards were sponsored by Zoetis and Merial.

Click here to view a photo gallery of all the winners.

Basic sciences

• First prize: Chanel Yeung, Veterinary Biomedical Sciences/Toxicology (supervisor Lynn Weber). Research title: The cardiovascular and metabolic effects of acute naphthalene and pyrene exposure in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). Award sponsored by Zoetis.

• Second prize: Connor Pettem, Veterinary Biomedical Sciences/Toxicology (supervisors Lynn Weber and David Janz). Research title: Metabolic and cardiovascular effects of dietary selenomethionine exposure in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio).

• Third prize: Sarah Wood, Veterinary Pathology (supervisor Dr. Elemir Simko). Research title: Comparative toxicity of three neonicotinoids on New Zealand packaged honey bees. Award sponsored by Merial.

Microbiology

• First prize: Aline Freitas, Veterinary Microbiology (supervisor Janet Hill). Research title: The vaginal microbiome in pregnant women with spontaneous preterm birth.

• Second prize: Rajnish Sharma, Veterinary Microbiology (supervisor Dr. Emily Jenkins). Research title: Seroprevalence and associated risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in wolverines from Yukon, Canada.

• Third prize: Nicholas Bachand, Veterinary Microbiology (supervisor Dr. Emily Jenkins). Research title: Toxoplasma gondii epidemiology in wildlife of Nunavik, Northeastern Canada.

Virology and clinical sciences

• First prize: Sonu Subudhi, Veterinary Microbiology (supervisor Vikram Misra). Research title: Novel gammaherpesvirus in bats: discerning the secrets of these oncogenic viruses.

• Second prize: Arinjay Banerjee, Veterinary Microbiology (supervisor Vikram Misra). Research title: Emerging coronaviruses: virus-host interaction in a bat reservoir model.

• Third prize: Ashish Gupta, Veterinary Pathology (supervisor Dr. Susantha Gomis). Research title: Broiler breeder vaccination with combination of fowl adenovirus (FAdV)-8b and FAdV-11 induces broad-spectrum protection against IBH.