WCVM-based graduate students part of USask fall convocation
Seventeen graduate students and nine clinical interns based at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) celebrated a major milestone this fall, joining hundreds of other University of Saskatchewan (USask) students at convocation ceremonies held in mid-November.
By WCVM TodayEight students completed their Master of Science (MSc) degrees, and five others earned their combined residency-MSc degrees. One student finished a Master of Veterinary Science (MVetSc) degree, and three earned their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees.
As well, five veterinarians will receive graduate certificates to mark the completion of one-year small animal rotating internships. Another four clinicians will receive graduate certificates in recognition of their small animal specialty internships.
The convocation ceremony for all USask graduates take place on Wednesday, November 12.
Click here to view the 2025 USask Fall Convocation booklet.
DEPARTMENT OF LARGE ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES
Devinda Wickraminsingha, combined residency-MSc program (large animal theriogenology)
Supervisor: Dr. Dinesh Dadarwal
Research focus: “Seminal microbiome and semen quality in rams: insights from culturable bacteria and a Brucella ovis outbreak”
Click to read peer-reviewed article.
Arthur Nery Finatto, PhD program
Supervisor: Dr. Matheus Costa
Dissertation title: "On the discovery and biological characterization of porcine β-defensin 5 (pBD-5)"
Dissertation under embargo
Click here to read news article.
DEPARTMENT OF SMALL ANIMAL CLINICAL SCIENCES
Vivian Fan, combined residency-MSc program (medical oncology)
Supervisor: Dr. Arata Matsuyama
Research focus: “Retrospective analysis of carboplatin-induced cumulative neutropenia in cancer-bearing dogs”
Read the peer-reviewed article.
Wei-Chun Huang, combined residency-MSc program (internal medicine)
Supervisor: Dr. Tony Carr
Research focus: “Optimization of conditions related to chrono-log platelet aggregation in feline whole blood”
Read the peer-reviewed article.
Shayna Levitt, combined residency-MSc program (ophthalmology)
Supervisor: Dr. Lynne Sandmeyer
Research focus: “Genome-wide association study identifies possible chromosome 5 locus associated with pigmentary uveitis in golden retrievers”
Click here to read news article.
Chi Won Shin,combined residency-MSc program (anesthesia and analgesia)
Supervisor: Dr. Barbara Ambros
Research focus: “Pharmacokinetics of methadone after intravenous and subcutaneous administration in domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo)”
Read the peer-reviewed article.
Jessie Vandenbruggen, combined residency-MSc program (avian, exotic and wildlife medicine)
Supervisor: Dr. Isabelle Desprez
Research focus: “Sedation protocols in ferrets”
Read the peer-reviewed article.
Marc Weissman, combined residency-MSc program (medical oncology)
Supervisor: Dr. Valerie MacDonald-Dickinson
Research focus: “Evaluation of urinary biomarkers for the detection of nephrotoxicity in dogs receiving carboplatin chemotherapy”
Elroy Williams, combined residency-MSc program (surgery)
Supervisor: Dr. Cindy Shmon
Research focus: “Comparison of the accuracy of two clinically used techniques and a pressure tip catheter for intravesicular pressure measurements in a canine cadaveric model”
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY PATHOLOGY
Nicole Rose, MSc program
Supervisors: Dr. Daniel Pang (University of Calgary), Dr. Bruce Wobeser, WCVM
Thesis title: “The pathology of perianesthetic death in dogs and cats”
Read thesis.
Emilio Tellarini Prieto, MSc program
Supervisor: Dr. Sarah Wood
Thesis title: “Supporting pollinators in canola fields: the role of landscape composition for honey bee nutrition and wild bee diversity”
Read thesis.
Ranawaka Petera, MVSc program
Supervisors: Dr. Karen Machin and Dr. Catherine Soos
Research focus: “Validation and use of novel techniques to study impacts of large-scale environmental changes on health of wild waterfowl”
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
Dorsa Mehrabanpour, MSc program
Supervisors: Dr. Liz Snead, Dr. Jaswant Singh
Research focus: “Non-invasive diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis with PET-CT imaging”
Thesis under embargo
Chloe Forde-Lyons, MSc program
Supervisor: Dr. Al Chicoine
Thesis title: “Efficacy of a 20:1 CBD:THC cannabis herbal extract for pain and inflammation in dogs following tibial plateau levelling osteotomy”
Read thesis.
Steve Yang, PhD program
Supervisors: Dr. Gregg Adams, Dr. Muhammad Anzar
Dissertation title: "Improvements in bison semen cryopreservation"
Dissertation under embargo
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY
Minh Thanh (Agnes) Truc Nguyen, MSc program
Supervisor: Dr. Janet Hill
Thesis title: “Ligand binding properties of substrate binding proteins of a maltose uptake system in Gardnerella swidsinskii”
Read thesis.
Click here to read news article.
Radwa Asar, PhD program
Supervisor: Dr. Tony Ruzzini
Dissertation title: “The biotransformation of bile acids by a common member of the bison gut microbiome”
Read dissertation.
GRADUATE CERTIFICATES
Small animal rotating veterinary internships
- Takashi Goyama
- Minae Kawasaki
- Ayano Masuyama
- Ho Nam
- Benedict Ong Huai Ern
Small animal specialty veterinary internships
- Maria Fernanda Morales Uribe
- Akari Sando
- George Thelwell
- Tracy Tsui-Sze Yuen
Together we will support and inspire students to succeed. We invite you to join by supporting current and future students' needs at USask.