WESTERN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
2009 Research Report
inside
The 2009 WCVM Research Report is produced
by the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s
Research Office. For more information about the
College’s research program, please visit
www.wcvm.com/research or contact:
Research Office, WCVM
University of Saskatchewan
52 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4
Tel: 306-966-7453 • Fax: 306-966-8747
wcvm.research@usask.ca
Acknowledgments
Content. Dr. Norman Rawlings, Elise PainchaudRattai
Writing. Myrna MacDonald, Lynne Gunville
Photography. Debra Marshall, Michael Raine
Design and Production. U of S Printing Services
3
Research at a Glance
Overview
5
The Next Generation
New Faculty at the WCVM
6
Dr. Peter Gilbert
Small Animal Clinical Sciences
7
Dr. Ajay Sharma
Small Animal Clinical Sciences
8
Dr. Emily Jenkins
Veterinary Microbiology
9
New Heights in Higher Learning
WCVM Graduate Students
10 Dr. Chelsea Himsworth
Veterinary Pathology
11 Orleigh Bogle
Veterinary Biomedical Sciences
12 Bravo!
Award Recipients at the WCVM
13 Productive Professors
WCVM Faculty
13 Dr. Claire Card
Large Animal Clinical Sciences
15 Dr. Jaswant Singh
Veterinary Biomedical Sciences
17 Dr. Susan Taylor
Small Animal Clinical Sciences
19 Dr. Andy Allen
Veterinary Pathology
21 Dr. Volker Gerdts
Veterinary Microbiology
Front cover (main): PhD student Orleigh Bogle. Small photos (l to r): WCVM researcher Dr. Susan
Taylor and her dog Breeze; calf at Goodale Research Farm; white-tailed deer; and Dr. Jaswant Singh,
WCVM researcher. Left: Blue, a six-year-old black Lab. Back cover (main): WCVM researcher Dr.
Andy Allen. Small photos (l to r): Equine resident Dr. Nora Chavarria; Paint foal; WCVM researcher
Dr. Beverly Kidney; and a laying hen.
message from the dean
As a relative newcomer to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine,
I’ve been enjoying the process of getting to know the College, its people
and our capabilities in veterinary education, clinical services and research.
In particular, it’s been exciting to learn more about the College’s
research accomplishments: several generations of WCVM faculty and
students have built a solid reputation for the College in terms of conducting innovative science. Those initiatives continue today as our faculty and
graduate students take on new projects in a broadening variety of fields.
Research that focuses on issues related to food animals, wildlife,
horses, companion animals and toxicology continue to be mainstays of
our program. But it’s also exciting to see more of our established and
newer faculty members branch out, using their skills and ingenuity to
become involved in novel studies involving comparative medicine, public
health, food safety and environmental health.
This trend dovetails with what’s occurring internationally as health
sciences organizations come together through the concept of One Health
— a collaborative effort of multiple disciplines to attain optimal health
for people, animals and the environment.
One Health is a response to global issues: emerging zoonotic diseases,
food- and water-borne diseases and environmental change are increasing
the threats facing human, animal and environmental health around the
world. Now more than ever, there’s a critical need for professionals in the
health sciences to work together and to develop new strategies for solving
these serious issues.
WCVM has a vital role to play in the One Health initiative — especially through our research program. A number of our faculty members
are already involved in multi-disciplinary studies targeting topics such as
zoonotic diseases and vaccine development, and we expect their participation to grow in this group effort. We look forward to bringing the College’s
strengths to the table and working with colleagues in all areas of human,
animal and environmental health to tackle these important challenges.
Douglas Freeman, DVM, PhD Dean, WCVM
message from the associate dean, research
One of the perks of my job happens every Tuesday morning when our
College hosts a “research coffee” for our faculty and graduate students. A
cross-section of researchers usually attend these informal meetings that
last for about an hour (or until the cookie supply is exhausted). What’s
intriguing is the potential for great research ideas to be born during a
casual conversation — and we’ve seen that happen. Some very successful
research partnerships involving scientists of diverse interests now owe their
creation to these initial chats over coffee and cookies.
To me, those informal get-togethers reflect the spirit of curiosity that’s
alive and well within the WCVM’s research community. Our faculty and
graduate students continue to explore new ideas and potential solutions
for issues affecting the health of animals, humans and the environment.
They’re working with collaborators on campus and around the world who
enrich their teams and bring new perspectives to the table.
A tremendous help is that our researchers have access to some of the
finest veterinary research facilities in Canada. After five years of continuous
construction, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s infrastructure
project is close to the finish mark. The final stage involves renovations in
the College’s existing diagnostics laboratories and associated areas, and
construction is scheduled for completion in 2011.
In addition, the University of Saskatchewan provides a rich array of
research facilities — including the synchrotron and Toxicology Centre
— that our faculty can access through on-campus research partnerships.
Another positive factor is that public and private funding for WCVMbased research continues to increase as our faculty grows along with
the diversity of our research investigations. Greater funding brings more
opportunities for graduate training, plus our College’s undergraduate
student summer research program continues to thrive.
We’re very proud of our research program and the accomplishments
that our faculty, staff and students have made over the 2008-09 research
year. This report was created to give you some insight into our successes
and introduce you to some of the dedicated people who are part of our
research team. We hope you enjoy your glimpse of the exciting world of
research at the WCVM.
Norman Rawlings, MSc, PhD
Associate Dean, Research, WCVM
2
research
at a glance
Despite the global economic
downturn, the 2008-09
research year at the Western
College of Veterinary Medicine
was one of steady growth in
terms of research funding and
graduate student population.
Financial Support
Research funding continues to rise as new faculty members join the
WCVM and bring greater diversity to the College’s research areas. During
the 2008-09 year, the WCVM received nearly $15.7 million in research
funding from the following sources:
• Government of Canada: $5,572,347
• Government of Saskatchewan: $1,350,061
• Other Government: $583,744
• Non-Government: $8,187,011
Research Activities
The number of studies in the areas of toxicology and environment,
food animal health and wildlife health is growing. Plus, studies in comparative medicine that cross veterinary and human medicine boundaries
are becoming a significant component of the College’s activities.
• Food animal health: More than $2,492,600 of WCVM’s research
dollars supported studies in infectious diseases, vaccinology, epidemiology,
public health and reproduction.
• Toxicology and the environment: Just over $7,600,000 in research
funding was directed to toxicology and environment projects that focus on
aquatic ecosystems, mammalian toxicology and other areas.
• Wildlife health: WCVM researchers received more than $2,653,000 in
grants for wildlife health studies. Disease is a central focus in a wide range
of species, and the College has an established interest in studying chronic
wasting disease in wild ungulates.
• Comparative medicine: More than $2,397,650 was directed to
comparative medicine studies based at the WCVM. Research topics are
diverse, ranging from animal modelling of medical situations in humans
to infectious disease and vaccinology.
• Equine health: The College’s equine program received about
$395,500 for research activities in 2008-09. Project topics included infectious diseases, anesthesia and reproduction.
• Companion animal health: The College received $133,390 in
support of pet health studies that addressed issues related to infectious
diseases, ophthalmology, drug resistance and pharmacology.
When the WCVM recently upgraded its web
site, the College expanded its online Research
section to include a wealth of information
about the WCVM’s research program, its facilities, its researchers and graduate students.
As well, the College established a new
online home for the WCVM Research Report.
Now, online users can check out all of our
researcher profiles and other Research Report
content in an easy-to-read digital publication
— or they can visit individual pages in the
Research Report section.
Besides all of the printed content, the
Research Report section includes links to more
research-related information and listings:
• Peer-reviewed Journal Articles
• Books, Reviews and Presentations
• Contributed Papers
• Lists of WCVM’s key research areas and
the research interests of individual faculty
members
• Lists of WCVM graduate students and
residents (by department)
• List of WCVM undergraduate summer
research students (Spring-Summer 2009).
We hope you enjoy our new online
Research Report and check back often for
additional resources that will be added
over the coming year. For more details,
visit www.wcvm.com/research.
online resources
3
Research Facilities
• Animal Care Unit: The ACU is 1,875 square metres in size with
36 animal rooms. During the 2008-09 year, more than 20 different
animal species were kept in the College’s conventional and Level 2
housing. A greater number of WCVM researchers and external users
relied on the facilities, increasing usage by nearly one third.
• Goodale Research Farm: The College’s 840-hectare research,
along with its pastures, crop land and hayfields, supports 225 head
of beef cows and specialized livestock herds year round. A number of
WCVM researchers use the farm’s facilities and livestock for projects
ranging from reproduction and acupuncture to animal behaviour.
The farm’s resources are also essential to the College’s undergraduate
teaching program.
• Research Wing: The College’s new, two-storey research wing
provides WCVM’s research community with 1,468 square metres of
new research space that meets Level 2 containment specifications.
The research wing’s reproduction and molecular microbiology
laboratories are extremely busy areas that support the work of faculty
members based in the research wing as well as research conducted
by collaborators — particularly clinical faculty. During the 2008-09
year, the College installed two confocal microscopes in a renovated
area, adding valuable imaging capabilities to the WCVM’s research
resources. Graduate Student Programs
There are 136 graduate students enrolled in Master’s, PhD and
residency programs at the WCVM. While 72 of the graduate students
are veterinarians, 62 have earned bachelor degrees in agriculture or
biological sciences and two are doctors of medicine.
Personal support for the WCVM’s graduate students comes from
a variety of sources including the Interprovincial Graduate Student
Scholarship Fund — a valuable source of funding supported by the
four western provinces. Support also comes from internal College
funds, faculty research grants and other external scholarship sources
such as the Tri-Council granting agency awards. The WCVM Graduate Student Enhancement Fund is another source of funding that is
growing from year to year. Undergraduate Student Research Programs
During the summer of 2009, 31 undergraduate students worked
on a variety of research projects in partnership with their research
mentors throughout the College. In early September, all of the
summer research students took part in a research poster day at the
WCVM. As well, a number of students submitted papers based on their
research work to peer-reviewed journals across North America.
The main source of funding for this vital research initiative
comes from the Interprovincial Summer Undergraduate Research
program, while additional support stems from the Merial Veterinary
Scholars program, Tri-Council sources and faculty research grants.
research grants by source
9%
36%
4%
52%
Government of Canada
Government of Saskatchewan
OtherGovernment
Governmentof Canada
Government
Non-Government of Saskatchewan
Other Government
Non-Government
research grants by subject
49%
1%
15%
16%
17%
3%
medicine
Toxicology/environment
Toxicology/environment Comparative
Comparative
medicine
Wildlife
HorseHorse
Wildlife
Companion animal
Food animal
Food animal
Companion animal
4
the next
generation
Dr. Tawni Silver
The newest faculty members at the
WCVM are developing their research
interests and delving into a variety
of innovative projects with collaborators and graduate students.
Dr. Barbara Ambros joined the Department of Small Animal
Clinical Sciences as an assistant professor of anesthesiology after completing her combined MVetSc-residency program in 2009. In one study,
Ambros is working with Drs. Tanya Duke, Susan Taylor and Casey Gaunt
to evaluate the use of two anesthesia options during canine laryngoscopic
examinations — a procedure done when clinicians suspect laryngeal
paralysis. The team will test two anesthetic options: alfaxalone and a
combination of propofol and diazepam. In a second study, Ambros and
Duke will determine whether an anesthetic drug, ketamine, is effective as
an analgesic for cats when administered in low doses.
Dr. Joe Bracamonte joined the Department of Large Animal
Clinical Sciences as an assistant professor of large animal surgery in 2008.
His research interests are primarily focused on laparoscopy and intestinal
healing. Bracamonte was a collaborator on an investigation of remifentanil, a potent opioid that’s currently used in dogs. The WCVM team, led
by Dr. Tanya Duke of the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences,
compared the effectiveness of remifentanil to morphine as a potential
analgesic for horses after surgery.
Dr. Peter Gilbert joined the Department of Small Animal Clinical
Sciences in 2006 and took an education leave to complete his residency
in small animal surgery at the WCVM. After completing his combined
MVetSc-residency program in 2009, Gilbert became an associate professor
of small animal surgery. His research interests focus on canine gait analysis and biomechanics, ligament and tendon injuries, wound management,
arthroscopy and minimally invasive surgery (see page 6 for more details).
Dr. Emily Jenkins joined the Department of Veterinary Microbiology as an assistant professor of veterinary public health and food safety in
5
2008. Jenkins is also a joint faculty member at the University of Saskatchewan’s School of Public Health. Her research interests include zoonotic
diseases, the impact of climate change on the ecology of diseases, and the
security and safety of food — particularly in Canada’s North (see page 8
for more details).
Dr. Matthew Loewen joined the Department of Veterinary
Biomedical Sciences as an assistant professor in 2008. Loewen’s research
interests focus on studying the mechanism and effects of calcium chloride
channels as they modulate human and animal diseases. In 2009, Loewen
received financial support from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation
(CFI) to examine the movement of chloride in cells lining the windpipe.
Findings from this research will lead to better understanding of respiratory
diseases and lead to the development of innovative treatments.
In a horse health-related study, Loewen and Dr. Hugh Townsend of the
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences are investigating a potential
option for blocking the equine influenza virus. Loewen is seeking compounds that effectively block the M2 proton-selective ion channel whose
function is essential for viral replication. Loewen is also collaborating with
Dr. Tony Carr of the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences on a
similar study involving canine influenza. Results from both studies will
help to establish new antiviral medications that can provide additional
options as both the equine and canine influenza viruses gain resistance to
current drugs.
Dr. Ajay Sharma joined the Department of Small Animal Clinical
Sciences in 2006 and took a three-year educational leave to complete a
residency in veterinary radiology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Sharma became an associate professor of medical imaging
at the WCVM in 2009. Sharma’s primary research interest is evaluating the
diagnostic accuracy of medical imaging tools. As well, he’s also contributing his expertise in medical imaging to studies with clinical applications
(visit page 7 for more details).
Dr. Tawni Silver joined the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences as an associate professor of medical imaging in 2008. Her
research interests include equine and small animal musculoskeletal advanced imaging for lameness evaluation. She’s also interested in magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) of musculoskeletal structures for diagnostic,
therapeutic and rehabilitative purposes. Another interest area is MRI
spectroscopy for the description of neoplasia in small animals. In one recent project, Silver is conducting computed tomography
(CT) scans of dogs on high glycemic index diets to determine the degree
of obesity. In a second study, she’s evaluating ultrasound characteristics of
previously undescribed, normal peripheral lymph nodes. •
Dr. Peter Gilbert
Peter Gilbert has wanted to know
how things work ever since he was
a boy growing up in Australia. “It’s
known that ever since I was little,
you had to explain why to me —
and saying ‘because’ just didn’t
work.”
That keen sense of curiosity has helped Gilbert in his career as a
veterinarian and now as a board-certified specialist in small animal surgery. “I have to understand why things are happening. To me, the why is
what’s important because if you don’t know why, it’s hard to come up with
preventive recommendations or even better treatments for our patients,”
says Gilbert, an associate professor of small animal surgery at the Western
College of Veterinary Medicine.
An honours graduate from the University of Queensland’s School of
Veterinary Science in 1991, Gilbert practised in Australia and the United
Kingdom for more than decade before deciding to focus on small animal
surgery. After completing a one-year surgical internship at the Animal
Surgery Centre of Melbourne in 2004, he worked as a clinical associate at
the WCVM for a year before starting his small animal surgery residency at
the college.
While practising in Australia, Gilbert had published a case series and
literature review of chronic achilles tendon injuries in dogs; he delved
into the topic further for his graduate research work. Previous studies in
human medicine have shown that tendon injuries seem to occur in areas
that have poor blood supply, but Gilbert and his graduate supervisors, Drs.
Cindy Shmon and Kathleen Linn, didn’t find the same results in dogs.
“It’s probably an injury caused by overuse — but we need to do more
work to prove that,” says Gilbert, who was one of 15 residents selected to
present their research findings during the American College of Veterinary
Surgeons’ annual symposium in 2008.
“Orthopedics is what I like — I guess it comes down to the fact that
I played a number of sports so that’s what interests me,” explains Gilbert.
“What I’d like to find out is why do these dogs have elbow problems or why
do they get these muscle tears or ligament injuries?”
This year, Gilbert will team up with veterinary radiologist Dr. Ajay
Sharma to take a closer look at surgical treatments for cranial cruciate
ligament ruptures (CrCL) — the most common cause of hind-leg lameness in dogs.
Surgeons use several techniques to stabilize the CrCL-deficient stifle
by eliminating tibial thrust during weight bearing. In their study, Gilbert
and Sharma want to show that one technique called tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) works similarly to other methods, such as tibial
tuberosity advancement (TTA), by creating a patellar tendon angle
of 90 degrees.
“We’re taking the same radiographic views of the TPLO cases
that we would use to assess TTA cases post-operatively and measuring the tibial plateau angle. If it’s coming out as the same angle as the
TTA, then biomechanically, they’re doing the same thing.”
Gilbert hopes the study’s results will erase the debate of whether one
treatment is superior to the other since both achieve the same end result.
But for him, what’s intriguing is why so many dogs’ cranial cruciate ligaments rupture in the first place: “I think we treat these injuries very well,
but why do they happen so frequently? We still don’t know for sure.”
That leads into Gilbert’s pet project: eventually, he hopes to set up a
canine gait analysis laboratory at the WCVM so he and his colleagues can
learn more about canine kinematics, surgical rehabilitation, subtle lamenesses — and the unknowns of injuries like cranial cruciate ligament
ruptures.
In December 2008, Gilbert spent two weeks working at the University
of Georgia’s gait analysis lab that’s operated by Dr. Steve Budsberg and his
research team. By placing reflective markers at certain points on a dog’s
body, researchers use infrared cameras and computer software to better
understand the animal’s movements. Force plates also allow scientists to
measure the amount of force on individual limbs.
“We know so much about human biomechanics: how we move, how
that affects our joints and the various injuries. To me, it would be great to
start looking at dogs just as closely and ask a lot of the same questions. For
example, do dogs that are prone to injuries move their limbs differently?
Do certain breeds have different gaits that lead to injuries?” points out
Gilbert, who is especially interested in establishing “normal” baselines for
gaits in different breeds.
For now, Gilbert’s lab remains a proposal until funding can be found
— but he’s hopeful that his enthusiasm for the project will attract support.
In the meantime, his tendency to ask why continues to add new topics to
his list of future research projects.
“I think your research has to focus on something you’re passionate
about,” says Gilbert. “If you’re not interested in what you’re doing, then it
just becomes a grind.” •
6
Dr. Ajay Sharma
W
ith today’s high-tech medical imaging tools, veterinary
radiologists and clinicians can capture much clearer and
more detailed diagnostic pictures of their patients than they
could 10 years ago.
It sounds ideal, but greater resolution and clarity pose new problems.
With so much detail in front of their eyes, the challenge for clinicians and
specialists alike is in deciding what is normal, what is disease, what is
artifact (misrepresentations of tissue structures) — and what is relevant.
“When magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) first came out, there were
cases where clinicians believed they were seeing lesions in equine feet and
tendon or ligament injuries in distal limbs. Some cases turned out to be
just artifacts from the angle of the limb within the magnet — something
we call ‘magic angle artifacts,’” explains Dr. Ajay Sharma, a board-certified radiology specialist at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine.
To avoid these issues, Sharma’s research goal is to establish baselines
for what’s normal and what’s abnormal in images taken with different
medical imaging modalities. He also wants to correlate and validate
images of “normal” with what can be seen from anatomical and
morphological perspectives.
“We have so many different species to work with, and they vary so
much in their anatomy that it’s difficult to quickly make out what are the
normal variations,” says Sharma.
Ultimately, he wants to see the day when clinicians can visit an online
library to see “normal” images of all animal species taken with different
imaging modalities and correlated to anatomic specimens: “It would be
like one-stop shopping for anatomy.”
7
Using the Biomedical Imaging and Therapy
(BMIT) beamline at the University of Saskatchewan’s
Canadian Light Source, Sharma will conduct a series
of synchrotron imaging sessions with animal cadavers.
Each set of images will focus on a specific anatomic region — such as
the canine stifle (knee) joints, oral cavity or feline lungs — as a model.
Afterwards, Sharma will repeat the imaging process using radiography,
ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) and MRI.
Then, using the high-resolution synchrotron images as the “gold
standard” for what’s normal and abnormal, Sharma can compare images
taken by other modalities to determine which tool works best in different
circumstances.
“I don’t have a preference for one modality over another: I think
they’re all valuable and have their place,” points out Sharma. “It’s just a
matter of recognizing their strengths and weaknesses — something that
hasn’t been completely explored yet.”
This isn’t the first time that Sharma will compare imaging modalities in a study. After joining the WCVM faculty as an associate professor
in 2006, he took an education leave to complete a three-year residency in
veterinary radiology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
During his program, Sharma and his supervisor worked on a study that
compared the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography and radiography to
diagnose obstructions in 82 clinical canine cases.
“We wanted to answer the question, ‘If you could only choose one test
to investigate a suspected disease, which one would be the best?’” explains
Sharma, adding that this is a common scenario in clinical practice where
a pet owner may have financial constraints.
In his study, ultrasound images performed by residency-trained
radiologists proved to be the most useful in diagnosing obstructions
in dogs. Now Sharma wants to do similar accuracy comparisons between
other imaging modalities so clinicians will know which test works best in
a given situation or with a suspected disease.
“Diagnostic accuracy — if you had to use one term to describe my
primary research interest, that’s it. My goal is to investigate the diagnostic
accuracy of different imaging tests,” says Sharma, who practised as a
small animal emergency veterinarian for 15 years after graduating from
the Ontario Veterinary College in 1991. His veterinary education also
includes undergraduate and graduate degrees from Haryana Agricultural
University in India.
Besides his own research, Sharma has paired up with small animal
surgeon Dr. Peter Gilbert to define the mechanism of action for a surgical
technique used to treat cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) ruptures in
dogs. He’s part of another team led by surgeon Dr. Kathleen Linn that will
measure the effectiveness of using a knee brace in dogs after undergoing
surgery to repair CrCL ruptures.
Veterinary dentist Dr. James Anthony is also collaborating with
Sharma in two dentistry studies, and equine surgeon Dr. Joe Bracamonte is
leading a project that will involve the use of ultrasonography for in vitro
evaluation of a colic surgery technique.
Findings from these studies will have immediate clinical applications
— and that definitely appeals to an experienced clinician like Sharma.
“Even if it’s long term, I like to see that whatever we do here will benefit the maximum number of parties out there — including the patient,
the owner and clinician. It’s also information that we can use to teach
our students and to train our future specialists — it’s research that will
ultimately improve the quality of care being delivered out in the field.” •
Dr. Emily Jenkins
A
fter graduating
from the Western
College of
Veterinary Medicine in 1999,
Dr. Emily Jenkins chose
the road less taken by most
veterinarians: she opted to
study parasites and their
impact on wildlife species in
northern Canada for her PhD
degree.
Her graduate work in
veterinary microbiology, plus
several years of employment
with Environment CanadaCanadian Wildlife Service,
prepared her for tackling today’s
hot-button health issues like
zoonotic diseases — including
those caused by parasites.
“Sixty to 80 per cent of
emerging infectious diseases are
zoonotic, and a large portion of
these come from wildlife, so there’s
an increasing awareness that wildlife
are a reservoir of potentially emerging
infectious diseases important for
human health,” says the assistant
professor in the WCVM’s Department
of Veterinary Microbiology. Jenkins
joined the College in 2008 — a
joint faculty position with the
University of Saskatchewan’s
School of Public Health.
How climate change will affect northern wildlife populations is another of Jenkins’ interests.
That ties into her concern for the security and safety of “country food”
— wildlife harvested and consumed by indigenous people.
Few people have investigated zoonotic diseases that are potentially
transmitted from country food consumption: “Country foods are generally safe and of high quality. But Canada’s traditional food safety system
doesn’t regulate their safety, so I’m interested in looking at this issue from
a microbiological perspective.”
Now Jenkins is threading these interests together to develop projects
that respond to concerns about public health and environmental change.
One project will focus on developing and refining molecular testing for
Echinococcus granulosus, a pathogenic tapeworm that can be transmitted from dogs to humans and causes cystic hydatid disease. A recent study
identified the parasite as a potential human health threat in northern
communities.
“Worldwide, a lot of effort has been put into managing cystic hydatid
disease. These efforts have only been successful in communities where they’ve
worked with residents to develop workable solutions,” explains Jenkins.
Graduate student Janna Schurer will work with northern residents to
collect information about the prevalence of and potential risk factors for
parasitic zoonoses. She’ll also help to develop community-specific prevention
mechanisms for E. granulosus, roundworms, Giardia and other parasites
transmitted from dogs to people.
A second graduate student, Karen Gesy, is investigating Echinococcus
multilocularis — a tapeworm that causes alveolar hydatid disease in people.
Jenkins and others recently detected a European strain of E. multilocularis
in Canada that may have increased zoonotic potential as compared to native
strains. Gesy will be studying the distribution and diversity of this parasite
across Canada as a baseline against future climate and landscape change.
Jenkins is also co-supervising the work of Dr. Chen-Chih Chen with
WCVM researcher Dr. Tasha Epp. The graduate student is using a landscape
epidemiology approach to model the distribution and occurrence of West Nile
virus on the Prairies and to predict the effects of climate change.
These projects wouldn’t be possible without collaborations with Jenkins’
colleagues at the WCVM, U of S, the University of Regina and in other parts of
the world.
In 2009, Jenkins received infrastructure funding from the Canadian
Foundation of Innovation (CFI) to help establish a zoonotic research laboratory at the WCVM. She also received New Investigator Establishment and
Equipment Awards from the Saskatchewan Health Research Fund (SHRF)
and equipment funding from the WCVM to help with this goal. Besides the
basics, Jenkins’ team will also have access to other tools that aren’t typically
found in labs.
“Much of my work is in remote areas so we need specialized equipment
in the field to get samples out in a timely fashion and preserved well. We need
GPS (global positioning system) to mark where we’re collecting samples, liquid nitrogen shippers to send samples by air and a propane freezer for storage
while we’re in the North,” explains Jenkins.
“We also need microclimate monitors — devices that measure temperature and humidity — at a level that’s meaningful for studying parasites
or the hosts of parasites.”
New equipment will allow Jenkins to conduct research in the field and
in the lab using traditional and molecular parasitological techniques. Plus,
the tools will help develop outreach activities with northern communities.
Jenkins and her graduate students volunteer with canine health clinics that
address the issue of dog overpopulation and dog-borne zoonoses in northern
Saskatchewan communities. During their stay, they visit local schools and
talk about zoonoses, dog safety and the role of veterinarians in animal and
human health.
For Jenkins, developing these outreach initiatives is equal in importance
to her research work.
“I really view them (outreach and research activities) as going hand
in hand,” says Jenkins. “We need to give something back to these communities. They’ve met a lot of scientists who have done ‘drive-by research’ —just
gathering samples and leaving town. But that’s not a sustainable approach to
research, and that’s not the way I want to do it.” •
8
new heights in higher learning
The WCVM has been successful in attracting some of the
best and brightest graduate students to the University of
Saskatchewan. With an enrollment of more than 130
students in Master’s, PhD and residency programs, the
College has the most dynamic and multi-disciplinary
graduate program on campus. For more details, visit
the online Research Report section at www.wcvm.com/
research to view graduate students by department.
The following profiles will give you a taste of what our
talented graduate students are accomplishing during
their programs.
Dr. Chris Bell
Dr. Lillian Su
Dr. Chris Bell recently completed
a combined MVetSc-large animal surgery
residency in the Department of Large Animal
Clinical Sciences. During his program,
Bell adapted a minimally invasive
treatment for sinusitis in people
to work in horses. His idea:
dilate a horse’s nasomaxillary opening using a balloon
catheter, an endoscope and
a rigid introducer. What
Bell and his supervisor, Dr.
James Carmalt, found is that
the procedure permanently
dilates the horse’s nasomaxillary opening and allows for
increased drainage. The minimally
invasive technique allows horses to
recover more quickly and reduces the risk
of introducing infection.
Dr. Lillian Su is a small animal
surgery resident-MVetSc graduate
student in the Department of
Small Animal Clinical Sciences. During her program, Su
will work with her supervisor,
Dr. Cindy Shmon, along
with Dr. Sue Taylor and the
University of California’s Dr.
Diane Shelton to establish
baselines for investigating
border collie collapse. BCC is
an exercise-induced collapse
Dr. Atul Desai
syndrome that affects border collies
within five to 10 minutes of beginning
strenuous exercise. Her study aims to establish
baseline parameters for healthy border collies undergoing a standardized strenuous exercise protocol and will be a starting point
for future research on the syndrome.
9
Dr. Atul Desai is a PhD student who is supervised by Dr.
Janet Hill in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology. Desai’s research focuses on the growing aquaculture industry and the search
for new sources of protein-rich diets as sustainable alternatives to
fishmeal. Plant-based protein diets derived from soybean, canola
and peas have great potential as alternatives, but anti-nutritional
factors present in these diets are implicated in causing inflammation in the intestine of salmonid fish. Desai’s work focuses on
characterizing the relationship between diet, inflammation and the
complex microbial community in the intestine.
Specifically, Desai and his team members are applying
molecular methods to study the effects of diet ingredients on the
structure and function of the intestinal microbiota. By understanding this relationship, researchers can help to formulate nutritious
and sustainable diets.
Jennifer Adolphe is a PhD student in the Department of
Veterinary Biomedical Sciences. Adolphe and her graduate supervisor, Dr. Lynn Weber, are testing whether glycemic index (GI), a dietary tool used to combat and prevent obesity in humans, could be
just as effective for overweight dogs. The three-year project will zero
in on the effects of different carbohydrate sources and processing
methods on glycemic, insulinemic and cardiovascular responses
in dogs as well as their intestinal health. The goal is to formulate
a prototype dog food and gauge its effectiveness in treating and
preventing obesity.
Dr. Angelica Galezowski is a senior resident in the
Department of Veterinary Pathology who completed her MVetSc
degree in 2009 under Dr. Marion Jackson’s supervision. As part of
her program, Galezowski conducted a study to determine whether
C-reactive protein (CRP) could be used as a prognostic indicator
in dogs with acute abdomen — a condition that is characterized
by sudden onset of abdominal pain and other symptoms including
fever, vomiting and diarrhea.
Based on the study’s results, evaluation of sequential CRP concentrations in dogs with acute abdomen syndrome may be helpful
in assessing clinical response to treatment and predicting outcome.
The Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation published the
study’s complete findings in 2010 (Vol. 22, Issue 3, 395-401). •
Dr. Chelsea Himsworth
For Dr. Chelsea Himsworth, a second-year undergraduate
class in systemic pathology proved to be life changing.
Taught by Dr. Gary Wobeser, the course sparked the
veterinary student’s fascination with the inner workings
of biological systems and led to her passion for
pathology.
“Pathology is unique among veterinary disciplines because it requires
you to tackle a problem from the level of the molecule to the level of the
ecosystem,” says Himsworth, who began her Master of Veterinary Science
(MVetSc) program after graduating from the WCVM in 2007.
“I find it really challenging that we have to learn to look for connections and commonalities between situations that at first sight may appear
to be quite different.”
Now a senior resident in the College’s Department of Veterinary
Pathology, Himsworth has had the opportunity to work with Wobeser and
regards him and her graduate supervisor, Dr. Ted Leighton, as important
influences on her career. Wobeser’s ability to see beyond disciplinary
boundaries and Leighton’s vision for veterinary medicine in society have
inspired her interest in public health and interdisciplinary research.
Himsworth applauds the MVetSc program at WCVM which is unique
in requiring research of its graduate students. “I believe that the skills you
learn from research ultimately make you a better practitioner and a better
diagnostician. You learn to identify a problem, figure out how to find a
solution and interpret your findings – skills that are vital to the veterinary
profession.”
Her interest in zoonotic diseases combined with her belief in an
interdisciplinary approach led to a collaboration with Dr. Stuart Skinner,
a physician in Royal University Hospital’s Division of Infectious Diseases.
Skinner had encountered a case of Echinococcus granulosus and was
concerned about the levels of infection within the patient’s community.
E. granulosus, a parasite transmitted from dogs to humans, can
cause serious health problems. “The most effective way to control infection
in humans is actually to prevent infection in dogs,” explains Himsworth.
“It’s a human health problem with a veterinary solution.”
Himsworth and Skinner designed an epidemiological study to determine the prevalence of and the risk factors associated with E. granulosus
infection in people and dogs. In collaboration with the affected community, Skinner collected blood samples from the town’s residents while
Himsworth and student volunteers gathered feces samples from local dogs.
The researchers identified tapeworm eggs in the feces samples, but
they couldn’t confirm the specific species. Himsworth took their dilemma
to WCVM veterinary microbiologist Dr. Janet Hill whom she describes as
“a molecular MacGyver.”
She has the attitude that if it’s possible, we can do it. We literally
designed a new PCR test for the Canadian strain of Echinococcus
granulosus, and it’s currently the only one available in Canada for our
strain.”
After confirming the prevalence of E. granulosus in the community,
Himsworth worked with Hill to develop a PCR test for Giardia. As a result,
the team verified a high prevalence of Giardia as well as Campylobacter
in the fecal samples.
“So we
now have this
comprehensive
assessment of
everything in
these feces
and can
educate health
professionals
who need to be
aware of these
pathogens in their
communities,” says
Himsworth, who
has written two papers
documenting their research
— both to be published in the American
Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. She
also plans to submit her work regarding the PCR assays, but
for now, she’s preparing to write the American College of Veterinary
Pathologists (ACVP) board examinations in September 2010.
Himsworth’s next challenge: a PhD program in health care and
epidemiology at University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine.
She will work through the School of Population and Public Health in
conjunction with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
Himsworth will be part of an inter-disciplinarian study of zoonotic
diseases associated with urban rats in Vancouver. “The goal is to
understand the dynamics of the diseases and characterize them in relation
to rats, humans and the environment," explains Himsworth, who recently
received a prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship to support her
research. "It's embodying what I'm passionate about: the "One Health"
concept – that you really can’t separate environment and human and
animal health.”
She looks forward to becoming familiar with the human public health
system and emphasizes the value of viewing zoonotic diseases from the
human medicine perspective. “I think it will allow me to more effectively
contribute as a veterinarian in the future if I can really understand the
human side of things.”
Himsworth’s career path has definitely shifted since she first encountered the world of pathology in her second year. Now a prolific researcher
with 16 papers, she’s thankful for the WCVM’s philosophy. “There’s such an
open feeling among all the departments and all the disciplines. I just can’t
say enough amazing things about the opportunities available just by the
attitude of the College.” •
10
Orleigh Bogle
Four years ago, Orleigh Bogle had
just finished her Bachelor of
Science degree in biomedical
science (honours) at the
University of Waterloo and was
looking for the best place in
the West to pursue graduate
research in reproduction.
After talking to Dr. Roger
Pierson of the University of
Saskatchewan’s College of
Medicine and WCVM’s Dr.
Gregg Adams and hearing
more about the U of S
Reproductive Science and
Medicine Group, she was
hooked.
What appealed to Bogle was Adams’ description of the research
group as a wide range of people — more than 20 faculty members
and over two dozen graduate students — who use a cross-disciplinary
approach to study both animal and human reproduction. And once
she began her graduate program in 2006, she thrived within the spontaneity and flexibility of the group.
“We have so many different, excellent professors – a really great
collaborative team on both the human side and the animal side. There’s
people working on bison, cattle, llamas, rabbits, humans – it’s just everything under the sun. It has allowed me to work with different animals
– it’s a wide variety of mammalian research instead of just one specific
animal,” explains Bogle.
Supervised by Adams, Bogle focused on learning more about a
substance in seminal plasma — an ovulation inducing factor (OIF) — that had recently been identified in camelids (llamas and alpacas). The
presence of OIF challenged the previous understanding that ovulation in
camelids is induced by physical stimulation during copulation.
During Bogle’s Master of Science (MSc) project, she and her colleagues found that porcine and equine seminal plasma were capable of inducing ovulation in camelids — suggesting that OIF may also be present
in porcine and equine species as well. Bogle explains that their findings
also raise key questions about the role of OIF, particularly within species
where ovulation is spontaneous: “Why has evolution kept this substance?
Why is it so important to retain it in the seminal plasma?”
11
In January 2009, Bogle’s research efforts
were rewarded with a first prize for her
paper presented at the International Embryo Transfer Society’s annual meeting
in San Diego. “It was a validation that
my research meant something — it
was a tremendous experience,” recalls
Bogle. “You’re surrounded by all these
people whose papers you read and
source constantly and they’re telling
you that you’ve done a good job.”
She also emphasizes the value of
meeting researchers from around the
world, “They had incredible suggestions and questions and referred me
to different papers. It’s like another
piece of the puzzle starts to come
about.” Bogle continues to work at solving that puzzle. Although she briefly
considered entering medical school,
research is her first love and she’s now
pursuing her PhD at WCVM. Using a
cross-species model, she plans to study
the mechanism of action of OIF and if
OIF is related to male fertility.
Right now, Bogle is developing an
assay to quantify the amount of OIF in
semen and to determine whether there is
a correlation to fertility. She will also work
with another of her graduate supervisors to
take advantage of a new technique for labelling OIF with a fluorescent tag. Once
injected into female mice, a scanner
tracks the protein to see where it’s going – to the pituitary, the ovary or any
other organs that are involved.
When she looks back at her accomplishments, Bogle is grateful for the support of her parents who immigrated from Jamaica to Ontario before she was born. “They’ve made so many
sacrifices for my brother and me. And when we succeed, I think it makes
all of those sacrifices worth it for them,” she explains. “They’re a propeller
for me to do better and to try to make them proud.”
As for the future, Bogle isn’t sure where that will take her. An academic
career? A job in the pharmaceutical industry? “Who knows what the future
will bring: I would never have thought that I’d be here for three years and
then starting on my PhD, so whatever the future brings, I’ll deal with it.” •
bravo!
Dr. Cheryl Waldner
Photo: Scott Bell
Award of Innovation: John Giesy, Canada Research Chair of
Environmental Toxicology at the U of S, received the 2010 Innovation
Place-U of S Industry Liaison Office Award of Innovation for developing a
new chemical toxin screening test that evaluates the effects of chemicals
on hormones.
Giesy, who is also a
professor in the WCVM’s
Department of Veterinary
Biomedical Sciences,
co-developed the H295R
Steroidogenesis Assay that
evaluates the effects of
chemical compounds on a
much wider range of hormones. The cost-effective,
rapid test allows regulators to determine whether
chemical compounds have
the potential to disrupt
the human endocrine
system. The assay has been
approved for use by the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency and the OrganizaJohn Giesy
tion for Economic Development and Co-operation. New Researcher Award: In 2009, Dr. Cheryl Waldner
received the University of Saskatchewan’s prestigious New Researcher
Award in recognition of her contributions to the fields of animal health,
veterinary epidemiology and public health.
Waldner, a professor in the WCVM’s Department of Large Animal
Clinical Sciences, is considered one of the most preeminent veterinary
epidemiologists in North America whose scientific output and commitment
to service and mentorship has been outstanding.
From 2000 to 2006, Waldner organized and managed the Western
Canadian Beef Productivity Study for the Western Interprovincial Scientific
Studies Association. As principal investigator of the multi-year, multimillion-dollar project, Waldner studied the impact of exposure to oil and
gas emissions on the reproductive performance of cattle and calf survival.
She also used the opportunity to look at other aspects of beef cattle health
and productivity.
During her career, Waldner has authored or co-authored four books
and more than 90 papers in refereed journals. She has presented her
research at national and international conferences and reviewed articles
for top journals in her field. Waldner is also involved in the university
community as a member of numerous departmental, college and
Pioneer Award: Dr. Reuben Mapletoft, professor of theriogenoluniversity committees and a joint member of the School of Public Health.
ogy in the WCVM’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, was
presented the 2010 IETS Pioneer Award in January 2010 during the
Wildlife Health Awards: Two WCVM researchers were
International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS) annual meeting in Cordoba,
honoured for their work in wildlife health by the Wildlife Disease
Argentina. The IETS Pioneer Award recognizes individuals who have made
Association in August 2008:
fundamental contributions to the development of embryo transfer technol• Veterinary pathologist and WCVM professor Dr. Ted Leighton
ogy and the embryo transfer industry.
received the WDA Distinguished Service Award – the association’s highest
Mapletoft is the ideal candidate for the award: his work over the past
honour. Leighton is also the executive director of the Canadian Cooperative
35 years has led to new developments in assisted reproductive technologies
Wildlife Health Centre. The award recognizes longtime members who have
to help improve cattle genetics on every continent. He is world renowned
made noteworthy contributions to the WDA through outstanding research,
for his work in the manipulation of ovarian follicular wave dynamics and
teaching and participation in the association’s activities.
the use of superovulation and in vitro fertilization technology to study
• Veterinary pathologist and professor Dr. Gary Wobeser received
oocyte competence and the effect of sperm defects. •
the association’s Beth Williams and Tom Thorne Memorial Award. This
honour, which is jointly given by the WDA and the American Association
of Wildlife Veterinarians, recognizes a member’s contributions to wildlife
disease research and wildlife
management policy, and a person’s
efforts to clarify significant problems
Visit the Research Report section at www.wcvm.com/research
in wildlife health.
to read about the latest research honours earned by the WCVM’s
more kudos
talented faculty and graduate students.
12
Dr. Claire Card
D
Dr. Steve Manning
productive
professors
Through their research
initiatives, WCVM faculty
members are addressing vital
questions that pertain to the
health of animals, humans
and the environment. Learn
more about the broad range
of research conducted at
the College by visiting www.
wcvm.com/research. You’ll
find more details about the
College’s main research
areas along with the research
interests of all WCVM faculty.
The following profiles
highlight the work of five
faculty members who have
helped the College maintain
its international reputation
for high-quality, innovative
research.
13
r. Claire Card and her research partners have played a positive
role in bringing many foals into the world that wouldn’t have
been born without a helping hand from science.
Unlike other livestock industries, it’s common for horse owners
to breed valuable broodmares that are in their late teens or early 20s.
“However, it’s not so easy for these mares to become pregnant anymore, so
we need to meet these reproductive challenges with some evidence-based
medicine,” says Card, professor of equine reproduction at the Western
College of Veterinary Medicine.
Although equine reproduction has been Card’s focus for nearly two
decades, it didn’t quite start that way. After graduating from the New York
State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1986, she juggled her time between
mixed animal private practice and graduate school at Cornell University
where she studied the fetal physiology of goats. Card finished her PhD
degree in 1990. In 1991, she became a diplomate of the American College
of Theriogenologists (ACT) and the WCVM’s newest equine reproduction
specialist.
Changes in the horse industry created a need for more basic reproductive research and more studies targeting foal health. With the increased use
of artificial insemination, there was also a demand for applied research to
support assisted reproductive procedures.
That set up an ideal environment for Card and her graduate students
who took ideas from their clinical work and conducted research that could
be directly used in the field. As well, there was research funding available
through organizations like the WCVM’s Equine Health Research Fund,
Alberta Agriculture Research Institute, and the American Quarter Horse
Association.
Some of Card’s early collaborative projects covered congenital hypothyroidism with Dr. Andy Allen and causes of foal mortality with Dr. Shawn
Haas — a project that was done with the equine ranching industry’s
assistance. Equine ranchers also helped her and Dr. Steve Manning as they
looked at the relationship between endometrial biopsies and mare fertility,
and low dose insemination. As well, Card and her graduate student, Dr.
Natalie Bragg, interpreted ultrasound images and developed guidelines for
analyzing reproductive tissues to predict ovulation.
The increased use of frozen semen created demand for more
information about the factors affecting the fertility of preserved semen
— a research topic for Card and Dr. Theresa Burns. Since many mares
developed inflammation after breeding with frozen semen, endometritis
also became the focus of a project for Card and Dr. Farshad Maloufi.
Specifically, the two studied the response of problem breeding mares
and their susceptibility to inflammation post-breeding with frozen semen
and its preserving solution (extender). As well, they challenged the horses
with Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus — the number one cause of
uterine disease.
“If problem mares were bred when they had a non-bacterially
contaminated uterus, they performed as well as the resistant mares that
tended to be healthier and younger,” explains Card. “This emphasized the
clinical practices that we needed to engage to get some of these mares in
foal.”
When bovine specialists successfully used superovulatory treatments
in cows to achieve multiple ovulations and to increase the number of
recovered embryos, the horse industry took notice. As Card explains, using
is on lung inflammation, and Dr. David Horohov, an equine immunologist
at the University of Kentucky.
As a first step, Card and Dr. Sarah Eaton worked with molecular
specialist Dr. Vikram Misra and technician Noreen Rapin to investigate the
mares’ immune response to sperm. Then, they conducted pilot studies with
common uterine pathogens such as Strep. zooepidemicus and E. coli to
learn how different bacteria trigger distinct immune responses in the uterus.
Results showed that E. coli, a Gram negative bacteria, causes longer
and deeper inflammation within the uterine tissues versus Gram positive
organisms like Strep. zooepidemicus that cause superficial inflammation
and secretion of pus. To determine why Gram positive and negative organisms produce different types of inflammation, Card and her colleagues
examined the horses’ rapid innate immune responses. Specifically, they
evaluated highly conserved Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the uterus that
initiate cytokine secretion which control the body’s inflammatory response.
This work is connected to recent developments in the horse industry:
some practitioners use immunomodulatory agents to help treat mares that
have difficulty conceiving. In turn, other practitioners use anti-inflammatory products to decrease inflammatory response.
At this point, Card says no one has conducted enough controlled,
evidence-based research to know how or whether these therapies are effective. “We’re at a crossroads since it seems we need enough of an immune
response to eliminate the bacteria from the uterus. But when there’s too
much, excessive inflammation becomes the underlying reason why a mare
can’t support the embryo.”
It’s an area where Card hopes to contribute more knowledge by using
research models to assess new treatments. That ability to quickly respond
to emerging problems in equine reproduction and to assess potential
therapies is what Card has enjoyed most about her research.
“For me, research is satisfying in many ways and I do think we’ve
been successful in advancing our patient management through evidencebased research over the years,” points out Card. “We’ve helped make some
guidelines for people, and we’ve helped them to make good decisions
about their animals’ breeding future.”
Now Card’s early research experience with goats during her graduate
program has proven to be valuable for a project that she’s working on with
the support of Veterinarians Without Borders-Vétérinaires sans frontières.
Since 2006, Card has made a number of trips to Uganda where she works
with HIV-AIDS affected families to develop sustainable agriculture — including goat production.
It’s another issue to solve, but there’s just one problem that Card can’t
fix: “There’s always more work than time.” •
embryo transfer in horses isn’t easy: on average, without superovulation,
an embryo is only produced about half the time.
Card worked with PhD student Dr. Tal Raz to develop protocols for
superstimulating mares with a new product, equine follicle stimulating hormone (eFSH). They found that eFSH led to the recovery of more
embryos from the mares – but not all embryos were healthy. Since then,
other scientists have experienced similar problems and eFSH is no longer
being produced.
“In many cases, a product can initially look promising, but years
later, cumulative studies show it’s not very efficacious,” points out Card. “It’s a question of taking
an evidence-based approach when evaluating
• Position: Professor, Equine Reproduction, Large Animal
these products.”
Clinical Sciences, WCVM
Now Card and her research team are
• Academic Credentials: DVM, New York State College of
returning to a previously-investigated topic.
Veterinary Medicine, 1986; PhD, Cornell University, 1990;
Card wants to understand the immune response
Diplomate, ACT, 1991.
of mares to physiologic (sperm-induced) and
• Featured Publication: Raz T, Card C. 2009.
bacterial endometritis at the molecular level,
“Comparison of the effects of eFSH and deslorelin treatment
using the resources available in the WCVM’s new
regimes on ovarian stimulation and embryo production of
molecular laboratory. Once funding is secured,
Card will work with her collaborators: WCVM
donor mares in early vernal transition.” Theriogenology.
researcher Dr. Baljit Singh whose research focus
71(9): 1358-1366.
quickbio
14
Dr. Jaswant Singh
D
r. Jaswant Singh has mastered the ability to adjust his research
focus — much like a camera lens. From one day to the next,
the reproduction specialist’s mind goes from taking a wideangle, whole-animal view of a cow’s reproductive system to zooming in
on the bovine oocyte (immature egg).
That’s partly because of his multi-layered research. Using cows as
models, Singh and his graduate students are helping to improve cattle
breeding and learning about bovine reproductive physiology. They’re also
helping researchers learn more about human reproduction.
“My research spans from studying the individual enzymes at the oocyte level to applying what we’ve learned about cattle reproduction to the
whole animal level,” explains Singh, whose chief interest is the oocyte’s
structure. “I’ve always been interested in connecting the function with
structure and understanding how the two are correlated.”
Singh joined the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000,
returning three years after finishing his PhD at the veterinary college. A
Commonwealth scholarship recipient, Singh left his faculty position at
the Punjab Agricultural University of India and came to the University of
Saskatchewan in 1993 where he joined Dr. Gregg Adams at the WCVM.
As Adams’ first graduate student, Singh was involved in the young
scientist’s work on ovarian follicle development with Dr. Roger Pierson at
the U of S College of Medicine. He also became part of the university’s Reproductive Science and Medicine Research Group that strongly encouraged
collaborations between human and veterinary researchers.
“That environment was very conducive for research — and I still
think that’s the case,” says Singh.
During this time, Adams, Pierson and Singh realized the potential of
using cows as a research model. Many attributes of bovine ovarian follicle
development are similar to those in humans, plus in vitro culture conditions for oocytes and embryos were already established in cattle.
“Then came the idea of using old cows as a model to mimic events
that happen during a woman’s perimenopausal period,” recalls Singh.
He estimates that a 12-year-old cow is similar to a 35-year-old woman
— the age when many women with careers want to begin having children. But between 35 and 40, there’s a rapid decrease in women’s ability to
conceive and greater potential
for fetal abnormalities.
“Using the older bovine
model, we can try to understand what triggers different events in the oocyte
and what affects its quality in both species,” says Singh.
Based on a series of studies over the past six years, Singh and his
graduate students proved the value of using older cows to learn about
human reproduction. Their investigations showed
that women after 35 years old and cows in their early
teens share similarities in follicular development,
• Position: Professor, Reproductive Science, Veterinary
reproductive hormone levels, embryo development
Biomedical Sciences, WCVM
and oocyte quality.
• Academic Credentials: BVSc and AH (1983) and
All of these investigations involved cows that are
MVSc (1986), Punjab Agricultural University of India;
part of the WCVM Goodale Research Farm’s herd.
Singh selected older, successful breeding cows and
PhD, University of Saskatchewan, 1997.
identified their younger daughters so comparisons
• Featured Publication: Malhi PS, Adams GP,
could be made between younger and older females
Mapletoft RJ, Singh J. 2007. “Oocyte developmental
with genetic similarities.
competence in a bovine model of reproductive aging.”
Now Singh and his team are taking an in-depth
Reproduction. 134(2): 233-239.
look at oocytes. They’re investigating the theory of
whether mitochondria (the cell’s principal energy
quickbio
15
source) become less active in older oocytes and less protective of the
unfertilized eggs.
Singh and PhD student Dinesh Dadarwal are studying mitochondria
using a new confocal microscope that was purchased by the College in
partnership with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “We’re looking at the
mitochondria’s structure, their numbers in old cows versus young cows,
and whether mitochondrial function changes over time,” explains Singh.
Another PhD student, Dr. Muhammad Irfan Khan, is studying gene
expression in the follicles of old cows versus young cows. The exploratory
project will compare genes from both groups and target any of the genetic
differences for further research. These investigations, which are part of the
EmbryoGENE research consortium funded by the Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), are in partnership
with the Université de Laval and the University of Alberta.
“For us, the oocyte is the whole universe, so sometimes we forget to
stand back and look at the big picture,” explains Singh. “That’s what
we’re trying to do with this genetic research: we’re exploring 40,000 genes
rather than one gene at time.”
On the other hand, Singh’s group is capturing some of the first
closeup images of oocytes with a powerful ultrasound biomicroscope that
allows them to view oocytes that are 0.1 millimetre in size. “Last summer,
we recorded images of oocytes within the cow within a follicle,” says
Singh. “This opens a new avenue for us where we can compare the image
attributes of good versus bad oocytes.”
To complement the maternal aging research, Singh and Dr. Fernanda
Dias, one of his PhD students, are conducting research to determine the
effects of follicular aging on cows’ follicles. She’s studying how the genes
of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-starved and FSH-supported, superstimulated follicles differ from those naturally developed by cows.
“Again, that has applied implications for breeding and for producing
embryos,” points out Singh. “If we understand what goes wrong, then
hopefully we can go back, correct the problem and come up with protocols
that will give us good oocytes.”
While NSERC funding has allowed Singh to conduct fundamental
studies in bovine reproduction, six years of grants from the Saskatchewan
Agriculture Development Fund have enabled him to conduct investigations
with practical applications for the cattle industry.
For example, Singh’s team proved that low progesterone levels aren’t
detrimental for developing oocytes — a misconception believed by many
cattle breeders. They showed that low progesterone levels given for short
time periods actually give better oocytes than those developed with high
progesterone levels.
Singh has also collaborated with WCVM theriogenologist Dr. Reuben
Mapletoft to develop fixed-time artificial insemination protocols that are
now used by cattle breeders in South America and other parts of the world.
More research opportunities arise as people’s perceptions change
along with society’s needs. For instance, after countries banned the use of
estradiol (estrogenic hormone used to synchronize animals’ follicle waves)
in food-producing animals, the need arose for an alternative treatment.
Now, that’s another new challenge for Singh and his research group
— something he continues to relish. The novelty of being one of the
many individuals who contributes small drops of information to a greater
ocean of knowledge has never grown old for Singh.
“Every day I go home and I ask myself, ‘What new thing did I do
today that I haven’t done previously?’ That’s something that still gives me
a whole lot of satisfaction.” •
Above (top): The first ever recorded image of
an oocyte using high-resolution ultrasonography
(ultrasound biomicroscopy). The large black circle is
a 2.0 mm follicle enclosing an oocyte (round object
at top left of black circle) that’s only .25 mm in size.
Bottom: A differential contrast computer-enhanced
image of the oocyte and the follicle. Different
colours represent different abilities of the tissues
to reflect ultrasound waves and allow physiologic
interpretation of very delicate living tissues.
Photos: Dr. Jaswant Singh.
16
Dr. Susan Taylor
It was Canada Day, July 1, 2007, when Dr. Sue Taylor
picked up her phone and heard the words that every
scientist involved in genetic research dreams about
hearing: “We found it.” It was the genetic mutation
responsible for exercise-induced collapse (EIC) in
Labrador retrievers — a neuromuscular syndrome
that the WCVM specialist in small animal internal
medicine had been investigating for 12 years.
“Jim Mickelson (professor of veterinary sciences and a genetic researcher at the University of Minnesota) called me with the good news,” Taylor remembers.
After years of working with blood samples collected by Taylor from more than 200 Labrador retrievers, the U of M research team identified a mutant form of the dynamin 1 gene
as highly associated with EIC in the breed. The discovery, which led to an article in Nature
Genetics, was the first naturally occurring mutation of the gene identified in any mammal.
As Taylor explains, the dynamin 1 protein is essential during times of excitement and
strenuous exercise for the packaging of neurotransmitters for release in the brain and spinal
cord. Packaged transmitters are necessary to maintain proper chemical communication between
adjacent nerves. When EIC-affected dogs become excited and exercise strenuously for a prolonged
period, they deplete their supply of packaged neurotransmitters — causing the dogs to grow weak in
their hind limbs and collapse.
“Now that we’ve found the genetic cause, we can go backwards and understand the mechanism,”
explains Taylor. “If we didn’t have the gene and didn’t know what the gene did, we would have never
figured out that the reason these dogs are collapsing is because they have an abnormal amount — or
function — of dynamin 1 protein.”
Then again, geneticists wouldn’t have found the gene without Taylor’s clinical groundwork. Like
most of her research, Taylor’s interest in the disease began with a clinical case that wasn’t the way it
should be. It was during the mid-1990s, and the patient was an 18-month-old black Lab that had collapsed several times during retrieving field trials — a sport in which Taylor competes with her own dogs.
When the young Lab collapsed after only eight minutes of retrieving exercises, his clinical signs
twigged Taylor’s memory about a presentation she had recently heard. The speaker had been Dr. Diane
Shelton, a specialist in comparative neuromuscular diseases at the University of California, who had
talked about young Labrador retrievers collapsing during exercise.
When Taylor called Shelton, the specialist suggested additional tests. But before Taylor could do any
further testing on her patient, he collapsed and died during exercise on the second day. “After that, I was
possessed to figure out what was going on,” says Taylor.
As a first step, she and resident Dr. Cary Matwichuk established reference values
for temperature, pulse, respiratory rate and
laboratory tests in 14 healthy Labrador
retrievers before and after exercise.
• Position: Professor, Small Animal Medicine, Small Animal
Taylor’s fellow members at the
Clinical Sciences, WCVM
Saskatoon Retriever Club voluntarily al• Academic Credentials: DVM, Cornell University, 1982;
lowed her to test their dogs. “I don’t think
Medicine Residency, University of California-Davis, 1985;
someone outside of the sport would have
gained the trust of some of the people that
Diplomate, ACVIM, 1986.
were contacting me,” explains Taylor, who
• Featured Publication: Patterson EE, Minor KM,
also went further afield in her search for
Tchernatynskaia AV, Taylor SM, Shelton GD, Ekenstedt KJ,
affected dogs. She wrote lay articles about
Mickelson JR. 2008. “A canine dynamin 1 mutation is highly
the collapse syndrome research for field
associated with the syndrome of exercise-induced collapse."
trial publications and garnered help from
Nature Genetics. 40(10): 1235-1239.
dog owners throughout North America.
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17
Dr. Sue Taylor and Breeze, her 13-year-old female
Ironically, Taylor thought the research project should be done somewhere less isolated and tried to pique the interest of veterinary neurologists.
“But when I didn’t get any satisfactory responses, I strong-armed Dr. Cindy
Shmon (WCVM small animal surgeon) into helping me put together our
first grant proposals.”
Another key team member was Shelton who evaluated the muscle
biopsies of all EIC-affected dogs enrolled in the study. She was also the first
to introduce Taylor to Dr. Ned Patterson, Mickelson and other researchers
at the U of M Veterinary School.
With seed money from the WCVM’s Companion Animal Health Fund,
the research team developed a questionnaire for the owners of affected
Labrador retrievers and initiated a project evaluating affected dogs at
the WCVM. Their efforts expanded after the Morris Animal Foundation
awarded them a grant to support the clinical and genetic research.
During a six-year span, WCVM research team collected 225 owner
surveys, pedigrees and blood samples from affected dogs that provided DNA
material for the U of M genetics team. WCVM researchers also gathered
vital details about clinical and metabolic variables in 14 EIC-affected dogs
before, during and after completion of a standardized strenuous exercise
protocol.
After U of M researchers discovered the genetic mutation responsible
for EIC in 2007, they developed a DNA-based test so breeders can prevent
new cases of the disease. The EIC DNA test is now an accepted requirement
for Lab breeders worldwide.
For Taylor, it’s a rewarding way to wrap up more than a decade of
research. “It makes me feel that I’ve been able to make a contribution not
only to veterinary medicine but to the breed and the sport that I love so
much,” says the WCVM professor.
She’s also aware that not every scientist has the chance to sort out the
cause of a disease within one research career. “Part of that is because of
the changes in genetics: our technology has improved in terms of being
able to look for the genetic causes of diseases and to find results more
rapidly.”
A case in point: in 2008, Taylor and other WCVM clinicians worked
with Shelton to describe a new inherited myopathy in Labrador retriever
puppies. Just over a year later, geneticists identified the mutation causing
this rare X-linked myotubular myopathy. They also used hundreds of
banked DNA samples at the U of M to show
that the mutation wasn’t present in other
Labs, confirming that it was a spontaneous
mutation in a local dog.
Taylor and her colleagues continue to
use DNA samples submitted for EIC testing
and the pedigrees and surveys to learn
more about EIC. For instance, they have
described the characteristics of collapse episodes in EIC-negative Labs versus collapse
episodes in EIC-affected dogs. Her team is
also looking at the small percentage of Labs
that have two copies of the EIC mutation
(affected) but have never collapsed.
Plus, Taylor and a group of WCVM
researchers have begun investigating a
similar collapse syndrome in border collies
and will use the EIC research steps as a
Labrador Retriever.
template. Tracking down a border collie
syndrome wasn’t in Taylor’s plans a few
years ago, but now that the cause of EIC has been identified, she’s up for
another challenge that links her research work to the world of dogs.
“Really, I kind of have the dream job: my research work ties in so well
with what I love to do.” •
18
Dr. Andrew Allen
D
r. Andrew Allen isn’t afraid to ask questions — even when he’s
challenging universally accepted ideas in animal health.
“I guess I’m just a curious guy,” says the professor of veterinary
pathology at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. “When I get
involved in research, sometimes it’s based on my own ideas and sometimes
I’m there to support the work of others in the building or on campus.”
Allen sees himself as a diagnostic pathologist and teacher first. But
curiosity has led to his involvement in a number of research projects
during his time at the WCVM.
A 1987 DVM graduate of the College, Allen spent some time in private
practice before returning to the WCVM for graduate work in veterinary
pathology. After completing a MVetSc degree in 1992, Allen went on to
finish his PhD in 1997.
Allen’s graduate research focused on equine congenital hypothyroidism, a disease that results in the birth of dysmature foals with musculoskeletal deformities. His studies, which were financially supported in part by
the WCVM’s Equine Health Research Fund, proved the disease was due to
fetal hypothyroidism. His research also identified risk factors that, when
corrected, aided in reducing the number of congenital hypothyroidism
cases in Western Canada.
Allen conducted further studies of the orthopedic condition after
joining WCVM’s faculty in 1997. One study set out to recreate the disease
in pregnant mares within a controlled environment. In a second project,
Allen and graduate student Dr. Genevieve D’Amours experimentally
induced congenital hypothyroidism in guinea pigs to show that the
laboratory animal could be used as a model for studying the disease in
horses.
Allen’s knowledge of bone pathology and “knowing my way around
a horse a bit” has brought other research opportunities his way. The College’s large animal surgeons — Drs. Peter Fretz, David Wilson, Spencer
Barber and James Carmalt — have asked Allen for his diagnostic expertise
in a number of equine-related projects.
He has also contributed to studies that focus on Rhodococcus equi
and potential vaccine development, undertaken by Drs. Hugh Townsend
and Katharina Lohmann. Over the next two years, Allen will work with
PhD student Dr. Francesca Sampieri as well as other researchers in the
clinical outcomes and diagnostic accuracy associated with surgically
Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and at the U of S Canadian
amputated digits of cats and dogs, and it eventually became the MVetSc
Light Source. The research will investigate the efficacy of using gallium
project for Allen’s graduate student, Dr. Bruce Wobeser.
as an alternative therapy for equine proliferative enteropathy. This latest
project uses rabbits and hamsters as models and draws on Allen’s previous
experience with lab animals.
In companion animal health, Allen
worked with MVetSc student Sebastian
• Position: Professor, Anatomic Pathology, Department of
Brennan on a canine brucellosis study.
Veterinary Pathology
Another small animal project was initiated
• Academic Credentials: DVM, MVetSc and PhD, University
during Allen’s sabbatical leave at Colorado
of Saskatchewan.
State University in 2003 where he teamed
• Featured Publication: Lang HM, Panizzi L, Allen AL,
up with oncologist Dr. Stephen Withrow
Woodbury MR, Barber SM. 2009. “Comparison of three drilling
and Dr. Barb Powers, a veterinary patholotechniques for carpometacarpal joint arthrodesis in horses.”
gist. The project looked at the diagnoses,
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Veterinary Surgery. 38: 990-997.
19
Then, when Wobeser decided to work toward his PhD degree, he and
Allen selected the topic of equine sarcoids — the most commonly diagnosed skin tumour in horses.
“Some research had been done in the U.S. and Europe that showed
two different bovine papillomaviruses — BPV-1 and BPV-2 — were associated with these sarcoids. But we didn’t know if that was true in Western
Canada because the work hadn’t been done, so that’s where we started,”
explains Allen.
Their first step was an epidemiological study of sarcoids in western
Canadian horses. In previous studies, researchers found BPV-1 in about
80 per cent of tumours. But after evaluating more than 800 biopsies, Allen
and Wobeser found the opposite: BPV-2 was found in 80 per cent of the
region’s tumour biopsies.
Allen and Wobeser also confirmed that sarcoids develop and grow
larger because they can evade the process of programmed cell death called
apoptosis. That finding has opened the door for further research: “Can we
trick these cells into undergoing apoptosis? It’s a basic question with an
answer that may have therapeutic potential,” says Allen.
As diagnostic pathologists, Allen and Wobeser probably won’t be
involved in developing a sarcoid therapy — but they may contribute to
the effort. Plus, they hope their results will help to develop a faster, more
accurate diagnostic test for sarcoids.
Knowledge gained from their first two studies also prompted Allen and
Wobeser to question BPV’s role in sarcoid development. As Allen points out,
the idea that BPV causes equine sarcoids means that researchers have to
accept several exceptions.
For example, BPV can cross species while all other papillomaviruses
are species-specific. Secondly, unlike other viral infections where the virus
invades a cell and reproduces more virus, that doesn’t seem to be the
case with BPV. And oddly, scientists can also find BPV in the normal skin
of horses diagnosed with sarcoids and all of this information is based on
identifying only parts of the virus’ DNA. “So it began to raise the question:
how ubiquitous is BPV infection in horses?” says Allen.
That question has led to the team’s next project where Wobeser is
using three diagnostic methods to detect and localize BPV in biopsies of
other equine inflammatory skin conditions besides sarcoids. Preliminary
analysis shows that BPV DNA is found in biopsies representing various
other equine skin conditions.
“For me, the overarching question is what’s the role of BPV in sarcoid
development? Researchers have recently written that BPV is the cause of
equine sarcoids, but our response is that it’s not that simple,” says Allen.
Wobeser, who joins the WCVM faculty on July 1, may continue pursuing the sarcoid puzzle. As for Allen, he’s always considered himself more
of the “general manager” of the sarcoid studies rather than a principal
investigator.
“Bruce wanted to do these studies, and since he has tremendous
potential, I wanted to help him. And so it was my role to secure the
funding, the tools, and the expertise he needed to succeed. But without the
input of other members of his committee, this work wouldn’t have been
done,” explains Allen.
Dr. Bruce Wobeser
Team members include Drs. Beverly Kidney and Marion Jackson,
pathologists with expertise in viral oncogenesis; microbiologist Dr. Janet
Hill, who specializes in molecular diagnostics; Dr. Monique Mayer, a
radiation oncologist; and Dr. Hugh Townsend, an epidemiologist who has
clinical expertise in equine infections. Research technician Betty Lockerbie
has also been a key resource for Wobeser.
“We could all look at the same problem from different perspectives
and give our takes on it. That’s been a valuable process throughout various
stages of the research,” says Allen.
While they may not have developed new diagnostic tests or therapies
for equine sarcoids, their efforts in critiquing the assumptions about
sarcoids have provided another value. “We didn’t start out to do this: we
thought we would study sarcoids and find some practical applications
along the way. But the further we got into it, we said, ‘Geez, wait a minute,’
and that changed our direction,” explains Allen.
“But you know, people thought the world was flat for awhile. What if
no one had challenged that assumption and sailed off to the horizon to see
what was out there? That’s what makes research so interesting.” •
“I guess I’m just a curious guy.”
20
Dr. Volker Gerdts
N
ewborns — piglets, calves or babies — face serious threats
from disease during the first months of their lives. A complicating factor is that existing vaccines don’t work well in newborns
because their immune systems function differently than those of older
animals and people.
The result: many young animals and babies die because they aren’t
protected against early life diseases.
Dr. Volker Gerdts and his colleagues at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) want to overcome that challenge through their
research. Gerdts, who has been VIDO’s associate director of research since
2007, also manages the organization’s Neonatal Immunization program
that brings together about 20 researchers with specialized interests in vaccine development.
The chance to join this group is what convinced Gerdts to leave his
research position in native Germany and return to Saskatchewan in 2002
— two years after completing a post-doctoral fellowship at VIDO.
“Studying the immune responses of neonatal animals and infants has
always been an interest of mine, and the goal is to find ways of getting a
better immune response in neonates. I came back because I felt that the
opportunities for reaching this goal were better in Canada,” says Gerdts,
who completed his DVM and PhD degrees at Hanover Veterinary School in
Germany and the Federal Research Centre for Animal Health.
Besides being a researcher and part of VIDO’s management team,
Gerdts is a professor in the WCVM’s Department of Veterinary Microbiology.
He’s also chair of the Vaccinology and Immunotherapeutics Program at
the U of S School of Public Health and one of its joint professors.
Gerdts’ career exemplifies the concept of “One Health” where the
worlds of veterinary medicine, medicine and public health work in partnership. “My training is in veterinary medicine, but much of my research
is focused on humans and aspects of public health,” says Gerdts. “It shows
that with the right training, you can work in many different areas.”
Under Gerdts’ leadership, VIDO’s Neonatal Immunization program is
investigating three approaches to improving immune response. The first
21
two are inducing immune responses before and after birth in the neonate,
while the third is maternal immunization — where the vaccinated
mother transfers antibodies to her newborn through colostrum in breast
milk.
The group’s recent work has focused on inducing an immune
response after birth. With financial support from the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation and the Toronto-based Krembil Foundation, the team is
developing a single-dose, neonatal vaccine for whooping cough.
Because the neonatal immune system isn’t fully developed, physicians
currently immunize babies several times between two and six months
of age. But that isn’t possible in developing countries where health care
access is limited.
“You could say, ‘Why don’t you wait and immunize all of the babies at
six months old when their immune systems are developed?’” says Gerdts.
“But whooping cough causes disease in children less than six months,
and those are the ones that are dying. We need protection early — ideally,
within the first few months of life.”
Gerdts’ team is developing a whooping cough vaccine that uses different adjuvants to trigger an immune response in the neonate. Since their
research relies on the use of young piglets as animal models, their work
will also increase the survival rates of swine.
“We’re learning everything about the pig’s immune system, how
to deliver a vaccine early in life and how we can develop a vaccine for
Bordetella bronchiseptica. That’s an important pathogen in pigs and a
close relative to Bordetella pertussis — the bacteria that cause whooping
cough,” points out Gerdts. His work may eventually result in a single-dose
vaccine for the porcine version of the disease.
So far, the research team has proven that the single-dose vaccine
is effective in protecting animals. The next stage: testing the vaccine in
adults and then newborn babies. Clinical trials will take place over the
next several years.
Ultimately, the researchers will develop “vaccine platform” technologies that could be applied to other childhood diseases. With these multiuse vaccines, newborns could be protected from multiple diseases with a
single immunization.
But what if researchers could trigger an immune response in neonatal
babies and animals before birth? It’s another approach that’s under
investigation by Gerdts who was awarded $100,000 through the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation’s “Grand Challenges in Global Health.”
His idea: using live viral vectors to immunize fetuses during pregnancy, inducing immune responses in the unborn baby and protecting it
against early life infections.
As Gerdts explains, the hurdle is to identify safe viruses that find their
way to the fetus without harming it. These vectors would then induce an
effective immune response in the fetus against the targeted antigen or
pathogen.
“We’ve showed that when we use a viral vector and deliver it to the
fetus, we get the type of immune response that we want. So in principle,
the delivery of a viral vector works,” says Gerdts. “Now, the next approach
will be to see if we can change its tropism (target cells) so we can develop a
virus that finds its way into the fetus.”
The research group is using an
adenovirus and an adeno-associated
virus that were both developed by Dr.
Suresh Tikoo, program manager for the
vectored vaccine research team at VIDO.
“People have used adenoviruses for vaccine delivery so the only thing new about
this is that we’re hoping to use it during
pregnancy,” says Gerdts.
The future may also bring changes
in how neonatal vaccines are delivered:
Gerdts talks about a day when nurses
place masks over newborns’ noses and
watch them breathe in vaccines.
“From an immunological view,
using the mucosal immune response
is more effective than the systemic
immune response (through the use of
intramuscular injections),” says Gerdts,
whose research work includes mucosal immunity investigations. “I’m interested in understanding how the
mucosal immune response works. It’s important in the neonate to induce
mucosal immunity, and eventually, our whooping cough vaccine will be
given intranasally.”
The biggest issue is delivering enough of the vaccine to the newborn’s
mucosal surfaces — a problem that Gerdts’ team has overcome for their
experimental vaccine.
Gerdts’ group has also been investigating intestinal mucosal surfaces:
how immune responses are being induced, how the immune cells travel
to the intestine and how a vaccine could be delivered to induce
a response. The research group has published
various papers that focus on the “gut-loop
model” and their findings about the local
immune responses in independent
segments of the intestine.
“Eventually, we want to
develop oral vaccines that could
be fed to an animal and would
induce an effective immune
response,” says Gerdts, who
easily switches gears from
discussing
the team’s
human
health-related
studies to
explaining another project’s animal
health benefits.
It’s all in a day’s work
for Gerdts. “One Health” is
no longer a concept — it’s a
way of life that he hopes will
become the norm for more
researchers.
“I’m still a veterinarian and I’m still interested in veterinary issues.
But really, a lot of veterinary problems are no longer just veterinary problems — they’re human problems as well.” •
Above, left to right: Jill van Kessel, lab technician;
Dr. Gael Auray, post-doctoral fellow; Dr. Volker
Gerdts; and visiting student Hannes Bergmann.
Photo: Debra Marshall for VIDO.
quickbio
• Positions: Professor, Veterinary
Microbiology, WCVM; Joint Professor
and Program Chair, Vaccinology and
Immunotherapeutics Program, U of
S School of Public Health; Associate
Director of Research and Program
Manager, Neonatal Immunization
program, VIDO.
• Academic Credentials: DVM,
Hanover Veterinary School, 1994; PhD,
Federal Research Institute for Animal
Health and Hanover Veterinary School,
1997; Post-doctoral fellow, VIDO, 2000.
• Featured Publication: Elahi S,
Buchanan RM, Babiuk LA, Gerdts V.
2006. "Maternal immunity provides
protection against pertussis in newborn
piglets." Infection and Immunity. (74)5:
2619-2627.
22
Western College of
Veterinary Medicine