T HE
ARK
WESTERN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
BUILDING
BRILLIANCE
WCVM expansion forges
past halfway mark
SUMMER 2007
inside
8
A Century of Animal Health
Animal health and veterinary science have
played integral roles in the U of S’s history.
10 Building BRILLIANCE
WCVM’s expansion forges past the halfway
mark.
12 A TEAM Effort
Governments, industry and veterinarians
team up to support WCVM’s expansion.
18 Pain Control PILOT
Dr. Alex Livingston, WCVM’s former dean,
is retiring after a successful research,
teaching and administrative career.
Front cover: WCVM’s new two-storey addition to its
Veterinary Teaching Hospital catches the early morning
sunlight.
THE
The Ark is produced twice a year by the
Western College of Veterinary Medicine. To learn
more about WCVM, visit www.wcvm.com.
Please send comments to:
The Dean’s Office, WCVM
University of Saskatchewan
52 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4 CANADA
Tel: 306.966.7451
Fax: 306.966.8747
ralph.hildebrandt@usask.ca
2
A Researcher
OUTSTANDING in his Field
Twenty-five years after Dr. Gregg Adams attended the University of Saskatchewan’s Spring Convocation to
collect his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree, the veterinary researcher and educator was back to receive
another special honour during this spring’s ceremonies.
Adams, a professor in WCVM’s Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, was selected as the Spring
2007 recipient of the U of S Distinguished Researcher Award — a prize that recognizes a faculty member’s
contribution to scholarship through creation, expansion and critique of knowledge.
In particular, Adams has made a significant impact in the field of reproductive biology through his novel
research program, leadership and dedication. He has worked with a wide variety of mammals — including many
endangered species — and has also worked to develop models applicable to humans.
His collaborative research with the U of S College of Medicine discovered that women, like some mammals,
experience two to three “follicular waves” per menstrual cycle. This finding has a profound implication for
contraception and assisted reproduction, and it was identified as one of the Top 100 Science Stories in 2003 by
Discover magazine.
Over his distinguished 25-year career, Adams has authored or co-authored more than 100 papers in
refereed journals as well as writing chapters in books and review articles. He has also presented his findings at
international, national and regional conferences. Lauded as a world-class researcher by his colleagues, Adams’
novel research program, leadership and dedication are his signature within the scientific and lay communities.
As the leader of the university’s successful bid for the Biomedical Imaging and Therapy beamline at the
Canadian Light Source, Adams has helped to give biological sciences’ researchers across campus the opportunity
for great advancements with this powerful new technology.
Adams’ drive and passion is apparent from his lengthy record of scholarly achievement as well as his devoted
mentorship of his students. Over the course of his career, he has mentored 25 graduate students and supervised
more than 30 summer students.
Adams earned his DVM in 1982 after completing pre-veterinary classes in biology in 1978 at the U of S. He
continued his studies at the University of Wisconsin, earning his Master’s degree in 1987 and his PhD in 1991.
Adams became a diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists in 1988. A
June 5 was a red-letter day for Chelsea Himsworth
of Vancouver, B.C. Besides gaining her DVM degree, she
became the 2007 recipient of the WCVM Faculty Gold Medal
— the College’s most prestigious award for undergraduate
students. A few days later, Himsworth talked to The Ark
about her life before veterinary medicine, her time at
WCVM and her next steps in shaping her veterinary career.
Q. What were your experiences with animals while growing up?
I grew up in an animal-loving household that almost always included
Rottweillers and an immortal Yorkshire Terrier (who is about 17 now).
At various times, we also had bunnies, hamsters, finches, lovebirds, fish
and the occasional orphan pigeon. My love of animals
truly flourished when I began to ride at the age of eight,
a passion that continues to this day. Riding was also my
first real exposure to the veterinary profession since my
first pony was re-routed from the auction mart and often
required medical attention.
The Graduate Behind the Gold
Q. What are your strengths?
I’ve always been science-oriented, and right from grade school, I was
especially interested in biology and chemistry. I also liked fashion and design in
high school so when I graduated, I think the school thought it was quite strange
to be giving the same person the proficiency prizes in sewing and advanced
placement chemistry!
Q. How did veterinary medicine become part of your plans?
Ever since I started riding, I thought about veterinary medicine as a possible
career choice and it was a long-term plan to apply. But, like most people, I was
unsure of getting in, so I didn’t really decide until I received my acceptance letter. Q. What did you like about your years at WCVM?
What I found most remarkable is the feeling of community that’s created
by the students, staff and faculty. People at the College genuinely value the
relationships created there, and there’s a sense that we’re all investing in one
WCVM’s Newest Graduates
After four years of hard work and countless challenges, the 71
members of WCVM’s Class of 2007 received their Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine (DVM) degrees on June 5.
They were among the thousands of graduates who participated in
the U of S’s Spring Convocation ceremonies in Saskatoon, Sask. WCVM’s
newest graduates hail from the four western provinces and Canada’s
North — a reflection of the institution’s status as one of Canada’s
regional veterinary colleges.
A highlight was the announcement of the WCVM Faculty Gold Medal
recipient: Chelsea Himsworth of Vancouver, B.C., was selected as the
graduating student who displayed the highest general proficiency “in
the science and art of veterinary medicine” during her four years at the
College.
The day’s finalé was the annual WCVM Spring Awards banquet at
Saskatoon’s Sheraton Cavalier Hotel where more than $32,300 in awards
was presented to students and faculty during the evening. Visit www.
wcvm.com/collegenews (click “College Beat”) to view the complete
listing of award recipients.
another. I especially enjoyed my summer working with the great group of people
in Field Service: my time there was one of the best and most enjoyable learning
experiences in my life.
Q. How did the program fit your interests? What were the challenges?
The WCVM curriculum has a strong background in the pure sciences,
which I could relate to. You’re taught the theory early on and then asked to use
that theory in practical situations later, which really makes sense to me.
The volume of material can be daunting — especially around exam time
— and the breadth of knowledge required in veterinary medicine is an added
challenge. But the biggest challenge is outside of academia: it can be hard to
maintain a balanced life, especially when you really feel that you want to learn
all of the material well.
That’s why the social networks created at the College are so important.
Besides happy hours, round up and hoe-down, I was also involved in the Student
Chapter for the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the Western
Canadian Veterinary Students’ Association, the Health Sciences Students’
Association and co-rec sports. All of these activities offered much-needed study
breaks.
Q. What does the Gold Medal mean for you? Was it a surprise?
It’s a tremendous honour and quite unexpected — especially since I think
that so many of my classmates are so deserving. My parents found out when they
were reading the Convocation booklet during the ceremony: needless to say, they
were quite surprised but thrilled.
Q. What does the future hold for you?
I’m working with the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) for the
summer and then I’ll begin an MVetSc (Master of Veterinary Science program)
in pathology with a wildlife heath option next year. I knew almost nothing about
the field when I first started at WCVM, but as soon as I took general pathology
in second year, I was hooked. There are very few fields where you think about a
problem from the level of the microscope to that of global populations, which
makes pathology challenging and rewarding.
I also have to credit Dr. Ted Leighton for his fabulous fourth-year wildlife
health rotation and for his support of my decision to pursue pathology. His
intellectual curiosity and compassion for humanity is both inspiring and
infectious, and I hope to be able to emulate these qualities as I move forward
with my career. A
3
EQUINE AND COMPANION ANIMAL RESEARCH: WCVM’s equine
and companion animal health scientists received more than $770,000 in
funding for research and specialized training this spring:
• The Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Veterinary
Health and Research Fund awarded $410,000 for three
cutting-edge research investigations of equine endotoxemia, neonatal
Rhodococcus equi pneumonia and genetic ocular disorders at WCVM.
These are the first research projects to receive financial support
from the new research fund that was created in August 2006 when the
Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Foundation contributed $1.07 million
to WCVM’s equine and companion animal health programs. Based on the
donors’ wishes, the college will use $750,000 of the contribution toward
large-scale, WCVM-based equine research projects over the next five
years.
• The Equine Health Research Fund allocated more than
$122,000 toward eight new horse health research studies in reproduction,
orthopedic surgery, pathology and internal medicine at WCVM.
The western Canadian-based fund also directed more than $95,000
toward the support of three graduate students through its fellowship
program — one more EHRF Research Fellow than in previous
years. EHRF is also supporting a four-month research
experience for a first-year WCVM student through
its undergraduate summer student research
program.
• The Companion Animal
Health Fund invested more than
$77,000 in seven new companion
animal health research projects at the
College. The studies focus on small
animal health issues in ophthalmology,
internal medicine, oncology, anesthesia
and surgery. The fund also doubled
its support for specialized training to
more than $60,000 — enabling the Fund
to select two CAHF Research Fellows for
2007-08.
The creation of additional
fellowship positions for the EHRF
and CAHF became possible after
the Heather Ryan and L. David
Dubé Foundation contributed
$125,000 to each fund in
2006.
For more
details, visit the
Equine Health
Research Fund web
site (www.ehrf.
usask.ca) and the
Companion Animal
Health Fund site
(www.cahf.usask.ca).
4
Press
THREATS support: Dr. Monique Dubé, U of S Canada Research
Chair in Aquatic Ecosystem Health Diagnosis and associate professor in
WCVM’s Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, has received $80,000
from the Government of Saskatchewan to assist in the development of
The Healthy River Ecosystem Assessment System (THREATS).
THREATS is cumulative effects assessment software
that can identify when important changes have
occurred in river water quality and in the health
of bugs and fish in aquatic ecosystems. Dubé’s
vision is for THREATS to become a national
aquatic health assessment tool for researchers
and an operational tool for decision makers
across Canada.
The new funding was part of an
announcement made by Premier Lorne
Calvert in March 2007. As part of its “Green
Strategy,” Saskatchewan is providing nearly
$5 million to 20 innovative organizations
and projects that will help protect the
environment and address the effects of climate
change.
GIESY AMONG TOP 10: An international
scientific analysis resource has ranked Dr. John Giesy as
the second-most cited researcher worldwide in the combined
fields of ecology and environmental science. Giesy is the U
of S Canada Research Chair in Environmental Toxicology
and a professor in WCVM’s Department of Veterinary
Biomedical Sciences.
According to Essential Science Indicators, Giesy’s
second-place ranking is based on his research output
between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2006.
During that 11-year period, Giesy published 171 papers
that were cited 4,805 times — an average of 28.10
citations per paper. Since the last 11-year period ending
in December 2005, Giesy’s ranking has risen from fourth
to second place.
The Essential Science Indicators database, which is
part of the Thomson Scientific Research Services Group,
develops a Top 10 citations list in 22 fields every two months.
Its latest ranking is based on a review of 2,448 researchers
with five or more papers published in the fields of ecology and
environmental science.
WCVM RESEARCH REPORT ON LINE: WCVM’s 2006
Annual Research Report highlights WCVM’s research focus areas and
the many collaborations that faculty in these areas have built with
other researchers at the University of Saskatchewan and at institutions
across North America.
As well, the report gives an update on the expansion of WCVM’s
research facilities and resources including its two-storey research wing
and a larger, renovated Animal Care Unit.
To download your own copy of the report, please go to www.wcvm.
com/research and click “Research Report.”
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY RESEARCH SUPPORT: Veterinary
immunologist Dr. John Gordon has received $242,000 in
research funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research
(CIHR). The researcher and his team in WCVM’s Department of
Veterinary Microbiology will use the federal funding to further
the development of a new anti-inflammatory drug that could
ease the suffering of people with arthritis, inflammatory bowel
disease, and cystic fibrosis, as well as to reduce damage caused
by heart attacks and strokes.
Over the next year, Gordon and his team will look at a
number of inflammatory ailments to find out which ones are
the most promising candidates for human clinical trials. Their grant is
part of a $1.2-million funding announcement that was made in April by
CIHR president Dr. Alan Bernstein.
SWINE RESEARCH AWARDS: Three WCVM students received
honours for their research posters and presentations at the American
Association of Swine Veterinarians’ annual meeting that took place in
Orlando, Florida, from March 3 to 6.
Fourth-year veterinary student Heather James of Sechelt, B.C.,
received a $1,500 award for her abstract and presentation, “Umbilical
hernias and abscesses: result of management issues, not genetics.”
James, who conducted the study at WCVM during the summer of 2006,
worked under the supervision of Drs. Murray Duggan and John Harding.
Research presentations conducted by second-year students Valerie
Millette of Saskatoon, Sask. (under the supervision of Drs. Joe Stookey
and Monica Seguin), and Leane Paetkau of Winnipeg, Man. (under
the supervision of Dr. Terry Whiting), also received honourable mentions
at the conference.
The AASV Foundation awarded scholarships totaling $25,000 to 15
veterinary students during the student competition. Alpharma Animal
Health provided $750 travel stipends to each participating student while
the Western Canadian Association of Swine Veterinarians contributed
$5,000 to help defray the travel and accommodation expenses for the
five WCVM students who attended the event.
CAHLN KUDOS: In June, Dr. Kathi Ellis of Delta, B.C., received
the award for the best graduate student presentation at the sixth
annual meeting of the Canadian Animal Health Laboratorians Network
(CAHLN) in Saskatoon, Sask. Ellis is a Master of Veterinary Science
student under Dr. Beverly Kidney’s supervision in WCVM’s Department
of Veterinary Pathology. Her award-winning presentation was entitled,
“Clonality and phenotyping of canine lymphosarcoma using PCR on
cytologic specimens.”
DISCOVERY GRANTS
Six WCVM scientists are the recipients of 2007 Discovery Grants through
the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The
College’s veterinary researchers are among 3,300 university scientists across
Canada who will receive $458.8 million in Discovery Grants to support their
research in the natural sciences and engineering over the next five years.
NSERC’s Discovery Grants support ongoing research programs with longterm goals. “This year’s applicants represent an interesting mix: several are
established faculty who were successful in reapplying for Discovery Grants,
while several others are new faculty with recognized research programs
in Canada and North America,” points out Dr. Norman Rawlings, WCVM’s
associate dean of research.
Results from this year’s grant competition reflect an 85 per cent success
rate for WCVM researchers who applied for NSERC Discovery Grants. WCVM’s
successful applicants will receive an average of about $34,000 per year for
the next five years. Combined, the six grants will contribute more than $1.02
million to the veterinary college’s research program.
“I think WCVM’s success in this year’s competition indicates the
real strengths of our research program right now: our College has a wellrecognized research base that’s thriving with the addition of new people,
facilities and technologies,” says Rawlings.
• Dr. Monique Dubé, Veterinary Biomedical Sciences ($16,360
per year): Direct and indirect effects of metal pollutants on lotic food webs
— comparative sensitivities of warmwater and coldwater forage fish.
• Dr. Gillian Muir, Veterinary Biomedical Sciences ($29,570 per
year): Plasticity of sensorimotor behaviour.
• Dr. Jaswant Singh, Veterinary Biomedical Sciences ($36,934
per year): Mechanisms affecting oocyte competence in the bovine model
— effect of follicular and maternal aging.
• Dr. John Giesy, Veterinary Biomedical Sciences ($40,000 per
year): Risks of perfluorinated chemicals in the environment.
• Dr. Janet Hill, Veterinary Microbiology: ($14,400 per year):
Genomic diversity and population dynamics in natural microbial communities.
• Dr. Vikram Misra (above), Veterinary Microbiology ($68,000
per year): How herpesviruses sense stress in their hosts.
5
FINE-TUNE YOUR FACT-SEEKING MISSIONS
When time is short for a reference search, practitioners can rely on
some valuable on line resources and expertise at the WCVM Library.
Do-it-yourself searching
Before you venture out alone on the web, WCVM librarian Jill CrawleyLow can point you in the right direction with this overview of resources for
citation searches and free access to publications:
• PubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez):
PubMed is a search interface for the Medline database that contains citations
to articles in the areas of biomedical research and the clinical sciences
with limited free access to full-text journals. Some aspects of veterinary
medicine (such as large or food animal, exotics and wildlife) are better
indexed in CAB Abstracts.
• CAB Abstracts (www.cabi.org) provides in-depth coverage
of animal and veterinary sciences literature, and it includes citations for
academic journals, book chapters, reports and conference proceedings.
Check for more details about annual subscription rates for individuals and
practices.
• IVIS (www.ivis.org): The International Veterinary Information
Service provides free access to IVIS “electronic books,” conference
proceedings, short courses and continuing education resources. Free
registration provides full access to the database.
• VIN (www.vin.com): The Veterinary Information Network links
veterinary practitioners, academia and support people around the world. Its
features include databases, message boards, conference rooms, and on line
proceedings of conferences and lectures.
Veterinarians can gain free access to full-text medical articles at the
following sites:
• PubMed Central (www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov) is
the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s free archive of biomedical and life
sciences journals. It includes articles published in the Canadian Veterinary
Journal and the Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research (articles are
available three months after publication).
• Directory of Open Access Journals (www.doaj.org) is
a service that includes more than 2,700 scientific and scholarly journals.
• Free Medical Journals (www.freemedicaljournals.
com) promotes the free availability of full text medical journals and now
includes access to more than 400 medical journals.
Having trouble?
If you need more help, the WCVM Library offers a range of extension
services:
• Database searches: Library staff will perform specific journal
literature searches on veterinary, agriculture and biomedical databases for
a cost recovery-based fee (about $35 per search). While full text articles are
freely available on some of the sites, other articles can be accessed through
databases that are licensed to the U of S.
• Document delivery service: WCVM library staff can fax or
mail copies of journal articles to veterinarians (copyright law prohibits the
distribution of electronic copies). Photocopying fees: 25 cents per page with
a minimum $2.50 charge (includes mail delivery). Fax delivery: $5.00 for
first 20 pages and $5.00 per additional 10 pages (clients will also be charged
photocopying fees). Because time is often critical for practitioners, CrawleyLow says library staff members work hard to ensure a quick turnaround time
for document delivery.
While the WCVM Library can’t lend books to veterinarians, Crawley-Low
says there are other options available. Library staff can photocopy up to 10
per cent of a book’s contents (to comply with copyright), or practitioners can
request books as inter-library loans through their local public libraries.
For more information, visit www.library.usask.ca/vetmed,
call 306-966-7205 or email vetlib@library.usask.ca.
6
WCVM&
beyond
CCWHC RECEIVES OIE DESIGNATION: The World Organisation
for Health (Office International des Epizooties or OIE) has designated
the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre (CCWHC) as its first
international collaborating centre in the area of wild animal health and
disease. The designation means that CCWHC will be OIE’s collaborating
centre for wildlife disease surveillance and monitoring, diagnosis,
epidemiology and management.
Collaborating centres of OIE provide research, expertise,
standardization and dissemination of techniques within their specialized
areas. As part of their mandate, collaborating centres propose or develop
procedures that facilitate harmonization of international regulations
pertaining to animal disease surveillance and control. The centres’
employees also act as expert consultants for the OIE.
The CCWHC is now one of 20 OIE-designated reference laboratories
and collaborating centres in Canada. The CCWHC is a partnership among
Canada’s five veterinary colleges with its headquarters at WCVM. The
organization co-ordinates Canada’s national wildlife health surveillance
program and provides educational programs, information, and consultation
to government and non-government agencies, and to the public.
R.G. THOMSON LECTURER: Dr. Reuben Mapletoft delivered
the R.G. Thomson Lecture on March 15 at the University of Prince Edward
Island’s Atlantic Veterinary College. Mapletoft, a professor in WCVM’s
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and a founding member of
the U of S Reproductive Sciences and Medicine Group, talked about how
collaborations with other scientists and organizations have helped him to
achieve research success in the field of theriogenology.
Mapletoft gave his presentation during AVC’s annual Graduate Studies
and Research Days. The R.G. Thomson Lecture is an endowed annual
lecture series that honours Dr. Reginald Thomson — AVC’s founding dean.
The veterinary college’s Graduate Studies and Research Committee selects
the annual lecturer based on nominations from AVC faculty.
NEW VIDO DIRECTOR: Dr. Andrew Potter is the new director of
the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO). Potter takes over
the job from Dr. Lorne Babiuk, who is now vice-president research at the
University of Alberta.
Potter, who joined VIDO in 1985, was associate director of research
and chief scientific officer before assuming his new role. He is renowned
for his visionary research into how bacteria cause disease and for his
groundbreaking projects at VIDO that have generated ‘world firsts’ in disease
prevention and more than 40 patents for animal vaccine development and
therapeutics.
Besides leading VIDO, Potter will soon be responsible for directing the
future International Vaccine Centre (InterVac). Both organizations are
expected to become the research centres for of the new U of S School of Public
Health.
AVMA AWARD RECIPIENTS: The Alberta Veterinary Medical
Association (AVMA) presented annual service awards during its member
recognition banquet on January 27. The provincial veterinary medical
association’s award recipients included a former WCVM professor as well as
several alumni from the College:
• Dr. Chris Bigland, who passed away in 2006, was the recipient of the
AVMA Veterinarian of the Year award that recognizes a member’s outstanding
contribution in the veterinary field. Considered one of the foremost Alberta
veterinarians of the 20th century, Bigland was WCVM’s first head of its
Department of Veterinary Microbiology (1964-1974) and the founding
director of the Veterinary and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO).
• Dr. C. Greg Andrews (WCVM ’74) of Moore and Co. Veterinary
Services in Balzac, Alta., received the Meritorious Service award for his
outstanding service to the AVMA.
• Dr. Jeffrey Person (WCVM ’02) of Delton Veterinary Hospital
in Edmonton, Alta., received the Young Veterinarian of the Year award in
recognition of his enthusiasm for veterinary medicine and demonstrated
leadership in the profession and in the association.
• Dr. Gary Harbin (WCVM ’69) of Ponoka Veterinary Clinic received
the Communications award in recognition of his efforts to enhance the public
image of the veterinary profession in Alberta.
STUDENTS OF MERIT: The U of S College of Graduate Studies and
Research awarded two Centennial Merit scholarships worth $5,000 each to
Saskatchewan graduate students Dr. Leigh Rosengren and Carolyn
Paterson.
• Rosengren, a PhD candidate under Dr. Cheryl Waldner’s supervision, is
a graduate student in WCVM’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences.
With a research focus in swine epidemiology, Rosengren is investigating
antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter and E. coli in finishing pigs.
• Paterson is a PhD student in WCVM’s Department of Veterinary
Microbiology whose research focuses on molecular virology. Paterson is part
of a research team at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO)
that’s carrying out molecular characterization of bovine adenovirus-3. Led by
Dr. Suresh Tikoo of VIDO, the team’s aim is to develop the adenovirus as a live
vaccine vector for animals and humans.
The scholarships, which are for the 2006-07 academic year, were made
possible through funding from the Saskatchewan government. The Centennial
Merit scholarships were created to recognize academic excellence and
support provincial residents who are attending post-secondary institutions in
Saskatchewan.
RESEARCH POSTER AWARDS: A number of WCVM graduate students
received awards for their research posters during the U of S 14th Annual Life
and Health Sciences Research Conference on March 16:
• Dr. Mitchell Gillick (Small Animal Clinical Sciences) received first
prize in the Animal Sciences category. Supervisor: Dr. Kathleen Linn.
• Candice Jackel-Cram (Veterinary Microbiology) received second
prize in the Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Immunology category.
Supervisors: Drs. Lorne Babiuk and Qiang Liu.
• Ximena Valderrama (Veterinary Microbiology) received first prize in
the Neurosciences-Molecular category. Supervisor: Dr. Vikram Misra.
• Mandy Olsgard (Veterinary Pathology) received first prize in the Soil
Sciences and Environmental Toxicology category. Supervisor: Dr. Judit Smits.
• Jorgelina Muscatello (Veterinary Biomedical Sciences)
received second prize in the Soil Sciences and Environmental Toxicology
category. Supervisor: Dr. David Janz.
• Dr. Valeria Tanco (Veterinary Biomedical Sciences) received
first prize in the Reproductive Biology category. Supervisors: Drs. Gregg
Adams and Jaswant Singh.
Innovative
MINDS
A new drug with the potential to treat a wide array of
inflammatory conditions has secured this year’s Award of
Innovation for Dr. John Gordon and Dr. Fang Li of the University of
Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine.
The two researchers were named as winners of the $5,000 award
on May 15th at TCU Place at the “Celebrate Success!” gala, sponsored
by the Saskatoon and District Chamber of Commerce and Women
Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan Inc.
Their innovation is a protein called G31P that targets
inflammation associated with neutrophils, a type of white blood cell.
The targeted response may make G31P superior to alternatives such
as corticosteroids that can cause severe complications when used at
high doses or over prolonged periods of time.
“Dr. Gordon and his team truly are a research highlight of the
Western College of Veterinary Medicine, and they have done so
much to further the College’s research efforts in the past decade,”
says Dr. Norman Rawlings, WCVM’s associate dean of research.
“We congratulate Drs. Gordon and Li on their inspiring work and
determination to fully develop G31P’s therapeutic potential.”
Gordon is a veterinary immunologist in WCVM’s Department of
Veterinary Microbiology. When the research team first developed the
genetically-engineered protein more than seven years ago, Li was a
post-doctoral fellow in Gordon’s lab who worked on the generation
and characterization of G31P. The molecular immunologist is now
head of the Department of Immunology at the Dalian Medical
University in Dalian, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China.
7
The University of Saskatchewan
officially became home to a college of
veterinary medicine in August 1963
— but the university’s close links
with animal health and veterinary
science began much earlier on in the
institution’s 100-year history.
Two years after the U of S was
established in 1907, workers began
to build a comprehensive working
farm on the university’s Saskatoon
site. For William Rutherford, dean of
the university’s College of Agriculture,
the farm was critical to the research,
teaching and extension work of the
agricultural college. Its operation
included crops, and a variety of livestock: swine,
sheep, poultry, beef and dairy cattle, and horses.
The U of S farm soon became an agricultural centre
where students, professors and local producers learned the best
techniques in crop production, farm management, livestock breeding enhancement and of
course — animal health and veterinary science. Instruction in veterinary science began as
early as 1913 at the U of S College of Agriculture and an official department of veterinary
science was established in 1923 — one year before the university’s
animal diseases laboratory opened its doors in 1924.
Clockwise from above: Dr. John S. Fulton, head of the U of S Department
of Veterinary Hygiene and director of the Animal Disease Laboratory (A3253). Top: The “Better Farming Train” served as an agricultural college
on wheels during the summers between 1914 and 1920. Saskatchewan
residents learned more about agricultural products, equipment and practices
through lectures, exhibits and demonstration cars (A-1422). Right: Dr.
W.J. Rutherford, the first dean of the U of S College of Agriculture, was a
strong proponent of developing a veterinary college at the university (A2109). Centre, far right: Dr. Seymour Hadwen, one of Canada’s “veterinary
giants” in the early 20th century, served in veterinary research at the U of
S from 1923 to 1929 (A-2863). Below: Members of the Animal Husbandry
Department conduct a cattle demonstration at the Livestock Show in the U
of S Livestock Pavilion during a Farm and Home Week event in the 1930s.
(A-2239).
8
• 1907: The University Act receives Royal Assent, creating the U of S.
• 1909: William Rutherford is appointed as dean of the College of
Agriculture, the university’s first college.
• 1912: Construction on the university’s main barn and livestock pavilion is
completed; the College of Agriculture opens in the fall of 1912.
• 1913: Instruction begins in veterinary science at the College of
Agriculture.
• 1923: The Animal Husbandry-Veterinary Science building is erected, and
an official Department of Veterinary Science is established at the U of S.
• 1930: Dr. John S. Fulton becomes head of the U of S Animal Disease
Laboratory. Five years later, Fulton becomes the first to develop vaccines
for human and equine encephalomyelitis.
• 1948: The Virus Laboratory building opens. In 1964, the building is
renamed the J.S. Fulton Laboratory.
• 1965: The first class of veterinary students is admitted to the Western
College of Veterinary Medicine.
• 1969: The WCVM building is officially dedicated, weeks after the first
class graduates.
• 1989: The Fulton Laboratory is torn down, and a new Veterinary
Microbiology addition at WCVM is named the Fulton Wing.
• 2005: WCVM celebrates its 40th anniversary.
• 2007: A $57-million expansion of WCVM’s facilities and resources is
underway at the four-decade-old regional college.
Although the idea of establishing a
regional veterinary college was considered
by Rutherford as early as the 1920s, it would
take another four decades before discussions
among representatives of the four western
provinces reached fruition. The result was
the Western College of Veterinary Medicine
— a vibrant centre of veterinary education,
research and expertise for the entire region.
More than 40 years after its creation, the
College has developed into a world-class
institution whose facilities and programs
continue to grow and adapt to the changing
needs of its stakeholders across Western
Canada.
These images, which were provided by U of S
Archives and Dr. Ernie Olfert (WCVM ’69), illustrate
the importance of animal health and veterinary
medicine throughout the university’s first century. For more information about the colourful
history of agriculture and veterinary medicine at the U of S, please visit the university’s Archives
department (www.usask.ca/archives). For easier reference, photo identification numbers are
included in the cutlines for all U of S Archives photos.
Above (clockwise): Dr. Robert Connell oversees blood tests on wild ducks for encephalomyelitis
(May 1960). Connell became director of the U of S Animal Diseases Laboratory in 1958 and was to
head WCVM’s Department of Veterinary Microbiology but died suddenly in early 1964. Above, centre:
Dr. D.L.T. (Larry) Smith, WCVM’s first dean and a renowned professor of veterinary pathology. Top
right (from left to right): the Fulton Laboratory sits alongside the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary
Science building while the steelwork for the new veterinary college takes shape (circa 1967). Right,
centre: WCVM’s opening ceremonies in July 1969. Bottom right: Conducting a radiograph on a canine
patient in the new Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
9
Building
BRILLIANCE
As the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s
four-year expansion forges past the halfway
mark, the College’s students, faculty and staff
are opening the doors to an exciting new array
of facilities and resources.
Small Animal Clinic Reception
Small Animal Surgery, Anesthesia
Research wing? Check. Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s two-storey
addition? Ready. Biosecure loading dock? Check. Equine isolation unit
and stock area? Check. Animal Care Unit? Complete. Food animal teaching
centre? Small animal surgery and clinical area renovations? Large animal
chute complex? Done, done — and done.
More than two years after the Western College of Veterinary Medicine began
a major expansion and renovation of its facilities, the number of completed
projects has steadily grown into an impressive list. And as the list grows, so does
the number of new doors opening to reveal freshly-painted facilities and pristine,
state-of-the-art equipment.
These are welcome signs for everyone connected to the veterinary college,
and as WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes points out, it’s been rewarding to witness
the immediate benefits for animals and people alike as the expanded and
renovated facilities are put to use.
“Our students, staff, our clients and all of our stakeholders have been
incredibly patient throughout this expansion. Now, it’s our chance to enjoy the
results: everyone is beginning to discover how all of these new facilities can
enhance the calibre of our clinical services, our research activities and our
veterinary training,” says Rhodes.
He adds that through careful co-ordination of all of these construction
projects, WCVM has been able to continue with all of its regular academic
activities and clinical services in its veterinary teaching hospital during the past
two and a half years.
“Once people realize that fact, they’re amazed that we’ve been able to
maintain the ‘business as usual’ approach in teaching, research, clinical and
diagnostic services for so many months,” says Rhodes.
Construction will continue on a number of projects in and around the
veterinary college until late 2008. But now that the expansion has surpassed a
major milestone and new facilities are in use, Rhodes says it’s easier to envision
a very special day — the day when WCVM’s list of completed projects is full. A
New Dollars for Diagnostic Area
As tradespeople worked on WCVM’s new diagnostics area on February 12, federal and
provincial government representatives met just a few metres away in the U of S College of
Agriculture and Bioresources’ warm foyer to announce new funding for the construction
project.
The news conference brought Honourable Chuck Strahl, federal minister of
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada,
together with Honourable Mark
Wartman, Saskatchewan’s minister for
Agriculture and Food, to unveil a $41.5million funding package for agricultural
research and development in the
province.
The package, which is part of the
federal Agricultural Policy Framework,
included $5.8 million in support
for WCVM’s diagnostics area that
encompasses Prairie Diagnostics Services
— the provincial veterinary laboratory
service.
The money will
be used to increase
biosecurity and biosafety standards in the
expanded and renovated diagnostics area,
explains WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes. The
enhanced diagnostic facilities and equipment
will enable WCVM to work with its partners
in addressing major animal health issues
including preparedness for foreign animal
disease diagnostics.
This latest funding announcement is
to address additional provincial diagnostic
needs not included in the initial expansion
plan funding. A
Food Animal Teaching Centre
Animal Care Unit
Research Wing
Large Animal Chute System
CONSTRUCTION ROUND-UP: David Humphreys of UMA
Engineering Ltd., project manager for WCVM’s expansion and
renovation project, gives a quick overview of the veterinary
college’s construction developments and upcoming plans:
• Animal Care Unit: An expansion to the original ACU
and renovations to the existing area were completed in
January 2007.
• Research wing: Staff and students moved into the
1,468-square-metre, two-storey facility on April 30. Crews will
wrap up specific projects in the wing this summer. The facility
adds crucial office space and two research laboratories.
• Small Animal Clinic renovations: Workers
completed renovations to the small animal surgery,
anesthesia, intensive care and treatment rooms in midNovember 2006.
• Veterinary Teaching Hospital expansion: Crews
finished final commissioning in June and the two-storey
addition opened to staff, faculty and the public in early July.
Renovations to areas in the existing hospital will continue into
early 2008.
• Diagnostics area: Expansion work on the structure
began in the fall of 2006 after the temporary loading dock
receiving facility was established. At the same time, crews
completed preliminary site work to relocate existing services.
Workers have completed the basement and main floor on the
diagnostics expansion site. Work will continue on the second
floor and roof during the summer and early fall of 2007.
As part of the diagnostics expansion, workers will install a
new biomass handling system that will replace the existing
incinerator.
• Room 2115 lecture theatre renovation: Crews
commenced demolition work in the spring and the project is
scheduled for completion in August 2007.
• Future design work is ongoing on a number of
academic facility improvements, additional large animal
facility improvements and on the renovation of the existing
diagnostics laboratory once the expansion is completed.
A Team
EFFORT
The Western College of Veterinary Medicine recognizes
the latest supporters of its $57-million expansion
AVMA
BEYOND THE CALL: In April, the Western
College of Veterinary Medicine received a very
welcome letter from the Alberta Veterinary Medical
Association. Inside was a cheque for $27,616.51 — the
provincial association’s latest contribution toward the
WCVM Veterinary Teaching Hospital Expansion capital
campaign.
As AVMA President Dr. Ken Hubbard explained in
his accompanying letter, the money was collected
from a number of the association’s members who
responded to AVMA’s request for voluntary donations
to the College’s expansion. Over the past two years,
association members have sent in contributions to
WCVM along with their annual AVMA membership
renewal fees.
This cheque means that so far, the provincial
veterinary medical association and its members have
exceeded their original pledge and contributed more
than $52,000 to the College’s infrastructure project,
says WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes.
“The support of the AVMA and its members for
the College’s expansion exemplifies the incredible
‘can do’ spirit among Western Canada’s veterinary
community. We’re extremely grateful for this great
investment.”
Vétoquinol Canada
When Paul Renaud heard more details about WCVM’s expansion plans, the marketing director of
Vétoquinol Canada immediately saw the value of supporting the four-year initiative.
“The expansion of WCVM means the future expansion of veterinary medicine’s ‘intellectual
capital,’” explains Renaud. “For a company like Vétoquinol whose entire focus is on animal health,
that’s the keystone to everything for us. If we can help to build that intellectual capital of veterinary
medicine in Canada, then we’re doing something that fits well with our company’s long-term goals.”
In total, the company committed $20,000 to WCVM’s capital campaign — a donation that will
be paid over four years. This generous contribution is in addition to the thousands of dollars that
Vétoquinol already provides in annual sponsorships and scholarships to WCVM students, faculty and
staff.
Renaud acknowledges that contributing to the College’s infrastructure project was a new concept
for Vétoquinol Canada. While the animal health company has a lengthy history of supporting student
activities and awarding their academic achievements at WCVM and at other veterinary colleges across
Canada, this is the first time that Vétoquinol has invested in an educational institution’s expansion.
“We recognized the importance of this project to western Canadians, and since we want to
continue to be an active participant in the animal health industry and in the veterinary profession, we
decided it was time to step up to the plate and do something about it,” says Renaud.
ABOVE: WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes with Theresa McDermott (left), Vétoquinol’s territorial manager in
Alberta, Pamela Suddaby (second from right), Vétoquinol’s WCVM student representative, and Dr. Myriam
Perrollaz (right), the company’s technical service manager for companion animals.
12
The WCABP meeting was the ideal setting for the announcement
since Schering-Plough’s contribution is earmarked for supporting
WCVM’s new food animal teaching centre — a facility where veterinary
students learn vital animal handling techniques and medical procedures
that are used in food animal practice.
“We’re very active in the food animal segment of the business, and
we receive a high level of support from the western Canadian veterinary
community in that area. Supporting the construction of this teaching
centre just made a good fit for Schering-Plough,” says Roger.
In fact, the animal health company has found a variety of projects at
WCVM that fit in well with its long-term goals. For instance, the company
supports gFARAD (Global Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank)
that operates its western hub at WCVM. Last year, it partnered with
the College and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to organize
a foreign animal disease workshop for swine veterinarians across
Canada. Large Animal Veterinary Rounds, a WCVM-produced
publication for Canada’s large animal veterinarians, is another project whose sole
financial support is from Schering-Plough.
In addition, the company often works with WCVM scientists to conduct
contracted regulatory and marketing research projects, plus it provides funding
for independent clinical investigations in key areas including bovine reproduction
and small animal ophthalmology. Recently, the company’s field employees even
went one step further by helping to deliver a demographic survey of large animal
veterinarians in western Canadian clinics.
“For Schering-Plough, this is much more than a business relationship: we’re
partners with people at WCVM, and we really feel like a long-term stakeholder in
this venture,” says Roger.
Schering-Plough Canada
For years, Schering-Plough Animal Health has teamed up with WCVM to
help out with a wide range of initiatives including research projects, student
awards and activities, continuing education events, publications and database
development.
Now, the company can add “building developer” to that list. In January 2007,
Gordon Roger of Schering-Plough announced the company’s plans to invest
$100,000 in WCVM’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital Expansion capital campaign
during the annual meeting of the Western Canadian Association of Bovine
Practitioners.
“Because WCVM and Schering-Plough have overlapping areas of interest and
mutual areas of development, we really have a natural relationship,” says Roger,
the company’s sales manager for Western Canada. “We’ve been fortunate to be
so close to the veterinary college, and when it turned out that we had a pool of
financial resources available last year, we wanted to share it with one of our key
partners.”
Pfizer Animal Health
WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes (right) and Don Sauder, Pfizer Animal
Health’s former division director for Canada. Sauder now leads the
company’s U.S. dairy business.
Above (left to right): Gordon Roger presents a cheque to Drs. Murray Jelinski and
Jeremy Bailey of WCVM.
Terry Gunter of Pfizer Animal Health recalls touring through WCVM’s
facilities with Dr. Jeremy Bailey, the College’s associate dean (academic) several
years ago just as the College’s expansion was getting underway. “The need for
expansion was very clear,” says Gunter, the animal health company’s division
director for Canada. “We understood that need and we wanted to do our part.”
In response, Pfizer Animal Health committed $80,000 to the WCVM Veterinary
Teaching Hospital Expansion capital campaign earlier this year — a donation that was
announced during the company’s annual WCVM student learning session in January
2007. “Our company has a high regard for the veterinary profession, and we’re
strongly partnered in this industry,” explains Gunter. “Having a strong WCVM means
producing high quality veterinarians who in turn will provide high quality service to
livestock and pet owners in Canada. In that way, we’ll contribute to the growth of a
very important part of our economic structure in Canada.”
While Pfizer’s investment in the College’s expansion is very significant,
Gunter points out that the commitment is a small component of the company’s total
relationship with WCVM. Each year, Pfizer Animal Health organizes a learning session
where WCVM students gain valuable guidance from a featured speaker or receive
a complimentary copy of the Compendium of Veterinary Products. As well, Pfizer
Animal Health annually distributes about $6,000 in scholarships to WCVM students,
supports WCVM-based investigations in small and large animal health research, and
sponsors fourth-year rotations in swine and feedlot health.
Relationship building is a key goal for the Pfizer Animal Health WCVM contact
team that’s led by Dr. Kathleen Keil, says Gunter. “We really strive to build longterm relationships with all of the various players in the veterinary profession, be
it students who will one day be practicing veterinarians, be it academics who are
teaching the students of today, or be it researchers who are pushing the barriers back
on the research front.”
13
BECOMING WCVM’S NEW DEVELOPMENT OFFICER was a natural progression
for Patti Tweed whose career has woven physical and spiritual health with
development and philanthropy in a very unique way.
“The whole concept of health and well-being is what drives me and every
part of my career,” says Tweed.
A 1972 graduate of the U of S College of Home Economics, Tweed practised
as a dietitian for two decades — serving as director of the Royal University
Hospital’s dietetic internship program for 10 of those years. She credits a Grade 7
science project and her father’s career in the livestock feed industry for sparking
her interest in nutrition. “My project was called ‘Pigs Eat Better than People,’ and
I think that was the beginning of it all,” says Tweed, laughing.
In the early 1990s, Tweed shifted her focus from nutrition to an exploration
of “food for the soul” when she began studying theology at the University of
Winnipeg. After earning her Certificate in Theology in 1995, she became the
program’s director for five years.
During that time, she became part of a development council that looked at
possibilities for fund raising at the university. “I began to apprentice with some
HOSPITAL DIRECTOR RESIGNS: In June, Dr. Stan Rubin
very fine people in the field, I started taking courses, and eventually, I moved
(WCVM
’80) stepped down from his role as director of WCVM’s Veterinary
into fund raising,” explains Tweed, who helped to establish the University of
Teaching
Hospital. Rubin, who has worked at WCVM since 1984, has been
Winnipeg Foundation in 2003.
the
hospital’s
director for more than five years and has been a key player
Two years later, Tweed returned to the U of S and became the development
in
the
planning
team for the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s renovation
officer at the College of Nursing — an experience that showed her the value of
and
expansion
projects.
Rubin will rejoin the College’s Department of
building strong networks between professions, private and public sectors, and
Small
Animal
Clinical
Sciences
as a professor of small animal internal
communities. The role also helped her to appreciate the vital links between
medicine
on
September
1.
human medicine and veterinary medicine: “What I find especially interesting is
While the College searches for a new hospital director, Dr. Klaas
the interrelationship between animal and human health — an area that’s coming
Post
has agreed to serve as interim director of the teaching hospital. Post
more and more to the fore in terms of research,” says Tweed.
is
the
department head of WCVM’s Department of Small Animal Clinical
She points to Dr. John Gordon’s research in developing a potential treatment
Sciences.
for inflammatory conditions in livestock and in humans as one example. “My son
has cystic fibrosis and I’ve been a volunteer with the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis
NEW ADDITIONS TO WCVM FACULTY: The College welcomes
Foundation (CCFF) since 1983. Dr. Gordon has a grant from the foundation, so it’s
three new faculty members:
very interesting to learn how his work can bring potential benefits to animals as
• Dr. Tasha Epp has been appointed as an associate professor
well as to people like my son. It’s also wonderful to witness how
of
zoonotic
disease in WCVM’s Department of Large Animal Clinical
the CCFF’s support is a link in this exciting chain of events in
Sciences.
Epp, who graduated from WCVM in 2000 and defends
research.”
her
PhD
thesis in 2007, has been involved in nearly five years
Tweed looks forward to describing these kinds of
of
epidemiological
research that focused on the spread of
examples to people who are interested in supporting
West
Nile
virus
(WNV)
through Western Canada. Epp will be
WCVM’s educational, research and clinical activities:
involved
in
undergraduate
teaching and research targeting
“Part of my role is to act as a conduit or a
the
identification
and
study
of important zoonotic diseases
‘philanthropic matchmaker’ between the work
in
Western
Canada.
She
will
also help to promote the
that’s being done at the College and the interests
veterinarian’s
role
in
public
health through courses and
of the donors. It’s an ongoing — and fascinating
through
her
involvement
with
the U of S Master of Public
— learning process for all of us.”
Health
program.
As well, Tweed will also work closely with
• Dr. James Carmalt took on his new role as
WCVM’s family of donors to ensure that they
associate
professor of large animal surgery in WCVM’s
see the results of their commitment. One of
Department
of Large Animal Clinical Sciences on July 1.
the most visible examples is the College’s major
A
1998
graduate
of the University of Cambridge’s veterinary
expansion that has garnered the generous support of
Patti Tweed
clinical
program,
Carmalt
completed a MVetSc program at
organizations, businesses and individuals — including
WCVM
in
2003
along
with
residencies
in veterinary clinical
WCVM alumni, faculty, staff and students.
practice
(equine)
and
large
animal
surgery.
He is board-certified
Another area where Tweed will serve as a link is between
with
the
American
Board
of
Veterinary
Practitioners
(equine) and the
WCVM and U of S Advancement that provides all colleges with
American
College
of
Veterinary
Surgeons,
and
he
is
a
member of the
support in alumni relations, communications, databases and donation
Royal
College
of
Veterinary
Surgeons.
processing. “A key role that development officers play is to interpret the unique
• Dr. Jennifer Ogeer-Gyles will begin her new role as an
perspectives from each college and to tailor the services that we provide our
associate
professor of emergency and critical care in WCVM’s Department
respective colleges,” explains Tweed. “The result is that each of us can use
of
Small
Animal
Clinical Sciences on August 1. A 1995 graduate of
diverse ways to highlight how all of our colleges ultimately contribute to the
the
Ontario
Veterinary
College, Ogeer-Gyles completed a residency in
greater good of the U of S — and to society.”
emergency
medicine
and
critical care at OVC in 2004 and received her
To reach Patti Tweed, please call 306-966-7450 or email patti.tweed@
Master
of
Science
degree
in
2005. The specialist is a diplomate of the
usask.ca.
American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care.
BEAT
14
CHANGES AT WCVM LIBRARY, GOODALE FARM: Two integral members
of the WCVM Library staff have left the College for new pursuits. Robin Bunz, who has
been the WCVM Library’s office supervisor for the past nine years, has retired after a 30year career with the U of S Library system. Jill Crawley-Low, librarian and branch
head of the Veterinary Medicine Library, is joining the U of S Library senior leadership
team as assistant dean. Crawley-Low will be responsible for the university’s services to its
libraries including specialist infrastructure services and functions, the delivery of client
services throughout the branch libraries, and electronic services.
Bill Kerr has resigned after many years as manager of WCVM’s Goodale
Research Farm. Assistant manager Brad Blackmore has taken on the role of interim
manager while the College searches for a permanent replacement.
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: A School of Public Health is one of three
new schools established at the University of Saskatchewan this spring. This new
interdisciplinary school is the result of collaboration among the universities’ health
sciences colleges (including WCVM), key research centres, the Saskatoon Health Region
and Saskatchewan Health. Its goal is to become a preeminent learning and research
centre that will connect teaching, research and community outreach under one
umbrella with a focus on public health.
The School of Public Health will focus on five major areas: vaccinology
and immunotherapeutics, veterinary public health, agricultural and rural public
health, Aboriginal peoples’ health, and socio-behavioural dimensions of public
health. The new U of S Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) will become the
school’s foundational program while new graduate programs in vaccinology and
immunotherapeutics, epidemiology, biostatistics and socio-behavioural health and
health administration will be developed over the next five years. Organizers expect to
offer programming in the fall of 2007.
TOXICOLOGY CENTRE EXPANSION: An $11.8-million expansion to the
U of S Toxicology Centre — including Canada’s first water pollution research facility
— officially opened in mid-June. The project, which took two years to complete,
adds 760 square metres of new space to the centre while other areas of the 21-year-old
building have been renovated to accommodate additional faculty, staff and students.
A highlight of the expansion is the Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility — the
first of its kind in Canada and one of only a few similar research resources in the world.
The expansion provides U of S scientists with the tools needed to detect, monitor and
evaluate toxic pollution in Canada’s lakes, rivers and other aquatic ecosystems. Their
findings will help address critical questions about water quality, ecosystem health and
national environmental policies.
A core group of 14 U of S toxicology researchers — including faculty
members of WCVM’s Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences — will use
the new resources with research collaborators and partners, technical staff and
visiting scientists.
SUMMER RESEARCH STUDENTS: More than two dozen
undergraduate students are gaining first-hand experience in the world of
research at WCVM and at other U of S research centres this summer. The
students are part of the College’s annual undergraduate summer research
and leadership training program — an initiative that’s designed to increase
the number of veterinary graduates who pursue advanced training in
biomedical and clinical research.
Twelve of the students are supported through the Interprovincial
Undergraduate Student Summer Research program that’s sponsored by the four
western provinces. Other program partners include the Merck-Merial Veterinary
Scholar Program for Biomedical Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
Council of Canada’s Undergraduate Student Research Awards, the Canadian Institutes
of Health Research (CIHR) and the Equine Health Research Fund (EHRF).
For a complete listing of summer students and their supervisors, visit www.wcvm.
com/collegenews (under “College Beat”).
ANIMAL
Attraction!
Once again, WCVM students successfully introduced thousands
of visitors to the variety-packed world of veterinary medicine during
Vetavision 2007 from March 22 to 25, 2007.
During the four-day show, students set
up displays, organized presentations and
demonstrations, and answered questions about
everything from career aspirations to pet
health care.
Of course, animals played a starring
role: visitors of all ages saw chicks,
piglets, lambs, goats and calves in
“Kiddies Korral,” while many students
also brought along their pets. Daily
presentations included talks on animal
behaviour, Global Vets, miniature
horses, wildlife medicine, working dogs
and pet care. Veterinarian and author Dr.
Dave Perrin (WCVM ’73) was also on hand
to share stories and sign books.
Because WCVM is undergoing a major
expansion, organizers moved Vetavision from its
usual fall time spot to March when several projects were
nearing completion. As a result, visitors had some “sneak peaks” of the
new research wing and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s renovations. The
new food animal teaching centre was also used for Vetavision’s animal
displays and demonstrations.
15
In 1971, Dr. Ron Chaplin was a post-doctorate fellow in dairy science
working in the Ohio Agricultural Research Development Center when the
National Dairy Council offered him a job. But when Chaplin called to accept
the position in the Council’s Chicago office, there was one problem: the line
was busy.
“Meanwhile, the mail came and there was a letter from Dr. Walter Roe,
the acting department head of physiology at WCVM,” explains Chaplin, who
had just finished his PhD at the University of Illinois.
Roe was offering a temporary position in the College’s physiology
department, and the job was right up Chaplin’s alley. Born and raised on
a farm south of Seattle, Wash., the Washington State University graduate
had always wanted to work in a veterinary college and maintain his links in
animal science.
So Chaplin delayed his call to the Dairy Council and pulled out a
map of Canada: “When we didn’t see many roads in Saskatchewan, my wife
and I decided that we would like this a lot better than living in downtown
Chicago.”
Shortly after, Chaplin, his wife, their two sets of twins and “a spare”
(all under the age of five) headed north in their station wagon. As soon as he
arrived at WCVM, Chaplin began teaching students about the functions of the
body’s systems: cardiovascular, renal, digestive, nervous, blood, respiratory,
everything.
“I’ve always taught the physiology course for the College of
Agriculture’s animal science students, and I’ve taught half of the Biology 218
course (now a third-year course) in the College of Arts and Science for the
past 25 years. And of course, I’ve been involved in teaching physiology to the
first- and second-year veterinary students,” says Chaplin.
While physiology is one of veterinary medicine’s core courses, Chaplin
says some students don’t always recognize the course’s
importance until their final years. “Once they get in clinical
rotations, they understand the importance of knowing what’s
normal before they try to diagnose what’s abnormal,” says
the associate professor in WCVM’s Department of Veterinary
Biomedical Sciences. “That basic understanding is really
critical when you’re examining a sick animal.”
Chaplin has also put a lot of time and effort into his labs where students
gain hands-on experience with actual animals — valuable, real-life lessons in
physiology that he doubts they will ever forget.
“The emphasis today is to move away from using animals to using
computer simulation programs or other means in teaching labs. But I don’t
think it’s the same. We kid around and say, ‘The animal never read the
textbook,’ because they don’t always respond the way they’re supposed to. And
that’s the value of these labs: it lets students think about the mechanisms that
are involved in controlling the animal’s different responses.”
It’s knowledge that still fascinates Chaplin — even after more than three
decades: “It’s the mystery behind it: how all of these systems work under so
many conditions, how the systems can adjust, and what happens when they
can’t adjust and pathology comes into the picture.”
Does Chaplin think his students have changed in 35 years? “Well, they’ve
been getting younger,” he says with a grin. “But the truth is we’ve got such
a super group of students: they’re an eager bunch who know exactly where
they’re going and they’ll work so hard to get there. That’s what makes them
such a joy to work with and why I still enjoy teaching.”
But Chaplin’s admiration of his students doesn’t stop him from teasing
them — especially when it comes to tying knots: “I swear, I don’t know how
some of them tie their shoes,” he says, demonstrating one of the knot tricks
that always manages to entertain his students. “Just tying simple knots helps to
get them using their hands and to develop the dexterity they’re going to need
once they start surgery.”
Dr. Ron Chaplin
Teaching Ace and Master of Knots
16
While Chaplin has dedicated much of his time to teaching, he’s also
been involved in a number of research projects — primarily dealing with the
digestibility of feeds. During his career, Chaplin worked with the Saskatchewan
Research Council to explore the possibility of developing feed out of poplar
trees for cattle and conducted comparative digestion studies with muskoxen
and cattle. In 1996, Chaplin even travelled with three students to Banks Island
in the Canadian Arctic where they captured five musk ox calves and brought
them back to improve WCVM’s herd.
But the professor’s focus has always been teaching — an interest that
spilled over to his family life where Chaplin spent years as a Cub Scout leader
and hockey coach while his five children grew up. “I’ve always loved teaching
— I guess it’s in my blood,” says Chaplin, who now has another generation of
six grandchildren to encourage.
Chaplin suspects that his tendency to get involved will keep him busy
during retirement whether it’s working part-time or finishing projects on his
farm south of Saskatoon.
He and his wife Kathy operate Chaplin’s Country Bed & Breakfast that
offers visitors a chance to experience life on a farm complete with cattle, goats,
pot-bellied pigs, sheep and a variety of birds. Chaplin’s wife also opens their
farm to nearly 3,000 local students for farm tours every spring, while more
families visit in December to pick trees from the couple’s Christmas tree farm.
Amazing to think that all of this started with a busy signal. A
As a teenager growing up in California, Chuck
Farrow cleaned kennels at a veterinary hospital located
near the border of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills —
a job that carried a rare perk for the 16-year-old. Among
the hospital’s visitors were America’s most well-known
faces: movie actors Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Robert
Wagner, Natalie Wood, jazz great Ella Fitzgerald and
General Omar Bradley — one of the U.S. Army’s five-star
generals.
“Kennel boys would hold the animals while the
veterinarian worked on them, so that was my chance to
brush shoulders with these celebrities,” recalls Farrow.
But besides the thrill of meeting stars, Farrow’s job
at the hospital piqued a lifelong interest in veterinary
medicine. A graduate of the School of Veterinary
Medicine at the University of California (Davis), Farrow
completed a residency and became a board-certified
specialist in radiology — expertise that brought him to
the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) in
1976.
“I planned to come here and stay for only a couple
of years. I had never heard of Saskatchewan, and
what I knew about Canada came from the 1950s
radio show, ‘Sergeant Preston of the Yukon,’”
says Farrow. “I honestly thought that people
regularly used dog sleds to get around.”
But despite the lack of dog sleds, Farrow
stayed on at WCVM where he has managed to make a lasting impression
on the institution and on his chosen profession in the past three decades.
Besides authoring six books on medical imaging, Farrow has written 50
textbook chapters and 200 scientific articles, and he has given about 100 talks
across the country. To top it off, he says he hasn’t missed a day’s work in 31
years.
He has witnessed the changing world of medical imaging at the College,
from the “surplus WWII equipment” that he used when he first arrived to
today’s sophisticated medical imaging technologies including computed
tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
During his years at WCVM, Farrow says he has tried his best to become
a better instructor. Interestingly, it took a parent-teacher interview with his
seven-year-old daughter’s teacher to help him to fully understand how much
he needed to learn about teaching. “I listened to the teacher talk about how
she was going to run this class and what she was going to do and the learning
objectives. And that’s when I realized that I knew very little about teaching,”
says Farrow.
That experience prompted him to read a wide range of books on
teaching theory, covering everything from how adult learners learn to read to
how children learn critical thinking. Eventually, Farrow helped to set up the
University of Saskatchewan’s Gwenna Moss Teaching and Learning Centre
where professors learn how to better communicate with their students. He also
helped to set up the College’s first website in the mid-1980s and assisted in
developing the university’s first interactive instructional computer programs.
Farrow says he’s changed his teaching approach considerably over the
years, now offering oral exams to his students. “More and more students were
telling me, ‘If I had the chance to explain myself, you would understand why I
gave the wrong answer on my test in essay form.’ So I became curious: maybe
they could tell me what they thought and why they made the mistakes they
made.”
Farrow has also contributed to the field of veterinary practice. He helped
to bring the “problem oriented medical record” format of systematic medical
Making an Impression
on a Profession
By David Shield
record keeping to WCVM’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. He also strived to
reintroduce the concept of “strains and sprains” to the clinical vocabularies of
veterinarians.
Recently, Farrow has been most interested with the potential of using
multiple CT scans to develop more accurate and detailed images of patients.
By using multiple CT scans and combining them, Farrow has determined
how to make three-dimensional computer models — a technique that allows
veterinarians to better assess problems in injured or ill animals.
“You can make three-dimensional structures where the patient can turn
in space, and it makes it so much easier to plan what you’re going to do. That,
to me, has been a sheer revelation.”
Recruiting and retaining faculty is a constant challenge for all North
American veterinary colleges, but one way that Farrow believes WCVM can
overcome the hurdle is to use Saskatoon’s unique nature as a selling point
for new veterinarians. Compared to living in crowded, urban centres like Los
Angeles or Houston, Farrow says the advantages of living in Saskatoon include
short commute times and plenty of opportunities for fishing and hunting at
nearby lakes and wilderness areas.
For Farrow, those are valuable attractions that have definitely helped
to keep his family in Canada for more than 30 years. Sure, there are no
Hollywood stars or crime-fighting sled dogs to be found — but in his eyes,
the fishing makes up for all of that. A
David Shield has written for many Saskatchewan-based publications
including Planet S Magazine, U of S On Campus News, Pulsepoint
Magazine and Eagle Feather News. He works as a casual reporter for CBC
Radio News in Saskatoon, Sask.
17
After a distinguished and
internationally-acclaimed career
as a veterinary scientist — into
which he managed to fit 10 years
as dean of the Western College of
Veterinary Medicine — Dr. Alex
Livingston is retiring.
Or is he? He’s at work most
days and continues to collaborate
in several ongoing projects
involving swine and poultry
welfare, as well as a summer
project on pain control in cats.
He’s still active in the Canadian
Council of Animal Care and
serves as editor-in-chief of
Research in Veterinary Science.
“I want to go out a bit
gently,” says the veterinary
pharmacologist with a laugh.
“At least I won’t have to go on
committees, and I’m not going
to miss coming in for 8:30 a.m.
lectures in January.”
While reproductive endocrinology was the initial focus of Livingston’s
research career, his name is now firmly linked with pain control research in
animal species. That journey began in the mid-1970s when he and fellow
researchers at the University of Bristol were studying certain peptides in the
brain that were reported to be involved in pain transmission.
“At the time, we were also looking at anesthetic drugs, which abolish
the sense of pain, and the best painkillers interfered with these particular
pain transmitting agents,” Livingston explains. “We initially looked at brain
chemistry, but we also began to study how certain pain-killing drugs were
handled by the body. We were looking for methods of testing the effectiveness of
analgesics and we needed to develop a series of models. As usual, this proved to
be a lot more complicated than expected. Some drugs worked better for acute
pain, some for chronic. Some didn’t work the way we thought they would or
were surprisingly potent.”
When the option of using cows in their studies was too expensive,
Livingston and his colleagues switched to sheep and took their chronic
lameness studies out to the field. “We talked farmers into letting us have all
their lame sheep and some sound ones for controls. We later expanded into
dairy cows, and we also studied tendon injuries with horses.”
The move to Canada happened in 1992 when Livingston became WCVM’s
fourth dean. “I had spent a couple of sabbaticals in Calgary during the 1980s,
and the family and I had enjoyed it very much. What we hadn’t taken into
account was that we had been in Canada during the summer. Saskatoon’s
winters came as something of a shock.”
Livingston’s tenure as dean spanned a difficult time: the veterinary
college was coping with major budget cuts — similar to the circumstances
that he had experienced at the University of Bristol. “Everything was year to
year, so it was hard to plan. We were borrowing and budgeting all the time, but
in the end, we worked it through.”
Among the challenges, Livingston recalls a key agreement with the
Saskatchewan government to set up Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS) as
the province’s provider of veterinary diagnostic services. “This was crucial:
we might have lost the service and many jobs,” points out Livingston. Now
co-owned by the University of Saskatchewan and the provincial government,
PDS successfully operates as a non-profit organization in Saskatchewan and
Regina.
Pain control
pilot
18
By Roberta Pattison
Livingston also worked closely with the deans of Canada’s three other
regional veterinary colleges to lobby the federal government for funding that
was critically needed for facility upgrades at all of the veterinary institutions.
The deans’ efforts ultimately led to the federal government’s decision in 2002
to allocate $118 million toward the support of infrastructure expansion and
renovations at the four regional colleges.
Besides his pride in WCVM’s tenacity and growth, Livingston is pleased
by the development of WCVM-linked research centres like the Vaccine and
Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) that will soon be joined by the
International Vaccine Centre (InterVac) — a project that will attract new
research to the University of Saskatchewan. Livingston is also proud of the
U of S Toxicology Centre’s emergence — another organization with roots
based in the veterinary college.
Livingston returned to research and teaching after his second term as
WCVM’s dean ended in 2002 and resumed his investigations into the effects
and treatment of pain in companion animals as well as food animals. Thanks
in part to work done by Livingston and others, practitioners, pet owners and
livestock producers are learning that all animals do best when they are painfree.
“People are willing to pay more to ensure that animals aren’t suffering,”
says Livingston. “There’s more pressure on livestock producers these days, but
they welcome this sort of research because happy animals grow faster and
are easier to manage. Keeping a balance makes it a win-win situation for
everyone.”
It’s these positive outcomes that Livingston savours from his career
— and the kinds of accomplishments that earned him a Lifetime Achievement
award from the European Association of Veterinary Pharmacology and
Toxicology in 2006.
A fitting tribute to a stellar career that’s not quite over yet.
Roberta Pattison is a freelance writer who is a regular contributor
to the national publication, Dogs in Canada. Recently retired from grain
farming, she still lives on her farm near Delisle, Saskatchewan.
The Western College of Veterinary
Medicine’s new research wing was designed to
bring together people of all disciplines — and
nothing could illustrate that goal any better
than this year’s joint recipients of the College’s
Distinguished Employee Award.
Susan Cook and Noreen Rapin are
longtime WCVM employees, but until a couple
of years ago, the pair had never worked
together: “We knew each other’s faces and I
knew Noreen’s name — but that was about
it,” says Cook.
Then came the WCVM expansion, and
by early 2006, Cook and Rapin were directly
involved in developing and organizing the
new research wing’s two multi-user, multifunctional laboratories.
Noreen Rapin
They were natural choices for the
challenge since
both are adept in
organizing and
operating busy labs.
Cook manages
and supervises the
endocrine diagnostic laboratory for Dr.
Norman Rawlings in the Department of
Veterinary Biomedical Sciences while Rapin
is a senior technician in Dr. Vikram Misra’s
lab in the College’s Department of Veterinary
Microbiology.
With Rawlings playing a lead role in
the research wing’s construction and Misra
becoming a key research resource in the new
facility, Cook and Rapin were soon immersed
in plans and preparations for the two
laboratories.
In the past two years, the two employees
have juggled their regular workloads
with a variety of new tasks: reviewing the
design of the new wing’s labs, drafting
standard operating procedures and assisting
with biological safety permits. They also
Susan Cook
researched, purchased and set up new
equipment, plus they helped people move into
the new facility when it opened in April 2007.
“My father was an engineer, so I really found it interesting to follow the
construction progress from week to week,” says Cook, who also took on the
temporary job of assisting with weekly construction updates earlier this year.
For Cook and Rapin, one of the project’s biggest challenges was
selecting the specialized equipment — worth hundreds of thousands
of dollars — that’s required by research teams. Working with a master
equipment list, the pair researched companies and their products, wrote
descriptions of the required equipment, placed tenders and then carefully
reviewed all of the submitted quotes before making their final decisions.
“We didn’t have time to meet in person very often, so we made most of our
decisions by phone or email — it worked for us,” says Cook.
“We think the same: we’re both very goal-oriented,” adds Rapin with
a smile. “We both know the university system, we know how our labs are
supposed to work, and we know what kinds of equipment and supplies that
we need to have on site. It also helped that Susan knew what the biomedical
research teams would need while I could
describe what goes on in a veterinary
microbiology lab.”
Rapin’s involvement in the health
field stems back to the mid-1980s when she
completed her training in medical laboratory
technology at the Saskatchewan Institute of
Applied Science and Technology (SIAST).
Rapin spent seven years at the Vaccine and
Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) and
four years in the U of S College of Medicine’s
pathology department before moving to WCVM
in 1995. Other than a two-year stint in the
virology lab at Prairie Diagnostic Services,
Rapin has spent 10 of the last dozen years
working in Misra’s lab.
As for Cook, her relationship with
the College began in May 1979 when the
Bachelor of Science
graduate from the
University of Regina
came to work as a
summer student in
Rawlings’ lab — and
never left. “I started as a summer student,
and from there, I began graduate studies in
veterinary physiology with Dr. Rawlings as my
supervisor,” explains Cook, who received her
Master of Science degree from WCVM in 1985.
Nearly 30 years after coming to the
College, Cook says it was wonderful to be
recognized for her work and contributions
to the new research wing’s development.
Rapin agrees, adding that the news of their
joint nomination came as a real surprise
during a hectic day: “I was already late for an
equipment demonstration when Vikram told
me to look at my email,” recalls Rapin. “All I
could say was ‘What — why?’ Then there was
no time to even think about it.”
But a couple of weeks later, Rapin and
Cook had more time to enjoy their honour
when they received the award from WCVM
Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes during the College’s
annual employee barbecue on June 14.
Rapin’s husband Phil and their three children — Nicole, Andrew and Spencer
— were also on hand to celebrate the team’s accomplishment.
“Susan and Noreen present a highly creative team supporting the
advancement and expansion of the veterinary college, and we’re extremely
fortunate to have individuals with this level of professionalism and personal
integrity supporting us,” said Rhodes during the awards presentation.
It was an unforgettable evening for Rapin and Cook, but what makes the
award even more significant is the outcome of their teamwork: two floors of
well-equipped, well-planned lab space in the brand new research wing.
“We’re still unpacking and learning how to use all of this new
equipment, but it’s really come together in the past few weeks,” says Rapin
with an admiring glance around her.
“We tried our best to set things up that will make it easy for people to
work, but after thinking about so many minute details, it’s nice to just let go,”
adds Cook. A
Distinguished Lab Partners
19
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
News
www.wcvm.com/collegenews
ALUMNI IN AMERICA: In January, WCVM graduates from across the
continent met up at the College’s alumni reception during the North
American Veterinary Conference in Orlando, Fla. (left and below). A
month later, WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes (above, kneeling at right)
hosted a reception for WCVM alumni during the annual Western Veterinary
Conference in Las Vegas, Nev. During his visits, Rhodes had the chance to
capture some of the cities’ sights through his camera lens — including Las
Vegas’ own version of the Statue of Liberty.
Check out The Ark on line at www.wcvm.com
WCVM NEWS: While you’re waiting for your
next issue of The Ark, why not catch up on all of
the latest happenings at the veterinary college
by visiting WCVM News?
The College’s news blog (www.wcvm.
com/collegenews) gives you frequent
updates about WCVM’s research grants and
activities, the latest achievements among
students, staff and alumni, upcoming events
at the College and at the University of
Saskatchewan, and notable news within the
WCVM community.
WCVM News also serves as the on line
home for The Ark where visitors can download
their own copies of the latest issue or scroll
through archived copies of the College’s news
publication.
While the news blog’s items come from a
variety of sources, much of the content stems
from monthly requests for WCVM-related
achievements from the College’s faculty, staff
and students.
But if you don’t have time to visit the
news blog on a regular basis, don’t despair:
all of the news blog’s content is archived on a
monthly basis so visitors can check back on what
accomplishments and events made the news over
the past few months.
And if WCVM News piques your interest,
make sure to visit WCVM’s main web site at
www.wcvm.com where you can learn more
about its programs, people and history. WCVM
News can be found under “Seminars, News and
Events” under the main web site’s menu.
For more information about WCVM News or
to suggest a potential story idea, please contact
Myrna MacDonald, WCVM’s communications
officer (sm.ridley@sasktel.net or 306-2254479).
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