One Health Summer Institute
Registration now open! The online One Health Summer Institute aims to provide learners an opportunity to explore the concept of One Health and to build on their disciplinary expertise, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to transdisciplinary teams.
The One Health Summer Institute consists of 6 themes:
- Foundations of One Health (May 31-June 4)
- Setting a Foundation for Community-Engaged Research with Indigenous peoples (June 7)
- Water/Wastewater: “A Tale of Two Watersheds” (June 8-10)
- Introduction to Bioinformatics (June 14-16)
- Principles of Biostatistics (June 14-25)
- Entrepreneurial Thinking in One Health (June 21-24)
Additional details and registration can be found here.
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NSERC Idea to Innovation (I2I) Grants
The objective of the Idea to Innovation (I2I) Grants is to accelerate the pre-competitive development of promising technology originating from the university and college sector and promote its transfer to a new or established Canadian company. The I2I Grants provide funding to college and university faculty members to support research and development projects with recognized technology transfer potential. This is achieved through four defined phases by providing crucial assistance in the early stages of technology validation and market connection: Market Assessment, Phase I, Phase IIa, Phase IIb. Click here to learn more.
Sponsor application deadlines: Jun 28 & Sep 27, 2021
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AWSN Scholarship Program
Attention STEM students! The AWSN Scholarship Program is part of larger equity efforts within the AWSN network. Through the guidance of a gender-based analysis plus (GBA+), the program uses an intersectional lens and is structured in a way that allows AWSN to distribute the awards in an equitable manner, limiting unconscious bias, stereotypes, and other barriers commonly faced by underrepresented groups. With the support of TC Energy this year, AWSN will be offering ten $3000 scholarships to STEM students or re-engagers. Click here for more information.
Application deadline: Jun 30, 2021
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Our Researchers in the News
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Simpson Centre gets green light for new carbon program
Guillaume Lhermie
The Simpson Centre for Agricultural and Food Innovation and Public Education at the School of Public Policy is pleased to announce the generous funding of $1.17 million supplied over two years by the Government of Alberta for the Simpson Centre’s Carbon Program. Click here to read the full article.
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U of A lab reveals how a much-needed oral antiviral drug confuses the replication machinery of SARS-CoV-2
Matthias Götte
A University of Alberta virology lab has uncovered how an oral antiviral drug works to attack the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in findings published May 10 in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The researchers demonstrated the underlying mechanism of action by which the antiviral drug molnupiravir changes the viral genome, a process known as excessive mutagenesis or “error catastrophe.” “The polymerase, or replication engine of the virus, mistakes molnupiravir molecules for the natural building blocks required for viral genome replication and mixes them in,” explained Matthias Götte, professor and chair of the Dept,of Medical Microbiology & Immunology in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and member of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology. Click here to read the full article.
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Doctors say lowering age cutoff for AstraZeneca vaccine makes sense as cases surge
Daniel Gregson
Doctors say the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine should be offered to Canadians in a wider age range as COVID-19 infections soar in many parts of the country. "Certainly based on risks, most people are much better off with a vaccine," said Dr. Daniel Gregson, associate professor at the UofC Cumming School of Medicine. Gregson, who specializes in infectious diseases and medical microbiology, said uncertainty has been planted in peoples' minds about getting AstraZeneca, but they do things that are just as risky on a daily basis without a second thought. Read the full article here.
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Drug shortage could create problems ramping up surgeries post-pandemic, experts say
Lorian Hardcastle
A group of Alberta organizations wants support from the province to create a facility that would handle packaging vaccines and other medications to address drug shortages in Canada. Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API) has put together a coalition of companies to make a "fill finish" facility to complete the last steps of manufacturing vaccines and other drugs to boost medication security in Alberta. "Drug shortages have been a chronic problem in Canada for at least 10 to 15 years, " says Lorian Hardcastle. As surgeries increase again in post-pandemic Alberta, the province will be competing with the rest of the world for those drugs. Read the full article here.
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Enthusiasm for COVID vaccine among gen-X Albertans is infectious, experts say
Cora Constantinescu
As Alberta gen-Xers rush to roll up their sleeves for vaccines against COVID-19, public health experts say their enthusiasm could prove infectious. The enthusiasm provides more hope in the fight against COVID-19, said Dr. Cora Constantinescu, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Alberta Children's Hospital, who runs the Vaccine Hesitancy Clinic in Calgary. "It's really nice to actually shift the conversation," Constantinescu said. "Here we are talking about vaccine acceptance versus vaccine hesitancy." Read the full article here.
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Calgary doctor urges pregnant women to get vaccinated as hospital visits increase
Eliana Castillo
A Calgary doctor who specializes in prenatal care says Alberta hospitals have seen an increase of pregnant individuals seeking non-prenatal care in the past three weeks. Dr. Eliana Castillo is a clinical associate processor for the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the UofC Cumming School of Medicine as well as the Alberta lead for the CANCOVID-Preg study. She has noticed lots of vaccine hesitancy among pregnant patients and their partners, however the best data available shows that it is safe for both mothers and their unborn babies to get the vaccine. Read the full article here.
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Publications and Presentations
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Progress on Integrated Antimicrobial Resistance and Antimicrobial Use Surveillance in Canada (2014-2019)
Simon Otto, Misha Miazga-Rodriguez and Lynora Saxinger
There have been numerous steps taken in Canada to address AMR since the release of reports by the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) and the Canadian Council of Chief Veterinary Officers (CCVO). The objective of this project is to assess the progress made towards the recommendations of these reports by:
- Cataloguing AMR/AMU surveillance programs currently operating in Canada nationally and
provincially.
- Describing the scope of these programs.
- Evaluating what progress has been made to address the gaps identified in the 2014 NCCID and
2016 CCVO reports to achieve integrated AMR/AMU surveillance in Canada.
Click here to read the full publication.
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Sociotechnical system analysis for AMR innovation
Michelle Cheng
Utilizing a model that reflects mixed-methods research our team aims to describe the barriers and facilitators to optimizing system performance across individual, organizational, geographical, and cultural boundaries. Our study will generate a comprehensive collection of system information to subsequently inform technology development opportunities and knowledge translation interventions that apply to AMR. The following presentation is an overview of our initial phase of work, identifying sociotechnical system elements that influence the use of antimicrobials in humans and animals.
Click here to watch the presentation.
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One Health Circle
One Health through sustainable food systems - Sustainable food systems through One Health
May 19, 2021 @ 7-8pm MDT
The COVID crisis has demonstrated how human health, the well-being of animals, and planetary health must not be viewed in isolation – and that they depend to a large extent on the ways in which we produce, process, trade and consume food. Learn about the need and opportunities for change, how a One Health re-think of our current agri-food systems can support the necessary ecological and social transformation of our agri-food systems, and how the City of Calgary is working to improve food system resilience – towards healthier humans, animals, and the planet.
To register click here.
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1928 Diagnostics
Presentation
May 25, 2021 @ 9am MDT
One Health at UCalgary and the AMR - One Health Consortium would like to invite you to a presentation by 1928 Diagnostics on May 25th.1928 Diagnostics offers powerful bioinformatic analyses of your WGS data in minutes! A cloud-based, easy-to-use platform allows you to quickly identify pathogens, resistance markers, and virulence factors so that you can track, control, and prevent outbreaks across Canada. Their goal is to support you in the fight against AMR; protecting people, animals, and the environment.
Zoom link: https://ucalgary.zoom.us/j/95975656028
Password: 317309
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Navigating Partnered Research
Webinar Series
Navigating Partnered Research is a digital series hosted by UofC Research Services to provide support and guidance for faculty members interested in pursuing partnered research projects in the social sciences and humanities. This multi-part series will cover a variety of support topics and supports ranging from engaging with community, building partnerships for research, mobilizing partnered research knowledge and workshopping your concept and research plans with experts from across campus
Upcoming sessions:
Knowledge Engagement Impact Evaluation - May 27
Mobilizing Partnered Research Knowledge - TBD
Test Your Concept - June 2 & 16
Click here to register and for more information.
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One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance Webinar
May 27, 2021 @ 9:30am EDT
Why is environmental monitoring of AMR important? What is our “antibiotic footprint? Join expert discussions on these and other questions related to AMR in the One Health context. Click here for more information.
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Canadian Animal Health Laboratorians Network (CAHLN)
Jun 7 - 9, 2021
The Canadian Animal Health Laboratorians Network (CAHLN) was created in 2002 to facilitate exchange of information on trends, techniques and research in the field of animal health diagnostics. This year's conference: One Health Perspectives on Emerging Disease and Antimicrobial Resistance, will bring together individuals from a broad range of disciplines including pathology, bacteriology, virology and molecular biology, and will include a networking session. For more information please click here.
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5th International Conference on Responsible Use of Antibiotics in Animals
Jun 7 - 9, 2021
This year's conference will be held as a virtual meeting, and will focus on the following key themes:
- Integration of animal, human and environmental health
- Present and future approaches at global and national levels
- Engagement of stakeholders
- Innovations in disease prevention and detection, including gut health, alternatives to antibiotics, rapid diagnostics, etc.
- New areas to explore towards sustainable solutions
For more information please click here.
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IC2AR 2021
Caparica, Portugal
Jun 14 - 17, 2021
Call for abstracts! The 4th International Caparica Conference in Antibiotic Resistance 2021 will bring together researchers involved in antibiotic resistance prevention and control, and will present an universal vision of the importance of antimicrobial resistance in different ecosystems and what can be done about it. Abstract submission deadline May 15th. For more information please click here.
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Virtual One Health International
PhD and Postdoc Summer School
Aug 9 - 13, 2021
This virtual course is organized by the University of Bern and will explore the fate, transport and health effects of contaminants in the environment. The week consists of 10 keynote lectures given by leading national and international scientists and will provide participants with detailed overviews of the key issues concerning environmental pollutions and their connections to global health. Open to PhD students and Postdocs with backgrounds from the following fields: biology, environmental sciences, medicine, veterinary medicine, chemistry, geography and bioinformatics. For more information click here.
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Virtual One Health International Bachelor and Master Summer School
Aug 16 - 20, 2021
This virtual course is organized by the University of Bern and offers a unique opportunity to explore the methods and current knowledge on the health of terrestrial food chains, from soils to plants, animals and humans. Open to third year Bachelor students and first year Masters’ students with a background in life sciences. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the program is full. For more information click here.
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World Anti-Microbial Resistance Congress 2021
Washington, DC
Nov 8 - 9, 2021
The World Anti-Microbial Resistance Congress focusses on one of the most important parts of the AMR challenge: tackling the supply problem. The world's largest AMR conference will bring together all the stakeholders involved in developing new antibiotic drugs. For more information and to download the prospectus please click here.
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Recruitment Opportunities
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Postdoctoral Research Position in Data-analytics of the clinical and economic impact of antimicrobial resistance in patients with bacteremia.
The Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary in Conjunction with the AMR - One Health Consortium has an immediate opening for a postdoctoral research scientist with experience in the analysis of complex databases to analyze the effects of antimicrobial resistance on the economic and clinical consequences of anti-microbial resistance in patients with bacteremia.
The successful candidate will be working on a database already established to answer these important questions. Opportunities to collaborate with other members of the one health group will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Experience with statistical analysis using integrated databases is required and an interest of experience in health care economics is desirable. The position is a one year contract.
Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and CV to Dr. Daniel Gregson at dgregson@ucalgary.ca.
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Check out our website for more trainee opportunities.
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The following documents provide updates on the conduct of research and clinical trails for researchers and research teams. Please visit the following pages to keep up-to-date with institutional specific directives.
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