Ontario Veterinary College

A Message from the Dean to the OVC Community

June 5, 2020

Dear OVC community, 

Like all of you, I am distressed and saddened about the long history of systematic and systemic racism that has culminated in the events happening around our world. 

These disturbing events of oppression call each of us to reflect and act on what we can do to help address racism, and in fact all attitudes and behaviours that divide us. We may be separated from the unrest in the United States by an international border, but we in Canada have our own battle with racism that is by no means won. 

Research Modelling Predicts COVID-19 Resurgence If Physical Distancing Relaxed

June 3, 2020

If physical distancing measures in Ontario are relaxed too much or too quickly, the province could see hospitals overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients as well as exponential growth in deaths, concludes new research involving an infectious disease modeler with the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College (OVC).

The findings, contained in a research letter published in Annals of Internal Medicine, suggest that if Ontarians increase their contacts to normal levels in the coming weeks, the virus will quickly spread and result in cases exceeding hospital ICU (intensive care unit)...

Can antibody tests tell us who is immune to COVID-19?

May 27, 2020

Widespread media coverage of antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has generated high hopes that we will be able to readily identify individuals who are immune to this virus.

There has also been coverage about developing immunity passports, which employers can use to let people return to work. While these are all tantalizing thoughts, the idea of using antibody testing as a true measure of protection is something that requires much more...

COVID-19 Vaccine Research at U of G Awarded Provincial Funding

May 21, 2020

Researchers at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College have received $230,000 to develop potential COVID-19 vaccines under the province’s Ontario Together investment to advance research to combat the pandemic.

Pathobiology professor Byram Bridle said he believes the team’s vaccine platform – adapted from U of G research into vaccines as cancer therapies — will be a leading candidate among the roughly 120 Canadian projects currently racing to develop an effective vaccine against the pandemic...