News | Page 36 | Ontario Agricultural College

News

U of G Runner, Cancer Survivor Completes 150 km Fundraising Run

On May 1, the beginning of Brain Cancer Awareness Week, University of Guelph distance runner Haley Davis set out on a 150-kilometre fundraising run in support of cancer foundations.

Less than three weeks earlier, she completed radiation therapy for brain cancer.

In summer 2019, Davis was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour. A top Ontario high school runner, there was fear the tumour could end her running career. She underwent emergency surgery.

Two U of G Scientists Named as CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars

Two University of Guelph professors are among 14 international researchers to be appointed as CIFAR (Canadian Institute for Applied Research) Azrieli Global Scholars for 2021-23.

Dr. Rebecca Shapiro, a fungal pathogen researcher in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Dr. Jackie Goordial, an environmental microbiologist in the School of Environmental Sciences, were chosen for the prestigious program.

Wrestling Champ Selected for National Program to Increase Female Varsity Coaches

Natassya Lu became a wrestler in high school on a dare. A friend challenged her to take up the sport and she accepted.

Lu had some losses in that first year, but they motivated her to work harder and get better. She embraced the attitude that there is no failure in the sport; you either win or you learn. She learned and got very good, very quickly. She went from being eliminated in early tournaments to representing Canada at the Pan American Games in her first year of competition.

Dogs on Diets Similar to Their Owners’, U of G Global Study Reveals

Keto, gluten-free, organic: If a pet owner is on a specific diet, chances are their dog is on it, too, a new University of Guelph study reveals.

But when it comes to a grain-free diet, owners seem to choose it more for their dogs than themselves, the study also found.

“It demonstrates that many variables, not just dietary habits, influence the selection of dog food,” said study lead author Sydney Banton, a master’s student in U of G’s Department of Animal Biosciences.

To Meet Climate Mitigation Targets, Start Regional, Then Go Global: U of G Study

To curb greenhouse gas emissions, taking a regional approach – at least initially – is likely more effective than adopting a global one, according to a new University of Guelph study.

As Ottawa considers federal legislation aimed at decreasing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, the new study may offer insight into the proposed plan to meet targets.

Head shot of Tahlia.

New Communications and Events Coordinator

The Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) Dean’s Office is pleased to announce Tahlia Dyer as the new Communications and Events Coordinator. She began in the role on May 17, 2021.

Dyer will support OAC’s strategic initiatives through a variety of internal and external communication projects and events. She will work collaboratively with a variety of contacts across OAC and the University of Guelph (U of G) and play a key support role in maintaining and enhancing communication with OAC’s various stakeholders.

U of G Students Win National Agri-Marketing Competition

The University of Guelph’s Canadian Agri-Marketing Association (CAMA) student chapter won the 2021 National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) Student Marketing Competition held remotely last month.

The team, consisting of nine Ontario Agricultural College students, competed against 23 other North American schools to grab top prize.

The annual competition challenges students to develop a comprehensive marketing plan for a new agricultural product or service to improve producer income or productivity.

U of G Research Beans Donated to Local Organizations

A donation from crop researchers in the University of Guelph’s Department of Plant Agriculture will amount to more than just a hill of beans. In fact, it will likely provide dozens of nutritious meals for many people in Guelph who are food insecure.

Researchers with the U of G dry bean breeding program recently donated more than 2,000 kilograms of beans to the Guelph Food Bank, the non-profit group The Seed and the University’s Hospitality Services.

Avocado Discovery May Point to Leukemia Treatment: U of G Researcher

A compound in avocados may ultimately offer a route to better leukemia treatment, says a new University of Guelph study.

The compound targets an enzyme that scientists have identified for the first time as being critical to cancer cell growth, said Dr. Paul Spagnuolo, Department of Food Science.

Published recently in the journal Blood, the study focused on acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which is the most devastating form of leukemia. Most cases occur in people over age 65, and fewer than 10 per cent of patients survive five years after diagnosis.

News Archive