Growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, Daniel Lindo developed a deep love for the ocean and sea life. The water surrounded both his city and his life, as he spent his afternoons after school swimming competitively, and his summers attending a local marine biology camp. His proximity and love for the ocean led him to develop an interest in marine biology, a career he planned to follow from an early age.
While completing his high school studies, Lindo planned to pursue a degree in marine biology in post-secondary. However, when he attended a post-secondary visitors' lecture, he learned of the many different opportunities UofG offered. “I had the opportunity to speak with a U of G admissions officer, and they completely sold me on the Ontario Veterinary College” shares Lindo. Before he knew it, Lindo was making his way to Canada to complete his undergraduate degree in Zoology at the University of Guelph.
Lindo was fortunate enough to be surrounded by friends and family from Jamaica that had made their way to Canada before him, providing a well-established network of support. Despite the challenges of acclimating to a living in a new country, Lindo expressed that his transition was made smoother by the support of his Canadian loved ones.
While completing his undergraduate studies in Zoology, Lindo decided to take a parasitology course taught by Dr. John Barta. Barta, a professor with OVC’s Department of Pathobiology, focuses his research efforts on parasitology, studying a phylum of protozoa that are the causative agents of multiple human and animal diseases. Barta would go on to become Lindo’s advisor for his Master of Science in Pathobiology, after Lindo worked a summer research contract in his lab.
When asked about working with Lindo, Barta expressed his admiration for Lindo’s love of the natural world. “We travelled together to several scientific meetings during Lindo’s time in the MSc in Pathobiology program; every stop along the way included biological safaris to explore the flora and fauna to be found” shares Barta. “This unmatched curiosity was reflected his research and teaching during his MSc and will no doubt continue well into the future” he adds.
Lindo’s MSc research focussed on a specific diagnostic assay, using a quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) technique, to surveil Eimeria species, a group of parasites that cause disease of economic importance in chickens. The ultimate goal of Lindo’s research is to support pharmaceutical companies in testing live vaccine content.
To supplement his time in the lab, Lindo served as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for several undergraduate and DVM courses. He emphasized that this was a pivotal experience throughout the MSc program, as it allowed him to discover his love for teaching. “Being a TA allowed me to become a more proficient and confident communicator” shares Lindo. “It also helped me to become a more open-minded individual, through listening to student perspectives” he adds.
Outside of his MSc studies, Lindo channels his creative energy into artistry as the principal cello player of the Guelph Symphony Youth Orchestra. Lindo expressed that his dedication to the craft of playing the cello has surprisingly translated to his MSc research. “Playing a string instrument has vastly improved my fine motor skills, which has in turn allowed me to have stronger laboratory techniques,” he shares. He can also be found in the forest birdwatching or staring into a creek looking for invertebrates.
Today, Lindo works part-time with the Animal Health Lab (AHL) at the University of Guelph, where he applies various laboratory techniques he learned in the MSc in Pathobiology program to aid in diagnosing animals with parasitic diseases. He hopes to continue to work with the AHL so that he can permanently immigrate to Canada and continue his research with Dr. Barta and other collaborators at the OVC. He has not ruled out the possibility of a PhD in Pathobiology at U of G in the future either.
