2024 OVC Graduate Student Research Symposium and AI Panel Discussion

On July 10th, the 2024 OVC Graduate Research Symposium began with a panel discussion on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Decision Making in Research and a presentation from Kevin Matsui, the Managing Director of CARE-AI. These were followed by graduate presentations and poster sessions on veterinary medicine, large animal production, health and innovation, One Health and molecular and cellular innovation.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Panel for Decision Making in Research

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool that can tackle big research questions, including human and animal health and wellbeing. With algorithms constantly changing, it is a pivotal time in history for everyone to possess computational power at this degree, which comes with varying ethical implications. Panelists - including experts in AI, epidemiology, immuno-oncology, and public health answered audience questions on the potential for AI in research and how to best navigate these systems.

Panelists

Dr. Olaf Berke - associate professor in the Department of Population Medicine at U of G and a member of the Centre for Advancing Responsible & Ethical Artificial Intelligence (CARE-AI) that aims to advance statistical epidemiology and data science for the surveillance of emerging diseases in a One Health context.

Dr. Rozita Dara - associate professor in the Department of Computer Science at U of G. Her work explores applied machine learning and data governance with a focus on applications such as privacy-enhancing technologies, precision agriculture and food supply chain.

Dr. Jennifer McWhirter - associate professor of public health promotion and communication in the Department of Population Medicine at U of G. Her work examines AI and its use in public health and misinformation.

Dr. Christopher Pinard - clinician-scientist and medical oncologist at Lakeshore Animal Health Partners, adjunct professor in the Department of Clinical Studies at U of G and a research fellow at Sunnybrook Research Institute. Pinard is interested in comparative computational oncology and is the co-founder of the ANI.ML Health company that aims to incorporate rigorously evaluated AI into patient care.

The key takeaways from the AI panel emphasize the importance of asking the right questions, ensuring access to accurate and clean data and integrating privacy and ethics by design.

The questions for the panel delved into the repeatability of data in evolving AI models, the transparency of models amid privacy and intellectual property concerns, public perception of AI-generated health messaging and the impact of generative AI on research diversity. Discussions touched on the fine line between technological assistance and academic misconduct, and the challenge of policy keeping pace with rapid AI advancements.

Presentation from the Managing Director of CARE-AI

“The AI we consciously interact with now, is a fraction of the AI we have been unknowingly interacting with for the last 10 years,” said Kevin Matsui, the managing director of CARE-AI.

CARE-AI is focused on the development of AI methodology, applications and responsibility. Matsui's team is committed to fostering collaborations and providing technical support by building a data science community on the U of G campus. During his presentation, Matsui shared useful AI tools for researchers and students in the audience, including Elicit - a tabular ethical AI paper processing tool.

Oral and Poster Presentations

Over 60 graduate students shared their research via oral or poster presentations.

First and second place winners received a cash prize. Additionally, first place winners will also have the opportunity to attend the Canadian Emerging Vet Scholars Summit (CEVSS) in Calgary.

"I was truly amazed by the caliber of research presented at the grad symposium and the unwavering passion the students displayed for their work,” said Alice Defarges, Interim Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies. “It was inspiring to see the dedication and innovation of our graduate students in their respective fields. A big congratulations to the graduate student volunteers who organized such a fabulous day filled with incredible research and passion - well done and thank you for all your hard work!"

Oral Presentation Winners

First place: Amanda Avison, Department of Biomedical Sciences

Electrocardiographic restitution in the racehorse through maximal intensity exercise and early recovery

Avison's presentation looked at the heart activity of racehorses during intense exercise and early recovery. Her study aims to use heart recordings to predict heart rhythm problems in humans and to understand how heart measures change in racehorses during races. By analyzing existing heart data with special software, she measured various heart intervals and ratios at different heart rates. The study found that factors like the horse's gait, age, and exercise intensity significantly affect these heart measures, often showing risky heart conditions during exercise. This research helps understand horse heart health and suggests that certain heart ratios could predict sudden heart issues.

Second place: Alexander Leacy, Department of Pathobiology

Development of a Newcastle disease virus vectored vaccine to protect against highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5 is a deadly virus that infects birds and has the potential to spread to other animals, including humans. Since 2020, there has been a major outbreak of this virus, leading to the deaths of millions of birds and infections in various mammal species, such as dairy cows.

Leacy’s research developed a new vaccine using a modified Newcastle disease virus (NDV) to carry a part of the H5 virus called hemagglutinin (HA). This part of the virus was optimized to work in both chickens and humans and was made less dangerous by removing a key virulent feature.

Poster Presentation Winners

First place: Bianca Garlisi, Department of Biomedical Sciences

Fc3TSR Remodels the Tumor Microenvironment to Enhance Efficacy of Immunotherapies and Immune Cell Migration in a Murine Model of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Garlisi’s presentation highlighted how a biological compound called Fc3TSR can make the tumor environment more responsive to treatments in a pre-clinical model of pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer is usually diagnosed late and is hard to treat because it has poor blood flow. The results of the study showed that Fc3TSR, both alone and combined with other therapies, reduced tumor size and spread, improved blood flow, decreased low oxygen levels, and increased the presence of immune cells in the tumor. This suggests that improving the tumor environment before treatment can make therapies more effective for pancreatic cancer patients.

Second place: Olivia Smith, Department of Biomedical Sciences

Uncovering the metabolic molecular mechanisms driving heart regeneration in the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)

Smith's presentation examined how leopard geckos can regenerate their heart tissue, unlike mammals that heal heart injuries with non-functional scar tissue. Similar to zebrafish, which switch their energy source during heart healing, it is believed that leopard geckos do the same. By studying the genes involved in heart healing, the research aims to find out if these processes are similar across different species. The findings could help understand how geckos, which are closely related to mammals, manage to restore heart function, potentially offering insights for improving heart repair in humans.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this event

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to making this event a success. To our presenters, thank you for sharing your exceptional research and insights. Your dedication and hard work are truly inspiring and are driving the future of scientific research in animal, human, and environmental health.

To our attendees, your engagement and participation are invaluable. Your support and enthusiasm create a vibrant and collaborative atmosphere that is essential for the exchange of ideas and the advancement of knowledge.

We would also like to express our appreciation to our panel of judges, faculty members, and staff for their time and effort in evaluating the presentations and ensuring the smooth running of the symposium. Also, we’d like to thank our grad student volunteers: Simon Jeeves, Carys Vyn, Steffi Ram, Hannah Godfrey, Natasha Slawnych.