Research Services Office

Provides clinical and support services to researchers, facility veterinarians and facility managers working with livestock animals and horses; assists researchers with Animal Utilization Protocol (AUP) development; instructs in the Animal User Training program including mentor-facilitated training.

Oversees the Animal Ethics and Compliance administration, the veterinary program, and provides clinical and support services to researchers working with laboratory rodents, small companion animals, fish, reptiles and amphibians; assists with Animal Utilization Protocol (AUP) development.

Oversees the Animal User Training program; the veterinary program for agricultural animals, and the Post-Approval Review program; provides clinical and support services to researchers and facility managers working with cattle, swine, sheep, poultry, horses and wildlife; assists with Animal Utilization Protocol (AUP) development.

Provides a broad range of information technology support including: assisting with implementing, monitoring, updating and maintaining IT systems, software and solutions, including the website; diagnosing and solving end-user and IT problems related; and responding to requests for assistance, taking appropriate steps to resolve and alleviate problems to ensure continued services.

Supports and maintains Office of Research specific IT programs and systems, including the Office of Research web site.

Provides general legal review of research proposals, applications to sponsors and research agreements and contracts which present higher than normal risk to the University. Advises senior administration on legal matters pertaining to research. Provides Research Support Services (grants and contracts) staff with training and counsel in the review, drafting and negotiation of research-related legal agreements. First point of contact for research-related international agreements and MOUs.

Provides advice and leadership to integrate EDI and indigenization into the research enterprise. Leads the implementation of strategic projects to advance EDI and indigenization in research, such as those identified in the Indigenous Initiatives Strategy. Supports researchers from all disciplines to ask critical questions and incrementally advance EDI and indigenization over time. Builds networks of collaborators across campus to continue building a culture where EDI and Indigenization considerations are foundational in the development of research teams and research design.

Responsible for administrative review of research proposals and finalization of research awards and agreements for agencies and sponsors such as Mitacs, NSERC (Research Tools and Instruments (RTI), Discovery, PromoScience), and animal-focused commodity organizations, sub-agreements and amendments, and other standard agreements.

Provides clinical and support services to researchers, facility veterinarians and facility managers working with livestock animals and horses; assists researchers with Animal Utilization Protocol (AUP) development; instructs in the Animal User Training program including mentor-facilitated training.

Responsible for administrative review of research proposals and finalization of of research awards for agencies and sponsors such as SSHRC (Insight, Insight Development, Institutional Grants), CIHR, NSERC (Undergraduate Student Research Awards), internal funding (Equine Guelph, Pet Trust), and other arts, humanities, social sciences, health and veterinary-related grant programs.

First point of contact for submission of and initial processing of research grant and award applications, including OR5 Forms, and research contractual agreements.  Patti will inform researchers to whom their submission is assigned within the Research Services Office for further review and processing. 

Administrative leadership for the Research Support Services (Grants and Contracts) unit. Responsible for managing all aspects of pre-award and non-financial post-award grants and agreements, including developing and recommending policies/guidelines for an efficient administrative operation. Responsible for oversight of pre-award compliance with federal, provincial and private agency guidelines and regulations.

Provides operational leadership and managerial oversight within the Research Services Office and strategic support to the Associate Vice-President (Research Services).  Responsible for planning, priority setting, operational performance and relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

Leads and manages the Animal Ethics & Compliance subunit, overseeing the University’s Animal Care and Use program including the Animal Utilization Protocol (AUP) approval process, Animal Use tracking, Animal Care Committee (ACC) activities and compliance with Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) requirements.

Responsible for the administrative processing of proposals and funded and non-funded research agreements, agreement finalization support (certificates of insurance, data verification, record maintenance), as well as the initiation of research account set up for activation by Research Financial Services.

Administrative leadership for the development and delivery of the University of Guelph’s research ethics review process for research projects involving human participants and compliance with Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct of Research Involving Humans, 2nd Edition (TCPS 2) and related legal requirements involving privacy and personal information. Administrative leadership for the Research Ethics Board (REB) and research ethics training.