It’s Canada Day weekend – for ticks, too

Thursday, June 28th, 2018
Finn, a mixed breed, long haired dog, sits on a rock, panting

Finn looks forward to holiday weekend hikes with his owner, Ashleigh Martyn
Photo: Ashleigh Martyn

 

By Sydney Pearce

This holiday weekend, as you finalize your plans, make sure to prepare yourself for the insects that accompany the great outdoors – like ticks.

Ticks can transmit pathogens that cause disease. In Ontario, the blacklegged tick poses the greatest risk; it can transmit several pathogens including the bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) that causes Lyme disease in humans, dogs and horses.

“We aren’t trying to scare people away from nature – enjoying the outdoors is crucial for health and wellbeing,” says Katie Clow, a...

Read more: It’s Canada Day weekend – for ticks, too

Gaining virtual insights into the molecular structure of the brain

Tuesday, June 26th, 2018
George Harauz stands beside equipment in his lab.

Prof. George Harauz in his lab.  Photo: Sydney Pearce

 

By Sandra Clark

Using an advanced computing network to visualize interactions between two key proteins has brought researchers in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology one step closer to understanding the molecular structure of the white matter of the brain – findings that could also lead to important insights regarding the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS).

A team led by Prof. George Harauz used the Shared Hierarchical Academic Research Computing Network (SHARCNET) facility at the University of Guelph to better understand how...

Read more: Gaining virtual insights into the molecular structure of the brain

Genetics help power Atlantic salmon restoration

Monday, May 14th, 2018
Photo of young salmon showing variation in parr marks

Young salmon showing variations in parr marks (Photo: S. Pedersen)

By Louis Gasparini

Wild Atlantic salmon populations have declined drastically in recent decades, but new findings by Integrative Biology researchers could help with restoration efforts for this important aquatic species.

Prof. Elizabeth Boulding and her research group made several important discoveries about Atlantic salmon genes that influence the appearance and growth of the fish, and which could have important implications for their potential restoration.

“If salmon go extinct in a stream, we now have the technology to re-introduce...

Read more: Genetics help power Atlantic salmon restoration

A new zoonotic disease emerges in southern Ontario

Monday, April 2nd, 2018
diagram of the tapeworm life cycle

Image courtesy J. Kotwa

Dogs, humans may be at risk from a new form of tapeworm

By Sydney Pearce

Dogs in southern Ontario are being exposed to a newly identified tapeworm that can infect humans and cause a potentially fatal disease.

Since 2012, five dogs in southern Ontario have been diagnosed with the larval stage of a small tapeworm called Echinococcus multilocularis (EM).

Reports of the disease that EM causes, called alveolar echinococcosis, surprised University of Guelph PhD candidate, Jonathon Kotwa, and Prof. Andrew Peregrine from the...

Read more: A new zoonotic disease emerges in southern Ontario

Using Data Management Plans will keep your research data safe and give your research more exposure

Thursday, March 29th, 2018
Photo of people sitting in the library with 'data' floating in the air

Photo:  Andrew Goodwin Photography
Graphic overlay: Tiffany Murphy

 

By Liz Snyder

Data Management Plans (DMPs) are becoming a more integrated part of the funding application process.  The U of G will soon be adopting its own Institutional Research Data Management strategy to ensure researchers are mitigating risk and increasing the visibility and impact of their research, one component of which is a DMP – and the Library is ready to help.

Creating a plan to manage data can be an important part of the research process. A DMP describes the methods, protocols and plans a researcher will use to manage, describe,...

Read more: Using Data Management Plans will keep your research data safe and give your research more exposure

New animal care program gives researchers better insights

Thursday, March 29th, 2018
Photo of cows at LRIC

By Liz Snyder

Animal Care Services has been developing a system to support animal research teams through the life of their research project – and animal researchers at the U of G can soon look forward to even more support with the hiring of a post-approval review coordinator.

To get to this point, for the past two years Animal Care Services has been consulting with Canadian universities that have similar animal care programs and U of G researchers and animal facility managers.  They wanted to see what a good post-approval review program would look...

Read more: New animal care program gives researchers better insights

You can help track wildlife health

Tuesday, March 6th, 2018
infographic about wildlife health surveillance

New online tool gets the public involved

By Sydney Pearce

Tracking wildlife health is too large of a task for just one individual, so a wildlife health tracking website, developed by the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC) at the University of Guelph, is getting the public involved.

The initiative is designed to make it easier for the public and groups interested in wildlife health to report sick and dead wild animals they encounter in Ontario, and eventually across Canada.

“There is a wide span of benefits for a tool like this...

Read more: You can help track wildlife health

Appreciation, growth opportunities and job security motivate hospitality industry workers

Monday, March 5th, 2018
Photo of a woman making pizza

By Shannon Mustard

With 10 per cent of the Canadian population employed by the hospitality and tourism industry, it's important to maintain employee motivation - especially during the down season. The biggest challenge in the hospitality industry is attracting and retaining good quality workers. Researchers believe if employers can understand what motivates and drives their employees, they may be able to attract and retain their employees for a longer period of time.

Prof. William Murray, School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management, has focused...

Read more: Appreciation, growth opportunities and job security motivate hospitality industry workers

Research charts the course of marijuana 'normalization' prior to legalization and regulation of the drug

Friday, February 16th, 2018
A group of young adults at a 420 rally

By Megan Swim

About half of all university students have said they’ve used cannabis at least once, according to research from three Canadian universities. So, what does this mean for the normalization of cannabis use for youth and young adults?

Prof. Andrew Hathaway, of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, has been researching cannabis use since the 1990s. He says cannabis use is not the deviant, addictive habit is has so often been portrayed as, but rather a mainstream phenomenon.

“Back in the 1950s and 1960s, sociologists pegged...

Read more: Research charts the course of marijuana 'normalization' prior to legalization and regulation of the drug

Sexting for women may be empowering

Wednesday, February 14th, 2018
Photo of a woman's hand holding a cellphone

Photo:  Megan Swim

 

By Megan Swim

Society often frowns on the use of sexting – that is, digital technology for sexual purposes -- particularly for women. In some cases, women are more vulnerable for photos going viral or being shown to others without consent, leading to a culture of fear.

But how does this attitude impact women’s sexuality?

In a study last summer, PhD candidate Erin Watson and Prof. Robin Milhausen found sexting provides some women with increased pleasure, desire, and opportunities for sexual communication.

In fact, they say...

Read more: Sexting for women may be empowering