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Employment Opportunity - Executive Director
This section provides updates on recent CPRC activities. Updates, including research highlights, are also published monthly in Canadian Poultry Magazine.
Please click on the following headings (listed in alphabetical order) for more details:
Annual Reports
eBulletin
Growing Forward
Postgraduate Scholarship Supplement
Poultry Welfare Cluster
Strategic Planning
Annual Reports
Please click the links below for PDF versions of CPRC's Annual Reports.
2009 Annual Report (0.3 MB)
2008 Annual Report (0.5 MB)
2007 Annual Report (2 MB)
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eBulletin
CPRC regularly distributes an electronic newsletter, or "eBulletin", which highlights research, events and activities.
To subscribe, please send us an email at info@cp-rc.ca.
Please click on a link below to view an issue:
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Postgraduate Scholarship Supplement
In cooperation with NSERC, CPRC is offering a supplement to recipients of NSERC postgraduate scholarships. Details of the program can be found on the NSERC website.
June 2010 The 2010 scholarship supplement was awarded to Kathleen Vail, University of Alberta. Kathleen started her MSc program in September 2009 under supervision of Dr. Lynn McMullen at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Science at the University of Alberta. Her project is investigating physiological responses of Listeria monocytogenes to environmental conditions (oxygen level, temperature, osmolarity, pH) commonly experienced during meat processing. Research reported in the literature indicates that many bacteria, including Listeria, change from normal cell morphology to a filamentous form under sub-optimal growing conditions. Kathleen’s hypothesis is that L. monocytogenes will survive common meat processing conditions and can persist in filamentous form on foodstuffs under cold storage conditions. Some currently used microbiological testing methods (such as plate counting) are less able to detect the filamentous form of the bacterium. If Kathleen’s hypothesis is correct, it may be that the levels of viable L. monocytogenes present on prepared foods are being underestimated. These results would be of significant consequence to the food industry, especially “ready-to-eat” meat products that are not cooked by the end consumer. For example, processors might be prompted to adjust their microbiological testing methods and/or avoid conditions that promote filamentous Listeria.
September 2009 The 2009 scholarship supplement was awarded to Bushansingh (Shyam) Baurhoo at McGill University. Shyam is investigating the effect of mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) and lignin on broiler chicken performance, especially in the absence of dietary antimicrobials. MOS are complex sugars derived from yeast that have been shown to have prebiotic effects – that is, they may support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the chicken’s gut. Lignin is a co-product of the paper industry that may also be of benefit. This work directly relates to CPRC’s priority of finding alternatives to commonly used antimicrobials. Shyam’s PhD research project is very ambitious. He will be looking at effects on nutrient metabolism, gene regulation, immune function and microbial population dynamics. Work thus far suggests that MOS and low levels of lignin are both more effective than virginiamycin at decreasing gut colonization by the bacterium E. coli and at increasing numbers of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. The supplements may also help protect poultry from Salmonella challenge. These results could be of significant importance to the industry.
July 2008 Megan MacDonald was awarded the 2008 supplement and holds an NSERC Post Graduate Scholarship. Megan is studying, under the supervision of Dr. Katherine Edens Magor, innate immune responses to influenza virus infection. Specifically, she is interested in why ducks can survive as asymptomatic carriers of several strains of Avian Influenza which cause severe disease in chickens. Previous research suggests there are differences between ducks and chickens in certain receptors that recognize viral genetic material. These receptors (known as immune detectors), when stimulated, participate in a cascade of immune system responses. Megan’s work led to the discovery of a new influenza detector, RIG-1, that is present in ducks but not in chickens. She hypothesizes that this difference relates to why ducks are resistant and chickens susceptible to a number of viruses.
Megan has already published two papers, and has made four poster/oral presentations. Megan was one of only three students worldwide selected to present a paper at an immunology conference in France in 2006.
July 2007 This year’s recipient of the CPRC postgraduate scholarship supplement was Holley Pizzey. Holley is working in Dr. Grégoy Bédécarrats’ lab at the University of Guelph. She is studying prolactin, a pituitary hormone whose expression is associated not only with incubation behaviour, but on a multitude of other functions, including stimulation of the immune system. The main objective of Holley’s research project is to study, at the molecular level, the effects of prolactin on development and function of the immune system. A great deal of background work has been performed in Dr. Bédécarrats’ lab and the project is well poised to increase the relatively small knowledge base on prolactin’s role in immune function. This increased knowledge may have important implications to breeding schemes, which have traditionally selected against incubation behaviour and could have affected prolactin expression.
November 2007 The first recipient of CPRCs postgraduate scholarship supplement, Mohamed Faizal Abdul Careem, recently reported on his previous year’s work. Faizal has obtained status of Diplomat of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians (ACPV) and has been accepted by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO) as a licensed poultry veterinarian. He has published 5 papers, submitted 2 more manuscripts, made an oral presentation and contributed to 2 poster presentations. His academic performance remains very high – Faizal was awarded the Soren Rosendal Memorial Research Prize and the Korean-Canadian Dr. F. Schofield Memorial Scholarship from the Ontario Veterinary College, as well as the Reed Rumsey Award from the American Association of Avian Pathologists. In recognition of his outstanding performance, the 2nd installment of his supplement has been sent to Faizal.
September 2006 Three applications were received under the program this year. After careful review, the CPRC is pleased to announce Mohamed Faizal Abdul Careem as the recipient of this year’s supplement. Faizal is a PhD student working under supervision of Drs. Shayan Sharif and Bruce Hunter at the University of Guelph. The objectives of his research project are to determine the mechanism of immune response following embryo vaccination against Marek’s Disease (MD) and to see whether embryo vaccination against MD has any adverse effects on subsequent development of immune responsiveness. Faizal is a recipient of a prestigious Canada Graduate Scholarship
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Strategic Planning
December 2009 Significant among CPRC’s activities in 2009 were visits with a number of organizations across Canada that have a stake in poultry research. Feedback from these organizations and discussions with CPRC’s members revealed a clear need and desire for CPRC to play a greater role in coordinating a national poultry research program thereby maximizing Canada’s poultry research investment. Pursuing a Canadian poultry science cluster is considered a significant step in the right direction, however the scope of the cluster is only the beginning of what might be accomplished in the future. CPRC will continue to communicate with funding agencies and other poultry research stakeholders in developing a national poultry research strategy that will foster much more coordination and put Canada’s poultry sector in a better position to take full advantage of future opportunities.
January 2008 CPRC Members have provided valuable feedback on the first draft of the strategy implementation plan. A revised draft incorporating these comments has been distributed. Further revisions will be made after receiving reaction from CEMA, which is anticipated mid-February. Staff are aiming for Director approval of an implementation plan at the Annual General Meeting scheduled in March.
November 2007 CPRC staff have submitted the first draft of a plan designed to implement CPRC’s strategic plan. The document recommends various actions towards achieving the objectives listed in the Strategic Planning Session report. CPRC Directors are now considering these actions (and the resources required to carry them out) and will vote on which should be pursued. Depending on the extent of new activities approved, CPRC may adjust its level of staffing.
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Poultry Welfare Cluster
December 2010 As part of Poultry Welfare Cluster, the University of Guelph is pleased to announce a new PhD Scholarship in Poultry Welfare. Applications are due March 1, 2010. Please click here for program details.
April 2009 Canada’s poultry industry announced in April 2009 the formation of a “virtual centre” of poultry behaviour and welfare at the University of Guelph (UofG). The centre consists of a cluster of welfare experts at the University that will communicate and collaborate with animal and poultry welfare scientists across the country. The four-way agreement, signed by the Poultry Industry Council (PIC), CPRC, AAFC and the UofG, includes assignment of an AAFC research scientist, Dr. Stephanie Torrey, to the Department of Animal and Poultry Science at Guelph, which represents a significant step forward in AAFC’s support of the poultry sector. Dr. Torrey is developing her research program at Guelph and is collaborating with scientists across Canada on a variety of projects relating to poultry welfare. An Advisory Committee with representatives of each of the four signing partners will help develop the cluster and provide advice regarding its overall research strategies.
January 2008 Efforts are ongoing towards development of a Poultry Welfare Research Cluster in Canada. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has been a partner in this initiative from the start and, since the process began, has moved, to a large extent, to seeking financial partnerships when staffing new positions. As a result, industry funding on the order of $50,000 per year for 5 years is being sought to support staffing a Lead with appropriate support for this national poultry welfare cluster. The position will be an AAFC scientist co-located at the University of Guelph. It has been suggested that the industry support be split between the CPRC Members ($30,000 per year) to reflect the national scope of this initiative and the poultry industry of Ontario ($20,000 per year) where the successful candidate will be located. This industry contribution would be leveraged 8:1 with other sources for 5 years; the estimated annual budget for the Cluster is $401,700, including salary & benefits for the Lead, technical support, graduate student support, office & lab space, research supplies, travel & publications and outreach & technology transfer activities. After 5 years, the position will continue without further cash inputs from industry. Creation of this welfare cluster position represents a unique opportunity to secure AAFC support for a new poultry scientist for Canada. The successful candidate will not only produce new welfare-related research in Canada, but will perform a coordinating role to foster collaboration among researchers across Canada working to improve the welfare of our birds. Both the CPRC Members and the Poultry Industry Council Board of Directors are considering the proposed funding structure.
July 2007 The selection committee reviewed the 6 proposals for leadership of a Canadian Virtual Centre for Poultry Welfare Research, then met June 6 to score and rank the proposals. After reviewing the applications and selection committee recommendations, the CPRC Directors will, on behalf of the Canadian poultry industry, present to AAFC their recommendation for the institution(s) most appropriate to lead the Centre.
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