Current Opportunities
This is a centralized collection of currently available opportunities for potential graduate students who are seeking to enrol in a thesis-based MSc or PhD program at OVC and are looking for an advisor.
For other opportunities, potential students can email individual faculty members to determine whether they are currently taking on any new students. Please browse faculty listings on departmental websites to learn more about faculty members' research programs and locate their contact information.
Current Opportunities:
Master of Science (MSc) Position - Epidemiology
Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph
Applications are invited for a graduate student position (Master of Science by thesis) in epidemiology in the Department of Population Medicine.
The successful applicant will be involved in a research program that will utilize qualitative and quantitative epidemiological approaches to investigate the welfare implications of using needle-free technology for administering medication to piglets.
Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree in an area that is relevant to the research project and meet all of the graduate department admissions requirements for the Department of Population Medicine at the University of Guelph.
Applicants should have an interest in learning epidemiology, statistics, quantitative and qualitative research techniques as well as an interest in research focused on swine health, animal populations, livestock, and animal welfare. This research project involves on-farm hands-on work with piglets and will provide experience and training in all aspects of applied research.
The applicant should have excellent English language communication skills (both verbal and written) and evidence of strong academic performance. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Any questions regarding the position and research project can be directed to Dr. O’Sullivan.
Interested candidates should email their curriculum vitae, letter of interest, and academic transcripts to Dr. Terri O’Sullivan, tosulliv@uoguelph.ca
The anticipated starting date is Spring Semester (May 2024) and the position will remain open until filled.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Position - Host-pathogen Interactions in Mycoplasma Bovis Pneumonia
Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph
Applications are invited for a PhD position in the Department of Pathobiology.
The successful applicant will be involved in a research program on host-pathogen interaction in Mycoplasma bovis infection that focuses on the responses of bovine macrophages to M. bovis infection and how the diseased lung microenvironment modulates these responses. Mycoplasma bovis is an important pathogen of cattle for which adequate control methods are not currently available. The research addresses the reasons that some infected cattle develop severe chronic pneumonia while many other infected cattle remain healthy. The investigative approach involves primary cell culture and advanced analysis of diseased lung tissue, and some work with sample collection from cattle. Laboratory methods are expected to involve mycoplasmal culture, bovine primary cell culture, confocal microscopy, and assays of inflammatory responses and cell death mechanisms, and may also include flow cytometry and electron microscopy.
Applicants should have an interest in microbiology and immunology with a focus on host-pathogen interaction and pathogenesis, as well as mechanisms of inflammation and of cell death.
The applicant must have completed an MSc degree with a focus on immunology, microbiology or related fields, evidence of strong academic performance, and strong English language communication skills. Applicants must meet the graduate department admissions requirements for the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Guelph, including completion of an approved MSc degree with a minimum 'B+' average.
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Interested candidates should email their curriculum vitae, letter of interest, and academic transcripts to Dr. Jeff Caswell, jcaswell@uoguelph.ca.
The anticipated starting date is Winter or Summer Semester (January or May 2025) and the position will remain open until filled.
