U of G’s One Health Institute Celebrates One Health Day

Nov. 3 marks One Health Day, an annual international campaign that celebrates the need for a One Health approach to address shared health threats at the human-animal-environment interface. The One Health approach mobilizes multiple sectors, disciplines and communities to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems, while addressing the collective need for clean water, energy and air, safe and nutritious food, taking action on climate change, and contributing to sustainable development.  

The One Health Institute (OHI) supports U of G’s leadership in One Health and promotes opportunities for academic, research and experiential learning across disciplines. Learn more about One Health activities and research and how U of G is shaping the next generation of One Health leaders. 

Feature stories

U of G Studying Farming Practice Impacts on Animals, Humans and Environment 

Could a simple practice that sees farmers move their cattle from grazing area to grazing area result in healthier cattle and less pathogens that can cause human illness reaching our soil and waterways? That’s what a multidisciplinary research team from the University of Guelph hopes to find out in a first-of-its-kind, multi-year study. 

U of G Researchers Bring Expertise to the 2024 World One Health Congress 

At the 8th World One Health Congress in Cape Town, U of G researchers, including Dr. Cate Dewey and several graduate students, presented their research and networked with international peers. They emphasized the importance of social sciences in One Health and highlighted U of G’s innovative Bachelor of One Health program. 

Do Lemurs Hold Answers to the Next Pandemic? U of G Researchers Investigate in Madagascar

In the vast and varied lands of Madagascar, researchers describe a “tragedy without villains” – lemurs are disappearing in forests that are shrinking. 

How these cat-like primates can be better protected, and what diseases threaten them, drive a unique research project at the University of Guelph, where Dr. Heather Murphy and Dr. Travis Steffens travel from Guelph to Africa to study these endangered animals. 

Look for the full story on Nov. 7 on the U of G central news site.

One Health Events

• One Health Research and Poster Day

  Learn about One Health at the University of Guelph! Current students from the Bachelor of One Health program and alumni of the Collaborative Specialization in One Health graduate program will speak about their experiences and career opportunities. The highlight of the day is the poster session featuring student research and two-minute ‘so what?’ research presentations where students place their work in the wider One Health context. This event is hosted by the One Health Institute, in partnership with the One Health Student Committee, and the Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses.    

  • Friday, Nov. 8, 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (OAC Centennial Arboretum). 
• One Health Seminar Series.
  As part of its outreach activities, the One Health Institute hosts a seminar series to showcase the depth and breadth of One Health research. Events are hybrid and open to all. Registration is required.
  • Dr. Marsha Hinds Myrie,“Breaking knowledge hegemony through transdisciplinary research practice.”
    • Wednesday, Nov. 13, 12:30 p.m., (PAHL 1812 and virtually via Teams)
  • Dr. Wayne Caldwell. “Rural Planning, Agriculture, and One Health: A Career in Sustainable Development.”
    • Wednesday, Nov. 20, 12:30 p.m. (PAHL 1812 and virtually via Teams)
  • Dr. Natalia Cediel Becerra. “Mapping of One Health initiatives in Latin America.”
    • Wednesday, Dec. 4, 12:30 p.m.(PAHL 1812 and virtually via Teams)

• The Role of Epidemiology in the One Health Approach: Challenges and Solutions

  On November 20, Dr. Hélène Carabin will deliver OVC’s 2024 Schofield Lecture. Dr. Carabin is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Epidemiology and One Health and has helped to recognize the importance of the One Health approach during crises. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.

  • Wednesday, Nov. 20, 10:30 a.m. (ECLA 3702 and virtually via Teams)

Academic Programming in One Health

• In 2019, U of G launched the Collaborative Specialization in One Health (CSOH). The program facilitates graduate students conducting One Health research to become experts in their disciplinary program. 19 departments representing six colleges are participating in the program, which has welcomed over 50 students from five colleges.  

• In 2022, U of G launched the interdisciplinary Bachelor of One Health degree, the first of its kind in Canada. The program celebrated its first grad in 2024.  

One Health Co-op Program Begins May 2025

The Experiential Learning Hub is excited to announce the launch of the One Health Co-op program! The first group of One Health students will embark on their 12-month work terms starting May 2025. 

With three years of the One Health degree program completed, and specializations in Disease, Complexity and Health; Environment, Food and Health; Culture, Society and Health; and Policy, Economics and Health, these students are ready to tackle the complex, interdisciplinary challenges at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. One Health Co-op students will compete for opportunities in government, research, and policy formation. 

Are you looking for talented students ready to make an impact? Reach out to Lindsay Peddle at lpeddle@uoguelph.ca to learn how to recruit students in One Health! 

Opportunities for Students

Since 2019, the One Health Institute has initiated five separate awards, which have directly supported experiential learning opportunities for 16 undergraduate students and five graduate students. This past summer, the OHI funded work investigating the impact of petroleum products on species of ecological, cultural and commercial importance to Indigenous communities on Canada’s Pacific Coast, and how anthropogenic changes in land use affect bat diet, health and insect abundance.  

In summer 2025, the OHI will provide studentships to three undergraduates. The funding competition is now open for these awards, and U of G faculty engaged in One Health research are invited to submit a project description by Friday, Dec. 13. Learn more about OH projects, student engagement and how to apply on OHI’s Woolner Studentship page, and the International Undergraduate Summer Research Studentship in One Health page.