Collaboration creates new surgical training opportunity for veterinary students

When a major renovation project at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) temporarily closed access to its containment level 2 (CL2) animal surgical suites, a unique opportunity emerged — one that exemplifies the power of collaboration across the University of Saskatchewan (USask).

To ensure the continuation of important research involving gut loop surgeries on calves, VIDO partnered with USask’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) and its Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC) to establish a new surgical suite within the WCVM’s facilities. This joint effort not only allowed research to continue without interruption — it also opened the doors for veterinary students to gain rare surgical experience.

“This is a great example of what’s possible when we work together,” said Dr. Volker Gerdts (DVM, PhD), VIDO director and CEO. “We are thankful to the VMC for allowing us to use their innovative surgical suite for our research and are excited that this solution is also enriching student training here at USask.”

The gut loop surgery model — used to better understand immune responses in the intestines — is an important research tool that originated at USask, developed by Dr. Philip Griebel, a VIDO scientist, WCVM graduate and associate member of the college’s faculty. The method is currently used by VIDO scientist Dr. Antonio Facciuolo (PhD) to study Johne’s disease in calves. The ability to continue this work required creative thinking and cross-campus coordination.

Dr. Rob Stevens (DVM) Program Manager Veterinary Services, and Dr. Carla Norleen (DVM) Associate Program Manager Veterinary Services, both VIDO veterinarians and WCVM graduates, are leading the surgical procedures.

“This innovative surgical suite not only supports critical research, but it also creates an exciting opportunity for veterinary students to observe complex abdominal procedures they might not otherwise encounter during their training,” said Dr. Baljit Singh, USask Vice-President Research. “USask is dedicated to providing world-leading resources to enhance our research mission, and this is a wonderful example of leaders working together to ensure students are provided the best possible research experience. It’s a win-win for research and education.”

The suite’s creation was made possible with the support of Tammy Lucas, the VMC Chief Operating Officer who played a pivotal role in facilitating logistics and compliance, and Dr. Steve Manning (DVM), the WCVM’s associate dean of clinical programs.

“We saw this as a unique opportunity to support world-class research while also providing our students with a hands-on learning experience that’s hard to replicate,” said Dr. Manning.

Dr. Gillian Muir (DVM, PhD), WCVM dean and a member of VIDO’s Board of Directors, helped bring key players together early in the process.

“This is what makes USask special — our ability to come together across disciplines to solve problems and advance learning,” said Dr. Muir. “Our students are better for it, and so is the science.”

The project also required regulatory approvals to ensure compliance with surgical and animal care protocols. Thanks to the efforts of everyone involved, the WCVM now has a suite that supports complex surgical research and adds a new dimension to student training — an innovation that will continue to benefit both organizations in the future.