Clinical Research Veterinarian - Hamilton, Canada - McMaster University

McMaster University
McMaster University
Verified Company
Hamilton, Canada

1 month ago

Sophia Lee

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Sophia Lee

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Description

The Veterinary Services and Compliance (VSC) department and the Animal Facilities Department (AF), which includes the campus animal facilities of McMaster University and all satellite facilities operated by the Central Animal Facility (CAF), work as a team, hand in hand supporting a corporate animal care and use policy of responsible use of animals in research and teaching.

Animal research must be justified and approved in order to obtain knowledge essential to preventing and treating human and animal disease, minimizing any pain and suffering.

The VSC department oversees all issues surrounding animal health and welfare. Teaching for the purpose of scientific development and technical education is done in order to ensure competent animal use.

The VSC also oversees and operates the Animal Research Ethics Board (AREB).

This is a Presidential board of 20 members, primarily researchers, that review all Animal Utilization Protocols (AUPs) for McMaster University and all its affiliated members.

The incumbent is a member of AREB, which annually reviews in excess of 220 AUPs and at least amendments. A research ethics board for the use of animals in research is provincially legislated in Ontario.


The animal facilities, under the auspices of McMaster University, are required to comply with all agencies overseeing and/or regulating the use of laboratory animals in Canada to ensure continuous operation and obtain funding for animal-based research to the University.

This requires compliance, overseen by the VSC department, with the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) who issue Good Animal Practice certification, and is funded by and acts on behalf of the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR), the National Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRCC) to ensure public funds are issued only to academic institutions meeting acceptable standards of animal care.

New CCAC guidelines are introduced on a regular basis and McMaster University, in particular the VSC department, must institute new or amended policies and procedures to adhere to these changing guidelines and regulations.

Licensing is also required under the provincial Animals for Research Act administered by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and is dependent on acceptable levels of compliance with animal care standards.

As well the federal Criminal Code has sections pertaining to humane treatment of animals.

Also directly applicable are federal biosafety (Health Canada) and provincial workplace safety guidelines and regulations (Occupational Health and Safety Act).

Also the head of VSC department oversees and is responsible for compliance with the Controlled Drug Regulations managed by Health Canada.


The animal care program at McMaster consists of seven facilities overseen from a regulatory and compliance perspective by the VSC department and operated by the Central Animal Facility (CAF) staff and resources.

The Animal Facilities runs on a >$5M budget and the VSC veterinary and compliance staff and the AF management, administrative and technical staff provide management, animal care services and administrative support for all seven facilities.

Included are the specialized areas of animal care such as the Level 3 biohazard unit, quarantine facilities and facilities using "clean room" technology.

Collectively the seven animal facilities cover more than 75,000 square feet. These facilities house in excess of 30,000 animals in over 100 rooms in 7 buildings over 4 campuses.

Each animal must be monitored at least daily (including weekends and statutory holidays) for health and welfare by qualified staff.

All needs of the animals including husbandry, treatment and research protocol management involve varying degrees of intervention and levels of participation by the VSC and AF staff in the projects.

These are outlined below.

The TMG VSC management staff includes Director/University Veterinarian, Veterinary Research Pathologist, Associate Director, and a Clinical Research Veterinarian. There is also an Ethics Office and Compliance Officer as part of the VSC department.


The incumbent assists the VSC and AF in ensuring that highly trained, competent technical and management staff are available seven days a week.

The Clinical Research Veterinarian, in association with the other veterinary staff, provide clinical and surgical services as well as pathology services to maintain a disease-free animal facility environment, all necessary monitoring of animal health and welfare, and ensure that anesthetic, surgical and other specialized equipment is functioning properly and being properly sterilized and available to provide for the health assessment and treatment of all animals housed in all the facilities.

The TMG staff must ensure regulatory compliance for all facilities as well as provide supplies and guidance for facility design, research protocol de
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