Research Services Office

Administers ACS’s day-to-day office activities and communications; leads initial intake of Animal Utilization Protocols (AUP); prepares protocols for ACC review and approvals; addresses queries and responses from Principal Investigators (PI); administers the Animal Care Committee membership, meeting agendas and minutes at ACC meetings.

Provides clinical veterinary care and services in working with researchers and facilities; assists investigators in developing Animal Utilization Protocols (AUP); works to maintain high animal welfare standards and refinement in anesthesia, analgesia, surgery and other medical procedures; develops facility wide SOPs and guidance documents in the Post-Approval Review (PAR) program.

Coordinates all aspects of the Research Ethics Board (REB) review process for research involving human participants. Conducts proficient, critical reviews of protocols to ensure the highest ethical standards are met, as captured in the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct of Research Involving Humans, 2nd Edition (TCPS2). Provides guidance to researchers, as well as administrative support to the REB-General and REB-Natural, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

Supports and maintains Office of Research specific IT programs and systems, including the Office of Research web site.

Responsible for administrative review of research proposals and finalization of research awards and agreements for agencies and sponsors such as SSHRC (external and internal grants), NSERC USRA, sub-agreements and amendments, and other standard agreements.

Provides general legal review of research proposals, applications to sponsors and research agreements and contracts which present higher than normal risk to the University. Advises senior administration on legal matters pertaining to research. Provides Research Support Services (grants and contracts) staff with training and counsel in the review, drafting and negotiation of research-related legal agreements. First point of contact for research-related international agreements and MOUs.

Provides advice and leadership to integrate EDI and indigenization into the research enterprise. Leads the implementation of strategic projects to advance EDI and indigenization in research, such as those identified in the Indigenous Initiatives Strategy. Supports researchers from all disciplines to ask critical questions and incrementally advance EDI and indigenization over time. Builds networks of collaborators across campus to continue building a culture where EDI and Indigenization considerations are foundational in the development of research teams and research design.

Provides administrative leadership for strategic research and infrastructure programs including Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU), Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE), Canada Research Chairs (CRC), Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) and major prestigious research honours and awards, such as Royal Society of Canada (RSC), Trudeau Foundation, Killam, and others.

Leads the Animal Care Committee (ACC) facility site visits, coordinates the provincial inspections by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) and manages the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) assessment visits and ongoing reporting; acts as liaison between the animal facilities/research centres and the Animal Care Committee.

Provides operational leadership to ACS’s ethics and compliance mandate, provides veterinary clinical care and support to researchers, facility veterinarians, facility managers and staff; assists investigators in developing Animal Utilization Protocols (AUP); provides operational leadership of the Animal User Training program, and acts as veterinary expertise in the post-approval activities.

First point of contact for submission of and initial processing of research grant and award applications, including OR5 Forms, and research contractual agreements.  Patti will inform researchers to whom their submission is assigned within the Research Services Office for further review and processing. 

Administrative leadership for the Research Support Services (Grants and Contracts) unit. Responsible for managing all aspects of pre-award and non-financial post-award grants and agreements, including developing and recommending policies/guidelines for an efficient administrative operation. Responsible for oversight of pre-award compliance with federal, provincial and private agency guidelines and regulations.

Provides operational leadership and managerial oversight within the Research Services Office and strategic support to the Associate Vice-President (Research Services).  Responsible for planning, priority setting, operational performance and relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

Provides operational leadership of the Post-Approval Review (PAR) program in accordance with CCAC guidelines; oversees compliance of facility site visits and regulatory inspections; provides veterinary clinical care and welfare assessments in support to researchers, facility veterinarians, and facility staff; assists researchers in developing Animal Utilization Protocols (AUP); instructs in the Animal User Training program.

Provides administrative and logistical support for strategic research and infrastructure programs including Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities, Canada Research Chairs (CRC), Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC), Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) and University of Guelph Major Proposal Development Grants (MPDG).   Also provides pre-award application support (i.e., administrative review of proposals) and non-financial post-award services to researchers for various Sponsors.

Provides consultation and support for risks associated with research at the University including associated research policies and administrative procedures, legislated requirements and standards/guidelines. Contact for questions about Radiation Protection, Biosafety, Laboratory Safety, controlled research (Controlled Goods, Industrial Security, Cannabis), Biotechnology, and compliance.