9:00am to 4:00pm (Trainee Skills Workshop)

*Student / trainee members of the three host organizations are eligible to RSVP for this free workshop.

Part One AM: Applying Systems Thinking: Tackling Wicked Problems Effectively

Systems-thinking offers a holistic, sustainable, and adaptive approach to tackling wicked problems by addressing their complexity, interconnectedness and downstream consequences. This workshop will introduce systems thinking and provide trainees with tools and the opportunity to develop systems maps in the context of currently relevant emerging zoonoses and AMR.

Part Two (PM): Bridging the Gaps in One Health Education: What Are Trainees Missing? 

One Health training is becoming an integral part of several programs and courses across Canadian institutions. This workshop will engage trainees to identify gaps in knowledge, skills, and experiences related to One Health training. Together, participants will work to connect these insights to co-create practical next steps that drive improvement in the context of One Health education.

Speakers / Facilitators: Dr Tarra Penney (York University), Dr Jane Parmley (University of Guelph), Dr Cécile Aenishaenslin (University of Montreal)

8:30am to 11:30am 

Mentorship Workshop for COHPTEZ and CAN-AMR-Net mentors:

During this workshop , participants will

- Foster a collaborative environment where mentors can share their experiences and expectations.

- Explore and develop strategies for effective mentorship within the COHTPEZ and CAN-AMR-Net training programs.

- Reflect on gaps in One Health training from the trainee perspective and identify actionable steps to address these needs.

8:30am to 10:30am : COHPTEZ and CAN-AMR-Net mentors program

10:30am to 11:30am : Dedicating networking session for mentors and trainees aimed at fostering meaningful connections. 

*This workshop is complimentary for registered conference participants. 

12:00pm to 1:00pm

Registration

1:00pm to 1:45pm

Official Conference Opening - Welcome Address by Conference Co-Chairs

1:45pm to 2:30pm

Keynote Address: Mitigating AMR and Emerging Zoonoses - Danish experience with Dr Lis Alban, DVM, PhD (University of Copenhagen Denmark)

Denmark's journey over the past 25+ years in addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and emerging zoonoses has been marked by challenges, breakthroughs, and valuable lessons. This keynote will share the Danish experience of navigating what works—and what doesn’t—while fostering meaningful collaboration among key stakeholders. Explore how Denmark has motivated diverse players to align efforts and achieve practical, sustainable outcomes, offering inspiration and guidance for tackling these pressing global issues.

3:00pm to 5:00pm

Canada's Actions to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance 

We are now over a year into the Pan-Canadian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The Government of Alberta recently released Alberta’s One Health AMR Framework for Action. This session will explore what progress we have made. What needs to be done? How do we move forward with implementation to make meaningful changes to support antimicrobial stewardship and tackle AMR across One Health sectors?

Speakers: Dr Jan Sargeant (University of Guelph), Dr Manish Sadarangani (University of British Columbia), Dr Andrew Cameron (University of Regina)

5:00pm to 6:00pm

Networking Reception

07:30 - 8:30am

Breakfast

8:30am to 10:00am

Emerging Topics: Tackling tomorrow's problems, today

The worlds of antimicrobial resistance and emerging zoonosis research are a dynamic landscape, with advancements, exciting new techniques and knowledge being generated every day. This session aims to cater to a broad audience, helping them stay ‘one step ahead’ on trending topics in AMR and Emerging Zoonoses. Speakers will examine today and tomorrow’s most pressing challenges and cutting-edge research.

Speakers: Dr Diego Nobrega (University of Calgary),  Dr Sabine Gilch (University of Calgary), Dr Jennifer Geddes-McAlister (University of Guelph)

10:30am to 12:00pm

Uncovering Mechanisms of AMR

In the rapidly evolving landscape of AMR, researchers are using omics and bioinformatics technologies to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying the emergence and spread of AMR. These new approaches can elucidate the effects of host-pathogen and environmental interactions on AMR.

Speakers: Dr Jennifer Ronholm (University of Montreal), Dr Dao Nguyen (McGill University)

12:00pm to 1:30pm

Lunch

1:30pm to 3:00pm

Improving Competitive Exclusion: Probiotics as antibiotic alternatives

Competitive exclusion is the process where beneficial microorganisms outcompete harmful bacteria for resources and space, preventing their growth. This concept is well established, but with the rise in AMR and growing reluctance to use antibiotics in agriculture, it’s worth re-examining if the microbiome can be optimized to reduce the rates of bacterial infections. This session will present cutting- edge microbiome research that advances the science of targeted competitive exclusion and address a key question - Can probiotics truly serve as viable alternatives to antibiotics?

Speakers: Dr Ben Willing (University of Alberta), Dr Devin Holman (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

3:30pm to 4:30pm

Antibiotic Management in Canada

This session will explore the difficulties in obtaining novel antibiotics in Canada—critical tools for combating AMR. Focusing on both human and veterinary medicine, the discussion will highlight regulatory, economic, and logistical barriers to their availability. Experts will also explore stewardship strategies to preserve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics, emphasizing a collaborative One Health approach.

Speakers: Dr John Conly (University of Calgary, Alberta Health Services) 

6:30pm t0 10:30pm

Gala Dinner

07:30am - 8:30am

Breakfast

8:30am to 10:30am

The Future of Surveillance: Balancing access, sustainability, and standards in the -omics era

Over the past decade we have seen an explosion in the development and implementation of genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic technology. This -omics revolution has allowed us to generate and analyze immense quantities of data in numerous different disciplines, however, not all data is generated, stored or analyzed equally. This session will highlight the progress that has been made in successfully implementing -omics technology for the surveillance of emerging zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance across the academic, industry and government sectors. Topics of discussion will include data generation and analysis standards, the role of different sectors in maintaining an accessible surveillance network within Canada, as well as the role of Artificial Intelligence in data interpretation.

Speakers: Simon Otto (University of Alberta), Dr Mike Parkins (University of Calgary), Dr Caroline Duchaine (Laval University)

11:00am to 12:00pm

Art, Science, One Health and Learning to Draw

There has been a lot of discussion about using art to communicate scientific findings/messages but little exploration of how science can inspire art or art inspire science. More discourse is needed to explore where and how the arts fit into One Health and how One Health approaches fit into the arts. Engaging with artists who are working in this space, using art to inspire change, to challenge assumptions will serve as a starting point for these conversations.

This session will explore Immune Nations, a collaborative and interdisciplinary creative-research project focused on the theme of vaccines. As a participant who co-led aspects of the initiative, I will share insights into my creative contributions and broader reflections on the project, concluding with thoughts on combining qualitative and quantitative analysis.

The presentation then examines two historical representations of the body: a dissection image from Andrea Vesalius’ On the Fabric of the Human Body (1548) and a surrealist "exquisite corpse" drawing. These works highlight the interplay between rationality and irrationality, questioning the traditional mind-body dualism.

Next, I will guide the audience through a collaborative exquisite corpse drawing exercise, fostering dialogue and creativity. While such group activities carry an element of unpredictability, they often lead to engaging discussions. If time permits, the session will conclude with a brief look at the intersection of art and politics, drawing on the surrealist example to illustrate this dynamic relationship.

Facilitator / Speaker: Sean Caulfield (University of Alberta)

12:00pm to 1:30pm

Lunch & Poster Presentations

1:30pm to 4:30pm

Emerging Zoonoses : From genes to societies

Recent years have witnessed the emergence and re-emergence of significant zoonotic and vector-borne diseases that pose substantial threats to human and animal health. This includes endemic and emerging zoonoses such as lyme disease, mpox, highly pathogenic avian influenza, and Marburg virus. Responding to these crises requires research and action across a broad range of scales and disciplines from the molecular characterisation of individual genes to population-level behavioural analyses and global policymaking. This session aims to highlight the diverse range of cutting-edge research involved in tackling this multifaceted challenge.

Speakers: Dr Susan Cork (University of Calgary), Dr Samira Mubareka (Sunnybrook Health Sciences), Dr Tamara Riley (Australian National University)

4:30pm to 5:30pm

Oral Abstract Presentations

Free evening

07:30am to 8:30am

Breakfast

8:30am to 10:30am

The Powers of Policy & Public Engagement in the Context of Canadian AMR & Emerging Zoonoses

Addressing the problems of antimicrobial resistance and emerging zoonoses requires taking a One Health approach, which necessitates reaching beyond the bench, barn or bedside and into the realm of policy and public engagement. This session will focus on what “policy” is and the goals of different levels of policy makers as well as how research, especially novel discoveries, are translated for public consumption. This will be followed by a discussion on the relationship between stewardship, leadership and awareness in the Canadian AMR & EZ context.

Part 1: Power of Policy:

This panel discussion will focus on how research influences policy decision making in the AMR & EZ space. Starting with a conversation that outlines what “policy” is and the role different levels of policy makers, from institutional to international, play in determining how recommendations are implemented. This will be followed by a dialogue on how scientists contribute data to influence policy making or write policy briefs themselves as we explore the relationship between research, stewardship and leadership in the Canadian context.

Part 2: Engaging the Public:

While we all know that a One Health approach is necessary for combating AMR and emerging disease threats, to the public this is not as widely known. This session will focus on how we can spread the message to the public, and how to explain One Health in terms that lay people can understand. Current and past awareness campaigns will be discussed and other methods of disseminating information (i.e. social media).

Speakers: Dr Lorian Hardcastle (University of Calgary), Dr Bradley Langford (Dalla Lana School of Public Health), Dr Fred Wrona (University of Calgary)

11:00am to 12:00pm

Closing Session