U of G Spring 2025 Convocation: Celebrating OVC Graduate Students

The U of G 2025 Spring Convocation is a proud occasion to celebrate the achievements of all University of Guelph graduates, including those from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). With more than 20 graduate programs across its four departments—Population Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Pathobiology and Clinical Studies—OVC is home to an exceptional group of graduate students whose dedication, curiosity and hard work have brought them to this important milestone.

Here, we share the stories of a few individuals whose research, clinical work and commitment to improving animal and human health reflect the strength and promise of the entire graduating class. We look forward to the impact OVC’s graduates will make throughout their careers.

 Stefanie Di Cosmo

Master of Public Health, Department of Population Medicine

Faculty advisor Dr. Andrew Papadopoulos

At the U of G 2025 Spring Convocation, Stefanie Di Cosmo will receive her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the Department of Population Medicine.

Her passion for public health began during the COVID-19 pandemic while working in life enrichment at a retirement residence. There, she saw how misinformation and social isolation impacted residents’ well-being, inspiring her to explore how community and policy-level interventions could make a difference.

Di Cosmo quickly gravitated toward health promotion, policy and program development as avenues for driving population-level change.

“Stefanie was always interested in using policy to help improve the health of a population and learned throughout the MPH program that policy in combination with health promotion activities and intervention development can change behaviours and truly support community health initiatives,” says Dr. Andrew Papadopoulos.

Her first practicum took her to the Public Health Agency of Canada, supporting antimicrobial resistance policy and communications. She then joined the Office of International Affairs for the Health Portfolio, contributing to Canada’s health-related policy work at the G7 and G20 levels.

“These placements gave me insight into how evidence-informed policy and diplomacy shape public health outcomes,” she says.

After graduation, Di Cosmo plans to pursue work in health promotion, policy and program management across public health sectors.  

Dr. Verena Peres de Thomaz  

MSc in Clinical Studies, Department of Clinical Studies

Faculty co-advisors Drs. Shari Raheb and Sonja Fonfara

An experienced veterinarian from Brazil, Dr. Verena Peres de Thomaz returned to academia after more than a decade in clinical practice — a journey driven by a passion for veterinary cardiology and a desire to advance early detection of heart disease in small animals.

Her MSc in clinical studies research focused on whether strain imaging, an advanced echocardiographic technique, could detect early cardiac dysfunction in dogs fed pulse-inclusive grain-free diets that contain peas, lentils and chickpeas instead of traditional grains. The project aimed to support earlier diagnosis for canine patients.

“I was drawn to this research because, as a cardiologist, one of our biggest challenges is identifying heart disease before clinical signs appear,” she says. “Strain imaging has the potential to be a powerful tool to complement existing diagnostic methods.”

Balancing graduate studies with raising three young children wasn’t easy, but Thomaz embraced the challenge — and found the experience deeply rewarding.

She received the 2025 Harry and Lorna Robbins Memorial Scholarship and a travel award to attend the 2024 European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Congress. She also contributed to OVC student life by working as a graduate teaching assistant in the surgery labs, where she supported DVM students during hands-on sessions.

“Verena was such a hard-working MSc student. She very quickly adapted to academic life in Guelph, and her determination to succeed resulted in the recent successful defense of her thesis. I am looking forward to working with Verena during her clinical internship,” says Dr. Shari Raheb.

Now, Thomaz is preparing to begin a clinical internship at the OVC in June 2025, with the goal of pursuing a specialization in veterinary cardiology in North America.

“My time at OVC was transformative. I arrived as an international student feeling uncertain, and I’m continuing my studies with deep knowledge, lifelong connections, and a renewed sense of purpose. I’m especially grateful for the warmth and support of the faculty.” 

David Bahrami

MSc in Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences  

Faculty advisor Dr. Thomas Koch

Driven by curiosity and a passion for innovation, David Bahrami chose to pursue an MSc in biomedical sciences with the goal of developing stem-cell therapies that can improve the lives of both people and animals.  

His MSc research focused on improving stem-cell grown cartilage for joint repair by investigating how factors such as time and oxygen levels affect its quality. After finishing his MSc, he went straight into a PhD with his advisor, Dr. Thomas Koch.  

“David continues to build on his MSc success in generating joint cartilage from equine stem cells,” says Koch. “During his PhD, we hope to test an off-the-shelf and universal stem cell-derived cartilage implant in horses.”

“The University of Guelph is one of the top universities globally for veterinary research, especially in equine science,” says Bahrami. “I have access to world-class surgeons for implanting our engineered cartilage, as well as advanced facilities and equipment essential for advancing cell-based therapies.”

His advisor’s methodical approach to problem-solving and high standards of scientific integrity helped Bahrami refine his research design and gain confidence as an independent scientist. “Dr. Koch’s mentorship has pushed me to take ownership of my work and think critically about research questions,” says Bahrami.

Long term, Bahrami aims to become a professor leading a research lab focused on cellular therapies and hopes to establish a biotech company that leverages AI to accelerate breakthroughs in regenerative medicine. 

Dr. Maysa Niazy  

PhD in Pathobiology, Department of Pathobiology

Faculty co-advisors Drs. Nicole Ricker and Heather Murphy

Dr. Maysa Niazy, a mature student who immigrated from Sudan with her husband and four children, has achieved remarkable academic success despite facing significant personal challenges. After completing her MSc in pathobiology with a focus on bioinformatics, she went on to pursue a PhD in pathobiology, co-supervised by Drs. Heather Murphy and Nicole Ricker.

Amid the turmoil of war in her home country and the loss of both parents to illness, Niazy completed her PhD in just three years. “She is one of the most hardworking and dedicated people I have had the pleasure of working with,” says Ricker. Niazy is now continuing her research as a post-doctoral fellow at McMaster University.

Read more about her inspiring academic journey in the U of G News article.