PhD Candidate – Epidemiology and One Health
BScH (Zoology) – University of Guelph, MSc (Epidemiology and One Health) – University of Guelph
Sydney is a PhD candidate in the Department of Population Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, specializing in Epidemiology and One Health. Generally, she is interested in zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, specifically those of companion animal health. During her MSc degree, she analyzed passive surveillance data on ticks (such as Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor variabilis), to understand companion animal risk factors for acquisition, and spatial/temporal distribution patterns. Her doctoral research is investigating several epidemiological aspects of Leishmania spp. in imported dogs, such as prevalence, lifestyle and medical risk factors, and the clinical picture of cases of canine leishmaniosis. Sydney will also be investigating the ecological factors supporting the vector sand fly, Lutzomyia spp., and the potential for range expansion and establishment.
Research Interests
Zoonotic disease epidemiology and ecology, vector-borne disease epidemiology and ecology, parasitology, companion animal health, One Health
Teaching
STAT 2040 (DE) – Statistics I (W24)
ONEH 2000 – Case Studies in One Health (F23)
POPM 6230 – Applied Clinical Research (W23, W24)
ASCI 1120 – Society and Inquiry (W23)
POPM 6200 – Epidemiology I (F22, F23)
Publications
1. Meyers, S., Clow, K. M., DeWinter, S., Sundstorm, K. and Little, S. (2023). Multiple species of canine Rhipicephalus complex detected in Canada. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100976
2. DeWinter, S., Bauman, C., Peregrine, A., Weese, J. S. and Clow, K. M. (2023). Infestation patterns of Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor variabilis on dogs and cats across Canada. PLoS ONE, 18(2): e0281192. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281192
3. DeWinter, S., Bauman, C., Peregrine, A., Weese, J. S. and Clow, K. M. (2023). Assessing the spatial and temporal patterns and risk factors for acquisition of Ixodes spp. by companion animals across Canada. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases, 14(2), 102089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102089