OVC researchers are constantly discovering, publishing, getting grants, winning awards, building partnerships and growing their research programs. We are proud of these achievements. Each month, we highlight researchers, providing a snapshot of their recent publications, grants and awards, and ‘wins’ for their research program.
In June 2021 we celebrated Dr. Laura Favetta
Dr. Laura Favetta
Assistant Professor and
Reproductive Toxicologist
Department of
Biomedical Sciences
Laura’s research interest is in reproductive toxicology, specifically investigating the effects of environmental chemicals, such as Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (e.g. BPA) and therapeutic and recreational drugs (e.g. THC) on oocyte competence, sperm quality, early pre-implantation embryo development and, ultimately, their effects on fertility and pregnancy outcome. She uses the bovine in vitro experimental model, both for the impact of this research on the cattle industry and as a translational model for humans and the importance of these studies for the human IVF procedures.
Three Publications:
- Sabry R., Saleh AC., Stalker L., LaMarre J., Favetta LA. (2021). Effects of bisphenol A and bisphenol S on microRNA expression during bovine (Bos taurus) oocyte maturation and early embryo development. Reproductive Toxicology. 99: 96-108. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2020.12.001.
- Sabry R, Apps C, Reiter-Saunders JA, Saleh AC, Balachandran S, St John EJ, Favetta LA. (2021). BPA and BPS Affect Connexin 37 in Bovine Cumulus Cells.Genes (Basel). 12(2):321. doi: 10.3390/genes12020321.
- Misner MJ., Taborek A., Dufour J., Sharifi L., Khokhar JY. and Favetta LA. (2021). Effects of Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on Oocyte Competence and Early Embryonic Development. Frontiers in Toxicology. 3: 647918. doi.org/10.3389/ftox.2021.647918.
Two Grants and Awards:
- 2019-2025 NSERC Discovery Grant + Accelerator Supplement - Bisphenol A and S affect early embryonic development in cattle.
- 2019 - Graduate Mentor Award, Department of Biomedical Sciences
One Win:
My graduate students have had great success in attaining scholarships within and outside the Department, reflecting the quality of my students and the research that they do:
- Four of my five graduate students (2 PhD and 3 MSc) hold OVC scholarships.
- In the 2020/21 competition, two students were awarded an OGS with Reem S. (PhD student) receiving her second OGS scholarship in as many years.