McGill appoints new Director of the Animal Compliance Office

Dear colleagues,

It is my great pleasure to announce that Dr. Cecile Baccanale has accepted the position of Director of the Animal Compliance Office as of September 1, 2008. Dr. Baccanale brings to our community outstanding expertise in diverse areas.

Dr. Baccanale received her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the Université de Montréal and has over 15 years of experience in the laboratory animal field as manager, clinician, researcher and regulatory assessment director. She has clinical veterinary experience with laboratory animals, nonhuman primates and farm animals in various settings. Her research focused on nutritional toxicology and fetal development in nonhuman primates.

She held the position of Associate Director of the Center of Research and Animal Resources and Laboratory Animal Services at Cornell University with oversight of close to 100 animal facilities, and is currently the Director of the Office of Animal Research Services at the University of Connecticut.

Her position of Assessment Director for the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and the Association of Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) is a valuable asset to our program.

The breadth of experience of Dr. Baccanale is ideal. I hope that you will join me in welcoming her into this important position and in facilitating her integration into the McGill community.

We would also like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Jim Gourdon, who held the position of Acting Director of the Animal Compliance Office for over a year, in addition to his full-time position as Director of the Animal Resources Centre. Jim has demonstrated outstanding leadership in ensuring that our Animal Care and Use Program maintains the highest standards. Significant accomplishments in the past year have included guiding our Program in the completion of CCAC certification requirements, drafting animal policies, and upgrading various facilities. The animal care community of McGill University will continue to be well served with the arrival of Dr. Baccanale and with Jim's ongoing leadership as Director of the ARC.

Denis Thérien
Vice-Principal (Research and International Relations)