
2026 OPIC Swine Research Day
Call for Abstracts
Abstract submission deadline: Friday, August 14th, 2026, at noon (12 pm ET)
Ontario Pork Industry Council (OPIC) invites abstract submissions for the Research Poster Session at the 2026 OPIC Swine Research Day, to be held on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the GrandWay Events Centre, Elora, Ontario. This is an industry-focused event. Abstracts should be written for a broad audience that includes representatives from the feed, veterinary, and pharmaceutical industries, breeding and genetics companies, extension, government, and research organizations.
Submissions are encouraged from:
• Researchers (university, government, or industry)
• Undergraduate and graduate students
Submission Details
• Email abstracts to: swineresearchday@opic.on.ca
• Subject line: OPIC Swine Research Day Abstract submission
• Please include your current role (student, industry, government, etc.) in the body of the email Accepted abstracts will be published in the 2026 OPIC Swine Research Day Proceedings, and corresponding posters will be displayed during the event.
Abstract Format
Please submit abstracts in MS Word
• Title
o Maximum 12 words, Times New Roman, 12 pt font, bold
• Authorship
o Maximum 2 lines, Times New Roman 10 pt font
• Affiliations
o Maximum 4 lines, Times New Roman 10 pt font
• Abstract Body
o Maximum of 500 words, paragraph format (no subheadings)
o Times New Roman 12 pt font, single-spacedReview and Acceptance
• Abstract acceptance decisions will be communicated during the week of August 24th, 2026
• Top-ranked student-authored abstracts will be selected for a 15-minute oral presentation
• Additional high-ranking student abstracts may be invited to participate in a short “mini pitch” session as part of the conference program
o Mini pitches are designed to highlight poster presentations and encourage discussion during the poster session
• Additional details and presenter guidelines will be provided to selected participants
• All poster presenters must register for the OPIC Swine Research Day by the registration deadline
Poster Design and Oral Presentation
• Poster dimensions and design requirements will be provided upon abstract acceptance
• Posters must be clearly presented and tailored to an industry audience
• Oral presentation requirements will be provided upon abstract acceptance



Prof. Lee-Anne Huber
Prof. Huber grew up on a farrow-to-finish and beef operation in Southwestern Ontario. Dr. Huber completed her BSc in Animal Biology and subsequently, a MSc and PhD at the University of Guelph exploring nutrient utilization during various life stages of swine. Thereafter, Dr. Huber used the mini-pig as a translational model for premature human infant nutrition interventions during her post-doctoral fellowship at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dr. Huber is now an Associate Professor at the University of Guelph and runs a comprehensive swine nutrition research program, largely focusing on amino acid utilization by reproductive sows, developing precision feeding programs for sows, and exploring greenhouse gas mitigation strategies for swine.
Brenda Christensen, PhD
Brenda Christensen, a recent graduate from the University of Guelph has been working on dietary strategies to improve the post-weaning period. She has worked with suckling piglets, nursery pigs and sows determining how to best support the weaning pigs. With the removal of high levels of Zn, she is working on how to create a more robust piglet, who can rely on their own system to overcome the stressors associated with weaning. Now, working at Trouw Nutrition she is the Swine researcher, testing how these strategies translate to on farm performance.
Prof. Jennifer Ellis
Prof. Jennifer Ellis, Associate Professor, Animal Systems Modelling, Centre for Nutrition Modelling, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph Dr Jennifer Ellis is an Associate Professor at the University of Guelph with a focus on Animal Systems Modelling. Ellis has been at UofG since 2019. Before that, she worked as a modelling research scientist for Trouw Nutrition, and previous to that spent 5 years at Wageningen University in the Netherlands as a Post Doctoral Fellow. Her BSc, MSc and PhD were obtained from the University of Guelph. Her passion area, and the focus of her research lab, is how to use models and digital tools to understand systems and aid in optimizing animal production systems. Her research program spans multiple species, and the breadth between mechanistic modelling and machine learning. She was a 2024 recipient of a University of Guelph Research Excellence Award, as well as a 2022 recipient of an LRIC Early Career Researcher Award.
Dr Angie Bosman, PhD
Angie is a veterinary epidemiologist whose primary roles with CIPARS include analysis and reporting of antimicrobial sales data from the Veterinary Antimicrobial Sales Reporting system, and grower-finisher antimicrobial use, health, and biosecurity data from the CIPARS Farm Swine Surveillance component. She is also involved in the development of interactive data visualizations.
Sarah Hill. PhD
Sarah is an Epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency of Canada, where she develops and maintains analytical tools, reporting systems, and data workflows that support surveillance programs, including AMR surveillance through CIPARS. Sarah completed her PhD under the supervision of Drs. Friendship and O’Sullivan. Her research focused on management practices surrounding sow parturition, with the goal of providing pork producers with evidence-based information to reduce sow mortality and improve piglet survival during the farrowing period.
Christine Bone, PhD
Christine Bone is a Research Associate in the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph. She holds a PhD in Animal Physiology and is currently working with Dr. Jim Squires to develop strategies for controlling boar taint without castration.
Prof. Con-Ning Yen
Con-Ning Yen is an Assistant Professor of Muscle Biology and Meat Science at the University of Guelph, where she joined in 2026 after completing her PhD at Virginia Tech. Her research focuses on skeletal muscle energy metabolism, especially mitochondrial function during muscle growth and how it influences growth efficiency and meat quality.
Harry Aricibasi
Harry Aricibasi is an MSc candidate in Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph, working under Dr. Dan Tulpan, and Business Manager, LiveStack, with the GVF Group of Companies. His research applies computer vision and machine learning to precision swine production, using overhead video to automatically monitor pigs without handling or extra sensors. His work covers two practical applications: detecting mounting behaviour in group-housed boars and estimating individual body weight in growing-finishing pigs.
Leslie McKnight, PhD
Leslie McKnight is a livestock industry professional with extensive experience in animal nutrition research and swine business development. She is currently the Technical Sales Manager in Ontario for DCL Nutrition & Animal Health. Previous to DCL, she worked at Boehringer Ingelheim as a Swine Key Account Manager. Leslie also held several leadership positions with Trouw Nutrition North America, including Research Manager, Team Lead for Global Validation Research, and Research Scientist. Throughout her career, she has led multidisciplinary research teams, managed national and international research portfolios, secured competitive research funding, and developed innovative partnerships between industry, universities, and commercial farms. She began her career in animal nutrition research after completing a PhD at the University of Guelph as an NSERC Industry Scholar in collaboration with Procter and Gamble. Leslie is active in the Canadian agriculture sector, contributing through board and committee roles, and has authored over 30 scientific publications in human and applied animal sciences.
Dr. Ryan Tenbergen, MSc
Ryan graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2016 and joined Demeter Veterinary Services. He currently focuses on supporting farms in Ontario whilecollaborating with a national group of swine veterinarians. He has authored andco-authored scientific papers as well as delivered oral presentations atscientific conferences and swine production meetings. He remains highlyinvolved in industry groups to support producers and is past president for bothprovincial and national swine veterinarian organizations. Bio coming soon
Courtney Werth, MSc
Bio coming soon
Elyse Clement, MSc
Elyse Clement, Swine Nutritionist, Wallenstein Feed & Supply Ltd. Elyse Clement is a Swine Nutritionist with Wallenstein Feed & Supply Ltd. She began her career at Wallenstein Feed as a student while completing a BSc in Animal Science, followed by an MSc at the University of Guelph. Early exposure to the swine industry, combined with a Master's focused on the application of technology for animal performance monitoring, provided a strong foundation for bridging scientific research with practical, on-farm solutions.Today, Elyse continues to apply that same evidence-based approach, working alongside producers to translate science into practical nutrition strategies that improve herd performance and support the long-term success of their operations.
To be announced