Antibiotic resistance headlines annual Purdue Pharma Canada Distinguished Lecture

OSHAWA, ON – A comprehensive examination of current issues in the often misunderstood realm of resistance to antibiotics formed the basis of a fascinating discussion during the 2012 Purdue Pharma Canada Distinguished Lecture at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

Dr. Gerry Wright, a leading infectious disease researcher from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario was invited by the Faculty of Science to deliver the Purdue Pharma Canada Lecture. Dr. Wright took participants on a journey into the past, outlining the history of antibiotics and how they have been used to treat infections to varying degrees of success.

Dr. Wright also provided a glimpse into the relatively recent discovery that antibiotic resistance can be quite prevalent even in the world’s most isolated environments where humans have never been. Dr. Wright and his research team are studying bacteria samples from a cave in New Mexico which is so deep underground that it has been cut off from the earth’s surface for millions of years. Even though these ‘pristine’ bacteria have never come into contact with humans, they are still resistant to some antibiotics, suggesting that that resistance is natural and ancient.

Link to Dr. Wright’s lecture

“Since its inception, the Purdue Pharma Distinguished Lecture has drawn great interest from our faculty, students and the community at large,” said Dr. Deborah Saucier, dean, Faculty of Science. “The lecture theatre was packed for Dr. Wright’s informative and inspiring presentation. We gratefully acknowledge Purdue Pharma Canada for its contributions toward the lecture series and for its generous support of the students in our faculty through an annual bursary.”

"This lecture series provides a tremendous opportunity to learn about the work of world-class researchers," said Randy Steffan, vice-president, Corporate Affairs, Purdue Pharma Canada. "Purdue is pleased to continue its association with this important annual event and its support of UOIT's Faculty of Science."

From left: Nick-Hugh Wisdom, third-year Chemistry student and 2012 winner of Purdue Pharma Award; Dr. Deborah Saucier, dean, Faculty of Science; and Randy Steffan, vice-president, Corporate Affairs, Purdue Pharma Canada.

This year’s Purdue Pharma Canada Award winner, Nick-Hugh Wisdom, a third-year Chemistry student specializing in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, was acknowledged just prior to the lecture by Randy Steffan, vice-president, Corporate, Purdue Pharma.

Established in 2008, the annual UOIT Purdue Pharma Canada Distinguished Lecture aims to provide students with information about how current developments affect the health of Canadians while creating a forum for students and the community to connect with leading scientists. 

Based in Pickering, Ontario, Purdue Pharma Canada is a leading pharmaceutical company that generously funds the lecture series and has enthusiastically supported UOIT since the university’s inception. Working together, Purdue Pharma and UOIT endeavour to encourage students to take an active interest in the sciences and provide them with opportunities to explore career and research options within the health science industry and beyond.

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