Employees

Virologist, Animal Health Branch

Employee Name:

John Robinson

Title:

Virologist, Animal Health Branch

Ministry:

Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Background:

Education: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (Washington State University); Ph.D., Veterinary Science -Virology (University of Wisconsin)
Member of the BC Public Service Since: 1975

My Role

I am Head of the Veterinary Virology and Molecular Diagnostics sections of the Animal Health Centre laboratory. Daily, I administer and supervise a section of the Animal Health Centre which consists of doing diagnostic work for diseases of fish, wild animals and birds. Mostly, I head up a section called "Molecular Diagnostics" using specific tests that detect viral genes of pathogens. We also test for parasites, blood parasites and funguses. Currently, we are testing frogs for funguses and looking into colony collapse syndrome in bees.

Career Path:

I used to practice veterinary medicine, dealing with both small and large animals. I then became a research professor at Oregon State University where I developed skills and knowledge of laboratory research techniques in Microbiology, which has been extremely beneficial to me in carrying out my role in veterinary diagnostics. I came to B.C. in 1975 to take this job and I told myself I'd stay for a year; I'm still here.

What I Like Best:

What I like best is the great support the Ministry of Agriculture & Lands has provided to the Animal Health Centre and me personally in my scientific career. I love the variety; it's very challenging. I work with so many different creatures, from wild animals, to mammals and bees, to some from Vancouver Zoological Park. Diagnostics is such a unique area and I can work on large variety of pathogens.

Ideas At Work:

I provide a broad range of knowledge and advice each day to a variety of clients including Veterinarians, production livestock (and fish) farmers, other branches of government (i.e. Ministry of Environment) and personal owners of all kinds of animal species. This information is of a diagnostic nature. I like to think it is valuable and helpful to the many people I advise and is helping to improve and maintain the good health of animals of all kinds owned or managed by British Columbians.

Advice:

I would stress the importance of becoming a member of the Student Co-operative program in Microbiology, Biochemistry and/or Molecular Biology at the various universities like UVic, SFU, UBC and BCIT. You'll have a chance to seek temporary positions in the government and corporate labs that will provide the experience you need. Also, most of the major universities in B.C. offer some courses dealing with viruses. Often they are molecularly oriented, which is one significant part of the field of virology and a good place to start.