Kathleen Delaney, assistant professor in the Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, has received the Harry C. Rowsell Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the improvement of animal care and welfare practices in science.
Kathleen Delaney has spent over 34 years serving the McMaster community. The Harry C. Rowsell Lifetime Achievement Award honours her contributions to advancing ethical animal care in science.
Delaney is the University Veterinarian at McMaster, responsible for overseeing animal welfare across the university. She has spent over 34 years serving the McMaster community, first as a clinical veterinarian, later as associate director of McMaster's Central Animal Facility, then executive director of the Animal Care and Use Program, and most recently as director of McMaster's new department of Veterinary Services and Compliance.
McMaster's animal facilities comprise several unique sites that provide a broad range of support services to ensure animals in research receive the best possible care and quality of life.
Delaney established and authored McMaster's Animal Utilization Protocol (AUP) and developed several CCAC-supported training courses for McMaster. She is also dedicated to training the next generation of researchers and veterinarians and established a pre-veterinarian mini course for undergraduate students.
Outside McMaster, Delaney is widely respected for providing her expertise to animal care committees and animal use programs throughout Canada and is also a dedicated volunteer for the CCAC's assessment program.
Delaney says it's an honour to receive the award.
"Very soon after I found the type of veterinary medicine I wanted to practice, I had the honour of meeting Dr. Rowsell and his memory has lasted a lifetime for me," she says.
"I believe this award really demonstrates what a strong and empathetic Animal Care Program McMaster University has within its successful research program. There are many people caring for animals at McMaster and I could not have been so successful without the support and commitment of all the staff of the Office of Veterinary Services and Compliance and the animal facilities."
The award recognizes Delaney's commitment to advancing the Three Rs Framework replacement, reduction and refinement. The framework aims to minimize the use of animals in research by replacing them with non-sentient alternatives, reducing the number of animals used, and refining procedures to advance ethical animal care.
Gianni Parise, McMaster's vice-president, Research, says the award celebrates Delaney's lifetime devotion to promoting the optimal care and use of animals in Canadian science.
"Dr. Delaney is a truly deserving recipient of the Rowsell Award. Through her mentorship, program leadership and volunteer work, she has strengthened animal care practices at McMaster and in animal care facilities across Canada," he says.
"Her years of service to McMaster have had a tremendous impact on our research community and we are proud to see her recognized with this honour."
