Patrick Woo

Photo of Patrick Woo
University Professor Emeritus
Email: 
pwoo@uoguelph.ca
Website links: 
ResearchGate

Patrick is University Professor Emeritus at U of G and has been a faculty member since 1974. His research program was on parasitic flagellates which include those of medical and economic importance. The program had continuous NSERC support (>40 years) until he decided to close his laboratory at U of G. This was so he could, with his co-editors focus on formulating and editing an interdisciplinary 3-book set on 'climate change and fish health'. His research and travels, sponsored by other agencies (e.g. FAO, United Nations; NUS, Singapore; CNPq, Brazil; MEC, Spain; NEC, Cdn.; CIDA, Cdn.; IDRC, Cdn) had allowed him to work with colleagues in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas (e.g. ‘determine the toxicity of cadmium on tilapia and its effects on immune response’ in Singapore; ‘develop and evaluate diagnostic techniques for human trypanosomiasis’ in E & W Africa; ‘adapt an in vitro method to study fish innate immunity’ in Spain).

He had hosted 11 Visiting Scientists and was research supervisor to 12 Post-docs, 11 PhD, 18 MSc & >10 BSc students. Aside from publishing papers and review articles in journals and books, he also edited a ‘special’ journal issue and 13 academic books on fish health; e.g. the 3-book set on ‘climate change and fish health’ was published in 2023 by CABI, UK..

He was founder and organizer of 'The Roy C Anderson Memorial Lecture in Parasitology'; eminent scientists and scholars including a Nobel Laureate had accepted his invitations, presented public lectures at U of G and interacted with students staff and faculty. U of G Senate elected him 'University Professor Emeritus' and it was conferred at convocation by the Honorable Lincoln M Alexander, Chancellor.

External Appointments: (1) FAO Andre Mayer Research Fellow in Uganda and Tanzania; (2) NUS Visiting Research Professor in Singapore; (3) Ballard Fellow in Canada; (4) Chonnam Visiting Professor in S Korea; (5) MEC Visiting Scholar in Spain; (6) CIDA Visiting Professor in Malaysia; (7) IDRC Research Consultant/Visiting Scientist in Nigeria; (8) NSERC Visiting Scientist in Malaysia; (9) Robert A Wardle Award in Canada; (10) Examiner of 1 DSc, 19 PhD and 2 MSc theses in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

Patrick has always focused his research on parasitic flagellates including those of medical (e.g. trypanosomiasis) and economic (e.g. cryptobiosis) importance. His research and travels, sponsored by numerous international (e.g. FAO, United Nations; NUS, Singapore; MEC, Spain) and Canadian (e.g. MRC; NSERC; IDRC) agencies allowed him to work and to interact with colleagues in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas (North, Central & South), and "ResearchGate" in 2019 listed 50 co-authors from many of his collaborations. His first research program was on ‘trypanosomiasis’ and it included both laboratory and field research; e.g. his studies on human trypanosomiasis were in East & West Africa.

He developed two multidisciplinary research programs (‘biology and systematics of flagellates’; ‘Cryptobia and cryptobiosis’) after his academic appointment @ U of G. The programs with contributions from highly dedicated/talented collaborators (e.g. graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, colleagues) had enjoyed continuous NSERC support from inception, and occasional sponsorships from other national (e.g. NCE; CIDA; IDRC) and international (e.g. FAO, United Nations; NUS, Singapore; MEC, Spain) agencies.

Patrick is also interested in other areas of inquiry which include pathogenic viruses and bacteria in animals; e.g. he founded 'The Roy C Anderson Memorial Lecture in Parasitology', and organized the lecture series for 15 years. Numerous very eminent scientists including a Nobel Laureate had accepted his invitation to present their research on infectious diseases at the University. He, with colleagues also edited several well-received multidisciplinary books on fish diseases and disorders. The U of G Senate elected him University Professor Emeritus after he retired, and it was conferred by the Chancellor at convocation.

1. Papers in Refereed Journals:

  • MacDonald, L., Alderman, S., Kramer, S., Woo, P.T.K. & Bernier, N. 2014. Hypoxaemia-induced leptin secretion: a mechanism for the control of food intake in diseased fish. J. Endocrinol. 221: 441-455.
  • Li, M. & Woo, P.T.K. 2014. Glucocorticoid receptors on and in a unicellular organism, Cryptobia salmositica. Internat'l. J. Parasitol. 44: 205-210.
  • Woo, P.T.K. & Ardelli, B.F. 2014. Immunity against selected piscine flagellates. Develop. Comp. Immunol. 43(2): 268-279 (invited review).
  • Madison, B.N., Woo, P.T.K. & Bernier, N.J. 2013. Duress without stress: Cryptobia infection results in HPI axis dysfunction in rainbow trout. J. Endocrinol. 218: 287-297.
  • Li, M., Leatherland, J. & Woo, P.T.K. 2013. Cortisol and dexamethasone increase the in vitro multiplication of the haemoflagellate, Cryptobia salmositica, possibly by interaction with a glucocorticoid receptor-like protein. Internat'l. J. Parasitol. 43: 353-360.

2. Book Chapters:

  • Jung, S.J. & Woo, P.T.K. 2012. Miaminensis avidus and related species. In: Fish Parasites: Pathobiology and Protection, (eds. P.T.K. Woo & K. Buchmann), CABI, Oxfordshire, U.K. pp.73-91.
  • Woo, P.T.K. 2012. Cryptobia (Trypanoplasma) salmositica. In: Fish Parasites: Pathobiology and Protection, (eds. P.T.K. Woo & K. Buchmann), CABI, Oxfordshire, U.K. pp. 30-54.
  • Woo, P.T.K. 2007. Strategies against piscine parasitosis: the Cryptobia model. In: Innovations and Technologies in Oceanography for Sustainable Development, pp 17-28 (invited review - presented @ the International Conference on Innovations and Technologies on Oceanography for Sustainable Development, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia).

3. Books:

  • Woo P.T.K. & Subasinghe R.P (eds.), 2023. Climate Change on Diseases and Disorders of Finfish in Cage Culture, 3rd edition, CABI, U.K. 534 pages [ISBN: Hardback – 9781800621626; e-PDF – 9781800621633]. DOI – 10.1079/9781800621640.0000].
  • Woo P.T.K. & Cipriano R.C. (eds.), 2021. 鱼类病毒和细菌: 病理学和防控 [Chinese edition of “Fish Viruses and Bacteria: Pathobiology and Protection”); Publisher: East China University of Science and Technology, China, 520 pages.
  • Woo P.T.K., Leong J.A. & Buchmann K. (eds.) 2020. Climate Change and Infectious Fish Diseases, CABI, U.K. 552 pages.
  • Woo P.T.K. & Iwama, G.K. (eds.) 2020. Climate Change and Non-infectious Fish Disorders, CABI, U.K. 258 pages.
  • Woo P.T.K. & Cipriano R. (eds.), 2017. Fish Viruses and Bacteria: Pathobiology and Protection, CABI, U.K., 372 pages.
  • Woo P.T.K. & Bruno D.W. (eds.), 2014. Diseases and Disorders of Finfish in Cage Culture, 2nd edition, CABI, U.K., 354 pages.
  • Woo P.T.K. & Noakes D.J. (eds.), 2014. Salmon: Biology, Ecological Impacts and Economic Importance, Nova Science Publishers, U.S.A., 355 pages.

4. Special Journal Issue:

  • Woo P.T.K. & Cain, K. (eds.), 2013. Current and Emerging Diseases/Disorders of Fish in Aquaculture, Journal of Aquaculture Research and Development (JARD), OMICS, USA. doi:10.4172/2155-9546.S2-e001