Bruna Mion Position/Title: PhD Candidate email: bmion@uoguelph.ca Phone: Office: ANNU 043 Research Gate

I am originally from Bento Gonçalves, a city located in southern Brazil, and I am currently a PhD student under Dr. Eduardo Ribeiro’s supervision.

In 2007, I started my Technical Education in Agriculture and Animal Science and developed great interest in cattle production. In 2010, I began my studies in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the Federal University of Pelotas and developed a passion for reproductive biology research. During my undergrad, I received scholarships from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CnPq) to work as a research assistant in the Laboratory of Animal Reproduction. I received my Bachelor degree in Veterinary Medicine in 2014.

In 2016, I started my Master’s degree at the Federal University of Pelotas, under Dr. Augusto Schneider’s supervision. My master’s thesis investigated the relationship between the diameter of ovulatory follicle and the moment of ovulation in Bos taurus cows to determine the optimal time to perform the artificial insemination. When I was conducting my own research, I felt very motivated to pursue a career in academia working in animal reproduction research.

My PhD project studies the effects of health, nutrition, and genetics on uterine biology of lactating dairy cows and their impact on fertility. Pregnancy losses represent an important problem in reproduction of dairy cows and, consequently, have a negative impact on profitability and sustainability of dairy farms. The biological mechanisms leading to pregnancy losses, however, are still largely unknown. I believe that a better understanding of uterine physiology in dairy cows will allow us to develop management strategies to minimize pregnancy losses, and to discover new fertility traits for genetic selection.