August 30, 2001
CIHR Awards $1.37 M to U of S Health Researchers
Posted August 30, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Thursday, August 30, 2001 2001-08-03-OTHER
CIHR Awards $1.37 M to U of S Health Researchers
University of Saskatchewan researchers have recently been awarded a total of
almost $1.37 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
for five innovative and wide-ranging projects.
Geography professor Allison Williams will receive a $275,000 new
investigator award -- one of only 11 awarded nationally -- to explore the
relationship between environment and health.
Though it's well-known that social and physical environment affect health,
precisely how this happens is not well understood. Williams' project will
explore how socio-economic status and environments determine health and
quality of life both at the individual and community level.
"The results will help Canadians establish and nurture environments that
are supportive of health in homes, neighborhoods, communities, cities and
regions," says Williams who is also a research faculty member of the
Saskatchewan Population Health & Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU).
Part of her research is a spin-off from the SPHERU-CUISR
(Community-University Institute for Social Research) quality-of-life
project. "This illustrates how collaborative research at the U of S builds
ongoing research initiatives," she says.
Bernie Juurlink, professor of anatomy and cell biology, was awarded $311,476
over three years under CIHR's Neuromuscular Research Partnership Program.
Along with U of S collaborators Ben Rosser (Anatomy & Cell Biology) and
Deborah Saucier (Psychology), he will explore whether dietary interventions
can delay the onset of degenerative muscle and nervous tissue changes in ALS
(amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
It's known that the body's inability to adequately scavenge free radicals of
oxygen contributes to the development of ALS and other degenerative
diseases. It's also known that certain components of our diet can increase
the ability of the body to scavenge free radicals.
Juurlink's team will test the hypothesis that certain compounds called
"phase 2 enzyme inducers" can better enable the body to scavenge free
radicals, thereby decreasing oxidative stress and delaying the onset of
diseases such as ALS. These compounds are found in foods such as soy
products, flax seed, kale, broccoli, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries
and raspberries.
Juurlink's lab is thought to be the only one looking at this particular
therapeutic approach.
"This area of research has greatly influenced my graduate course dealing
with neurodegenerative diseases, and to a lesser extent some of my
undergraduate teaching," he said, noting that
graduate students will be involved in the project.
As well, three operating grants totalling $780,844 over three years were
awarded:
- Jim Dosman, director of the Centre for Agricultural Medicine, will receive
$247,829 to extend his team's work on why poultry workers get lung trouble
and ways to prevent it.
- Oncologist Keith Bonham will receive $264,215 over three years to study
how a particular gene that induces or promotes uncontrolled cell growth --
the c-src oncogene -- is inappropriately activated or "turned on" in human
cancer, contributing to the development of serious malignancies such as
colon and breast cancer.
"Ultimately, we hope to interfere with this process and turn c-src off in
cancer cells as a treatment for these tumors," Bonham said. "We are the only
lab in Canada which studies this aspect of the c-src gene."
The team has already identified and isolated regions of the gene called
promoters which, like a volume control on a stereo, regulate the level of
c-src produced in a cell.
The grant will support a technician, as well as two graduate students who
recently won gold medals for aspects of this work at a recent CIHR national
competition.
Bonham's work was previously supported by a CIHR-Saskatchewan Regional
Partnership Program (RPP) grant. "This is an example of how important the
RPP program is for building research expertise," he said.
- Cell biologist Nicholas Ovsenek is interested in how cells in our bodies
respond to stress such as heat, fever, toxic metals, disease or even aging.
He will receive $268,800 to study how "molecular chaperones", cell proteins
which fold other proteins into their proper conformation, are involved in
regulating the stress response and protecting cells against harmful agents.
U of S garnered one per cent of the operating grants awarded nationally. The
U of S success rate for operating grants in this competition was nine per
cent (three out of 33 applications), down from 13 per cent (three out of 23)
in the September 2000 competition. The overall national success rate was 32
per cent.
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For more information, contact:
Kathryn Warden
Office of the Vice-President Research
(306) 966-2506
kathryn.warden@usask.ca
"Investing in Ideas: U of S Research"
August 28, 2001
First Exhibition of the BIOshuffle Project to Start September 7
Posted August 28, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 28, 2001 2001-08-02-OTHER
First Exhibition of the BIOshuffle Project to Start September 7
The first exhibition of the BIOshuffle Project is set to open at the
Kenderdine Art Gallery September 7, and will run until October 21. The
exhibit, Transhuman, will showcase the works of Canadian and international
artists Oron Catts, Ionat Zur & Guy Ben-Ary, Caroline Boileau, Kathleen
Sellars, and Max Streicher. The exhibition consists of a variety of
sculptures and installations.
"Work in the exhibition is challenging and innovative and will offer
something unique for Saskatoon audiences," says Kent Archer, Kenderdine Art
Gallery curator. "It explores the human condition in relation to recent
advances in genetic and science technologies, in an unconventional way. For
example, there is one installation that includes elements constructed from
semi-living stem cell tissues, and another that will display a 14 by 18 foot
clown's head on the roof of the Agriculture building where the Kenderdine
Art Gallery is located. It should be very thought-provoking and spark a lot
of interesting debate on the issues."
The BIOshuffle Project is a collective community project running from
September through the Fall of 2001. It involves a number of local galleries
and units at the University of Saskatchewan and will include a range of
local, national, and international artists, critics, scientists, activists,
and the general public in its exhibitions, programs and exchanges. Other
project partners include the Mendel Art Gallery, the Humanities Research
Unit, and The Photographer's Gallery.
"It has become increasingly clear recently that there is a great need for
public education on these issues and that the visual arts and humanities
have as much opportunity and obligation in this area as biotechnology, "
says Len Findlay, Director of the Humanities Research Unit. "We're very
excited about being able to offer this type of exhibition in Saskatoon,
because the city and province are leading players in biotechnology and they
are also home to a vital cultural community."
The Transhuman Exhibition is open to the public at no charge. A public
reception will be held Friday, September 7 at 7:30 p.m. to launch the
exhibition. Further information is available from any of the sponsoring
organizations or at www.usask.ca/kenderdine/FutExhibit.htm.
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For more information please contact:
Kent Archer, Curator
Kenderdine Art Gallery
2nd Level, Agriculture Building, 51 Campus Drive
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6816
Fax: (306) 966-4571
August 27, 2001
Alberta Cattle Commission Provides Funding for New Chair at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Posted August 27, 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 27, 2001 2001-08-01-WCVM
Alberta Cattle Commission Provides Funding for New Chair
at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine
SASKATOON SK -- The Alberta Cattle Commission (ACC) will contribute $500,000
toward a new Academic Chair in Beef Cattle Health and Production at the
Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), University of Saskatchewan.
In announcing the contribution, ACC Chairman Greg Conn of Innisfail, Alberta
said "We are pleased to partner with the Alberta government to support an
Academic Chair in Beef Cattle Health and Production Management. We hope our
investment of $500,000 will help leverage additional support for the Chair
to ensure the endowment is completed."
The ACC donation follows the announcement in January by Alberta Learning
Minister, Dr. Lyle Oberg, of a donation of $1.5 million toward an Academic
Chair at the WCVM. The WCVM is currently seeking additional financial
support for the Chair to bring the total endowment up to $3.0 million.
"We are delighted that the Alberta Cattle Commission has made this major
contribution," said Alex Livingston, WCVM Dean. "The beef production
industry is very important to Canada's economy, contributing almost $25
billion each year. Once the Chair is established, the College will be able
to continue its leadership in beef cattle health management with even
greater effectiveness."
An important function of the Chair is to encourage veterinary students to
consider food animal practice as an occupational choice. ACC Chairman Conn
said "The Alberta Cattle Commission received direction from cattle producers
to help increase the number of large animal veterinarians working in the
province." He noted further, "Supporting the Western College of Veterinary
Medicine at the U of S will help ensure there is high quality veterinary
care available to Alberta cattle producers. High quality veterinary care
provides the Alberta cattle industry with a competitive advantage by helping
to minimize losses and keeping the industry on the forefront of new
veterinary technologies.
The WCVM serves the four western provinces, and is one of only four
veterinary colleges in Canada. Currently, 280 undergraduate students attend
the College, including 80 from Alberta. The College also has about 65
graduate students pursuing advanced training and research.
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For further information, please contact:
Mr. Ron Glaser
Alberta Cattle Commission
#216, 6715 8th Street NE
Calgary, AB
Phone: 403-275-4400
Dr. Alex Livingston
Dean
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Phone: 306-966-7448
Dr. Reuben Mapletoft
Head, Department of Large Animal Clinical Studies
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
Phone: 306-966-7149
