July 29, 2004
U of S Researcher Dubbed Women's Health Hero by Chatelaine Magazine
Posted July 29, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Thursday, July 29, 2004, 9 a.m. 2004-07-14-OTHER
U of S Researcher Dubbed Women's Health Hero by Chatelaine Magazine
University of Saskatchewan reproductive expert Roger Pierson received a
Women's Health Hero Award from Chatelaine magazine today for uncovering
evidence that suggests the traditionally accepted model of the human
menstrual cycle is wrong.
The award, presented for the first time this year, recognizes Pierson and
eight other Canadians for their contributions in advancing women's health.
Recipients were selected based on discussions with leading women's health
experts across Canada and are featured in the August issue of the magazine.
"The Chatelaine Women's Health Heroes Awards were created to applaud the
hard work and dedication of women's health experts in Canada," says
Chatelaine health editor Lisa Murphy. "Thanks to the medical breakthroughs
these scientists have achieved, women can expect improved health and
longevity -- something that Chatelaine is delighted to celebrate."
Pierson, head of the U of S reproductive biology research unit, made
headlines around the world last summer when his research team discovered
that contrary to traditional menstrual models, women experience two to three
"waves" of follicular development each month, though only one egg is
selected for ovulation.
That means up to 40 per cent of women may not be able to use natural family
planning methods because for women who experience two or three waves of
dominant follicle growth per month there is no "safe" time to have
intercourse during the cycle -- there may always be a follicle capable of
ovulating.
Pierson expects the discovery will lead to the design of safer and more
effective contraception, improve success with assisted reproductive
technology for women having trouble conceiving, and perhaps lead to a new
understanding of puberty and menopause.
He says the discovery couldn't have happened without the women who have the
courage to volunteer in studies and the hard work and dedication of his team
members, graduate student Angela Baerwald and U of S veterinarian Gregg
Adams.
"Canadian scientists and clinicians have added a great deal to the world's
knowledge in reproduction and women's health," he says. "I think the
Canadian taxpayers who have supported the work and the women who have
volunteered to participate in studies need to know how important they are to
on-going research that enhances women's health care."
The team's findings were published in the July 2003 issues of the
prestigious scientific journals Fertility and Sterility and Biology of
Reproduction.
Other award recipients' work included mapping a web of previously
unidentified pleasure nerves around the vagina, creating a new class of
drugs for cancer treatment, and developing a test that accurately detects
women's bone fracture susceptibility.
For more than 75 years, Chatelaine (www.chatelaine.com) has been building
communities while providing leading-edge insights into women's foremost
concerns: health, food, women's issues, decor, work, style and beauty.
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For more information, contact:
Kristina Bergen
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1425
bergen@sask.usask.ca
Michelle Villett
Chatelaine Magazine
(416) 764-2828
michelle.villett@chatelaine.rogers.com
July 28, 2004
Department of Plant Sciences at the U of S Hosts Field Day
Posted July 28, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 28th, 2004 2004-07-12-AG
Department of Plant Sciences Hosts Field Day
The Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan will be
hosting a Field Day of its Horticulture Facility on Wednesday, August 4,
from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The tours will begin at Patterson Gardens,
located at the corner of Preston Avenue and College Drive. Parking will be
available in the overflow lot of the Saskatoon Field House.
The first tour will depart at 11:00 a.m., and the following tours will
depart every 15 minutes. There is no pre-registration. All tours will be
given on a first come, first serve basis. Each tour will be one hour in
length and will include Patterson Gardens, U of S Vegetable Program, U of S
Fruit Breeding, All American Selections along with additional stops.
There is no cost for the tour. A concession stand will be provided by Plant
Sciences graduate students. Please remember to dress appropriately for the
weather, and note that pets are not allowed.
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For more information, please visit:
www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci
or telephone: (306) 966-5859.
U of S Researchers to Study How Insects Could Help Clean Up Contaminated Soils
Posted July 28, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Wednesday, July 28, 2004 2004-07-13-OTHER
Insects Could Help Clean Up Contaminated Soils
An international collaboration between researchers from the University of
Saskatchewan and the University of California has shown for the first time
that insects can detoxify selenium in the environment. The work illustrates
the power of synchrotron analysis to determine how toxic elements change as
they are metabolized by different organisms in the environment.
The finding, featured as a cover story in a recent edition of Environmental
Science and Technology, looked at selenium, a naturally occurring element in
many soils. Though it is an essential micronutrient for humans and other
organisms, it is toxic at higher doses. Livestock pastured on
selenium-contaminated land can be poisoned when forage plants accumulate
high levels of selenium in their tissues.
The researchers began with alfalfa plants irrigated with water containing
selenate, a selenium-containing salt. They observed that the plants absorbed
the selenate and partially transformed it into organoselenium, a less toxic
form. Armyworms (a kind of caterpillar) feeding on the alfalfa converted the
remaining selenate into organoselenium in their tissues.
But something surprising happened when wasp parasites preyed upon the
armyworms. The adult wasps contained not only organoselenium but also
selenonium ions, an electrically charged and highly soluble form of the
element. Its presence was evidence that the wasps were detoxifying selenium
into a chemical form that was being released in the air and dissipated.
"When the insects pupated, there was evidence of methylation," says team
leader Helen Nichol "When you see trimethylated selenium, it suggests that
dimethylated forms were present and have evaporated. This is the first time
it's been shown that insects convert selenium into these forms."
For researchers in the emerging field of phytoremediation, that is, using
plants to clean up contaminated soils, the findings mean that insect pests
might actually aid the process.
Nichol says. "It turns out that insects could actually enhance the
remediation process and it is possible that certain insects might be even
better at it than the species we used."
The team used X-ray experimental facilities at the Stanford Synchrotron
Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) to track the movement of selenium from the soil
to alfalfa, through to beet armyworm caterpillars that eat the alfalfa and
wasps that prey upon the caterpillars.
"This is a very interesting marriage of ecology with bioinorganic
chemistry," Nichol says. "The best way to examine how an element changes its
chemistry as it moves up the food chain is with the synchrotron."
The synchrotron analysis was performed by Helen Nichol, Department of
Anatomy and Cell Biology and U of S Canada Research Chairs Graham George and
Ingrid Pickering, both synchrotron scientists in the Department of
Geological Sciences. Pickering and George previously pioneered the
application of synchrotron techniques to the study of selenium in
environmental and biological systems. Danel Vickerman and John Trumble from
the University of California at Riverside carried out the ecological and
behavioural aspects that were also crucial to the success of the project.
Nichol, George and Pickering are part of a growing group of U of S
researchers that are harnessing synchrotron light in their research. The
Canadian Light Source synchrotron (www.lightsource.ca), due to open on the U
of S campus this year, will offer this country's researchers a powerful new
tool to shed light on a host of questions in environmental, materials and
life sciences, including advanced pharmaceuticals.
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For more information, contact:
Helen Nichol
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
College of Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4094
helen.nichol@usask.ca
Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
July 20, 2004
University of Saskatchewan Secretary Announces Retirement
Posted July 20, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 20, 2004 2004-07-11-OTHERUniversity of Saskatchewan Secretary Announces Retirement
Gordon Barnhart, University of Saskatchewan Secretary announced his retirement today effective June 30th 2005, after five years of service.
Barnhart took up the position of University Secretary in 2000 and during that time has made a positive and lasting contribution to the University. He was responsible for organizing the new Office of the Secretariat to serve the University's governing bodies. He greatly improved the efficiency of meetings of the Board of Governors, Senate and Council. He led the University in responding to issues relating to the academic integrity of students.
University President, Peter MacKinnon, expressed his warm thanks to Barnhart for his service to the University: "He has been, and no doubt will continue to be a marvelous ambassador for the University of Saskatchewan. It is my hope that he will continue to be involved in the scholarly life of the University for many years to come. I wish him well."
Barnhart served as University Secretary at the same time that he taught and published in Political Studies and History. He was also the founder of the Student Internship Program that gives university students in Saskatchewan opportunities for intensive participation in the political and constitutional life of the province.
Barnhart hopes to continue working for the University on a part-time basis and also intends to spend more time on research and completing his latest book.
Barnhart said: "I will leave this phase of the University of Saskatchewan with considerable sadness but look forward to new challenges. I share President MacKinnon's vision for the University and believe that the governance structures in place are strong and able to support the important decisions for the future."
Barnhart holds a Master of Arts in Canadian Prairie history, and a doctorate in history from the University of Saskatchewan. He served as the Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the Parliaments from 1989 - 1994 and as Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1969 to 1989. He is also author of the first ever biography of Saskatchewan's founding premier, T. Walter Scott: Peace, Progress and Prosperity and a book on the Legislative Building entitled, Building for the Future.
Search for a new University Secretary will begin in the fall term.
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For further information, contact:
Gordon Barnhart
University Secretary
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-4633
July 19, 2004
NSERC Awards $8.7 Million to 81 U of S Science Projects
Posted July 19, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, July 19, 2004 2004-07-09-OTHER
NSERC Awards $8.7 Million to 81 U of S Science Projects
Over the next five years, 81 University of Saskatchewan research projects
will receive a total of $8.7 million in operating grants and equipment from
NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council).
The new projects will address challenges as diverse as manipulating robots
in space, increasing the efficiency of meat and milk production in ruminant
animals such as cows and sheep, and reducing antibiotic use in the poultry
industry.
"These innovative and nationally competitive projects will lead to new
knowledge and advances in many economically important fields," said Steven
Franklin, U of S Vice-President of Research. "These new research
opportunities will also enhance U of S graduate student training and
undergraduate learning."
A complete list of successful U of S projects with a brief description of
each is available at: www.nserc.ca/programs/result/2004/rg/sask.htm
Among them:
- Timothy Mutsvangwa (animal and poultry science) -- $182,665 over five
years to study how ruminants recycle nitrogen, which is necessary for the
production of meat and milk, and how to increase the efficiency of this
process
- Neil Chilton (biology) -- a total of $174,451 over five years to study the
influence of different biological, ecological and evolutionary factors on
the genetic structure and variation of parasite populations, particularly
invasive species and/or those that can cause or carry disease to humans and
animals
- Susantha Gomis (veterinary pathology) -- $ 157,665 over five years to
study a DNA immuno-stimulator that protects poultry against bacterial
diseases, minimizing the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry and the
rising emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria
- Reza Fotouhi (mechanical engineering) -- $52,110 over three years to study
the motion and control of flexible robot manipulators which could be used in
manufacturing and space exploration
In addition to individual grants, two group research grants were awarded.
- Physics professor Alexandre Koustov's group was awarded $534,000 over five
years to study the geospace environment using SuperDARN -- an international
space radar network.
- Large animal expert Joseph Stookey's group was awarded $147,915 over five
years to study ways of reducing farm animal pain.
Equipment grants totaled $622,592 including $82,851 to chemical engineer
Todd Pugsley to double the height of a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) in
the new chemical engineering wing, making it one of the tallest in the world
in an academic setting. Applications of CFBs include producing gasoline from
crude oil and chemicals from natural gas reserves.
NSERC (www.nserc.ca), a key federal scientific research granting agency,
supports basic university research through discovery grants and project
research through partnerships among universities, governments and the
private sector.
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For more information, contact:
Kristina Bergen
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1425
bergen@sask.usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
Reducing Farm Animal Pain is the Subject of U of S Study
Posted July 19, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 19, 2004 2004-07-10-WCVM
Reducing Farm Animal Pain
Anyone who has a house pet neutered expects a vet to provide the animal with
pain-killers before making the first cut, but farm animals aren't so lucky.
Young cows and pigs are regularly castrated, branded, de-horned, vaccinated,
and have their tails and teeth clipped without anything to control the pain,
making them hard to handle and increasing the risk of injury to both animal
and handler.
"Common farming practices cause animals acute and chronic pain, but this is
not due to a lack of awareness or empathy on the part of farmers," says
University of Saskatchewan large animal expert Joe Stookey. "Using pain
control methods on farm animals is not easy and has never been
user-friendly, so it is often viewed as unrealistic in terms of cost and
labor."
Armed with a recent five-year grant of $147,915 from NSERC (the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council), Stookey leads a team that plans
to develop inexpensive, easy-to-use on-farm strategies for animal pain
relief.
"We hope to get a better understanding of the perception of pain in animals
and make the process of controlling pain as easy and affordable as possible
to producers," he says, noting that the psychological distress many animals
experience during interactions with humans can set back their growth for up
to 106 days.
The two-pronged study will examine the best way to deliver painkillers to
piglets before they undergo any procedure and the least painful way to
de-horn calves.
Within 24 hours of being born, piglets can experience tooth clipping,
castration, tail docking and vaccination.
"It is quite clear from a piglet's reaction that these routine procedures
are painful," says Stookey. But when a single litter can consist of 15
piglets, giving pain-killers to each animal can be cumbersome, to say the
least.
"Treating animals individually would involve catching and restraining each
piglet, injecting it with a pain killer, releasing it and waiting for the
drug to take effect, then recapturing the piglet in order to perform the
procedure," Stookey says.
That's why his team is exploring the possibility of administering a single
injection to a sow that will transfer pain killers through her milk to
piglets just hours after they are born.
"Once we determine which drug exerts an analgesic (pain-killing) effect on
the suckling piglets without producing unwanted side effects in the newborns
or the sow, we could have a very simple and cost effective way to administer
an analgesic to an entire litter," he says.
During the second part of the study, the team will use an overhead camera
and microphone system to record the escape attempts of one-month-old calves
being de-horned -- a process that involves applying a caustic paste to the
horn buds or burning them off electrically.
Stookey says that although de-horning reduces future risks of injuries and
bruising, it also comes at a cost to the animal, as dairy cattle can
remember unpleasant handling and may show a fear response when returning to
the place where the procedure happened.
"That's why we need to find out whether calves are reacting to pain or to
restraint," he says.
Stookey's ultimate hope is that farmers will alter pain-control practices if
realistic alternatives are made available to them.
"We may not be able to eliminate all pain from a procedure, but we hope that
by doing the science to uncover practical methods that reduce the overall
suffering of animals, we will give farmers alternatives that will empower
them to make positive choices about pain-control practices."
To view the complete list of 2004 U of S NSERC awardees, go to
http://www.nserc.ca/programs/result/2004/rg/sask.htm
This release was produced by the U of S SPARK (Students Promoting Awareness
of Research Knowledge) Program, run by Research Communications, Office of
the Vice-President Research (966-2506).
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For more information, contact:
Professor Joe Stookey
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-7154
Kristina Bergen
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1425
bergen@sask.usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
July 15, 2004
Canadian Light Source at the U of S Gets Approval for Routine Operations
Posted July 15, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Thursday, July 15, 2004 2004-07-08-OTHER
Canadian Light Source Gets Approval for Routine Operations
Canada's synchrotron received a licence to commence routine operations from
the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) on Wednesday, clearing the
last regulatory hurdle before welcoming researchers to the $173.5 million U
of S-owned national facility.
"We can now open the doors to experimenters from across the country and
around the world," says Bill Thomlinson, executive director of the Canadian
Light Source (CLS). "As soon as the experimental facilities are ready, the
users can come."
The CLS is currently completing its first set of seven beamlines, the
facilities that feed ultra-bright synchrotron light to experimental
stations. The first call for proposals for research at the CLS will go out
this fall, with the first experiments expected to be underway by early 2005.
"We are seeing the beginning of a new era for Canadian science," says U of S
Vice President Research Steven Franklin. "Our national synchrotron will be a
catalyst for discovery and innovation that will be felt in the world of
research as well as in our everyday lives. Congratulations to the CLS team
for making it a reality."
Before issuing the licence, the CNSC studied written submissions and oral
presentations from both CLS and CNSC staff, and held a public hearing in
Saskatoon in early June.
The commission was satisfied that operation of the synchrotron will conform
to the demands of health and safety, environmental protection, security and
international obligations. A record of proceedings, including reasons for
the decision and transcripts of the hearing are available from the CNSC
website at www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca.
Canadians will be invited to take a closer look at the country's brightest
light in October, when the CLS is hosting its grand opening celebrations. A
full slate of events is planned for the entire month, including a gala
evening, entertainment, public lectures on synchrotron science and
light-related themes, and a public open house
The CLS, one of the country's largest science projects in the last 30 years,
will be used by researchers in industry, government and academia. One of the
most advanced synchrotrons in the world, its light will be used to view
chemical reactions and the molecular structure of materials, paving the way
for new drugs, more powerful computer chips, better engine lubricants, more
effective medical imaging, environmental monitoring and a host of other
applications for science and industry. More information is available at
www.lightsource.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Bill Thomlinson
Executive Director
Canadian Light Source
(306) 657-3600
www.lightsource.ca
Michael Robin
U of S Research Communications
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
July 13, 2004
The Kenderdine Art Gallery offers the great outdoors (with no bugs!)
Posted July 13, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 13, 2004 2004-07-07-OTHER
The Kenderdine Art Gallery offers the great outdoors (with no bugs!)
The Kenderdine Art Gallery has invited someone from outside the arts
community to explore our relationship to the genre of landscape with the
exhibition Climate Controlled.
Michael Bennett, a student concentrating on eco-philosophy, has taken a new
look at the University of Saskatchewan's permanent art collection by posing
questions about the genre of landscape painting. In his pursuit, Bennett
opens unexpected vistas to how we understand land, ecosystem and our human
place within it.
Climate Controlled presents many gems from the University's permanent
collection, including a spectacular painting by the Group of Seven's Arthur
Lismer. Also from the permanent collection are works by David Alexander,
Greg Hardy, Maurice Haycock, R.N. Hurley, Augustus Kenderdine, Dorothy
Knowles, Ernest Luthi, Denis Nokony, Catherine Perehudoff, Pat Service, R.D.
Symons, and Joanna Vanterpool. The Kenderdine Art Gallery is also pleased to
include works by artists Komar and Melamid, borrowed from the Vancouver Art
Gallery.
Climate Controlled, co-curated by Bennett, Helen Marzolf, and Sarah
Cavanaugh, runs from July 9 to September 12, 2004. A public reception will
take place Thursday, July 15 at 4 p.m. Bennett will be in attendance to
give a tour of the exhibition.
Climate Controlled has been supported by the University of Saskatchewan, the
Kenderdine/Beamish Trust, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Museums
Association of Saskatchewan. Michael Bennett's participation was
facilitated through a Career Internship Placement Program, a special
initiative of the College of Arts and Sciences designed to provide
professional work experience for senior level students. The Kenderdine Art
Gallery acknowledges the assistance of Dr. Leslie Howe, Department of
Philosophy.
The Kenderdine Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Sunday 12:30 to 5 p.m., and closed Saturday. It is located on the
second floor of the Agriculture Building, 51 Campus Drive. Underground
parking is available in the building's lower level, accessible via Science
Place.
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For more information, or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Kent Archer, Director/Curator
Kenderdine Art Gallery
University of Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 966-2618
Email: kent.archer@usask.ca
Website: www.usask.ca/kenderdine
July 12, 2004
U of S Researcher Kamal Midha Honoured by World's Pharmaceutical Scientists
Posted July 12, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, July 12, 2004 2004-07-05-OTHER
U of S Researcher Honoured by World's Pharmaceutical Scientists
University of Saskatchewan pharmacy researcher Kamal Midha is one of nine
scientists from around the world to receive a prestigious achievement award
at the recent Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress in Kyoto, Japan.
Midha received the Research Achievement Award from the Congress - an event
held every four years by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) -
for his "significant contributions to the advancement of worldwide
pharmaceutical science."
For Midha, it's the latest in a long series of awards in a career spanning
more than 35 years. And for the U of S, it's further proof that the
institution is home to some of the top research minds in the world.
"Kamal Midha is also one of those rare individuals that can bring out the
talent in other people and motivate them. It's his own passion for the work
that brings that out in others," says Gordon McKay, a U of S pharmacy
professor and CEO of Pharmalytics Inc.
Midha is best known for his groundbreaking research into the drug treatment
of psychotic and schizophrenic patients, says McKay.
At the U of S, Midha helped create a research group that attracted more than
$6 million from granting agencies and industry. He also played a critical
role in the founding of Pharmalytics Inc., a not-for-profit research
institute owned by the U of S.
"My whole life has been really devoted to the idea of developing safer and
better medicines," says Midha, who came to Canada in 1966 with a Master's
degree in pharmacy from the University of Saugar in India.
He later taught at the University of Alberta and worked for the federal
health department before coming to the U of S College of Pharmacy and
Nutrition in 1979.
Midha's achievements have not gone unnoticed at home in Canada. He received
the "Distinguished Researcher" award from the U of S in 1994, and in 1995
was awarded the Order of Canada for his contributions to pharmaceutical
science.
Midha says one reason for his success is his penchant for under-explored
areas of research. He points to alternative drug delivery methods - such as
nasal sprays and inhalers - as being one such area in which researchers
still need to develop the science.
Pharmalytics provides research and training in the areas of drug
development, drug discovery and drug regulatory sciences. For more
information, visit: http://www.pharmalytics.ca
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Note to editors: Photos of Professor Midha are available upon request.
For more information, contact:
Gordon McKay
Professor of Pharmacy and
CEO Pharmalytics, Inc.
(306) 668-8580
Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
U of S Students Win International Software Competition
Posted July 12, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 12, 2004 2004-07-06-ENG
U of S Students Win International Software Competition
University of Saskatchewan engineering and computer science students Carl
Norum and Chris Mullens went head to head with professional software
developers to take top spot in Apple Computer's Dashboard Contest at its
Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco.
"Winning this design contest was quite a feat," says U of S Engineering
professor David Dodds. "Winners of other contests at this conference were
software professionals from Macromedia, Freeverse Software, Wolfram
Research, NASA Langley Research Center and IBM."
About 3,500 software professionals attended WWDC earlier this month, and the
industry developers scooped up most of the other awards. Norum and Mullens
took home a single brand new 15" Apple Powerbook for their efforts.
Competitors had three days - the duration of the conference - to develop
their applications. In Norum and Mullens' case, this was a "widget" or
mini-application for the Dashboard interface of Apple Computer's new Mac OS
X "Tiger" operating system.
"The contest involved writing a gadget for this system using a pre-release
version of Tiger and submitting it for judging by noon Thursday," Norum
says. "So in under three days, we created this javascript/C hybrid program."
Norum graduated with a combined engineering and computer science degree this
spring. Mullens will finish a similar degree next year. Together, they
developed "GoBoard," an on-screen version of the classic Japanese strategy
board game, Go. GoBoard is basically a Mac OS X interface for GNU Go,
published by the Free Software Foundation. Along with the basic game
functions, such as choosing whether to play black or white, GoBoard has
settings for handicap and sound effects.
"The excellence of Carl and Chris's work is a tribute to their dedication
and enthusiasm, as well as the high quality of our engineering and computer
science programs at the University of Saskatchewan," Dodds says.
"Congratulations to both of these outstanding students."
A description of GoBoard, along with some screen shots of the game in
action, are available at the WWDC website at
http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/dashboard.html. A full listing of winners of
other contests at the conference is available at
http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/ada/2004winners.html.
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For more information, contact:
Carl Norum
Work: (306) 955-7075 Ext. 504
Home: (306) 249-1579
carl.norum@usask.ca
Chris Mullens
(306) 220-0104 (cell)
(306) 373-9321
c.mullens@usask.ca
David Dodds, Professor
Department of Electrical Engineering
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-5397
dave.dodds@usask.ca
Michael Robin
U of S Research Communications
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
July 09, 2004
U of S Prof to Study Canadian and American Cigarette Marketing Aimed at Women
Posted July 09, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Friday, July 9, 2004 2004-07-04-OTHER
U of S Prof to Study Canadian and American
Cigarette Marketing Aimed at Women
University of Saskatchewan commerce professor Timothy Dewhirst has won a
Canada-U.S. Fulbright scholarship to research and compare how American and
Canadian tobacco companies market their products to women.
The cigarettes include America's Virginia Slims - famous for their 'You've
come a long way, baby' slogan - and Canada's Matinée brand.
"The reason Virginia Slims makes a fascinating case study is that in the
U.S., this brand is explicitly meant for women and the ads and slogans say
that," says Dewhirst, an associate professor of management and marketing.
"But during the late 80s, the U.S. manufacturer entered the Korean market
where two-thirds of men and very few women smoke. So they decided to target
men," he says, adding that in Korea Virginia Slims are promoted as being a
cigarette for "the successful man."
Dewhirst, one of three people with U of S ties to receive a Canada-U.S.
Fulbright award this year, will spend the fall semester as a visiting
researcher at the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the
University of California, San Francisco.
Also selected were federal Assistant Deputy Attorney General of Justice
Clare Beckton and Montreal artist Dawit Petros, both U of S alumni.
This is the first year that three people with U of S ties have won
prestigious Fulbright awards - the world's premier academic exchange - since
Canada joined the program in 1990. The latest awards bring the total number
of Fulbright scholars from the U of S to eight.
"The U of S is proud of the achievements of these exceptional scholars,"
says Steven Franklin, U of S Vice-President of Research. "Their success
underscores our commitment to research excellence."
Beckton, who received law and arts degrees from the U of S and holds a
Master of Laws from the University of Illinois, is responsible for the
Aboriginal Affairs Portfolio in the Attorney General's office. Beckton will
study Canada-U.S. relations at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at
Harvard University.
Petros received his Bachelor of Arts in history from the U of S and later
attended Concordia University, where he won the Alfred Pinsky Medal for Fine
Arts. Studying in New York City as a Canada-U.S. Fulbright scholar. Petros
will pursue a Master of Fine Arts at Columbia University.
The three recipients are among some 60 Canadian and American students and
scholars in the Canada-U.S. Fulbright Program's bilateral exchange for the
2004-05 academic year.
Fulbright applications are reviewed by an independent committee for the
academic merit of their project and its suitability for the program's
mandate -- to enhance mutual understanding between Canada and the U.S.
Academic and professional backgrounds are also considered.
The Canada-U.S. Fulbright Program oversees Canada's relationship with the
worldwide Fulbright Program, named after U.S. Senator William J. Fulbright.
Worldwide, the Fulbright program has established a system of bi-national
partnerships for the exchange of scholars between the U.S. and more than 140
countries, including Canada.
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Note to editors: Photos of the award recipients are available upon request.
For more information, contact:
Dale Worobec
Research Communications Officer
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1474
dale.worobec@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
Amy J. Harvey
Program Officer
The Canada-U.S. Fulbright Program
(613) 688-5517
www.fulbright.ca
To contact Fulbright Scholars:
Timothy Dewhirst
College of Commerce
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1744 (work)
(306) 653-1018 (home)
Clare Beckton
(613) 795-5026 (home)
Dawit Petros
(514) 528-5616 (home)
July 08, 2004
U of S Researchers Awarded $1.3 Million for Osteoporosis Prevention Study
Posted July 08, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- Wednesday, July 7, 2004 2004-07-02-OTHER
U of S Researchers Awarded $1.3 Million for Osteoporosis Prevention Study
University of Saskatchewan researchers have received $1.3 million from the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to study whether exercise and
a soy-based nutritional supplement can prevent osteoporosis.
The combination may also reduce cholesterol levels and the frequency and
severity of menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue
and mood changes.
"Exercise is often recommended to prevent bone loss, but most studies
suggest that the effectiveness of exercise alone in preserving bone mineral
density is small," says U of S kinesiologist Philip Chilibeck, who heads the
study. "This suggests that exercise should be combined with other
osteoporosis treatments to increase bone mineral."
The research team is seeking 360 Saskatoon postmenopausal women between the
ages of 45 and 70 to participate in the two-year study.
Recent research has found that one out of every four women over 50 is at
risk for osteoporosis and that the number of osteoporosis-related fractures
in Canada is expected to quadruple over the next 40 years.
"Dr. Chilibeck's study is particularly timely given Canada's support and
endorsement of the Bone and Joint Decade which was created in 2002 to help
advance and understand musculoskeletal disorders through research," said Dr.
Cyril Frank, Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Musculoskeletal
Health and Arthritis. "This study will help us to launch a full-scale attack
to find the best methods to treat and ultimately prevent osteoporosis."
Chilibeck's team hopes to combat bone loss through a combination of the
health-promoting benefits of exercise and a daily supplement made from a
compound called isoflavone that is found in soybean plants and is similar in
structure to estrogen, but with fewer potential side effects.
He explains that when you exercise, bone is subjected to strain. This
results in a biochemical signal that starts the formation of new bone and
the removal of damaged bone. The formation of new bone reduces strain, which
means that bone is adapting by becoming stronger and strain-resistant.
But the estrogen deficiency that follows menopause causes bone to be less
sensitive to the exercise-induced signal to make new bone, resulting in a
decrease of bone mass.
"Estrogen replacement therapy can help rebuild bone mass, but many women are
hesitant to start hormone therapy because of the potential side effects,
which can include increased risk of breast and uterine cancer, heart
disease, and stroke," says Chilibeck.
Some women in the study will participate in a supervised strength training
program that will include such exercises as leg presses, hamstring curls,
knee extensions and bicep curls two days a week. They will also be required
to take a brisk 20- to 30-minute walk four days a week.
Another group will be given a home-based flexibility program that will
involve stretching exercises for all major muscle groups that takes 20 to 30
minutes per day for four days-- the amount Health Canada recommends for
older adults.
Every participant will receive a daily supplement of calcium and vitamin D
and be asked to keep an activity log that monitors exercise. Randomly
selected participants will receive the bone mass-increasing isoflavones.
Chilibeck expects the study will provide new information for women seeking
alternatives to estrogen replacement therapy, particularly as the team will
continue tracking women for signs of coronary heart disease, uterine and
breast cancer, stroke, and pulmonary embolism for two years after their
participation in the study.
"Our results will allow physicians and dieticians to give evidence-based
advice to the many women who are interested in isoflavones as a method for
preventing bone loss and other menopausal symptoms," he says.
Team members include Susan Whiting (pharmacy and nutrition), Henry Biem
(medicine), Allison Case (obstetrics, gynecology and reproduction), Roger
Pierson (obstetrics, gynecology and reproduction), Olufemi Olatunbosun
(obstetrics, gynecology and reproduction) and Punam Pahwa (community, health
and epidemiology). As well, four full-time research assistants will work on
the study, some of whom will be graduate students.
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For more information, contact:
Professor Phil Chilibeck
College of Kinesiology
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1072
phil.chilibeck@usask.ca
Kristina Bergen
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1425
bergen@sask.usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
Doris Ward
Communications Manager
Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
(403) 210-9899
Janet Weichel McKenzie
CIHR Communications (Ottawa)
(613) 447-4794 (CELL)
(613) 941-4563 (WK)
www.cihr.ca
U of S Chemistry Prof is First Métis to Receive University Faculty Award
Posted July 08, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Thursday, July 8, 2004 2004-07-03-OTHER
U of S Chemistry Prof is First Métis to Receive University Faculty
Award
The first Métis person to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry from the
University of Saskatchewan has also become one of the first two Aboriginal
professors in Canada ever to receive the 2004 University Faculty Award (UFA)
sponsored by NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council).
Lee Wilson is one of 26 professors nationwide to receive an award in this
competition aimed at appointing more women and Aboriginal peoples to faculty
positions in the natural sciences and engineering.
Wilson was appointed May 1 to a tenure-track position with the U of S
chemistry department under the UFA program.
"He's a superb scientist whose research in materials chemistry fits
perfectly with the emerging research developments in the department," said
chemistry department head Ron Steer.
The NSERC award provides a total of $113,433 over the next three years. The
UFA program also contributes an annual salary of $40,000 for up to five
years.
Wilson will use the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron
(www.lightsource.ca) and the Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre to
create new porous materials that could be used in water remediation, timed
release of agricultural fertilizers and pesticides, or to improve drug
delivery methods. He expects to have some materials prepared and
characterized within the next two years.
"This award offers an opportunity to develop an exciting area of chemistry
that was merely a thought not so long ago," says Wilson. "With the
installation of the CLS and the Structural Sciences Centre, new areas of
emerging research look very promising."
An active member of the Aboriginal community, Wilson has spent years
speaking in schools and introducing Métis and Native students to the
wonders of science through the Indigenous Summer Science Camp he helped
organize through the U of S chemistry department.
"Aboriginal communities are in desperate need of producing students with
backgrounds in all areas of the natural sciences," he says. "As one of the
frontiers that underpins much of our technological advancement, it cannot be
underestimated that science is essential to the future of our existence as
human beings. I wish to share this excitement with all of our young people
and leave a positive imprint with them as they embark on their future
careers."
In April, Wilson received a prestigious National Aboriginal Achievement
Award for his contributions to science and his work with young people. The
award is the Aboriginal community's highest honour.
Wilson's dedication to promoting Aboriginal education and scholarship is in
line with the U of S strategic direction to ensure Aboriginal students
realize their full potential in an academic setting.
"We expect that his leadership in teaching and meeting the needs of our
Aboriginal students will have a profound impact at this university," says
Steer.
While working towards his Ph.D., Wilson received the Governor General's Gold
Medal in graduate studies, the U of S Graduate Thesis Award and the
chemistry department's Taube Medal for highest achievement in research.
Before returning to Saskatoon, Wilson worked for the Steacie Institute of
Molecular Sciences at the National Research Council in Ottawa. Since last
August, he has worked as a research associate in the chemistry department
and as Science Advisor to the Dean's Office in the College of Arts and
Science.
Previous UFA award winners at the U of S are Kaori Tanaka (physics and
engineering physics) and Julita Vassileva (computer science).
More information about the NSERC UFA program is available on the NSERC
website at www.nserc.gc.ca
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For more information, contact:
Professor Lee Wilson
Department of Chemistry
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-5248
Kristina Bergen
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1425
bergen@sask.usask.ca
July 06, 2004
New Research Group at the U of S Targets Untreatable Lung Inflammation
Posted July 06, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- Tuesday, July 6th , 2004 2004-07-01-OTHER
New Research Group Targets Untreatable Lung Inflammation
Researchers with the University of Saskatchewan's new Immunology Research
Group have discovered a drug that may help combat inflammatory diseases such
as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) -- a currently untreatable
disorder that kills 40 per cent of its victims.
In experimental tests, the anti-inflammatory drug known as G31P has already
been used successfully to treat piglets, calves and guinea pigs suffering
from near-fatal lung problems. Human trials could take place within the
next few years.
The new drug may also be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis,
inflammatory bowel disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The
latter is predicted by the United Nations to become the third leading cause
of death world-wide by 2020.
"Whether a disease progresses or not very often depends on the type of
immune response our bodies generate," says U of S immunologist John Gordon,
co-leader of the new immunology group and head of the G31P project.
"As immunology researchers, our job is to discover the best way for the body
to fight a challenge, then to teach it exactly how to do so."
In May, the U of S Industry Liaison Office and IL Therapeutics, a new
start-up firm at Innovation Place on campus, signed a letter of intent to
commercialize the use of G31P, which requires further development.
Here's how it works. When you breathe, air passes into the trachea
(windpipe) and flows through bronchial tubes into microscopic sacs called
alveoli, where oxygen is transferred from capillaries in the alveoli walls
to the bloodstream. When you exhale, carbon dioxide makes the journey in
reverse, passing from the bloodstream into the alveoli, where it is expelled
from the body
The result of some illnesses or injuries to the lungs, ARDS causes the
alveoli to release hormone-like proteins called ELR-CXC chemokines into the
bloodstream, which lure a type of white blood cell called neutrophils into
lung tissues.
The job of a neutrophil is normally to protect the body by squeezing through
capillary walls and into infected tissue, killing invaders such as bacteria
that can wreak havoc on the body. It's never-ending work that keeps us
healthy.
But with ARDS, the body is fooled into falsely sending out these chemokines,
which act like a siren song, bringing neutrophils racing to help when
they're not needed. The neutrophils then release an array of toxic
substances that are meant to kill bacteria, even though there is no
bacterial problem.
With no bacteria present, healthy tissues die instead, contributing to the
progression of ARDS and its high mortality rate.
Gordon's new drug works by acting like a false chemokine that grabs onto the
neutrophils' chemokine receptors, preventing them from even hearing the
siren song of real chemokines. In experimental testing, one G31P injection
stops the chain reaction cold.
The immunology group is composed of 20 researchers from the U of S colleges
of medicine and veterinary medicine, the Toxicology Research Centre, the
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, Prairie Diagnostic Services and
the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, along with more than 31 post-doctoral
fellows and graduate students. The development of G31P is only one of a
number of important projects the group has been undertaking for some time.
The group is one of five new U of S human health research groups established
through a funding partnership between the Saskatchewan Health Research
Foundation (www.shrf.ca) and Saskatchewan universities. The funding program
encourages health researchers from a variety of disciplines to form research
groups, thereby increasing U of S research intensity.
For more information on the group, go to www.usask.ca/immunology/Index.html
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For more information, contact:
Professor John Gordon
Department of Veterinary Microbiology
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
john.gordon@usask.ca
(306) 966-7214
Kristina Bergen
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1425
bergen@sask.usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
