November 29, 2006
New medical leadership structure solidifies partnership between Saskatoon Health Region and College of Medicine
Posted November 29, 2006
For further information please note the following website for a release issued by the Saskatoon Health Region
http://www.saskatoonhealthregion.ca/news_you_need/media_centre/media/2006/news_271106.htm
November 27, 2006
CFI Awards $25.8 Million for Major Projects at Canadian Light Source
Posted November 27, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, November 27, 2006
2006-11-26-OTHER
Today $25.8 million was awarded from the Canada Foundation for Innovation for three projects to be built at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) national synchrotron facility at the University of Saskatchewan.
The projects are led by teams from three universities: the University of Guelph, the University of Saskatchewan, and the University of British Columbia. Construction and operation will be done in collaboration with CLS scientists.
"These investments represent a tremendous boost to Canada's research capacity," said CLS Executive Director Bill Thomlinson. "Today's support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation is helping us build critical infrastructure which positions the CLS as a global leader in synchrotron science."
The three projects together comprise five new beamlines. Construction is expected to begin in early 2008, with some of the new facilities operational as early as 2011.
CFI will provide up to 40 per cent of the total $64.5 million in funding for the beamline projects, with the balance to be made up from other partners. Operating costs will be covered by CFI and the CLS operating budget. This funding is part of more than $422 million in investments to support 86 projects at 35 institutions across Canada.
"CFI's support of cutting-edge research infrastructure has transformed Canada's research landscape and increased the country's international competitiveness," said CFI President and CEO Dr. Eliot Phillipson. "Investments like these have allowed the Canadian Light Source to become a destination of choice for some of the world's top research talent."
"Canada's new government is investing in research and technology development that can build expertise and lay the foundation for economic growth and job creation," said the Honourable Carol Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification and MP for Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar. "Today's announcement builds on our ongoing support for the Canadian Light Source."
"Today's success is due to the extremely hard work of some of Canada's leading scientists," said CLS Director of Beamline Development Emil Hallin. "These projects are very powerful additions to the research tool kit available to the Canadian scientific community. We are very excited about the potential for scientific innovation."
The new beamlines include:
- The Brockhouse X-ray Diffraction and Scattering Sector: Under the leadership of Stefan Kycia from the University of Guelph, this $27.8-million project includes two beamlines which will be devoted to characterizing the structure of a wide variety of materials for applications such as advanced alloys and polymers, novel batteries, food science and petroleum products.
- BioXAS: Life Science Beamline for X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy: Led by University of Saskatchewan Canada Research Chair Graham George, this $20.6 million project will develop two beamlines to be used to study biological and health-related metals, in diseases such as Alzheimer's, as environmental toxins, in metal-containing drugs, and as essential constituents of living systems.
- The Quantum Materials Spectroscopy Centre: Under the leadership of Andrea Damascelli, Canada Research Chair in Electronic Structure of Solids at the University of British Columbia, this $16.1-million project is expected to propel Canada into the forefront of research into the electronic properties of novel materials, with applications from high-performance computing to energy storage technologies.
The projects announced today bring to 19 the number of beamlines in various stages of planning, construction, commissioning and operation at the CLS. There is room for about 30 beamlines at the national synchrotron facility. A backgrounder on these latest projects is available at www.lightsource.ca.
Located at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, the CLS is Canada's national synchrotron research facility. Synchrotron light is used to understand the structure of matter at its fundamental level, leading to improved medical imaging, new drugs, advanced materials, better mineral extraction techniques and enhanced environmental monitoring.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI's mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians. More information is available at www.innovation.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Sandra Ribeiro
Public Relations & Marketing Coordinator
Canadian Light Source
(306) 657 3558
sandra.ribeiro@lightsource.ca
www.lightsource.ca
Angus McKinnon
Coordinator, Media Relations
Canada Foundation for Innovation
(613) 996-3160 Cell: (613) 447-1723
Angus.McKinnon@innovation.ca
www.innovation.ca
Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
Hilary Thomson
UBC Senior Communications Coordinator
(604) 822-2644
Cell: (604) 209-3048
hilary.thomson@ubc.ca
http://www.ubc.ca/
Lori Bona Hunt
University of Guelph
Communications and Public Affairs
(519) 824-4120, Ext. 53338
l.hunt@exec.uoguelph.ca
http://www.uoguelph.ca/
Backgrounder
Canada Foundation for Innovation Grants for Projects at the Canadian Light Source National Synchrotron Facility
November 27, 2006
- The Brockhouse X-ray Diffraction and Scattering Sector, University of Guelph
Named after the Canadian winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize in Physics, the Brockhouse X-Ray Diffraction and Scattering Sector at the Canadian Light Source will be a national centre for structural characterization of many forms of materials systems such as crystals, solids, liquids, and nanostructures under ambient conditions and at extreme temperatures, pressures, and magnetic fields.
While X-ray diffraction has been recognized historically as the primary tool for investigating the atomic structure of materials, the technique has recently been revolutionized by the development of intense synchrotron radiation sources, new X-ray optics and novel techniques.
The proposed state of the art infrastructure will support a wide spectrum of Canadian materials research in academic and industrial sectors. Some potential applications include structural studies of polymers, drugs, emulsions, novel batteries, petroleum products and quantum materials.
- BioXAS: Life Science Beamline for X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, University of Saskatchewan
BioXAS will investigate the molecular form and microscopic location of metals in biological systems with unprecedented sensitivity. One hundred researchers, from 19 Canadian universities and other institutions, will use BioXAS in their biomedical, environmental and agricultural research.
Biomedical examples include the role of metals in brain diseases such as Alzheimer's, how to cure the deadly effects of toxic elements such as mercury, and improved drugs to treat cancer. Environmental research focuses on how metal contaminants affect organisms and ultimately humans. BioXAS complements existing CLS life science facilities and strengthens the CLS as a global leader in life science synchrotron research.
- The Quantum Materials Spectroscopy Centre (QMSC), University of British Columbia
Modern science and technology rely on materials whose usefulness depends on their electronic properties - that is, how they conduct or resist electric charges. Semiconductor materials, for example, are the foundation for the world's computer and telecommunications industries.
The QMSC will be used to design and explore novel complex materials for their potential in next-generation technologies. This national research centre will include advanced beamline tools for probing electronic structure, a dedicated materials preparation facility, and integrated support in materials science theory.
The QMSC will allow Canada to play a leading role in both furthering the quantum theory of solids and developing technological advances in fields as diverse as electronics, telecommunications, computer science, and biomedicine.
CFI Awards $22 Million for Major New U of S Research Facilities
Posted November 27, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, November 27, 2006 10 a.m.
2006-11-25-OTHER
CFI Awards $22 Million for Major New U of S Research Facilities
Today the Canada Foundation for Innovation awarded $22 million for four major projects at the University of Saskatchewan to advance research into the health of agricultural workers, high-value feed products, metals in the brain, and toxins in water.
"Our 40-per-cent success rate in this extremely competitive national funding competition is double the national average," said U of S Vice-President Research Steven Franklin. "The leadership of our researchers, supported by their colleagues across the country, demonstrates we can compete with the best in the country."
The new research infrastructure will address top-priority challenges and opportunities in agriculture, bioproducts, medicine, and the environment, with implications in Western Canada and around the world.
CFI will provide up to 40 per cent of the total $54.7 million in funding for the projects, with the balance to be made up from the U of S and other partners. The funding is part of more than $422 million in investments to support 86 projects at 35 institutions across Canada.
"CFI's support of cutting-edge research infrastructure has transformed Canada's research landscape and increased the country's international competitiveness," said CFI President and CEO Dr. Eliot Phillipson. "Investments like these have allowed the University of Saskatchewan to become a destination of choice for some of the world's top research talent."
"The superior research capacity being developed at the University of Saskatchewan is helping our community to excel in a competitive R&D environment, contributing to Saskatchewan's environment, our economy and our international competitiveness," said Carol Skelton, Minister of Revenue and Western Economic Diversification and MP for Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar.
The four U of S projects include:
* BioXAS: Life Science Beamline for X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy: Led by U of S Canada Research Chair Graham George, this $20.6-million suite of two beamlines at the Canadian Light Source will be used to study biological and health-related functions of metals in diseases such as Alzheimer's, as environmental toxins, in metal-containing drugs, and as essential constituents of living systems.
* National Agricultural Industrial Hygiene Laboratory: Led by U of S researcher Jim Dosman at the Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, this $14.5-million initiative will provide tools to study the health effects in workers and others exposed to the risks of modern agricultural production and related rural activities.
* Feed Technology Research Facility: Led by U of S researcher Bernard Laarveld, this $12.6-million initiative will explore challenges related to the burgeoning bioproducts industry, such as how to make high-value animal feed products from low-value crops and by-products created by biofuel plants.
* Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility: Under the leadership of U of S environmental toxicologist Karsten Liber, this $7-million unique-in-Canada initiative will provide the tools to detect, monitor, and evaluate toxic pollution in our lakes, rivers, and other aquatic ecosystems. This will provide crucial information for policy, regulation, and environmental remediation.
* The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. Its mandate is to strengthen capacity among Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians. More information is available at www.innovation.ca. A backgrounder on these latest U of S projects is available at http://www.usask.ca/research.
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For more information, contact:
Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
Angus McKinnon
Coordinator, Media Relations
Canada Foundation for Innovation
(613) 996-3160
www.innovation.ca
Backgrounder
Canada Foundation for Innovation Grants to the University of Saskatchewan
November 27, 2006
U of S Success
With four of 10 projects funded, the U of S boasts a 40-per-cent success rate compared to 18 per cent nationally. The university was awarded 56 per cent of the funds it asked for - again, double the national average of 23 per cent. All four projects were funded through the CFI New Initiatives Fund, and collectively make up 12 per cent of the total - one of the highest success rates in the country.
The Projects:
* BioXAS: Life Science Beamline for X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy at the Canadian Light Source
Total project cost: $20,596,896 (CFI component: $8,238,760)
Project Leader: Graham George
Canada Research Chair in X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Professor, Department of Geological Sciences
Contact: 966-5722, g.george@usask.ca
This suite of two beamlines will investigate the molecular form and microscopic location of metals in biological systems with unprecedented sensitivity. One hundred researchers from 19 Canadian universities and other institutions will use BioXAS in their biomedical, environmental and agricultural research.
Biomedical examples include the role of metals in brain diseases such as Alzheimer's, how to cure the deadly effects of toxic elements such as mercury, and improved drugs to treat cancer.
Environmental research focuses on how metal contaminants affect organisms and ultimately humans. BioXAS complements existing CLS life science facilities and strengthens the CLS as a global leader in life science synchrotron research.
* National Agricultural Industrial Hygiene Laboratory
Total project cost: $14,555,978 (CFI component: $5,822,362)
Project Leader: James Dosman
Director, Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture (CCHSA) at the U of S
Contact: 966-8302, james.dosman@usask.ca
Agriculture is notorious for some of the most hazardous working conditions in Canada. The National Agricultural Industrial Hygiene Laboratory, to be built as part of the new U of S Academic Health Sciences complex, will be used to study the health and safety of the approximately one million workers and others exposed to the risks of modern agricultural production and related rural activities. The lab will complement facilities at three other universities working with the CCHSA, and include new telecommunications links for this national network. The lab will be organized around four main research themes: food and water quality, rural health issues, working conditions, and air quality (i.e. inhalation exposures).
*
Feed Technology Research Facility
Total project cost: $12,614,275 (CFI component: $5,045,710)
Project Leader: Bernard Laarveld
Professor, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources
Contact: 966-4972, b.laarveld@usask.ca
The U of S boasts a large, internationally-recognized research cluster in animal nutrition and feed science, crop breeding, and animal health. It has extensive, high-quality infrastructure and an excellent track record in technology transfer and commercialization. The Feed Technology Research Facility will add crucial pilot plant R&D capacity to allow research into equipment design, process optimization, energy efficiency, animal nutrition and feed development, and other key areas. The pilot plant will be a crucial link in the emerging bioproducts industry, where low-value by-products from activities such as ethanol production may be turned into high-value animal feed products. This initiative enjoys broad support. For example, key funding from both Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) and Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Saskatchewan (ACAAS) supported initial engineering design work, economic impact assessment and organizational development to bolster the successful proposal to CFI.
* Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility
Total project cost: $7,015,000 (CFI component: $2,806,000)
Project Leader: Karsten Liber
Director, Toxicology Centre
Contact: 966-7444, karsten.liber@usask.ca
The Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility at the U of S Toxicology Centre will allow researchers to study the effects of water quality and pollutants on aquatic species - from fish and amphibians to plants and microorganisms - under a wide variety of water quality and experimental conditions. The only facility of its type in Canada and one of only a few in the world, the facility will provide the tools to study the effects of man-made pollutants on sensitive northern ecosystems. The knowledge gained will help put Canada at the forefront of international water quality research, guiding regulators and industry in areas as diverse as economic development in the north and "green chemistry" to produce environmentally friendly alternatives to toxic chemicals used in industry.
Canada Foundation for Innovation Major Program Funding
Funding for these projects is part a major $422,343,180 investment announced November 27, 2006 by the CFI to support 86 projects at 35 institutions across the country.
This investment marks the inauguration of two new CFI funds:
- $141,449,405 was awarded under the Leading Edge Fund (LEF), designed to enable institutions to build on and enhance already successful and productive initiatives supported by past CFI investment.
- Another $183,429,964 million was awarded under the New Initiatives Fund (NIF), designed to enhance Canada's capacity in promising new areas of research and technology development.
- Finally, $97,463,811was awarded under the already existing Infrastructure Operating Fund, which assists institutions with the incremental operating and maintenance costs associated with the new infrastructure.
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November 23, 2006
U of S Crop Development Centre and FarmPure Seeds Team Up on Oat Research and Development
Posted November 23, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 23, 2006
2006-11-22-AG
FarmPure Seeds of Regina will invest $300,000 over five years to fund development of superior oat varieties at the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre (CDC).
"Oat research and development, especially the development of improved varieties well adapted to Saskatchewan growing conditions, is critical to long-term success," says Trenton Baisley, CEO of FarmPure, a farmer-owned Pedigreed seed production and marketing organization.
The new agreement builds upon a long and successful relationship between the CDC and farmer-owned FarmPure Seeds to increase and market Pedigreed seed.
This includes newer oat varieties such as CDC Dancer and CDC Orrin. Recently, FarmPure took on the task of producing Pedigreed seed for CDC SO-I, an innovative feed oat with nutritional characteristics similar to barley.
"It's essential that we work together with Western Canadian oat and seed industry players, especially those in Saskatchewan," says CDC oat and barley breeder Brian Rossnagel.
"The feedback and support we receive from our research partners and supporters such as FarmPure are critical to future planning and the success of our oat research and breeding program."
FarmPure's latest investment will enhance CDC's ability to develop and release superior new varieties as quickly and efficiently as possible.
CDC's productive oat research and breeding program continues to focus on refining and improving premium oat end-use quality, as well as developing more disease resistant, higher-performing varieties. Research directions include developing varieties resistant to crown rust for the eastern Prairie region and varieties tailored for specialty food markets.
Established in 1971, the U of S CDC is a nationally renowned centre of excellence in crop research. The CDC seeks to increase diversification of crops and their products for Saskatchewan's farmers and agriculture industry by improving existing crops, creating new uses for traditional crops, and introducing new crops.
FarmPure Seeds is dedicated to providing superior new crop varieties to its members for multiplication and sale. The company is a major distributor of new cereal, oilseed, special crop, and forage varieties in Western Canada.
FarmPure Seeds joins other oat industry players, including Quaker Tropicana Gatorade Canada, Cargill, Super Oats Canada, CanOat Milling and Grain Millers as on-going supporters of the CDC oat research and development program. Core support for the program comes from Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food and the U of S.
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For more information, contact:
Brian Rossnagel
Crop Development Centre
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4976
www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci/cdc.html
Trenton Baisley
FarmPure Seeds Inc.
(306) 791-3770 ext. 221
www.farmpure.com
Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
November 22, 2006
U of S Community Health Researcher Honoured with CIHR Award
Posted November 22, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 22, 2006
2006-11-21-ME
Today University of Saskatchewan researcher Nazeem Muhajarine will receive a Knowledge Translation Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for his leadership in turning research results into policies and programs that help Saskatchewan's children.
The award, which carries with it a $20,000 stipend, is being presented tonight at CIHR's fifth annual Canadian Health Research Awards ceremony in Ottawa.
"Professor Muhajarine's work has revealed that families in our city and province face unusual economic and cultural challenges," said U of S Vice-President Research Steven Franklin. "His strategy of strongly partnering his team's program with decision makers allows the benefits of research to flow directly to the community."
Knowledge Translation awards honour and support researchers that make outstanding contributions to the health of Canadians by using research knowledge to improve health, to create more effective services and products, and to strengthen the health care system.
"Nazeem Muhajarine epitomizes the CIHR Knowledge Translation Award," said Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of CIHR. "By taking academic research, applying it to policy and successfully using it in the community, he is helping build healthier communities for Saskatchewan's children."
Muhajarine, a professor and head of the department of community health and epidemiology in the College of Medicine and a research faculty member of the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit, works closely with community decision makers.
Understanding the Early Years, a study he co-leads with Sue Delanoy at Communities for Children, Saskatoon's planning council for a child and youth friendly community, has been particularly effective at influencing policy and practice. Their research findings have provided the impetus for initiatives such as Saskatoon Public Schools' Literacy for Life program and a pilot program to integrate child care facilities into schools. This study is funded by Human Resources and Social Development Canada.
"Working with Nazeem and his research team has been a great opportunity for Communities for Children to learn how to use research to further our program development and advocacy work for children in Saskatoon," said Delanoy. "And I know that many of our partners - the Saskatoon public and Catholic school boards, the Saskatoon Tribal Council, Saskatoon Health Region and the government of Saskatchewan - have found our work together really useful in their own planning."
Muhajarine is a driving force in the Community-University Institute for Social Research (CUISR), a successful partnership between community-based organizations and U of S faculty members and graduate students. Since its inception in 2000, CUISR research has looked at a broad range of issues, from child poverty to the social and economic importance of the Saskatoon Farmers' Market.
Other research led by Muhajarine, funded by the Canadian Population Health Initiative and Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, has guided policy makers among the provincial government and community groups and led to subsequent work together.
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For more information, contact:
Nazeem Muhajarine or Fleur Macqueen Smith
Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-7940 (Nazeem) or (306) 966-2957 (Fleur)
(306) 227-2982 (Nazeem cell)
nazeem.muhajarine@usask.ca
www.spheru.ca
Sue Delanoy or Jon Ellis
Communities for Children
(306) 956-1796 (office)
(306) 241-4952 (Sue cell)
uey@communitiesforchildren.net
Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
November 20, 2006
U of S Board Announces New Dean of Nursing
Posted November 20, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 20, 2006
2006-11-19-NU
The University of Saskatchewan Board of Governors has approved the appointment of Dr. Lorna Butler as Dean of the College of Nursing effective July 1, 2007.
"Dr. Butler has a clear commitment to teaching, research and scholarly activity," said Dr. Jim Germida, Vice-Provost and Chair of the Search Committee. "Over her university career, she has served, and continues to serve, at all levels in the organizations and is active within the nursing and health research communities in her province and across the country. Dr. Butler will be a great asset to both the College of Nursing and the University of Saskatchewan."
The new Dean earned a Masters degree in Medical-Surgical Nursing in 1987 from Dalhousie University in Halifax, and a PhD in Statistics and Ethics from the University of Toronto in 1995. She joined the School of Nursing at Dalhousie in 1999, and was promoted to full Professor in 2004, a position she shared with the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre (QEII). That arrangement allowed Dr. Butler to devote one third of her time to research in the clinical practice setting, and led to her appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie for inter-disciplinary research and resident training in socio-behavioural research. It also led to what is now a full Professorship in the Department of Urology at the QEII.
Dr. Butler has been appointed to a five-year renewable term.
Currently, there are approximately 1200 students registered in the Nursing Education Program (NEPS), over 200 in the Post-Registration Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program, approximately 45 in the Master's Program, and three PhD students.
NEPS, a collaborative program of the University of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST), and the First Nations University of Canada, is a four-year program leading to a BSN degree awarded by the University of Saskatchewan. The College of Nursing offers years three and four of the NEPS in Saskatoon, Regina, and Prince Albert.
The Board of Governors has also approved renewing the appointments of two deans. Dr. Charles Rhodes, Dean of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. William Albritton, Dean of the College of Medicine will both begin their second five-year terms July 1, 2007.
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For more information, contact:
Dr. Jim Germida
Vice-Provost and Search Committee Chair
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-8485
Discussion Papers on Canadian Wheat Board Future Available on New U of S Website
Posted November 20, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, November 20, 2006
2006-11-18-AG
To aid in the current public debate over the future of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), a research team at the University of Saskatchewan has compiled a list of CWB-related materials at www.kis.usask.ca.
"With all the discussion and debate surrounding the future of the Canadian Wheat Board, we felt it was necessary to create a site for interested individuals to find information on both sides of the CWB debate," said U of S agricultural economics professor Murray Fulton.
The website contains more than 1,400 pages of material on the CWB including:
- 23 papers, studies, or reports;
- five journal articles;
- links to the Charter Case, the CWB Act, the Choice Matters website, and the Real Voice for Choice website.
The intention is to provide an electronic copy and short summary of all documents. New items are added daily. Notable recent items include:
- a paper "The Canadian Wheat Board in an Open Market: The Impact of Removing the Single-Desk Selling Powers" released Nov. 14th by professor Fulton
- the Technical Task Force's report for the Federal Minister of Agriculture, "Marketing Choice - The Path Forward", released October 30th
- the CWB's "Harvesting Opportunity: Strengthening farmer's competitive advantage" report released in August
The website is an initiative of the U of S-led Adapting to New Environments: Agriculture and Rural Economies in the 21st Century project, one of 11 Knowledge Impact in Society (KIS) projects across Canada funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Involving 23 researchers from the U of S and several community partners, the project aims to generate a dialogue with farmers, producer associations, rural residents, policy makers and the general public on the challenges facing the agriculture industry.
Suggestions for CWB-related information that should be listed on the site can be e-mailed to: kis.project@usask.ca
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For more information, contact:
Kathy Lang
Department of Agricultural Economics
College of Agriculture
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-8419
November 17, 2006
U of S-Led Partnership Launches Anxiety and Depression Research Initiative
Posted November 17, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Friday, November 17th, 2006
2006-11-16-ME
Research into anxiety and depression at the University of Saskatchewan receives a $780,000 boost today to develop early diagnosis tools for these debilitating conditions and develop treatments to improve the quality of life of both patients and their caregivers.
The five-year research program, based within the U of S Neuropsychiatry Research Unit (NRU), will look at the underlying causes of anxiety and depression using cellular and animal models. Researchers will also look at better ways to diagnose these disorders, study how new and existing drugs work alone and in combination with others, and assess treatment outcomes.
Funding for the five-year program comes from pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca Canada Inc. ($350,000), the Royal University Hospital Foundation ($250,000), the U of S and College of Medicine ($150,000), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR, $30,000).
"This initiative exemplifies the strength of our neuroscience researchers in developing and enhancing effective research partnerships with community agencies and funding groups," says Steven Franklin, U of S Vice-President Research. "This research is aimed at tackling a major public health problem that robs people of some of their most productive and fulfilling years."
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, about one in 20 Canadians will suffer from an anxiety disorder and about one in 12 will experience major depression some time in their lives.
"AstraZeneca is committed to improving patient health and recognizes the importance of research and development to achieve this goal," says Kazi Borkowski, Vice-President of Medical Affairs for AstraZeneca Canada. "We believe our funding will contribute to the development of a better understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders."
"Royal University Hospital Foundation donors are committed to supporting research that leads to faster diagnosis and more effective treatments," said Adrienne Nolan, Executive Director of the Royal University Hospital Foundation. "And our donors are interested in funding partnerships that maximize the opportunity for results."
"In order to improve our response to anxiety and depression, we must fully acknowledge their impact and understand their root causes," says Dr. Remi Quirion, Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA).
"Neuroscientists are only now beginning to expand our basic understanding of how the brain is wired, the role of different neurotransmitters and receptors in exchanging information and how the breakdown in these connections lead to mental illness. CIHR-INMHA is proud to support such excellent work being done at the University of Saskatchewan."
The project, led by NRU director Dr. Xin-Min Li, will strengthen and expand this area of research at the U of S, helping to create a critical mass of researchers to help find the causes of anxiety and depression.
A multidisciplinary team of seven U of S researchers will be involved in a broad range of investigations. The team includes Li, Raymond Tempier, Rudy Bowen, Carl D'Arcy, Lillian Dyck, Marilyn Baetz, and Vern Bennett, all from the U of S department of psychiatry.
"Their "lab to bedside" scope will look at the basic molecular mechanisms of how antidepressants and mood stabilizers work," said Dr. Li. "This knowledge could shed light on how these disorders develop, guiding early diagnosis and more effective treatment."
The project will also provide training opportunities for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and psychiatry residents. About a third of the total amount - $250,000 - is earmarked for two full-time graduate students and one half-time post doctoral fellow.
AstraZeneca Canada Inc. (www.astrazeneca.ca) is a leading global pharmaceutical company with a product portfolio spanning six major therapeutic areas: gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, oncology, respiratory, neuroscience, and infection. AstraZeneca's growth brands include Arimidex, Atacand, Crestor, Nexium, Seroquel and Symbicort.
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (www.cihr.gc.ca) is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to catalyze its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 10,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.
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For more information, contact:
Dr. Xin-Min Li
Director, Neuropsychiatry Research Unit
U of S College of Medicine
(306) 966-8573/4438
Sherry Zarins
Manager, Therapeutic Area Communications
AstraZeneca Canada Inc.
(905) 615-6845
Adrienne Nolan
Executive Director
Royal University Hospital Foundation
(306) 655-1050
Dr. Remi Quirion
Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
(613) 941-4563
Michael Robin
Research Communications
Office of the Vice-President Research
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
BACKGROUNDER:
Anxiety and Depression Research Partnership Program
What is anxiety?
While everyone feels anxious at times, people with anxiety disorders can suffer intense, prolonged feelings of fright and distress for no obvious reason. This unease and fear can be crippling, preventing sufferers from interacting with their communities or holding a job. Less severe cases still interfere with relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems, affecting an estimated one in 10 people. They are more prevalent among women than among men, and they affect children as well as adults. While anxiety disorders are illnesses and can be treated, researchers continue to work to reduce suffering through earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments.
What is depression?
Like anxiety, depression is a condition everyone feels at one time or another. But for some people, the "black dogs of depression," are constant companions rather than occasional visitors. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, an estimated one in 10 people will suffer from clinical depression, defined as producing symptoms for two weeks or more, with such severity that they interfere with daily living.
Clinical depression is treatable, but it must be diagnosed by a professional. This makes research into early diagnostic tools crucial. Work is also ongoing to develop new antidepressants to help treat the condition.
More information is available from the CMHA (Saskatchewan Division) at 1-800-461-5483 or www.cmhask.com.
University of Saskatchewan Neuropsychiatry Research Unit
The NRU has a strong research reputation along with excellent facilities and infrastructure for probing mental health and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer's disease and substance abuse.
The unit has been supported by the Government of Saskatchewan for 50 years, and has received, on average, $1 million for salaries and core operating support each year over the past two decades. It has also attracted $6 million in external funding over the past three years.
The unit consists of six research scientists, 13 post-doctoral fellows, 10 graduate students, one undergraduate, one visiting scientist and eight support staff.
Principal Researchers:
Xin-Min Li (program leader): Professor of Psychiatry and NRU Director
- Raymond Tempier, Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Services of Saskatoon Health Region
- Rudy Bowen, Professor of Psychiatry
- Carl D'Arcy Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Applied Research, Department of Psychiatry
- Lillian Dyck, Professor of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry Research Unit
- Marilyn Baetz, Associate Professor of Psychiatry
- Vern Bennett, Associate Professor of Psychiatry
The Partners:
AstraZeneca Canada Inc. is a leading global pharmaceutical company with a product portfolio spanning six major therapeutic areas: gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, oncology, respiratory, neuroscience, and infection.
- AstraZeneca's growth brands include Arimidex, Atacand, Crestor, Nexium, Seroquel and Symbicort.
- Most of AstraZeneca's 1,400 Canadian employees work at its Canadian headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Mississauga, Ontario. More than 125 highly skilled scientists work at the company's state-of-the-art basic pain research centre based in Montreal, Quebec. The company employs more than 65,000 people world wide. (www.astrazeneca.ca)
Royal University Hospital Foundation is dedicated to improving the health of children and adults living in Saskatchewan. It raises funds to invest in patient care, research, and education at Royal University Hospital for the well-being of the community. (www.rufh.org)
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is Canada's premier federal funding agency for health research. The CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction supports research into causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions associated with the central nervous system. (www.cihr.ca)
November 15, 2006
U of S Student Documents Former Inmates' Reintegration into Society in Nationally Broadcast Film
Posted November 15, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Wednesday, November 15, 2006
2006-11-14-AR & GS
U of S Student Documents Former Inmates' Reintegration into Society in Nationally Broadcast Film
100 Days of Freedom, a film documenting the lives of three former inmates as they reintegrate into society, will go to air November 25th on Global TV thanks to the innovative research of University of Saskatchewan PhD student Karen Parhar.
The film premieres on Global Currents at 7 p.m.
"I was looking for a different method of collecting my data that would also incorporate the environment of the released offender," said Parhar, who is in the applied social psychology program in the U of S department of psychology.
The film follows three former inmates from facilities across the Prairies, shedding light on the changes they must make in their lives during the shift back into society. The documentary shows the challenges they face after being released, highlighting their struggles to stay away from drugs and criminal influences.
Parhar said it was remarkable to see the newly released inmates struggling with technological changes that most people take for granted such as automated bank machines.
She came up with the film concept when she decided to focus her research on positive decisions made by former inmates to stop themselves from re-offending.
"It's a fresh angle," said Parhar. "You get to see the offenders' lives through their own eyes and you get to hear about their pasts."
Parhar worked under the guidance of her supervisor Stephen Wong, adjunct professor at the Regional Psychiatric Centre (Prairies) in Saskatoon. To create the documentary, she teamed up with Cooper Rock Pictures and Fahrenheit Films for nearly a year of filming. She will analyze the film footage as part of her dissertation project.
The documentary is funded by Global Television, The Canadian Television Fund, Court TV, ACCESS TV, Canadian Learning Television, and SaskFilm.
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For more information, contact:
Karen Parhar, Doctoral Student
Department of Psychology
College of Arts and Science
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 261-5273
karen.pahar@usask.ca
Angela Hill
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6058
angela.hill@usask.ca
U of S VIDO team discovers key step in flu virus replication
Posted November 15, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 15th, 2006
2006-11-13-VIDO
U of S VIDO team discovers key step in flu virus replication
As public health officials around the world keep a nervous eye on the spread of avian influenza, the University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) has uncovered a key step in how the influenza virus causes infection.
Yan Zhou and her team have discovered how a crucial pathway that supports the influenza A virus's ability to reproduce itself is activated, a finding that could pave the way for new drugs and vaccines.
The paper will appear in the January 2007 issue of the Journal of General Virology and recently has been given advance on-line publication.
"The work we are doing will be applicable to all influenza viruses, including influenza A virus subtype H5N1," said VIDO Director Lorne Babiuk.
Zhou says that although years of research remain to be done, this work provides novel insights for developing live vaccines and antiviral drugs for influenza epidemics and pandemics. A provisional patent has been filed on the findings.
"Given the health, economic and social consequences of influenza epidemics, the work of Dr. Zhou and her team demonstrates the importance of building influenza research capacity in Canada," said Dr. Bhagirath Singh, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity.
"Their research findings may help to develop new influenza treatments and prevent the disease, as well as add to global pandemic preparedness research."
To survive, the influenza virus hijacks the host animal or human's cellular machinery and forces it to make more copies of the virus. The researchers believe that the cellular events involved in this process are an excellent target for interventions against influenza.
The study revealed novel characteristics of a protein, called NS1, that activates a key pathway in the virus's reproduction. This information will help the researchers learn how to create harmless influenza viruses that can be used as live vaccines.
The pathway can be thought of as an assembly line with a switch to turn it on, says Zhou. "If the switch is turned on, the pathway enables efficient production of more viruses. But only the NS1 protein can turn on the switch."
The researchers are investigating genes and proteins of the influenza viruses of swine, horses and birds to see how they activate downstream cellular signalling pathways. To do this, they are using reverse genetics technology, where researchers begin with a gene and figure out its function.
These studies will allow the team to identify the genes that enable the virus to cause disease, laying the groundwork for antiviral drug development.
"Increasingly, new diseases involve both humans and animals," said Andrew Potter,VIDO's Associate Director (Research). "VIDO's background in veterinary research means that when diseases like avian influenza develop, we have the resources to begin studying the disease fairly quickly."
Support for Zhou and program members Yeun-Kyung Shin, Babiuk, Aleksandar Masic and Yang Li is provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through a recently announced Pilot Project Grant for New Investigators in Infection and Immunity. The Saskatchewan Chicken Industry Development Fund and the Government of Saskatchewan are additional supporters. Shin is funded by the Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service of South Korea.
Background
According to World Health Organization estimates, influenza causes 36,000 deaths annually in the U.S. alone, and from 500,000 to one million around the world. The direct economic impact of influenza according to the U.S. Congress is an estimated $1 to 3 billion in the U.S., with as much as $15 billion in lost earnings. Avian influenza has raised the spectre of a new, potentially devastating human influenza pandemic in the future. In some countries, new strains of avian influenza are causing as much as 76 per cent mortality in humans.
VIDO (www.vido.org) is a world leader in the research and development of vaccine and immunotherapeutic technologies for livestock and humans. VIDO is a non-profit organization owned by the University of Saskatchewan. It collaborates extensively with external institutes and companies and provides a rich training environment.
The CIHR is the Government of Canada's agency for health research with a mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to catalyze its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 10,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada. The Institute of Infection and Immunity seeks to establish national leadership, priorities and programs that promote innovative research to reduce the global burden of infection and immune-based disease and improve quality of life. www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca
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For more information, contact:
Tess Laidlaw
Communications Officer, VIDO
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1506
tess.laidlaw@usask.ca
Michael Robin
Communications Officer
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
Marie-France Poirier
CIHR Media relations
(613) 941-4563
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
November 09, 2006
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture located at the U of S Recognizes Donors to its Founding Chairs Program
Posted November 09, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 9, 2006
2006-11-07-ME
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture located at the U of S Recognizes Donors to its Founding Chairs Program
The Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture (CCHSA) held a public appreciation event this morning to recognize and celebrate the commitment of three outstanding organizations to the CCHSA's Founding Chairs Program.
Farm Credit Canada, Federated Co-operatives Limited, and Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Inc., together with a special investment from the University of Saskatchewan, have contributed to the CCHSA Founding Chairs Program, which provides research funds for special projects, student training and knowledge translation in the area of agricultural health and safety.
For Farm Credit Canada, this will be a $250,000 first time gift to CCHSA, matching the previous and current contributions equaling $250,000 by Federated Co-operatives Limited and $250,000 by Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Inc. The Dr. Peter D. Stewart Trust of the University of Saskatchewan also committed $125,000 to the Founding Chairs Program.
"These organizations, Farm Credit Canada, Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and Federated Co-op, are intricately linked to the very people that the CCHSA reaches out to - farm families and workers," said Dr. James Dosman, Director of the Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture. "When community stakeholders like these invest in the work of the Centre, they are very visibly demonstrating their commitment to their customers and to Canadian agriculture as a whole."
Farm Credit Canada is Canada's largest provider of business and financial services to farms and agribusiness. Operating out of 100 offices located primarily in rural Canada, FCC employees are passionate about the business of agriculture and their commitment to safety in rural communities.
Federated Co-operatives Limited serves an extensive network of 300 retail co-ops and over one million individual members throughout Western Canada. Retail co-ops provide their members with a variety of goods and services ranging from petroleum, food, and general merchandise to crop supplies and feed.
Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Inc. has been a longstanding supporter of agricultural health and safety initiatives at the University of Saskatchewan. The Pool connects prairie producers to destination customers around the world. Innovative solutions that generate value for Pool customers are provided through the Pool's three core businesses of grain handling and marketing, agri-products, and agri-food processing.
The CCHSA, located on the University of Saskatchewan campus, is comprised of a national laboratory and network of 66 scientists at 14 universities across Canada. The Centre hosts an interdisciplinary research team whose work focuses on four themes in agricultural health and safety: what we breathe (inhalation exposure), what we eat and drink (food safety and water quality), how we work (safety and noise), and how we live (rural development and health issues).
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For more information, contact:
Dr. James A. Dosman
Director, Canadian Centre for Health & Safety in Agriculture
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-8286
Melanie Lightfoot
Public Relations, Farm Credit Canada
Tel: (306) 780-6768
Scott Banda
Corporate Secretary, Federated Co-operatives Limited
Tel: (306) 244-3227
Susan Cline
Media Relations, Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Inc.
Tel: (306) 569-6948
November 08, 2006
Innovative U of S-led Partnership Creates Oat Variety Breakthrough
Posted November 08, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 8, 2006
2006-11-08-AG
Livestock producers will soon have access to a new variety of oat with a nutritional profile similar to barley, thanks to an innovative partnership among producers, the provincial government, and the University of Saskatchewan.
"This oat variety is the first designed to combine a more digestible hull with a higher fat content," said plant sciences professor Brian Rossnagel, an oat and barley breeder at the U of S Crop Development Centre (CDC).
"This is a significant development for the cattle feed and oat industries."
While oat is generally cheaper to grow and has higher yield potential, it packs less nutritional punch than barley because it has more hard-to-digest hull relative to kernel (or groat). The new variety, CDC SO-I, boasts a higher-fat groat and a more digestible hull. Its registration was recently approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Now that it has been registered, CDC SO-I will go to FarmPure Seeds Inc. of Regina to produce Pedigreed seed. Commercial planting of the new variety should begin by 2009.
"This is a superb example of technology transfer, where the university, farmers, and the government have worked together to bring a really innovative variety to market," said Trenton Baisley, president of Super Oats Canada Ltd. and CEO of FarmPure Seeds.
The name of the new variety, CDC SO-I, (CDC Super Oats, variety number one) is derived from its unique genesis. The project began in 1999 as an idea at the CDC to develop better feed oat by "fast tracking" the research cycle. Rather than developing field-ready varieties for animal testing, CDC plant breeders produced prototype varieties with the desired nutritional traits.
These prototype varieties would normally need more work to bring to commercialization. Instead, collaborators at the U of S department of animal and poultry science and the Prairie Feed Resource Centre (now the Feeds Innovation Institute (FII)) conducted feed tests on livestock with the prototypes to see if the plant breeders were on the right track.
"Doing the feed testing and variety development work simultaneously allowed the research team to determine if the prototype had promise early in the process," said Scott Wright, FII executive director at the U of S department of animal and poultry science. "This helped bring CDC SO-I to market many years earlier than the traditional route."
Funding totaling $210,000 over six years was provided through Super Oats Canada, a producer-researcher consortium created in 1999. Later, the Saskatchewan government, through its Agriculture Development Fund, was inspired to join the CDC SO-I project with matching funds totaling $207,000.
"Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food and the Crop Development Centre have a long history of working together," Agriculture and Food Minister Mark Wartman said. "The success of this project highlights the benefits of drawing on additional resources and direction from industry and other university departments."
Super Oats Canada has committed to continued funding to the CDC for improved oat varieties of this type both for the domestic market and to strengthen the position of Canada's farmers in the international arena.
"We export 90 per cent of the feeds produced in Saskatchewan," Wright said. "There are huge opportunities to create more value adding, to support and build the local feed industry, and position Saskatchewan as a world leader."
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For more information, contact:
Brian Rossnagel, Professor (CDC)
Department of Plant Sciences
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4976
brian.rossnagel@sask.usask.ca
Trenton Baisley
CEO, FarmPure Family of Companies
President, Super Oats Canada
(306) 791-3770 ext. 221
tbaisley@farmpure.com
Scott Wright
Executive Director
Feeds Innovation Institute
Department of Animal and Poultry Science
(306) 230-7102
scott.wright@usask.ca
Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
Scott Brown
Director of Communications
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-4031
November 02, 2006
University of Saskatchewan initiatives reflected in Maclean's
Posted November 02, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 2, 2006
2006-11-02-OTHER
University of Saskatchewan initiatives reflected in Maclean's
SASKATOON - The University of Saskatchewan has been recognized in the annual Maclean's ranking of Canadian universities as one of this country's leading medical/doctoral institutions in the areas of average admission grades of new students, the percentage of international graduate students, and the size of upper year classes.
Responding to the results of the magazine's survey, released Nov. 2, U of S President Peter MacKinnon said the University of Saskatchewan's ongoing commitment to recruiting the best and brightest students, not only from Saskatchewan but also from across Canada and around the world, is reflected in this year's results. The U of S ranked first in the measure of percentage of graduate students from outside Canada, and fourth in a category of average grade for students entering the university.
"Similarly, the emphasis we place on the overall student experience saw us top the ranking with the smallest class sizes in third and fourth year," MacKinnon said. "We also continue to rate high in the area of library holdings per student and library acquisitions."
This year's Maclean's ranking placed the U of S 10th overall among Canada's post-secondary institutions that have medical schools and doctorate programs. MacKinnon pointed out that 11 of the 15 universities in the medical/doctoral group did not supply data for this year's survey, citing concerns about validity, fairness and accuracy in the survey. In all, 34 universities chose not to provide Maclean's with the information it requested. The U of S did provide the information already compiled for the survey but it will reconsider next year unless concerns about the survey methodology are addressed.
"Even though other universities withdrew, the survey still went ahead," said MacKinnon, "meaning the magazine had to either use outdated information, or gather new information from third-party sources. Either way, we must ask if the changes in the survey results from last year are real or perceived because we do not know how the data was collected."
There is an obvious demand from the public for clear and helpful information about post-secondary institutions in this country, he said, but the Maclean's survey is only one source. He encouraged prospective students to contact the U of S with any specific questions they might have about programs, facilities or operations.
He added the University of Saskatchewan would welcome the opportunity to work with other Canadian institutions to develop alternatives to the survey, or to push for improvements.
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For information please contact:
Peter MacKinnon, President
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6612
