CRCHUM, Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal Evaluating the therapeutic potential of 14-3-3ζ for the treatment of obesity Approximately 25% of Canadians are either overweight or obese. Current therapies have only modest success in reducing body weight, and surprisingly, none directly target fat cells, which are key in the development of obesity.
Catherine Larochelle, MD PhD
CRCHUM, Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal Molecular mechanisms underlying T lymphocytes interactions with oligodendrocytes in neuroinflammation In multiple sclerosis (MS), there is an abnormal response of immune cells against cells of the brain and spinal cord. Oligodendrocytes, the myelin-producing cells that support and insulate neurons, are injured by the inflammatory response, leaving neurons vulnerable.…
Jennifer Gordon, PhD
Department of Psychology, University of Regina HPA axis dysregulation in the etiology of perimenopausal depression Women are 2-4 times more likely to develop depression during perimenopause, the menopause transition phase, than at any other time in their lives. Dr Gordon proposes that increased estrogen fluctuation during this phase may trigger dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)…
Florian Bentzinger, PhD
Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Université de Sherbrooke Niche regulation of muscle stem cell specification Dr Bentzinger’s group studies the role of regulatory signals in the microenvironment where skeletal muscle stem cells (MuSCs) reside. Understanding how this so-called “stem cell niche” controls MuSCs and how these instructive mechanisms become disrupted in aging and disease, could help in…
Imogen R Coe, PhD
Imogen Coe, Founding Dean of the Faculty of Science at Ryerson University, is internationally recognized for her research in the cell biology and biochemistry of membrane transport proteins. Dr Coe received a Banting Research Foundation grant in 1998, while at York University, to study the influence of steroid hormones on the uptake of a class…
Funding the first clinical trials of heparin
The Banting Research Foundation funded the first clinical trials of heparin in 1935. Heparin is a powerful anticoagulant that is widely used in open-heart and organ transplant surgery to prevent the formation of blood clots. It was purified in the early 1930s in Toronto under the direction of Dr Charles H Best. It was then…
Adolfo J. de Bold, OC PhD FRSC
Adolfo de Bold is a cardiovascular researcher, best known for his discovery of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), a polypeptide hormone secreted by heart muscle cells. He was funded by the Banting Research Foundation in 1980 for his studies on storage granules in atrial heart cells. The resulting discovery and isolation of atrial natriuretic factor changed…
Janet Rossant, CC PhD FRS FRSC
Janet Rossant is a world-renowned expert in developmental biology. Funded by the Banting Research Foundation in 1983, while at Brock University, for her early research in developmental biology, she has become a global leader in understanding the role of genes in embryo development. Her work has been fundamental in the development of human pluripotent stem…
Banting’s Legacy – Art & Science of Discovery
In September 2016, the Banting Research Foundation welcomed 60 guests to a celebration of Banting’s Legacy, the Art and Science of Discovery. Frederick Banting’s accomplishments as a scientist and an artist inspired the theme for the evening.
Jeanette Boudreau, PhD
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University Directing natural killer cell cytotoxicity to the tumour’s susceptibilities Natural killer (NK) cells are white blood cells that kill tumours. The potential of each NK cell to kill tumours is counterbalanced by its ability to be inhibited by healthy cells through its inhibitory receptors. Dr Boudreau aims to…
Christopher Dennison, PhD
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta Impact severity metric for focal head and diffuse brain injury Whether or not today’s helmets protect the wearer from mild diffuse brain injuries, sometimes referred to as concussions, is the topic of intense debate. One of the primary venues for this debate is in the helmet standards and…
Jeffrey Gagnon, PhD
Department of Biology, Laurentian University Investigating the role of H2S in the regulation of ghrelin secretion Ghrelin, a hormone produced in the endocrine cells of the stomach, regulates several aspects of metabolic health, including appetite and energy storage. Recently, meals high in the amino acid cysteine have been shown to reduce ghrelin secretion. Foods rich…