VIDO-InterVac, University of Saskatchewan Towards a next generation of superior BCG tuberculosis vaccines Tuberculosis is a serious global health problem, with one-third of the world’s population having been infected by the infectious agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The only available tuberculosis vaccine, live M. bovis BCG vaccine, has an excellent record in protecting infants, but works poorly…
Jeremy Hirota, PhD
Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia A 3D-printed human airway model for studying respiratory mucosal immune responses Exposure to allergens and air pollutants in the air we breathe can lead to “lung attacks” in individuals with lung diseases, but it is unclear how this happens and what we can do to stop it. Dr…
Petra Kienesberger, PhD
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University Role of the adipokine autotaxin in obesity-associated insulin resistance Insulin resistance, a major complication of obesity, is a condition where tissues such as skeletal muscle become unresponsive to the blood sugar-lowering hormone insulin. Insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes, which is associated with a shorter…
Morgan Langille, PhD
Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University Design and implementation of a human microbiome interaction database It is becoming increasingly apparent that the microbes living on and in our bodies, called the human microbiome, are important for human health. These microbes help with the digestion of food, defend against unwanted pathogens, stimulate and keep our immune systems…
Joon Lee, PhD
School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo Personalized predictive analytics based on electronic medical data and patient similarity metrics As hospitals and doctors’ offices in Canada rapidly adopt electronic medical records (EMRs), the enormous clinical value of ever-increasing EMR data is receiving the spotlight. In particular, massive EMR data can facilitate personalized…
Catherine Martel, PhD
Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal/ Montreal Heart Institute Research Centre Lymphatic vessel function in atherosclerosis High blood cholesterol is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is called “good cholesterol” because it transports cholesterol away from tissues, such as the blood vessel walls, carrying cholesterol through the blood…
Michael Suits, PhD
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Wilfrid Laurier University Protein structure-function relationships in periodontal disease In the mouth, a wide variety of microorganisms are embedded in biofilms that contribute to periodontal diseases such as gum disease and tooth decay. To understand the contribution of a consortium of periodontal pathogens, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema…