UNews - Wade Abbott

Alberta researchers to study honey bee viruses

caroline.zentner — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 20:55:19 +0000

A team of Alberta researchers has received grants worth $400,000 to study honey bee viruses.

Drs. Trushar Patel, a Canada Research Chair and associate professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and Shelley Hoover, a ULethbridge associate professor in Biological Sciences and honey bee expert, are teaming up with Drs. Wade Abbott, a scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Lara Mahal, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Glycomics at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, to better understand how these honey bee-infecting viruses are transmitted and how they interact with their host.

"Understanding the mechanisms of honey bee viruses is crucial for developing effective strategies to protect these vital pollinators,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge vice-president of research. “The collaborative efforts of these researchers will pave the way for innovative solutions to combat these viruses and ensure the sustainability of our agricultural ecosystems."

“Right now, no therapeutics are available to fight these viruses,” says Patel. “We need to know more about how these RNA viruses infect honey bees before we can develop tools to combat the viruses.”

Honey bees are vital to agriculture and food production around the world, accounting for over $7 billion worth of food, honey and other bee products in Canada alone. In 2023, Alberta was home to nearly 40 per cent of honey bee colonies in Canada, and Alberta bees produced the same amount of the country’s honey. The production of hybrid canola seeds in southern Alberta depends on managed honey and leafcutter bees.

However, since 2006, Canadian bee colonies have experienced increased winter mortality, with over 50 per cent mortality in some regions in some years. Major factors influencing mortality are parasites, viral and bacterial infections, weather, forage availability, queen bee quality and the use of pesticides.

Viruses, such as deformed wing virus (DWV) and sacbrood virus (SBV), are an important part of the problem. These viruses hijack the bee’s cellular machinery and cause disease that spreads through a colony, resulting in lost productivity and even colony death.

The study is expected to take two to three years and will boost understanding of how these RNA viruses interact with host proteins.

“The proposed work represents what we believe is the first focused effort on identifying honey bee proteins necessary for viral replication,” he says. “This work will lay a strong foundation for further research work directed towards developing potential therapeutics against bee-infecting viruses,” says Patel. “Training highly qualified personnel is also a crucial component of our interdisciplinary work.”

Funding for the project came through the Agriculture Funding Consortium and was provided by Alberta Innovates and Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), as well as through the Canadian Glycomics Network (GlycoNet) Research Pipeline Program.

U of L graduate students earn GreenSTEM funding in support of biotech start-up

trevor.kenney — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 21:16:06 +0000

The southern Alberta biotech industry will get a boost this spring thanks to some innovative work out of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and funding support from the Government of Alberta’s GreenSTEM program.

Harland Brandon

Allos Bioscience, a start-up company that designs and produces protein-based biosensors, is led by PhD candidates Luc Roberts (BSc ’12) and Harland Brandon (BSc ’13). The two, with support from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI), its director Dr. H.J. Wieden, Dr. Wade Abbott of the Lethbridge Research and Development Centre and Synbridge (the synthetic biology makerspace on campus), are members of the first cohort of GreenSTEM fellows in the province.

Luc Roberts

“With the funding from GreenSTEM and the support of Synbridge and the Wieden lab, we now have the opportunity to leverage the rich infrastructure here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ,” says Roberts. “Without this funding, I doubt we ever would have attempted to do it. They partner you with business mentors, provide training opportunities and really help you create the foundation for your business. We actually came into the program after the first cohort was selected and the first thing we noticed was how supportive and collegial the other fellows are.”

GreenSTEM is an entrepreneurial pilot program for recent graduates of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) masters and PhD programs. It provides funding support over two years for entrepreneurially inclined, technically skilled participants who are working on hardware-based technologies with emissions reduction potential. The GreenSTEM fellows are hosted by Alberta’s research universities, including the U of L, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary.

Roberts and Brandon based their idea off work done by the U of L’s Dr. Dylan Girodat (BSc ’13, PHD ’19, currently working at the Los Alamos National Laboratory) and PhD candidate Dustin Smith (BSc ’13, MSc ’17).

“The detection of specific biomolecules is an important part of many industrial and academic processes,” says Roberts. “However, sensors that detect and differentiate between similar molecules are not readily available for all types of molecules, or require significant time and technical infrastructure for detection.”

Their company proposes to develop custom biosensors for a variety of applications, including the biofuel industry and any number of ag biotech uses. Their biosensors are biodegradable detection systems that provide rapid, sensitive and selective measurements of a desired chemical in solution. They currently have three working prototypes (each detecting a unique biomolecule) and their main focus is on green technologies.

“Our first priority is to do some strong market research, and talk to as many biofuel people as we can to show them what we have and whether it might be helpful to their business,” says Brandon. “Some of the first advice we’ve been offered about building our business, is to ensure we’re satisfying a need with our product.”

Roberts says they are also looking at custom applications, finding people in either energy or research sectors who have a need to detect certain molecules, then partnering with them to build a custom biosensor for that need.

“Either you make it and sell it directly to them or you license what you’ve designed and sell it to a biotech company, and they build it on a large scale,” he says. “We think the value in our company is the technology and the development pipeline and less an actual, physical product.”

GreenSTEM provides annual fellowship stipends (essentially salaries) as well as seed funding to cover technology and business development expenses. Additionally, the program provides technology-focused entrepreneurship programming, technical and business mentorship and networking opportunities with investors, venture capital organizations, service providers and potential industry partners.

“There’s a lot of biotech going on in southern Alberta and it’s growing much faster than most people realize,” adds Brandon. “This rapid increase in biotech and green energy technologies is where GreenSTEM can make such a big impact, and afford us an opportunity to contribute to that sector.”

The intake for the latest round of GreenSTEM has just opened. Expressions of interest are being accepted from Feb. 24 through Mar. 23. For more information, visit alberta.ca/greenstem.

Abbott and alumni earn GlycoNet recognition

trevor.kenney — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 21:51:00 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge adjunct professors Dr. Wade Abbott of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Dr. Doug Inglis and Dr. Brent Selinger of the Department of Biological Sciences along with alumni Marshall Smith (BSc ’16, MSc ’19) and Richard Maclean (BSc ’14, MSc ’17), were recognized recently by GlycoNet, the Canadian national research network for glycomics researchers.

The group’s paper, Engineering dual-glycan responsive expression systems for tunable production of heterologous proteins in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, was one of 10 recognized for advancing glycomics research in the past year.

The paper delves into creating a system whereby biological devices, such as diagnostics or therapeutic delivery systems, could be activated in the gut using a dual-glycan triggering mechanism. Their paper provides proof-of-concept for engineering these systems and paves the way for future animal trials. The end goal is the future delivery of protein-based therapeutics in a more efficient, effective and timely manner.

Improving animal nutrition and food safety at heart of research study published in Nature Microbiology

trevor.kenney — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 17:46:46 +0000

As the world grapples with the big problem of feeding 7.6 billion people, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge adjunct professor Dr. Wade Abbott of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and his team have detailed the smallest of metabolic reactions with the goal of improving food security, food safety and animal nutrition.

Drs. Wade Abbott (pictured) and Steve Mosimann, along with a trio of former U of L students, detail processes in the human gut microbiome.

Abbott and his group, which includes the Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences at Newcastle ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, UK, Dr. Steve Mosimann of the U of L’s Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and a trio of former U of L students, have been looking at prominent bacteria (Bacteroides) that thrive in the human gut microbiome, and detailing what glycans (carbohydrates) they eat on our behalf and how these processes take place, step-by-step. Understanding this, Abbott says, creates opportunities to manipulate the microbiome and possibly enhance food digestibility.

“It’s not enough to know what genes are present in the microbiome, we need to know what these genes do,” he says.

His group’s latest paper on this subject was recently published in the prestigious journal Nature Microbiology.

U of L alumnus Benjamin Farnell (MSc '14) at work in the lab.

“Understanding how different glycans are put together and then how they are taken apart is really what we are trying to get at with this study. And while there have been several papers written about similar processes in recent years, usually they are dealing with one sugar, one pathway, and trying to understand how that pathway works. This paper looks at how different pathways work together to digest a very complex network of plant cell wall sugars called pectin.”

Nature is the world’s most cited interdisciplinary science journal. Abbott was part of a group of researchers who made headlines in 2015 by discovering a strain of bacteria in the human gut that had evolved to the point where it could break down complex carbohydrates found in yeast. One of his students at the time, Richard McLean (BSc ’14, MSc ’17), also contributed to this latest paper that appears in the sister journal Nature Microbiology, along with Benjamin Farnell (MSc ’14) and Kaitlyn Shearer (BSc).

“We’re looking at how we can help animals digest feedstocks better, how we can improve their performance by using agricultural residues for growth promotion, and how we can improve food safety,” says Abbott. “It’s looking at ways to try to release more nutrition from complex glycans now that we know what bacteria and enzymes are required to do that.”

Farnell took the lead in mapping out one of the four complex pathways detailed in the paper, following enzymes as they catalyze reactions along the way and how they work together.

“When he started, we believed this pathway was involved but didn’t know what any of the proteins did,” says Abbott. “He systematically went through and looked at each protein independently and then put them all together, recreating the pathway. It was quite a nice piece of research and thesis that he contributed.”

Abbott says that with a renewed interest in environmental sustainability, a great challenge is trying to improve food productivity through natural processes. Harnessing the work done by bacteria in the gut in a manner that will improve animal nutrition is one way to approach the problem.

“Finding sustainable alternatives that really optimize how the microbiome works would be a great advance,” he says.

By mapping the pathways and better understanding the role of proteins and how they interact with one another in the microbiome, researchers are that much closer to enhancing food security and safety for an ever-growing population.

Journey to academic success doesn't always follow same path

trevor.kenney — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 16:52:25 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge master’s student Richard McLean (BSc ’14) would be the first to tell you that all educational journeys do not follow the same path. In fact, some of the most unorthodox routes can lead to some of the greatest results.

McLean, shown here in the lab, was inspired by the opportunity presented to him in an Applied Studies course.

McLean contributed to a groundbreaking study that was recently published in Nature, the world’s most-cited interdisciplinary science journal, with work he accomplished as an undergraduate student in an Applied Study setting with Dr. Wade Abbott, an adjunct chemistry and biochemistry professor. Given that McLean’s future was headed toward toiling in a kitchen rather than researching in a lab, the magnitude of this accomplishment is all the more impressive.

“At one point I was thinking, this is about as good as it’s going to get,” says McLean of his work as a cook in a variety of local restaurants before he decided to return to post-secondary studies. “Ultimately, my dad talked me into it and I thought maybe I should go back.”

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Man., McLean moved to Lethbridge at age 12 and excelled academically. A strong student out of Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, he went directly to the U of L following his high school graduation. After two years, his GPA sagging along with his interest level, McLean left to “do my own thing”. He and his family eventually realized he was destined for bigger things.

Working with Dr. Wade Abbott, standing, McLean contributed to a major international study that was recently published in Nature.

“Going from cooking in a kitchen where it doesn’t matter how hard you work, you don’t really see any rewards, to coming in here where everybody you work with is really invested, is working toward the same goal and is passionate about what they are doing – it’s a refreshing change,” says McLean.

He got his big break shortly after coming back to the U of L, when Abbott presented him with the chance to work in his lab.

“As soon as I gave him that opportunity, he worked like nobody I’ve ever seen,” says Abbott, one of the co-lead authors on the Nature paper, Human gut Bacteroidetes can utilize yeast mannan through a selfish mechanism, that was published Jan. 8, 2015. The study discovered that certain strains of bacteria in the human gut – Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (Bt) – have developed a taste for yeast, which may hold the key to strengthening the immune system in both humans and livestock.

“That’s one of the things that makes the U of L such a great school. Before I dropped out, I had kind of lost interest so my GPA was nothing to get too excited about, but I still had the opportunity to get into the lab,” says McLean. “At a lot of other schools you have only the top of your class struggling to get a position in a lab, so I feel quite lucky.”

His first task was to try and unlock the structure of a specific enzyme, something that Abbott and his colleagues had been unable to accomplish.

“It was the first time I’d tried the technique and all these other guys have tons of experience. I jokingly said that I probably did something wrong and that’s why it worked,” says McLean. “Sometimes the conditions are just right and everything falls into place.”

It proved to be an important part of the study and earned McLean his first publishing credit. Since then he has graduated and begun work, also with Abbott and Dr. Steven Mosimann, on his master’s degree. He’s now working on a project that is attempting to eliminate food-born pathogens, something he intends to transition into PhD studies down the road. His ultimate goal is to become a research scientist.

“I felt that Wade had given me a real opportunity to come and work in his lab so I really wanted to prove myself,” says McLean. “He rolled the dice on me and I wanted it to pay off for the both of us.”

It already has, and from the goals that McLean has established going forward, the journey is far from over.

Beer and bread yeast-eating bacteria could open door to better health in both humans and livestock

trevor.kenney — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 16:36:35 +0000

It turns out that eating fermented food and drink, including beer, for the past 7,000 years has led to the evolution of bacteria that may hold the key to strengthening the immune system in both humans and livestock.

Dr. Wade Abbott, standing, and master's student Richard McLean, contributed to the groundbreaking international study.

A team of international researchers, led by Harry Gilbert of Newcastle ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Eric Martens of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Michigan, and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge adjunct professor Wade Abbott of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), has discovered that certain strains of bacteria in the human gut – Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (Bt) – have developed a taste for yeast.

Publishing their findings in Nature the world’s most cited interdisciplinary science journal, the team of researchers say that the discovery of Bt’s ability to break down complex carbohydrates could accelerate the development of prebiotic medicines to help humans suffering from bowel problems and autoimmune diseases and potentially improve animal health and production.

A prebiotic is a nutrient that feeds beneficial bacteria and is typically a carbohydrate that we cannot metabolize. The ability of these microbes to degrade the almost impenetrable wall of complex carbohydrates surrounding yeast cells, known as mannan, is significant.

“Conversion of indigestible carbohydrates, such as yeast mannan, into beneficial molecules for their host has been associated with combating intestinal diseases, promoting correct immune responses and helping to maintain healthy tissues,” says Abbott, who teaches chemistry and biochemistry at the U of L.

By identifying the complex machinery that targets yeast carbohydrates, researchers now have a better understanding of how our intestinal tract can obtain nutrients from our diet. For humans, this discovery could mean the development of new prebiotic medicines and treatments against yeast infections and bowel diseases such as Crohn’s.

“People are very interested in developing dietary regimes where good bacteria are of benefit,” says Gilbert, in a Newcastle ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ news release. “When you have certain bacteria dominant in the gut, these microorganisms can produce molecules which have health promoting effects.”

Understanding the role of intestinal bacteria in livestock could result in next-generation innovations – such as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters – potentially improving animal health and production, and thus positively impacting the safety, sustainability and profitability of Canada’s agricultural sector, says an AAFC release.

The study also involved U of L master's student Richard McLean (BSc ',14) who was given the opportunity to work on the project as an undergraduate student while taking an Applied Studies course with Abbott.

“We needed to crystalize an enzyme in order to solve its structure,” says Abbott of McLean’s research focus. “Three other researchers had been working previously at trying to crystalize this protein, including myself, and for some reason, he had the knack and was able to pull it off and we were subsequently able to get a structure out of it.”

The entire research team contributing to the study represents the following institutions: Newcastle ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (UK); ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Georgia; ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge; ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Michigan; ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of York; ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Melbourne; ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Kansas; Oxyrane (Belgium); ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria; United States Department of Agriculture; and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

UNews - Wade Abbott

Alberta researchers to study honey bee viruses

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