UNews - Stacey Wetmore

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers awarded federal research grants worth more than $3 million

caroline.zentner — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 21:50:59 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers are among the successful applicants for federal grants announced by The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, and the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health.

The more than $1.3 billion in funding supports over 9,700 researchers and research projects in Canada through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

“From brain plasticity and the mechanism of low-dose radiation to supporting newcomers through mentoring, these grants illustrate the diversity of research being done at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, vice-president of research. “This funding not only helps established researchers continue their work but also helps our early career researchers build their research programs. Ultimately, our students benefit with increased opportunities to engage in research throughout their post-secondary careers.”

In total, ULethbridge received funding from NSERC for nine Discovery Grants and two Discovery Development Grants. The Discovery Grants will bring in nearly $475,000 a year for the next five years. The research projects include the following:

Dr. Gerlinde Metz (Neuroscience) will receive $96,000 per year for a study looking at the social determinants of experience-dependent brain plasticity.
Dr. Stacey Wetmore (Chemistry & Biochemistry) will receive $89,000 per year for a project involving computer modelling of modified RNA.
Dr. Olga Kovalchuk (Biological Sciences) was awarded $55,000 annually to study the fundamental mechanisms of low-dose radiation.
Dr. Borries Demeler (Chemistry & Biochemistry) is set to receive $47,000 yearly for solution studies of interacting biopolymer systems.
Dr. Hadi Kharaghani (Mathematics & Computer Science) will receive $32,000 a year for his project on special orthogonal matrices.

The remainder of the NSERC recipients are four early career researchers, each of whom received a Discovery Launch Supplement of $12,500 in addition to their Discovery Grant.

Dr. Corina Birghila (Mathematics & Computer Science) was awarded a yearly amount of $31,000 for a project titled Optimal Decision under Uncertainty.
Dr. Jessica Willi (Chemistry & Biochemistry) will receive $44,000 annually for a project on ribosome functions through synthetic biology.
Dr. Vineet Rathod (Chemistry & Biochemistry) will receive $38,000 annually to examine the structure-function relationship of natural and engineered amyloid proteins.
Dr. Dylan Girodat (Chemistry & Biochemistry) will receive $42,000 per year for a project on the structural dynamics of ribosomes during translation.

In addition, Discovery Development Grants, worth $22,000 each, were awarded to Drs. Christopher Hopkinson (Geography & Environment) and Marc Bomhof (Kinesiology and Physical Education).

Hopkinson will use remote sensing to model vegetation and snowpack response to wildland fire in headwater basins.
Bomhof intends to look at the interplay between exercise and dietary factors on appetite regulation.

ULethbridge social science and humanities researchers were awarded $645,000 in SSHRC Insight Grants.

Dr. Daniel O'Donnell (English) will work on a project involving Research Data Management and Research Data Infrastructure by humanities researchers.
Dr. Scott Rathwell (Kinesiology) wants to enhance sport participation, promote physical activity and improve health outcomes for aging adults by establishing a framework for effective sport programming in middle-aged and older adults.

Several ULethbridge researchers are the recipients of Insight Development Grants totalling more than $291,000.

Dr. Toupey Luft (Education) has designed a project to address the gap in understanding how arts-based mentorship may enhance a sense of belonging for newcomer young adults.
Dr. Kenneth Holyoke’s (Geography & Environment) project investigates the nature and scope of climate impacts on the Wolastoqiyik and Wabanaki archaeological record in New Brunswick.
Dr. Justin Raycraft’s (Anthropology) objective in this project is to increase understanding of the social dimensions of human-carnivore coexistence in the Tarangire ecosystem of northern Tanzania.
Dr. Jeffrey MacCormack (Education) will develop a professional development intervention consisting of a community of practice for teachers and principals where they learn evidence-based practices to support students with profound and multiple disabilities.
Dr. Miranda Leibel (Liberal Education) will examine how the creation and maintenance of postal services are an important component of Canadian state- and nation-building.

Empowering students to thrive, Dr. Stacey Wetmore earns Graduate Mentorship Award

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 May 2025 15:44:18 +0000

With student success as her focus, Dr. Stacey Wetmore (chemistry and biochemistry) provides interactive and immersive mentorship in a supportive and compassionate environment, teaching her students the technical, communication, leadership and collaboration skills they need to become independent scientists in their chosen career paths. Wetmore will be recognized with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge School of Graduate Studies Graduate Mentorship Award at 2025 Spring Convocation, Ceremony IV, on Friday, May 30, 2:30 p.m., in the Centre for Sport and Wellness gymnasium.

“She has shown that time and time again, she will go above and beyond the call of duty to help everyone in her lab succeed regardless of their educational background, gender or ethnicity,” says award nominator Briana Boychuk, who Wetmore mentored as her supervisor while in the PhD program. “Her dedication to training and her ability to attract top students have contributed greatly to the expansion of the graduate program at ULethbridge.”

Dr. Stacey Wetmore

Dr. Stacey Wetmore has mentored 24 master’s and 13 doctoral students. Her students have co-authored over 125 publications and delivered more than 325 presentations at local, national and international conferences. Under her guidance, her graduate students have won 41 conference awards and attracted more than $2.8 million in scholarships. They have gone on to secure positions in industry research, postdoctoral fellowships, and as university instructors and faculty members.

When they join her lab, Wetmore introduces graduate students to the field of computational chemistry using interactive workshops and manuals developed in her lab. From there, she works to ensure their success by giving them carefully crafted projects aligned with their interests, with distinct learning objectives for large projects broken down into manageable pieces. Using these approaches, her students gain project management skills, learn to think critically, and hone their scientific and grant-writing skills. They also learn to develop hypotheses, run calculations, analyze data, keep accurate records and write reports. Wetmore meets with trainees both individually and in a group setting and hosts a journal club to critique recent articles. Trainees receive extensive feedback on oral and written works and learn how to deliver effective presentations. Senior graduate students get further training in cluster administration and software installation.

At any given time, Wetmore will be mentoring undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. This mixed composition gives graduate students the chance to be mentors, to be mentored and expand their research portfolio. Wetmore encourages them to attend research, teaching and time management workshops by the School of Graduate Studies, the Teaching Centre, research institutes on campus, and at other universities. These experiences allow students to learn from other experts in the field and to form collaborations between ULethbridge and other research universities. Her students are also motivated to volunteer with organizations like the Graduate Students’ Association, Let’s Talk Science and the student groups Wetmore established after the pandemic to enhance the graduate student experience.

Her lab is an inclusive space. Wetmore recruits diverse team members from her classes and outreach activities and provides flexible schedules to accommodate students’ commitments. She also includes her students in initiatives like Operation Minerva, a program that gives Grade 8 and 9 students from underrepresented groups the chance to shadow science mentors for a day.

Under Wetmore’s guidance and mentorship, graduate students are well-positioned to help solve important challenges facing Canada and the rest of the world.

Three ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers appointed Canada Research Chairs

caroline.zentner — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 14:11:12 +0000

Dr. Stacey Wetmore, a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry with expertise in computational chemistry, has been appointed a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair while Dr. Julie Young, a professor in the Department of Geography and Environment, and Dr. Trushar Patel, a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, have had their Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs renewed for another term.

Dr. Stacey Wetmore

Wetmore, Canada Research Chair in Computational Chemistry, will receive $1.4 million over seven years. Young, Canada Research Chair in Critical Border Studies, and Patel, Canada Research Chair in RNA and Protein Biophysics, will each receive $500,000 over five years. These chairs were part of a larger federal announcement on August 29 by the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health. The announcement included investments of over $960 million to support over 4,700 researchers and research projects in Canada. The $133.7 million in funding for the Canada Research Chairs Program includes 82 new and 75 renewed Chairs.

“Congratulations to these talented recipients from all across the country who are doing the groundbreaking work that will contribute not only to Canada’s health and well-being but also to the world’s,” says Champagne. “Through this funding, the Government of Canada is investing in the next generation of researchers and inspiring them to continue to think outside the box and tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

“Canada Research Chair appointments are highly competitive and reflective of the excellence of our faculty members in their chosen fields,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, vice-president (research). “The research done by Drs. Wetmore, Young and Patel has the potential to improve the quality of life for people all over the world.”

Wetmore uses computer simulations to help answer questions in chemistry. By using the methods of theoretical chemistry and powerful computers, the structure and properties of molecules, such as nucleic acids, can be calculated. Nucleic acids like DNA and RNA are the most basic molecules of life as they store and transmit genetic information. During the global pandemic, RNA vaccines became a household name. They were made possible due to the introduction of modifications that enhance RNA stability in cells. In nature, nucleic acids are modified to control gene expression and build properly functioning proteins. However, knowledge about how modifications change the structure and function of nucleic acids and why nature introduces modifications is lacking.

“I use computer modelling to find answers and gain a fundamental understanding of the chemistry of modified nucleic acids,” says Wetmore. “This work is an important step toward understanding human diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and neurodegeneration, that are associated with modification errors.”

In addition to building basic knowledge, her work will ultimately help unlock the ability to treat many diseases. Calculations using computational chemistry methods are critical tools for solving these problems as they are powerful predictors of experimental outcomes and provide information to guide future experiments.

Dr. Julie Young

Young’s research examines the impact of Canadian border control policies and practices. The border closures of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the shutdown of most refugee and asylum programs. People in need of protection were directed or pushed back into uncertain and insecure situations.

“There is a need to account for the stories and situations of people who continue to be prevented from arriving by Canada’s policies, while also considering the treatment of people whose entry is permitted but under precarious conditions, such as many temporary foreign workers,” says Young. “With this renewal, I plan to analyze the impacts of the pandemic and subsequent border management policies on migration patterns and experiences, expand the network of those engaged in border studies through my collaboration with the Lethbridge Border Studies Group, and mentor students in the ethical, methodological, and practical considerations of qualitative and community-engaged research through various projects including with colleagues in the Community Bridge Lab.”

Using a feminist geopolitical approach, Young’s research program will look at the lived experiences of border control practices to gauge the impact of such policies.

Dr. Trushar Patel

Patel focuses his research on the interactions between human proteins and viral nucleic acids with the goal of finding ways to interrupt the viral replication process by using sophisticated structural-biophysical techniques. Emerging and re-emerging viral outbreaks are responsible for millions of deaths and impose a severe financial burden on health-care systems. Ultimately, his research can help pave the way for the development of antiviral treatments for diseases caused by the hepatitis B virus and Flaviviruses such as Dengue, Zika and West Nile viruses.

“I plan to continue unravelling the principles underlying viral nucleic acids-human protein interactions during viral infections,” says Patel. “I intend to focus mainly on Flaviviral and hepatitis B viral systems, to study the structures of viral nucleic acids and investigate how nucleic acids interact with human host proteins.”

Patel will also explore the antiviral activities of therapeutic molecules developed in the lab and find ways to optimize their efficiency.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers awarded more than $2.3 million in NSERC, CFI funding support

trevor.kenney — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 22:07:42 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers across a breadth of disciplines have earned more than $2.3 million in funding support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), as announced by the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health in Edmonton today.

The funding support is part of a $960-million investment by the federal government in research activities across the country.

“This funding is an integral part of the research process and supports our faculty members and their teams in multiple ways, from hiring essential personnel to training graduate and undergraduate students, to acquiring essential equipment and more,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge vice-president (research). “This support allows our researchers to continue to pursue the solutions to a host of issues facing society today and in the future.”

“My best wishes to all the recipients of these grants, awards and scholarships,” adds Minister Holland. “The government is pleased to invest in your diverse array of health, natural sciences and engineering research projects because we know that your ideas, passion and hard work, as well as the evidence you uncover, are instrumental in improving the health and quality of life of people in Canada, and your findings contribute to the international research effort around the world.”

In all, nine ULethbridge researchers were successful in their NSERC grant applications, which included funding for projects in neuroscience, biological sciences, chemistry & biochemistry and mathematics & computer science. As well, Drs. Majid Mohajerani and Stacey Wetmore earned CFI John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) awards.

Among the projects are Dr. Roy Golsteyn’s (biological sciences) work investigating human cell division and utilizing beneficial chemicals in Canadian prairie plants, which was funded at $300,000 ($60,000 per year over five years). As well, Dr. Bruce McNaughton (neuroscience) receives $420,000 over five years for his study to understand the neural basis of long-term, episodic memory, and Dr. Robert Benkoczi (mathematics & computer science) is receiving a Discovery Development Grant valued at $40,000 over two years as he conducts fundamental research into finding new and more efficient algorithms for planning large scale evacuations.

“The projects our researchers are involved in cover a wide range of topics, all of which are focused on bettering society while providing excellent mentoring and training to undergraduate and graduate students,” adds McMartin. “These funding awards give just a glimpse of the breadth of research activity taking place daily across our campuses.”

Following are details on today’s grant announcements.

NSERC

Discovery Grant (5 years)

Dr. Roy Golsteyn (biological sciences) — Natural products as novel tools to investigate human cell division ($300,000) — Our research uncovers how human cells divide and seeks beneficial chemicals in Canadian prairie plants. From potential cancer treatments to sustainable practices, we are supporting scientific and economic innovation, while fostering cultural exchange with southern Alberta Indigenous communities.

Dr. Igor Kovalchuk (biological sciences) — Transgenerational response to stress in Arabidopsis ($255,000).

Dr. Marc Roussel (chemistry and biochemistry) — Delays in gene expression models: methodological developments ($225,000) — Development of methods for building and analyzing mathematical models of gene expression systems, where transcription, translation and splicing may play a significant role in the timing of events.

Dr. Bruce McNaughton (neuroscience) — Consolidation of cortical memory representations into hippocampus-independent form: neural ensemble dynamics and mechanisms ($420,000) — We are attempting to understand the neural basis of long-term, episodic memory, and its integration into generalized knowledge encoded by brain cells in the cerebral cortex.

Discovery Development Grant (2 years)

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk (biological sciences) — Exosomes - important mediators of direct and bystander radiation effects on the brain ($40,000).

Dr. Robert Benkoczi (mathematics & computer science) — Models and algorithms for facility location ($40,000) — This award supports fundamental research into finding new and more efficient algorithms for planning large scale evacuations.

Dr. Shahadat Hossain (mathematics & computer science) — Efficient computation with sparse and structured matrices – mathematical derivatives and beyond ($40,000).

Research Tools and Instruments (1 year)

Dr. Trushar Patel (chemistry & biochemistry) — Isothermal Titration Calorimetry for Studying Macromolecular Interactions ($150,000) — The installation of ITC (Isothermal Titration Calorimetry) at ULethbridge strengthens the biochemical and biophysical infrastructure as well as the research programs aimed at examining communication events that are at the heart of viral infections and cancer.

Dr. Matthew Tata (neuroscience) — Critical Refit and Upgrade to Electroencephalography Lab at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge ($149,140) — This upgrade includes state-of-the-art electroencephalography systems to study how brain regions communicate with each other while solving the computational problems of perception and cognition.

CFI

John R. Evans Leaders Fund

Dr. Majid Mohajerani (neuroscience) — Innovative brain imaging techniques for aging-associated diseases ($563,466).

Dr. Stacey Wetmore (chemistry & biochemistry) — Tools for modeling the chemistry of modified nucleic acids ($139,702).

High school students gain exposure to ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge research programs through HYRS initiative

trevor.kenney — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 17:02:06 +0000

Second-year public health student Zaynab Enayetullah knows first-hand the value of the annual Heritage Youth Researcher Summer (HYRS) program. As COVID restrictions continue to lift, a hybrid HYRS model will once again allow a select group of area high school students in-person access to ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge faculty members and facilities when the program kicks off July 9.

A total of eight students will take part in this year’s program, beginning July 9.

“We’re so happy to be able to offer this model to our students this summer,” says Enayetullah, a former HYRS student and now the program’s coordinator. “The networking opportunities will be a blend of in-person and virtual, but the students will have the chance to work in the labs and as far as tours, we’ll do as many in person as we can.”

HYRS offers invaluable opportunities for students at the Universities of Lethbridge, Calgary and Alberta to participate in hands-on research activities with Alberta Innovates-funded research groups. They get the chance to work in a post-secondary setting alongside PhD, master’s and bachelor students on multidisciplinary projects that include everything from genetics to neuroscience, bioengineering, molecular imaging, health-care policy, recreational therapy and more.

Enayetullah was a Grade 11 student at Chinook High School when she was accepted into the program three years ago. She says it was an eye-opening experience that set her on a path to success for when she began her post-secondary studies.

“It was so important for me in getting accustomed to the university environment,” she says. “Even simple things like how to properly write emails to your professors, how to use the library database, or how to properly reference papers and utilize journals.”

Networking was also a key advantage to the program, as many of her peers ended up continuing their research interests with the professors they had met through HYRS as undergraduate students.

“We’re so fortunate that the U of L is a smaller university, and we can make these connections. We’ve had a strong group of professors who have supported HYRS for many years and are so helpful to our students.”

Dr. Stacey Wetmore, a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the U of L’s 2021 Speaker Research Award winner, has long supported HYRS.

“As a faculty member, introducing students to research is my biggest passion,” she says. “It is especially rewarding to be involved in this step very early in a student’s academic career, which is why participating in the HYRS program is so important to me. The quality of students who participate in the HYRS program is particularly outstanding, making this initiative even more fun as a mentor, as the students challenge the way we think about our own research questions.”

A total of eight students will take part in this year’s program, which runs for six weeks. Dr. Trushar Patel, a Canada Research Chair in RNA and Protein Biophysics, says HYRS acts as a gateway for some of our brightest students to find their passion.

“High school students are often faced with the challenges of deciding their career paths and the discipline they would like to engage with at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ,” says Patel. “HYRS provides them opportunities to visit different labs, engage with researchers with a wide range of backgrounds and perform experiments. As researchers, one of our objectives is to train the next generation of talented individuals. HYRS connects researchers with outstanding students, promotes dialogues between students and researchers, provides an opportunity to discuss the impact of research and innovation, and stimulates student interest in scientific research. It is always fun to be a part of this exciting journey.”

World leading computational chemist, Dr. Stacey Wetmore, honoured with 2021 Speaker Research Award

trevor.kenney — Wed, 19 May 2021 19:46:31 +0000

Dr. Stacey Wetmore is one of the world’s leading computational chemists and has pushed the boundaries of modeling nucleic acids and proteins to become one of the most cited and studied researchers in her field. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has named Wetmore the 2021 winner of the Speaker Research Award.

“Dr. Wetmore has demonstrated exceptional scholarly distinction and has had considerable impact on her field of study,” says Dr. Robert Wood, interim vice-president (research). “She is also a tireless advocate for training and supporting the next generation of aspiring scientists as well as educating the public at large through her knowledge mobilization and translation activities.”

Wetmore, born and raised in St. John, New Brunswick, came to the U of L in 2006 as a Canada Research Chair and quickly established the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s own computer cluster within the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. She will be presented with the Speaker Research Award at the uLethbridge Awards Night on Thursday, May 27.

Dr. Stacey Wetmore

Stacey Wetmore learned early that her understanding of advanced chemistry principles were not best applied in a lab setting but rather in front of a computer, where she could also utilize her mathematical aptitude. So began an outstanding career in computational chemistry.

Wetmore completed her undergraduate degree at Mount Allison ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ before earning her doctorate in computational chemistry at Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Her research is primarily focused on using computer calculations to understand how the structure and function of DNA changes upon damage from external factors in our environment, how naturally occurring modifications impact the many critical roles of RNA, and the function of enzymes that interact with nucleic acids.

Her work has broad and far-reaching implications, including directly impacting the health of the general population. For example, by providing fundamental information about the structure of modified DNA/RNA and how enzymes that interact with nucleic acids work, her research permits the design of cancer treatments that minimize drug resistances or therapy-derived secondary tumors.

Wetmore’s contributions to the field have earned her numerous accolades, including a Tier II NSERC Canada Research Chair and a Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair. In 2021 she earned election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Quantum Alberta researchers pushing towards a second quantum revolution

trevor.kenney — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 18:16:11 +0000

You likely never think about how your new mobile phone is twice as fast as your last, why you now feel secure making bank transactions remotely, or how Google and Alexa now plan your days — it’s just the world in which we live. The technology, the security, the communicative ability can all be traced to research, and the future of these advances is even brighter thanks to work being done right now by Quantum Alberta researchers, a fifth of whom are based at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Dr. Saurya Das of the Department of Physics & Astronomy.

Dr. Saurya Das, in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Department of Physics & Astronomy, is a theme leader of Quantum Alberta, a province-wide platform of more than 35 quantum researchers from the Universities of Lethbridge, Calgary and Alberta. It is made up of physicists, chemists, computer scientists, mathematicians and engineers and promotes and strengthens collaboration between researchers and institutions in quantum science and technology.

Quantum technology is an emerging field of physics and engineering that relies on the principles of quantum physics. Applications of quantum technologies include highly accurate sensor technology (for use in oil and gas or construction, for example) and secure communications and computing (for computer optimization, machine learning uses and for creating a quantum internet).

Recently, the Government of Alberta renewed its support of Quantum Alberta in terms of the five-year $12-million Quantum Major Innovation Fund Project (QMP). Das is the principal investigator of the project from the U of L. His group and the users of the project at the U of L have received nearly $1 million ($400,000 from the provincial government and the rest from other granting agencies) for their part.

“This shows the confidence of the government in our researchers and the other universities that they will deliver the project as promised, and in particular advance quantum technologies, innovation and jobs,” says Das. “The project has already supported many Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) at the U of L, the majority of whom were attracted to Alberta from outside, which would not have been possible without the grant.”

Indeed, the provincial government sees quantum technology as a major driver of economic diversification.

“Diversifying our economy has never been more important,” says Doug Schweitzer, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation. “Establishing Alberta as a leader in quantum technologies will give a competitive boost to our economy and create new jobs today and for the future.”

The main areas of research at the U of L in support of Quantum Alberta are in the studies of quantum gravity, quantum sensing and quantum computation. Joining Das as part of Quantum Alberta are fellow researchers Drs. Mark Walton and Pasquale Bosso (physics & astronomy); Daya Gaur, Robert Benkoczi and Shahadat Hossain (mathematics & computer science); and Stacey Wetmore (chemistry & biochemistry). The QMP Lethbridge team consists of most of the above researchers as well as Dr. Athanasios Zovoilis (chemistry & biochemistry).

“Quantum technology will deliver the second quantum revolution in the 21st century in terms of quantum devices, quantum computers, quantum internet and so on,” says Das, adding the first revolution was in the early 20th century. “It is not surprising that academia, industry and the provincial and federal governments are prioritizing quantum technologies and providing the necessary resources for advancing the field. The future of the world is quantum!”

U of L’s computing capabilities to expand through NSERC grant

caroline.zentner — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 15:30:49 +0000

New computing infrastructure will support the world-class research being done at several centres at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, including the Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre (SAGSC), the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), the Canadian Centre for Research in Advanced Fluorine Technologies (C-CRAFT) and the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI).

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s (NSERC) Research Tools and Instruments Grants Program is providing nearly $147,000 to support the expansion.

“This infrastructure increases our high-performance computing capabilities and supports our research in bioinformatics, genomics, machine learning, neuroscience and computational chemistry,” says Dr. Athan Zovoilis, a Canada Research Chair in RNA Bioinformatics and Genomics in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and director of SAGSC. “It will also benefit BioNet Alberta, the bioinformatics network in Alberta, which includes the three major Alberta universities and is led by the U of L’s SAGSC.”

“With this funding, we will be able to replace our aging graphics processing unit (GPU) nodes,” says Dr. Stacey Wetmore, a Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry with expertise in computational chemistry. “This new GPU cluster will enable both our teams to perform complex calculations very quickly, meaning we can tackle important problems related to health and disease. U of L students will also have the opportunity to be trained on state-of-the-art equipment.”

Board approves multiple faculty, staff and administrative appointments

trevor.kenney — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 17:32:07 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors recently convened and approved a number of faculty, staff and administrative appointments that are scheduled to officially take effect July 1, 2015.

Following is a summary of these appointments.

Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President (Academic) - Dr. Lesley Brown

Dr. Lesley Brown has been appointed for a five-year term as the Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President (Academic).

Currently the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Interim Vice-President (Research) and a professor of kinesiology, Brown first came to the U of L in 1997 as an assistant professor in the department of Kinesiology and Physical Education following her post-doctoral studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Oregon. Brown's research portfolio has been focused on the aging process, balance, falling, fear of falling and Parkinson's Disease.

Brown was appointed Associate Vice-President (Research) in 2011 and served in that role until 2014 when she assumed responsibility as the Interim Vice-President (Research). She has led some very important initiatives while serving in that role, including being the driving force behind the development of AGILITY and its subsequent launch. Her passion for entrepreneurship and innovation will see her play a lead role in the continued development of AGILITY as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ moves forward.

Dean, Health Sciences - Dr. Christopher Hosgood

Dr. Chris Hosgood has been reappointed as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences for a further five-year term.

Hosgood, the former Chair of the Department of History, will be taking on his third term as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences as he presided over the transition of the Faculty from a School in 2009. He played a major role in the expansion of both student enrolments and Faculty programs, including the recent introduction of the Bachelor of Therapeutic Recreation program, and saw the Faculty through its move into Markin Hall.

A Co-Chair on the Health Sciences Placement Network Management Committee as well as a member of the Alberta SPOR Steering Committee, Hosgood was recently appointed to the Alberta Health Research Task Force.

Dean, Graduate Studies - Dr. Robert Wood

Dr. Robert Wood has been reappointed as Dean, Graduate Studies for a further five-year term.

Wood had served in the role of Dean since January 2011 and was previously the Interim Head of the School of Graduate Studies and Chair of the Department of Sociology.

A sociology researcher and faculty member since 2000, Wood is the author or co-author of two books and numerous research articles on gambling issues, and has recently produced a trio of journal articles examining various aspects of problem gambling. He is currently the President of the Western Canadian Deans of Graduate Studies, a post he accepted February 1, 2015 after serving the previous two years as the organization's vice-president.

Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair (Organizations, Culture, and Society) - Dr. Paul Vasey

Dr. Paul Vasey, a professor in the Department of Psychology, conducts cross-species and cross-cultural research to answer the question: If reproduction is the engine that drives evolution, why engage in non-conceptive sex?

For the past decade he has done research on the development and evolution of female homosexual behaviour in free-ranging Japanese monkeys at various sites in Japan. He also studies the development and evolution of male same-sex sexual attraction in humans at field sites in Samoa, Japan and Canada.

Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair (Organizations, Culture, and Society) - Dr. Claudia Malacrida

Dr. Claudia Malacrida is a sociologist and oral historian well-known for her investigations on power and the construction of difference historically and in the present. This focus has led to investigations of eugenics and institutionalization abuses in Alberta at the Michener Centre; comparative projects examining the challenges disabled women face in their sexual, relational and family lives; and, questions of power and medicalization in local childbirth practices.

In each area, she is concerned about how seemingly personal and embodied experiences are constrained and produced through public policy, social attitudes and professional practice.

Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair (Earth and Environment) - Dr. Larry Flanagan

Dr. Larry Flanagan, a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences, is being reappointed as a Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair. He gained international recognition for his contributions to addressing carbon cycling and climate change.

His research program involves applying a range of techniques from eco-physiology and ecosystem ecology to study how plants and ecosystems acclimate to environmental change. This includes field studies with plants growing in their native habitats, in addition to lab and controlled environment studies.

Understanding these fundamental processes provides the basis for modelling and predicting plant and ecosystem response to global climate change.

Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair (Healthy Futures) - Dr. Gerlinde Metz

Dr. Gerlinde Metz is a researcher in the Department of Neuroscience, and is being appointed as a Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair (Health Futures) for a period of five years.

Her research program focuses on the influence of experience and environment on behaviour and brain plasticity. Her work showed that stress affects motor system function, risk of Parkinson's disease and recovery from stroke. This research indicated that adverse experience at any time in life can become a predisposing or precipitating factor of disease. More recently, her laboratory has developed unique models to explore transgenerational inheritance of stress responses. Through transgenerational programming, experience in parents, grandparents and beyond can influence health and disease from early development to old age.

Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair (Origins and Explorations) - Dr. Stacey Wetmore

Dr. Stacey Wetmore is a recognized leader in computational chemistry, and has been appointed a Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair (Origins and Explorations) for the period April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2022.

She has successfully established a vigorous and prolific research program exploring the reactions between DNA and various harmful chemicals in order to understand how DNA is damaged, and how enzymes in our body repair DNA by chemically removing the damaged sections of DNA.

An understanding of DNA damage and repair processes in our bodies will aid the design of new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent disease. No other Canadian researcher is studying these important (health-related) areas using computational methods. The range of approaches, close collaborations with experimental labs, and systematic attack of entire classes of biomolecules has distinguished Wetmore's research on the international stage.

Assistant Dean, Northern Campuses - Lorne Williams

Lorne Williams has been reappointed to serve as the Assistant Dean (Northern Campuses) for a further three-year term.

A respected alumnus and member of the U of L Honour Society, Williams was first named Acting Assistant Dean (Northern Campuses) in 2012. He has more than 20 years of U of L experience, including more than a decade of work in the Calgary market as a director, instructor and co-ordinator at the U of L Calgary campus. During his time there, he has won six teaching awards.

Williams consults widely on team building, leadership and corporate culture for public, private and not-for-profit organizations of all sizes. In the past year, he has served as the opening speaker at both the Faculty of Management Student PD Conference and the Canada/China Trade and Investment Forum, and was invited to give the keynote address at the Keeping People Important - MacEwan ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ PD Day.

Associate Vice-President (Research) - Dr. Matthew Letts

Dr. Matthew Letts has been extended as the Associate Vice-President (Research) for a period of six months, June 30, 2015 to December 31, 2015.

A faculty member in the Department of Geography, Letts is an accomplished researcher who is currently working on two projects. One, sponsored by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is studying plant physiological response to environmental stress in semiarid ecosystems. He is also part of the team that is currently working on Functional flows: a practical strategy for healthy rivers, as sponsored by Alberta Innovates - Environmental Solutions.

Chancellor Emerita - Dr. Shirley McClellan

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's 12th Chancellor, Dr. Shirley McClellan was named Chancellor Emerita.

McClellan served as Chancellor from 2011 to 2015 and was a strong advocate for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge over that time.

A veteran Alberta politician and former deputy premier of the Province of Alberta, McClellan had long been involved in bringing further education to rural areas, serving on the board of directors for the Alberta Association of Continuing Education and the Canadian Association for Continuing Education.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge C-CRAFT symposium to showcase power of fluorine and NMR spectroscopy

trevor.kenney — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 19:00:32 +0000

The first centre of its kind in Canada, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Canadian Centre for Research in Advanced Fluorine Technologies (C-CRAFT), presents a Symposium Celebrating NMR Spectroscopy and Fluorine Chemistry, Friday, December 5, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the U of L.

With plenary speakers Dr. Jean-François Paquin (Université Laval) and Dr. Klaus Schmidt-Rohr (Brandeis ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ) joining world-class researchers within C-CRAFT, the symposium will examine various applications of the element fluorine and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

“C-CRAFT is the first Canadian centre focusing on research and training around the element of fluorine and brings together a unique team of researchers with a wide range of expertise,” says Dr. Michael Gerken, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the director of C-CRAFT. “While we were formalized as a centre nearly one year ago, this symposium is somewhat of a launch event for C-CRAFT.”

Fluorine is a unique element because of its reactivity in the elemental form and the large number of applications of fluorine compounds. For example, it has been estimated that 20 per cent of pharmaceuticals on the market contain fluorine and 30 to 40 per cent of agrochemicals contain fluorine.

“Fluorine chemistry is definitely a strength that is unique to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and this centre is a way to build on that strength by getting together scientists who are interested in this chemistry in order to share knowledge, conduct research together and to provide services and expertise that are helpful to industry,” says Gerken.

The symposium will feature a host of talks throughout the afternoon, beginning with Paquin’s address at 1:10 p.m. when he presents Revisiting the Use of Fluoride as a Leaving Group. The U of L’s Dr. Stacey Wetmore follows at 1:50 p.m. as she presents Using Fluorine to Understand DNA Damage. At 4:20 p.m., Nora Foroud and Jim Miller of the Lethbridge Research Centre – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada present NMR Resolutions of Agricultural Traits: From Soil Chemistry to Crop Health.

“Since the centre was opened, we have added a 700 MHz NMR spectrometer, thanks to $1.6 million of funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Alberta Government and the U of L,” says Gerken. “NMR spectroscopy is a powerful technique that allows for even more in-depth study of fluorine compounds and can be used in trans-disciplinary studies by researchers of various departments at the U of L and from other universities, research institutes and industry.”

C-CRAFT and the magnetic resonance facility at the U of L are already gaining a reputation as the hub for fluorine researchers across Canada and worldwide to collaborate with each other and share their expertise on fluorine and NMR spectroscopy for areas such as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, plastics, oil production, biochemistry and neuroscience.

The symposium, to be held in C640, features a total of eight presentations.

UNews - Stacey Wetmore

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��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge C-CRAFT symposium to showcase power of fluorine and NMR spectroscopy

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��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge C-CRAFT symposium to showcase power of fluorine and NMR spectroscopy