UNews - radiation

Kovalchuk research points to a future of personalized medical treatments

trevor.kenney — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 17:03:02 +0000

You needn’t look too hard to find the motivation for Dr. Olga Kovalchuk’s research focus.

Growing up in Ukraine, Kovalchuk lived just 600 kilometres from Chernobyl, the site of the worst nuclear accident in history. A high school student at the time, with an eye on the medical field, she was greatly influenced by the events at Chernobyl and the response of the medical community and industry as they sought to help with the radioactive fallout and subsequent disease.

The PUBlic Professor Series featured Dr. Olga Kovalchuk presenting - Epigenetics of Health and Disease – From Personalized Science to Personalized Medicine.

It eventually led Kovalchuk into the study of genetics and most recently epigenetics, a burgeoning field that is rapidly gaining attention as it helps scientists understand how diseases of all kinds occur. One of her research interests is on the epigenetics of cancer cells.

On Thursday night, Kovalchuk presented, Epigenetics of Health and Disease – From Personalized Science to Personalized Medicine, to a packed room at Lethbridge City Hall. The presentation was the second of this year’s PUBlic Professor Series, a set of thought-provoking pub-style talks that bring a range of experts and researchers from across the arts and sciences to the community for spirited conversation.

Still considered a re-emerging science, epigenetics is the study of how genes are expressed, or turned on, by environmental factors.

“People say that if genetics is the alphabet of life, epigenetics is the grammar,” explains Kovalchuk, a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Chair of Gender, Work and Health.

In her presentation, Kovalchuk describes how DNA sequences do not determine everything in the body. While the DNA content of each cell in a given higher organism is identical, meaning our liver and brain cells contain the same DNA, they are very different in their shapes and functions.

“This is due to the existence of different patterns in reading and translation of genes for the type of cells in question – referred to as gene expression,” she says.

Epigenetic changes extend beyond cell division to reproduction and although epigenetic changes are inheritable, they are also reversible and play key roles in our responses to the environment, disease predisposition and even to medical treatment.

“There is still a lot to be learned about the role of epigenetic changes in living cells and organisms and their interactions with the environment,” Kovalchuk explained to the audience, noting the role of epigenetic changes in health and disease, and specifically cancer and aging. “Our epigenetic makeup is heavily influenced by environment and lifestyle. Epigenetic changes are pliable and reversible, and therefore I call epigenetics the science of hope. Through positive changes in our lifestyle, we can positively affect the function of our genes."

She went on to describe how medical treatments in the future must recognize the uniqueness of every patient, right down to the cellular level.

“Just as no two people are similar, no two cancers are alike, and there is a lot of variation even within the same tumor,” she said. “Ideal therapeutic regiments targeting every cancer cell in the body must be tailored individually for each patient. We are now working hard with our academic, clinical and industrial partners to establish a public-private alliance with the goal of development and implementation of novel personalized science and medicine strategies."

There is no denying the passion that Kovalchuk has for her studies, which has seen her delve into a variety of areas related to radiation exposure and cancer. In 2013, she began a five-year study into whether men and women were affected differently by radiation exposure in nuclear work environments.

Previously, she was also funded by CIHR to study how radiation induces secondary tumors in cancer patients and what can be done to protect the children of radiation-exposed parents from contracting cancer.

It’s a lifelong pursuit that does not see her slowing down any time soon.

The next talk in the PUBlic Professor series is Thursday, November 19, 2015 when Dr. Craig Coburn presents Understanding the Complexities of Imaging the Earth: The Challenge of Image Calibration.

The entire lineup of PUBlic Professor series presentations can be found at: ulethbridge.ca/artsci/publicprofessor.

There's no place like the U of L for Anna Kovalchuk

trevor.kenney — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 16:54:15 +0000

For Anna Kovalchuk (BSc ’14, MSc ’15), the door has been open for her to study virtually anywhere she’d like, and yet it’s never been a question as to where she really wants to be – the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

“A lot of people asked why I was doing everything in Lethbridge, why not go elsewhere, and I thought, why would I?” she says. “I have a great basis here; I have a great working relationship with my supervisor and other students in the lab. It’s a great university.”

Anna Kovalchuk (right) plans to complete her PhD studies under the tutelage of Drs. Bryan Kolb (left) and Robbin Gibb.

It is also, literally, a second home to her. The daughter of biological sciences researchers Drs. Igor and Olga Kovalchuk, Anna was a fixture in U of L labs long before she was eligible to attend the school as a student. And while she didn’t follow in her parents’ footsteps entirely, turning to neuroscience early in her undergraduate studies, Kovalchuk has stayed true to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and plans to continue her PhD studies on campus.

“I was able to get into Dr. Bryan Kolb’s lab for an independent study when I was an undergraduate student and just continued every semester,” she says. “I think I kind of roped him into taking me on as a master’s student, and now I’m doing my PhD co-supervised by him and Dr. Robbin Gibb.”

Her studies continue to build on the work she’s done in trying to find the mechanisms underlying the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments in patients suffering from cancer, and the methods to mitigate them.

“For my master’s, we were looking at the effects of chemotherapy and radiation on the murine brain; now we want to see what the effects of chemotherapy and radiation are when a tumour is present,” she explains. “For example, we want to see what sort of effects there would be on children who are getting chemotherapy treatment, and how this might impact them later on in their lives. Maybe if we can see what kind of mechanisms are going on in the brain we can understand what we can do to mitigate the side effects. In the end, that’s our goal, to see how our work in the lab can help people.”

Combatting the effects of cancer has always resonated with Kovalchuk. For years she has been among the country’s leading fundraisers for the annual Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure Post Secondary Challenge. Her professional goal is to become a radiation oncologist, but only after she completes her PhD in neuroscience.

“I want to get into medical school, it’s a big goal of mine, but I want to have a PhD before that because I would like to continue with research if I become a doctor,” she says. “I’d like to mesh the patient aspect with the clinical research aspect and enjoy both worlds.”

Kovalchuk credits Kolb for helping her discover her passion for neuroscience and a thirst for discovery.

“He helped me build up my love for neuroscience until I just realized that it was the right thing for me all along,” says Kovalchuk. “He’s guided me through all of this, and really helped me through all these years. I wouldn’t change anything about my education. He’s been a great mentor, and I’m really thankful to have had the opportunity to work in his lab.”

Ukraine connections solidified

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:36:19 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has formalized linkages with two Ukrainian research institutions to perform collaborative research in the area of occupational and environmental effects of ionizing radiation.

Earlier today, Vice-President (Research) Dan Weeks signed, on behalf of the U of L, a memorandum of understanding with the R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the National Research Centre for Radiation Medicine of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (RCRM).

Research performed under the agreement will include studying the epigenetic effects* of ionizing radiation on the workers at the Chernobyl power plants, including resultant cancer occurrences.

In addition to research linkages, future collaborations could also include the exchange of faculty and students between the three institutions.

Weeks is currently participating in a mission in Ukraine led by the Canadian Bureau for International Education aimed at formalizing linkages between Canada and Ukraine, and their post-secondary sectors. The trip includes Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Deans representing Universities from across Canada.

The U of L is a demonstrated leader in epigenetic research. Last week, U of L researcher Dr. Olga Kovalchuk was the recipient of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Chair dedicated to examining the effects occupational radiation exposure has on men and women working in nuclear industries. Learn more here.

* Epigenetics (which means 'beyond genetics' in Latin) is the study of how individual genes and components of individual genes can change in response to environmental conditions or other factors. In addition to the hard-wired traits in DNA, epigenetic changes can occur in response to a change in lifestyle or other trigger (in this case, radiation exposure) and can be passed from one generation to another.

Kovalchuk earns CIHR Chair

trevor.kenney — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:55:14 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Olga Kovalchuk is the recipient of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Chair dedicated to examining the effects occupational radiation exposure has on men and women working in nuclear industries.

Canada is home to one of the highest concentrations of nuclear activity in the world. Nearly 40,000 people work in Canada's nuclear industry, while 800,000 individuals work in nuclear sectors worldwide. The number of females working in these industries has increased over time, making this project much more critical.

The Chair, which falls under CIHR's Gender, Work and Health program, will examine whether men and women are affected differently in nuclear work environments, which includes the nuclear power industry, healthcare and research departments.

Dr. Kovalchuk's work will examine whether females are equally protected in these environments. Established radiation protection guidelines are historically based on how the male's body is affected.

"I will collaborate with researchers in Russia and we will analyze their nuclear industry cohort. The knowledge can be applied in Canada and all over the world," says Kovalchuk, whose work was inspired by her experience as a high school student in the Ukraine in 1986, while living only 600 kilometres from Chernobyl, the site of the worst nuclear accident in history.

This Chair will provide an exciting opportunity to develop an international collaborative network. The network will have research representation from Canada, USA, Russia and key knowledge-users including Defence Research and Development Canada, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Health Canada and the Nuclear Information and Resource (NIRS - USA).

"The Chair will be an initiative that will have a global impact and will position Canada as a global leader in radiation and environmental health research and radiation protection research," says Kovalchuk.

The CIHR award is for $800,000 over five years.

Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks says this funding exemplifies the important contribution that U of L researchers are making in improving the quality of life of Canadians.

"This type of research is representative of the impact U of L faculty members continue to make for the benefit of Canadians. Dr. Kovalchuk's work will benefit tremendously a segment of the workforce that faces particular risks," says Weeks. "The impact the U of L is making in health related areas grows every year."

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health-care system.

RSS change a positive move

trevor.kenney — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:07:47 +0000

They say with change there is growth, and with growth there is opportunity.

The recent amalgamation of Risk and Safety Services (RSS) with Security Services elicits some exciting changes as RSS grows its portfolio.

As part of the changes, RSS is pleased to welcome Lorna Selinger, who is assuming the position of Biosafety Officer. Selinger graduated from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture. She started her career with Eli Lilly and has held positions with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan, the province of Saskatchewan, Agrium and most recently with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Selinger brings to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ a wealth of knowledge and significant experience in microbiology. She was highly involved in the design, implementation and training plans for compliance with containment Level 2/2+standards outlined in Containment, Biosafety and Biosecurity Guidelines as required by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

As the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's academic and research programs have expanded, the need to grow the biosafety program became evident. Selinger will be taking over the portfolio from Bruce McMullen, who diligently managed biosafety for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ since the early 1990s.

RSS also announced that Carolin Cattoi-Demkiw, who has successfully managed the radiation safety, chemical safety and laboratory safety program for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge since 2005, has been appointed Manager, Safety. Reporting to the director of Risk and Safety Services, Carolin is responsible for the supervision of the safety officers. She also assumes the management and oversight of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's safety program, which includes occupational health & safety, radiation, laser, chemical and laboratory safety as well as biosafety.

Golsteyn on cutting edge of cancer research

trevor.kenney — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:46:18 +0000

Roy Golsteyn is an associate professor of biology and an Alberta Ingenuity faculty member at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. He is an example of the growing numbers of faculty who conduct world-class research while maintaining a teaching schedule that brings that research into the classroom.

He directs the Cancer Cell Laboratory where his team studies the problem of how cancer cells escape a cancer treatment. The majority of cancer patients in Canada will receive some form of treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation, and unfortunately these treatments are not as successful as we would like them to be.

To improve them, we need to understand all the steps that occur after a treatment. Golsteyn's research team has developed a new experimental system that uses microscopes and special biological tools to study how cancer cells react to treatments. They have found that after a treatment, cancer cells will divide one more time, a "double-or-nothing" gamble called checkpoint adaptation that may produce cells that are resistant to future treatments.

Golsteyn's laboratory studies checkpoint adaptation in collaboration with biotechnology companies and the pharmaceutical industry, with the goal of helping doctors improve treatments for cancer patients.

5 questions with . . . Dr. Roy Golsteyn

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:38:56 +0000

Roy Golsteyn is an associate professor of biology and an Alberta Ingenuity faculty member at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Dr. Roy Golsteyn directs the Cancer Cell Laboratory where his team studies the problem of how cancer cells escape a cancer treatment.

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

I actually recall clearly when I first became interested in cancer research. I was a research fellow at the Institute Curie. At that time, a medical research laboratory had published the results of a clinical trial in which a new anti-cancer drug was tested. The trial was deemed to be successful, and yet upon studying the results I was stunned to learn that many of the patients in the clinical trial succumbed to the disease. It was then that I realized just how difficult the disease is, and that doctors and patients need better treatments.

How is your research applicable in "the real world"?

I am a basic research scientist who studies cancer cells. In my laboratory, our goal is to contribute to the cure. Cancer is a major disease that touches many people, including indirectly our family and friends. We sometimes collaborate with biotechnology companies and with the pharmaceutical industry, in which case we focus on real world problems such as improving existing cancer drugs.

What is the greatest honour you have received in your career?

The greatest honour is leading research projects that are funded by charitable donations. People generously give their money without asking precisely how it will be used. We try to meet this honour by doing the best research that we can and by sharing our knowledge as quickly as possible.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

Students are the lifeblood of research. When we train them, we quickly see the weak points in our own knowledge. When they become autonomous, they think of questions that we had not yet even imagined and thus they push at the old barriers in science. Finally, the best students have incredible energy and an open mind, something that we seem to lose as we get older. We need students in research.

If you had unlimited funds, which areas of research would you invest?

Very simple. Rather than funding an area of research, I would fund scientists who are very motivated and propose a well thought-out question. Motivated people get things done, so it seems natural to help them go to work. Our best ideas come from the imagination, not from instructions. Our knowledge about how cancer cells divide came from someone who studied cell division in sea urchin eggs. It was not expensive research, but it was amongst the most valuable and that made it an excellent investment.

Each month, the Legend will present 5 Questions With . . . one of our researchers. For a look at the entire catalog of 5 Questions With . . . features, check out the Office of Research and Innovation Services website at www.uleth.ca/research/research_profiles. If you'd like to be profiled, contact Penny Pickles at pickpj@uleth.ca

This story first appeared in the February 2012 edition of The Legend. To view the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Kovalchuk in prestigious company

trevor.kenney — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:00:47 +0000

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk, an internationally-respected biological sciences and epigenetics researcher at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, can now add Recipient of Canada's Top 40 Under 40^TM to her already long list of accomplishments.

She recently returned from a three-day trip to Toronto and an action-packed series of award presentations, networking and professional development events as a member of a very unique group of people who come from all walks of life, but had much to share with each other.

"It was quite amazing," says Kovalchuk. "There were people there from all types of business, healthcare, research and other organizations who are all very interesting and have inspirational stories to tell. This is a pretty unique club to be a part of, and by the end of our time together we were all quite close. It has a really well connected alumni network, so I expect to stay in touch with them."

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk is a leader in the field of cancer research.

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk is recognized as one of Canada's most influential people.

Kovalchuk is characteristically modest about her own work, which landed her in the Top 40 group in the first place.

Her research focuses on the effects of long-term exposure to radiation, and how that exposure changes cellular and molecular structures in animals and people.

Since 1995, Kovalchuk, who is also a medical doctor, has been involved in the detailed analysis of the genetic consequences of the Chernobyl accident in Ukraine, and is currently researching the mechanisms by which radiation induces cancer.

She was one of seven Albertans and five women among the award recipients.

"This is an outstanding award for Olga, the members of her lab team, for her research collaborators here and throughout the world – and for our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says U of L president Dr. Bill Cade.

"Olga has worked very hard to bring new research and new programs to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and has influenced countless young researchers. With her husband and research collaborator Dr. Igor Kovalchuk – both board of governors Research Chairs here at the U of L – they have brought new people with a wealth of international talent to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community. It is an understatement to say that we are extremely proud of her achievement."

Kovalchuk says part of the activity included a day-long session called the Top 40 Institute, where the award recipients received some high-end advice from business and government leaders. During breaks in the session, the participants had to stand up and deliver a brief pitch about themselves, their work, and what inspired them.

"In addition to my research, I talked lot about my family – my parents, who were ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ – my husband Igor, with who I have collaborated for many years, and my daughter Anna, who has inspired me to be a good role model as a parent," says Kovalchuk.

She is now turning her attention to ongoing research projects, and furthering academic and public interest in the epigenetics research group that she and numerous U of L research partners are working on.

They recently hosted a symposium in Lethbridge to bring together even more researchers interested in epigenetics which she hopes will spawn even more projects – some which weren't even on her radar before the top 40 awards.

"I met a medical researcher who is interested in how radiation affects the heart and veins, and other parts of the circulatory system," she says. "We are very interested in talking about how we can apply our epigenetics work to his projects and how I can learn from him."

Kovalchuk earns major funding boost

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:29:58 +0000

Objectivity is essential in the pursuit of scientific discovery. The science, after all, must guide the search.

But if the science is also supported by an underlying passion to achieve a solution, one fueled by personal experience, even greater things can be achieved. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Olga Kovalchuk has that passion and once again, those who fund the country's preeminent minds have recognized it.

Kovalchuk (Biological Sciences/Board of Governors Research Chair) is among six individuals in Canada to receive a prestigious Research Chair in New Perspectives in Gender, Sex and Health from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) and its Institute of Gender and Health (IGH). One of two Albertans named as a Chair, Kovalchuk's position comes with $750,000 in funding over five years.

"The chairs have already made significant progress in their respective fields to increase the profile of gender and sex in health research," says Dr. Joy Johnson, Scientific Director of the Institute of Gender and Health.

Kovalchuk's work uses animal models to examine how radiation induces secondary tumours in cancer patients; the different effects radiation has on women and men; and what can be done to protect the children of radiation-exposed parents from contracting cancer. In addition to teaching, her research program has allowed her to supervise numerous doctoral candidates and masters-level students at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

"The Chairs are producing cutting-edge research with enormous potential to improve the health of Canadians, such as Dr. Kovalchuk's research on secondary tumours in cancer patients,"
Dr. Johnson adds.
"Dr. Kovalchuk's work was inspired by her experience as a high school student in the Ukraine in 1986, while living only 600 kilometres from Chernobyl, the site of the worst nuclear accident in history."

IGH created the research chair program to expand and strengthen research capacity relevant to gender (socio-cultural experiences) and sex (biological factors) and health in Canada. IGH expects that this program will lead to increased national capacity for excellent research and knowledge translation relevant to the health of women and men, girls and boys.

The research Chair program is intended for health researchers who have developed a reputation for excellence in research, and to support outstanding research programs that enhance the health of Canadians.

In addition to Kovalchuk, the Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) researchers are Dr. Sonia Lupien (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Montreal), Dr. Marlene Moretti (Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ), Dr. Olena Hankivsky (Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ), Dr. Maureen Heaman (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba) and
Dr. Lynn McIntyre (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary).

Kovalchuk gets $750,000 funding boost

trevor.kenney — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:28:54 +0000

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk has devoted her research life to the development of cancer treatments. On Tuesday, it was announced she would receive $750,000 in funding to continue to break new grounds of discovery.

Kovalchuk (Biological Sciences/Board of Governors Research Chair) is among six individuals in Canada to receive a prestigious Research Chair in New Perspectives in Gender, Sex and Health from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) and its Institute of Gender and Health (IGH). One of two Albertans named as a Chair, Kovalchuk's position comes with $750,000 in funding over five years.

"The chairs have already made significant progress in their respective fields to increase the profile of gender and sex in health research," says Dr. Joy Johnson, Scientific Director of the Institute of Gender and Health.

Dr. Kovalchuk's work uses animal models to examine how radiation induces secondary tumours in cancer patients; the different effects radiation has on women and men; and what can be done to protect the children of radiation-exposed parents from contracting cancer. In addition to teaching, her research program has allowed her to supervise numerous doctoral candidates and masters-level students at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

"The chairs are producing cutting-edge research with enormous potential to improve the health of Canadians, such as Dr. Kovalchuk's research on secondary tumours in cancer patients," Dr. Johnson adds. "Dr. Kovalchuk's work was inspired by her experience as a high school student in the Ukraine in 1986, while living only 600 kilometres from Chernobyl, the site of the worst nuclear accident in history."

IGH created the research chair program to expand and strengthen research capacity relevant to gender (socio-cultural experiences) and sex (biological factors) and health in Canada. IGH expects that this program will lead to increased national capacity for excellent research and knowledge translation relevant to the health of women and men, girls and boys.

The research chair program is intended for health researchers who have developed a reputation for excellence in research, and to support outstanding research programs that enhance the health of Canadians.

In addition to Dr Olga Kovalchuk, the Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) researchers are Dr. Sonia Lupien (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Montreal), Dr. Marlene Moretti (Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ), Dr. Olena Hankivsky (Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ), Dr. Maureen Heaman (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba) and Dr. Lynn McIntyre (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary).

UNews - radiation

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