UNews - Olga Kovalchuk

��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.

��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).

Researchers point to the need to further study the negative health effects associated with discrimination

caroline.zentner — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 16:03:38 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Dr. Olga Kovalchuk and her daughter, Dr. Anna Fiselier (BSc ’14, MSc ’15, PhD ’17), a Family Medicine resident at the Cumming School of Medicine at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, are part of a research team calling for more action to end discrimination, along with further studies to identify the health effects of discrimination as they relate to disease and aging.

Drs. Olga Kovalchuk, left, and Anna Fiselier say intervention and prevention can help limit severe health consequences from discrimination.

Discrimination can affect an individual’s health in many ways. In addition to limiting access to health care and lowering quality of life, recent research shows discrimination is a chronic stressor that has a physiological impact on the body that could later manifest as disease — something that costs society as a whole.

Kovalchuk, an MD/PhD and biology professor, teamed up with researchers from the Cumming School of Medicine, Yale ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, the Newly Institute and Advanced Cardiology Consultants and Diagnostics, Inc. Their paper, titled From discrimination and dis-ease to aging and disease — An epigenetic connection, was recently published in the prestigious journal Lancet Regional Health — Americas.

“Despite the expansion of global equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts, discrimination is still a challenge for large groups in our society,” says Fiselier. “Those who experience discrimination daily include women, immigrants, the elderly, minorities, lower-income persons, people with disabilities, as well as people experiencing addiction and mental health challenges.”

“Persistent, chronic stress causes negative outcomes,” says Kovalchuk. “In addition to accelerating our efforts to end discrimination, we need to identify the health effects of discrimination and develop proper health measures to combat these issues.”

In the body, ongoing stress affects an individual’s metabolism and inflammation reactions. When the stress-response systems are continually activated, they cause significant wear and tear. One study has shown that discrimination may lead to accelerated aging while other research has shown that age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, asthma and autoimmune conditions, are associated with discrimination. These diseases have an epigenetic basis, meaning that gene expression has been altered.

“Epigenetic changes are pliable and reversible,” says Fiselier. “That’s why timely intervention and the prevention of discrimination may help limit the potential of severe health consequences for those who experience discrimination.”

The researchers also considered the impact of COVID-19 on those who experience discrimination. The pandemic highlighted issues of systemic discrimination in access to care and they suspect people who experience discrimination may also be at a higher risk of long COVID.

Study into the effects of medical cannabis cultivars on COVID-19 virus advances to clinical study stage

caroline.zentner — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 18:52:45 +0000

After receiving international attention, two ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge studies that explored the potential for certain cannabis extracts to be used as additional therapies to combat COVID-19 have undergone peer review and have now been published in Aging, a top, open-access, bio-medical journal.

The studies by Drs. Igor and Olga Kovalchuk, both U of L biology professors, were conducted in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. They investigated the ways specific Cannabis sativa extracts could be used as adjunct treatments for COVID-19. With the need to get relevant research out as quickly as possible to help combat the pandemic, their findings were originally released as preprints. The studies, In search of preventive strategies and Fighting the storm found that certain cannabis extracts, including those high in cannabidiol (CBD), help prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus from entering cells and help ward off cytokine storms that can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome. High-CBD cannabis extracts are not psychoactive.

The Kovalchuks are keenly aware of the need for more treatments given the increase in COVID case numbers, the continuing lockdown, the delays in vaccine rollout, and having been infected with COVID themselves. Last November, Olga, Igor and other members of their family tested positive for COVID from an unknown source. Olga and her 73-year-old mother required supplemental oxygen but were not hospitalized.

“This is not a disease I would wish upon my worst enemy,” says Olga. “It was brutal. We recovered, but it took quite some time. When the virus incubates, you don’t know you’re sick. When I decided to get tested, I wasn’t feeling sick, but I wasn’t feeling 100 per cent. That’s why masks are important. I know it’s a serious disease and therefore, everything and anything that can be used to bring inflammation down is crucial. COVID rolls over you like a truck.”

The peer review process resulted in additional questions and suggestions, so some experiments were repeated and additional studies carried out. The original cytokine storm studies used human 3D skin models and the subsequent experiments used lung fibroblast cell cultures. Additional studies were also performed using 3D lung tissues.

“Peer review is extremely important,” says Olga. “We reproduced our original findings and also proved the impacts of the extracts in the lung tissues. These subsequent studies further substantiated our original results.”

The Kovalchuks also sought a partner to conduct clinical studies to test one of their C. sativa extracts in a mouthwash to see if it reduces the severity and duration of COVID. After news of their initial studies was released, they found a partner in United States-based Good Pharmaceutical Development Company.

“We are honoured to work with them and we’re excited that they are interested in our work,” she says. “The clinical study is ongoing, but nearing completion and we’re really hopeful.”

The Kovalchuks have continued to conduct additional experiments on the effects of high-CBD cannabis extracts on COVID and several papers on their results are in process. They see the potential for cannabis and hemp as a crop for farmers and for cannabis extracts, especially high-CBD cannabis, as additional therapies. They hope to get the ball rolling on clinical trials here in Canada, too.

U of L scientists find certain cannabis extracts may help prevent acute respiratory distress in COVID-19 patients

caroline.zentner — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 15:52:14 +0000

In some COVID-19 patients, the immune system goes into overdrive and starts attacking the body itself in what’s called a cytokine storm. When lung tissue is attacked, it can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and the need for a patient to be placed on a ventilator.

Drs. Olga and Igor Kovalchuk, professors in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Department of Biological Sciences, along with researchers from Pathway RX (a research company focused on developing custom cannabis therapies), have found that certain cannabis strains show the potential to tamp down an immune system that’s gone into overdrive, thus preventing ARDS from developing. The study is currently undergoing peer review but is available as a preprint on Research Square. The study is a followup to recent research the Kovalchuks conducted that showed certain Cannabis sativa extracts may reduce COVID-19’s ability to enter human cells.

ARDS is not new and has been reported in SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), which are also coronaviruses, and has been known to occur in severe influenza. A further potential complication of ARDS is lung fibrosis, which occurs when lung tissue becomes like scar tissue and for which there is no treatment, except potentially a lung transplant.

The next step for the study is a clinical trial and the Kovalchuks are seeking partnerships and support to conduct a proper randomized control trial to see whether the addition of these extracts diminishes the severity of COVID pneumonia and the cytokine storm. This could result in less fibrotic changes and lead to fewer hospital admissions.

“In this study, we identified three extracts that are very, very good strains; some strains identified in previous studies were also pretty good,” says Olga. “All together, we have five strains we could formulate a clinical trial on right now. We need a chance to bring it to the evidence-based medicine realm.”

The Pathway RX team, photo taken in 2019.

In previous research, the Kovalchuks generated more than 1,500 different strains of cannabis and started testing them for their biological anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activity. For the current study, they narrowed the strains to seven and tested them using a well-established artificial 3D human skin tissue model.

“When we started reading up in the literature on what drives ARDS, it’s very clear that it’s driven by the same molecules that are implicated in a lot of autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases. One of them is interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the other is called tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFa),” says Olga. “We found that three of those strains were the most effective in causing significant down-regulation of TNFa and IL-6. On top of that, they also inhibit a whole array of other inflammatory molecules that are involved in auto-inflammatory diseases, as well as cytokine storms. We noted that some of the extracts we identified also target molecular pathways implicated in fibrosis.”

These specific strains seem to modulate the immune response and work to prevent the cytokine storm while still maintaining some of the molecules needed to fight the virus. She surmises the extracts work through the endocannabinoid system, which regulates many responses in the body and has receptors that cannabinoids bind to.

She says cannabis extracts are not a substitute to any treatment, but an additional treatment that could be provided along with current best therapies. The results of this latest study also don’t mean that smoking cannabis or using a high-CBD (cannabidiol) product will produce the same effect. Of critical importance is researching cannabis strains to identify the most effective. Cannabis is not generic like some drugs — one strain of cannabis may work for one ailment but not another. Medical cannabis, especially cannabis high in CBD, is in the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) category.

CancerBlast concert raises more than $50,000 for cancer research

caroline.zentner — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 22:18:17 +0000

The Songs for Hope Society has used the power of music to inspire philanthropy and boost local cancer research to the tune of $53,550.

The society’s CancerBlast concert, held last April, brought together trumpet virtuoso Jens Lindemann and local musicians for a one-of-a-kind event to raise money for the cancer research being conducted at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge by Drs. Bryan Kolb (neuroscience) and Olga Kovalchuk (biological sciences).

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk, at left, accepts a donation from members of the Songs for Hope Society, René van de Vendel, Ken Lewis and Don Robb, in her lab in Science Commons.

Their Cancer, Chemotherapy and the Brain project is examining why radiation treatments affect memory, balance and other behaviours. “Chemo brain” affects up to 75 per cent of cancer patients and U of L researchers are working on novel strategies to prevent and mitigate chemo brain to give cancer patients a better quality of life.

Society members, including Don Robb, Ken Lewis, René van de Vendel, Karly Lewis, Tania Stilson and Cyndi Vos, were pleased to provide funding to help with the research project.

“Many of my friends and family members have suffered with cancer and research was something I knew nothing about,” says van de Vendel. “This concert really tied it together and made me realize there was something we could do and something we can hope for.”

“It’s a magnificent feeling,” Robb says about making the donation. “It was a great way to bring the musical community, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community and the cancer community together.”

“I would like to acknowledge all the brass musicians who stepped up and gratuitously participated in this fundraiser,” says Lewis. “This was a grassroots initiative by a small core of people and it really caught on. Everybody thought this was a great project and worked very hard to pull it all off.”

Kovalchuk says the funding allows her and the other researchers involved in the project to keep working on their research at a crucial time.

“This donation means we can continue our momentum and finish important experiments, analyze results and publish papers,” says Kovalchuk. “Cancer is turning into a chronic disease and the key thing is to make sure cancer survivors live their lives to the fullest.”

In an economic environment where there is more competition for fewer research dollars, donations from the local community become increasingly important.

“I lost my dad to cancer a year ago,” says Kovalchuk. “The concert gave us a moment to remember him and others who were lost to the disease. That was very important, as well as the sense of community working together and trying to build something together.”

“One of our founding organizers, Scott Reiter, was afflicted with cancer and he passed away just weeks before this event and he was on board,” says Lewis. “That became kind of a calling card for all musicians because everybody knew him.”

Financial investment spurs genome sciences research in Alberta

caroline.zentner — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 15:39:47 +0000

Genome sciences and bioinformatics research in the province is getting a huge boost thanks to a $3-million investment and the establishment of BioNet Alberta, a research network featuring the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, Genome Alberta, Genome Canada, Genome Alberta and other partners.

The founders of the Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre include, from left to right, Drs. Gerlinde Metz (neuroscience), Majid Mohajerani (neuroscience), Olga Kovalchuk (biology), Igor Kovalchuk (biology), Peter Dibble (chemistry & biochemistry), Athan Zovoilis (chemistry & biochemistry) and Angeliki Pantazi (chemistry & biochemistry).

The network is supported by Genome Canada’s Regional Priorities Partnership Program (RP3) and features a BioNet hub at each university, with the newly established Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre (SAGSC) at the U of L serving as the lead hub.

“Our ambition is to bring Alberta to the forefront of this new technology and its applications,” says Dr. Athan Zovoilis, a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in RNA Bioinformatics and Genomics in the U of L’s Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and academic lead of BioNet Alberta.

The rapid advance of technology has propelled research in genomics with the goal of better understanding and interpreting an organism’s DNA code. Developments in the field of genomics have wide implications for agriculture and human health, and have paved the way for precision medicine and smart agriculture.

“Genome Alberta is pleased to have led in the creation of BioNet Alberta,” says David Bailey, CEO of Genome Alberta. “This new network will build Alberta’s capacity in bioinformatics and computational biology to manage and utilize the massive amount of data being generated by life science researchers in Canada and around the world.”

BioNet Alberta will be officially announced on Friday, Sept. 20 as part of the first Western Canada Bioinformatics and Omics Conference and the formal launch of the Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre. The conference goes from Friday to Sunday, Sept. 20 to 22, at the U of L.

“The concept of having a genome science centre here in southern Alberta has been discussed for the last year and a half,” says Zovoilis, director of the SAGSC. “At the U of L, we have top-class researchers and infrastructure which is, in some aspects, unique for Alberta.”

The centre brings together four genome sciences research platforms:

genomics, the science of understanding and interpreting an organism’s DNA code
transcriptomics, which looks at genes that are actively expressed by examining DNA’s cousin, RNA
metabolomics, which is the study of metabolites such as amino acids, lipids and sugars
bioinformatics, which combines biology and computer science to analyze and interpret biological data.

“We are going to encompass the vast majority of sciences that do “omics,” another term encompassing genome sciences, here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and in southern Alberta,” says Zovoilis. “The departments that contribute to this centre include chemistry & biochemistry, biological sciences, neuroscience and computer science. We also have members from the humanities who help us regarding any ethics issues and from the Dhillon School of Business about the impacts of genomic sciences on the Alberta economy.”

Research in all omics fields has also changed significantly in the past few years due to advances in technology that allow vast amounts of data to be analyzed in a short amount of time.

“If we regard all the information that describes how we’re made as information in the book of life, then we would need more than 1,200 books of 1,000 pages each to include the information of just one cell,” says Zovoilis. “Ten years ago, to read only one page of one book, it would take one day using massive devices. Today we have smart-phone sized devices called sequencers which can do all 1,200 books of 1,000 pages each in just one day. We also have a larger sequencer that can do this simultaneously for 48 samples.

“This has transformed the way we can now read information about disease, about how people respond better to medication based on their personalized genomic profile or how we can deliver better agricultural products based on the genomic profile of livestock. This is already revolutionizing the ways medicine and agriculture are delivered and makes it possible to have precision medicine and smart agriculture, where diagnostic protocols used are personalized to each patient and animal.”

Everyone is welcome to attend the public talks that are part of the BioNet conference to learn more about genomics research and how it’s having an impact on their lives. The keynote speaker is Dr. Steven Jones, a bioinformatics professor at Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia and head of bioinformatics and co-director of Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre. Following the keynote, the public is also welcome to attend a panel discussion about the importance of omics on the health of Albertans and the economy. To register or for more information visit BioNet AB 2019.

Funders of the project include Genome Canada, the provincial government, Genome Alberta, Alberta Innovates, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Alberta Public Labs, Alberta Prion Research Institute and Bioinformatics Canada.

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk to be awarded 2019 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Speaker Research Award

trevor.kenney — Wed, 22 May 2019 20:47:38 +0000

Recognized as a pioneer in the study of radiation biology, cancer and epigenetics, Dr. Olga Kovalchuk has been named the winner of the 2019 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Speaker Research Award.

Kovalchuk, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, Board of Governors Chair in Epigenetics of Health and Disease, and Canadian Institute of Health Research Chair in Gender and Health, has created one of the most robust research programs in the world. She is respected internationally for her groundbreaking discoveries, her volume of research and her proficiency at translating that research into community impact.

“Dr. Kovalchuk is an outstanding researcher on many levels,” says Dr. Claudia Malacrida, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s associate vice-president (research). “Her productivity is remarkable and she is one of our best at identifying interdisciplinary collaborations with colleagues from across campus, such as in neuroscience and biochemistry. She truly is at the leading edge of her field and her ability to translate that research into clinical and industrial directions is impressive.”

Kovalchuk’s groundbreaking work discovered that males and females respond differently to radiation, with females exhibiting more radiation effects. Further, Kovalchuk analyzed the effects of chemotherapy on the brain and discovered the existence and molecular nature of what is called chemo-brain and tumor brain phenomena. These findings have serious repercussions for the development of sex-specific radiation diagnostic and treatment plans, as well as sex-specific strategies to prevent and mitigate cancer treatment side effects on the brain.

Most recently, Kovalchuk led the first-ever study using big data to dissect the effects of smoking on biological aging.

She will be presented with the Speaker Research Award at the 2019 Spring Convocation Ceremony I at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 30, 2019 in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gymnasium.

Songs for Hope Society harnessing the power of music to fight cancer through CancerBlast concert event

trevor.kenney — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 16:47:10 +0000

Throughout time, the power of music has shaped generations, inspired movements and calmed the soul. Through the Songs for Hope Society and the CancerBlast concert, music may soon have the power to heal.

The Songs For Hope CancerBlast concert will take place Apr. 13, 2019 at Southminster United Church.

On Saturday, April 13, the Bridge Brass Quintet & Friends, Anna McBryan, and the Lethbridge Brass Ensemble, will share the Southminster United Church stage with trumpet virtuoso Jens Lindemann as they present CancerBlast, a unique concert supporting cancer research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

“Our event has been modeled after CancerBlows, the highly successful American fundraising event under the leadership of cancer fighter Ryan Anthony,” says Don Robb, local musician and member of the newly formed Songs for Hope Society.

Anthony is a Canadian Brass trumpet virtuoso who has spent many years performing with Lindemann, renowned as one of the most celebrated soloists in the history of trumpet.

“Last year, Ken Lewis and I met with Jens and Ryan to see how we could bring the creativity of their event to our community. With Ryan’s blessing, we are permitted to model our event after CancerBlows. We want to use the medium of music to inspire philanthropy while supporting local research dedicated to creating hope.”

Event profits will support the cancer research being conducted by Drs. Bryan Kolb (neuroscience) and Olga Kovalchuk (biological sciences), specifically supporting the Cancer, Chemotherapy and the Brain project.

The research team has been studying why radiation delivered in one part of the body to help eliminate cancer cells affects memory, balance and other behaviours normally managed by the brain. The phenomenon has been dubbed “chemo brain” and affects up to 75 per cent of cancer patients, with higher rates among children, young adults and patients who receive high-dose chemotherapy. This developing area of research is working on novel strategies to prevent and mitigate chemo brain and could significantly improve the quality of life of cancer survivors.

“CancerBlast is a musical performance event dedicated to brass players blasting cancer off the map,” says Robb. “CancerBlast is for all of us who have been touched by cancer to join in tribute to those who are fighting, recovering or who have been lost to the disease. If you have been touched by cancer in some way, this is an evening for you to help those fighting the battle remain hopeful while managing the effects of chemotherapy. We are grateful to the many brass musicians, sponsors and volunteers getting on board with this concert event.”

CancerBlast will be held at Southminister United Church, 1011 4 Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the event are $25 each and can be purchased online at www.lethbridge.ca/tickets, at the Yates Ticket Centre or by phone at 403-329-SEAT.

New study finds smoking speeds up biological clock, making people older than their chronological age

trevor.kenney — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 16:52:51 +0000

For years, young people have used smoking as a way to look older. As it turns out – thanks to a first-of-its-kind study out of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze blood biochemistry – it’s true, smoking truly does make you older.

“We demonstrate for the first time that smoking status can be predicted using blood biochemistry and cell count results and the recent advances in AI and machine learning,” says Dr. Olga Kovalchuk, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, Board of Governors Chair in Epigenetics of Health and Disease, and Canadian Institute of Health Research Chair in Gender and Health. “By employing age-prediction models developed using supervised deep learning techniques, we found that smokers exhibited higher aging rates than non-smokers. In other words, we show that smoking makes people biologically older.”

This realization almost sounds like common sense but until now, through the use of AI, it has never been quantified and illuminated to this extent.

“We all have a chronological age but then there is also our biological age, which is an indicator of general fitness,” says Kovalchuk. “If somebody is 35 but on a biological clock, through specific markers, it shows them at a biological age of 50, obviously they are doing something wrong. Smoking, specifically in younger people, those in their 20s, 30s and 40s, is truly harmful as it makes them biologically older.”

The study, Blood Biochemistry Analysis to Detect Smoking Status and Quantify Accelerated Aging in Smokers, was recently published in the journal Nature – Scientific Reports. It involved a team effort by top clinicians, AI researchers, and deep learning and aging experts led by the Canada Cancer and Aging Research Laboratories in collaboration with InSilico Medicine, the world leaders in AI and aging research, as well as several national and international institutions.

Kovalchuk, who co-led the study with aging expert and devoted anti-smoking campaigner Dr. Alex Zhavoronkov and was assisted by her daughter, Anna Kovalchuk (BSc ’14, MSc ’15, PhD ’17), a current ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary student in the Leaders in Medicine program, has a personal connection to the effects of smoking on the human body. She also understands how the warnings linking smoking to lung cancer and heart disease often ring hollow with the millennial generation.

“Fighting smoking is kind of up close and personal for me because my dad was a smoker and even though he quit in 2003, it still caught up with him,” says Olga of her father’s passing. “People are somewhat tired of hearing about lung cancer and heart disease in the context of smoking prevention but this is a different story. Our study shows that smoking is definitely associated with aging and it also shows that some effects are more pronounced in females. Maybe that’s a message that could really resonate.”

Kovalchuk’s research group used data from 149,000 anonymous individual blood biochemistry records linked to smoking status from across the province. Through the use of AI, they were able to look at blood biochemistry markers and predict age. What they found was both remarkable and troubling. Age predictions showed that the biological age of male smokers was 1.5 times older than their chronological age while female smokers were nearly twice as old as their actual chronological age.

“What’s beautiful about AI is that we couldn’t run these calculations before because the human mind just can’t deal with these large data sets. What it looks like is a bunch of numbers, lines of numbers, and we train it what to do and then it looks for patterns,” says Kovalchuk. “We wanted to do this using nothing fancy, just general basic bloodwork that is done on every general checkup. But with this data, using AI, you can see major patterns and it’s just fascinating.”

How people will consume this new information is unknown. For Kovalchuk, it’s another weapon in an age-old war against smoking. If it’s appealing to young people’s vanity, then so be it.

“Once you develop cancer, it doesn’t really matter how it developed, now you have to treat it, so shaming or blaming a person for smoking is not productive,” she says. “But if we can prevent the cancers from happening with a message that will resonate, specifically with millennials and what are they concerned about, their looks, then let’s use this information.”

UNews - Olga Kovalchuk

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