UNews - Igor Kovalchuk

��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).

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers receive grant for further exploration into the causes of Alzheimer’s disease

caroline.zentner — Wed, 10 May 2023 15:28:50 +0000

Most of the research into Alzheimer’s disease has focused on the familial type where the disease has a strong genetic component. What might come as a surprise is that 90 to 95 per cent of cases are late-onset or sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (SAD), an area where researchers at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge are focusing their efforts.

SAD is much more difficult to research because of the presumed interactions between genetics and lifestyle factors, which can vary from person to person. Regardless of how complicated it might be, Dr. Rob McDonald, a neuroscientist with the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, believes that’s precisely the direction research needs to take. Now he and Dr. Igor Kovalchuk, a ULethbridge chemistry professor with expertise in cannabis extracts, have been awarded $250,000 through the federal government’s New Frontiers in Research Fund. They’ll be joined by Tony Montina, a ULethbridge expert in metabolomics, which is the study of metabolites in cells, fluids and tissues.

“Our theory is the following: If you take a large population of sporadic patients, they would fall into subgroups or subtypes,” says McDonald. “The actual factors causing their Alzheimer’s disease would be different for each subtype. The clinical outcome can be quite similar, but the co-factors causing it can be different. Depending on the co-factors people have, different mechanisms are going to be triggered and the pathology will be different, so you have to treat it differently.”

The researchers will be using a model where mice have been specifically bred with gene polymorphisms, which are alterations in specific DNA sequences.

“The gene mutations we’re using are of interest for their potential roles in inflammation and insulin regulation,” says McDonald.

The researchers will assess brain and body changes in the mutant mice models alone and in combination with different lifestyle changes (stress and diet). In the second part of their project, they’ll assess the effects of targeted cannabinoid treatments on the mutant mice with the lifestyle modifications by looking at brain pathology, body changes and cognitive impairments associated with SAD.

“Marijuana is made up of at least 400 chemical entities and 100 of those are phytocannabinoids,” says McDonald. “They have these compelling properties and people are interested in how they may target some of the pathologies associated with different diseases.”

Kovalchuk will create cannabinoid extracts with different combinations and strengths to try to target the mechanisms the researchers suspect are activated in these subtypes. The makeup of the extract will vary according to the type of gene polymorphism and lifestyle factor being targeted.

“It’s really getting at a more personalized kind of medicine or treatment and that’s very exciting,” says McDonald.

A recent development in the field is the ability to conduct genome-wide association studies or GWAS. Researchers have identified 100 or more genes mutations that are associated with the sporadic version — inherited and random mutations that do not cause SAD by themselves.

“These mutations could make people more susceptible to other factors, like lifestyle factors, than a normal person,” says McDonald. “One person may have a gene polymorphism and age nicely, but another person who has, for example, a poor diet or is often stressed, may descend into dementia faster.”

McDonald has started working with researchers in Montreal who can easily determine the types of polymorphism that exist in a patient. From there, they hope to provide patients with advice on what to avoid in their lifestyles.

“We know that exercise and different kinds of cognitive experiences and training are beneficial to brain health,” says McDonald. “Our study should help lay a foundation for further research to pinpoint the best treatments for the various subtypes of SAD we are hypothesizing.”

The Research Support Fund supports a portion of the costs associated with managing the research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, such as salaries for staff who provide administration support, training costs for workplace health and safety, maintenance of libraries and laboratories, and administrative costs associated with obtaining patents for inventions.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge grad student sees a world of possibilities in mushrooms

caroline.zentner — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:45:40 +0000

With burgeoning research into both psychedelic, or so-called magic mushrooms, and non-psychedelic mushrooms, Gregory Robinson, a PhD candidate at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and entrepreneur, is poised to take advantage of the surge in interest in mushrooms.

He launched his psychedelic pharmaceutical research and development company, Mycos Biotech, a year ago after seeing much promise in developing techniques to make extracts from mushrooms. After finishing his master’s at Western ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Robinson came to ULethbridge to work with Dr. Igor Kovalchuk in the Department of Biological Sciences. He soon began concentrating his research on the study of fungi, a field known as mycology.

“A lot of research has gone into understanding the properties of mushrooms and their benefits,” says Robinson. “There are many known benefits to mushrooms, but you usually cannot get the benefits of mushrooms by just eating them. You actually have to extract a lot of the chemicals.”

Mushroom extracts can be helpful in fighting inflammation, maintaining cardiovascular health, promoting sleep and regulating blood glucose levels. One of the difficulties, whether it’s psychedelic or non-psychedelic mushrooms, is that there’s enormous variability in the amount of active compounds between and within mushroom species. That’s where Robinson focuses his research.

“We want to make sure that we, in any mushroom that we produce, know the exact amount of metabolites present, such as psilocybin in the case of psychedelic mushrooms,” says Robinson. “We want to make it consistent and, at the same time, ensure that we have the highest amount of those metabolites.”

Robinson is looking to develop processes and techniques that provide both consistency and a high quantity of metabolites in mushrooms and then sell those techniques to mushroom producers.

Thanks to grants from Mitacs, Agility, Technology Alberta and Venture for Canada, Robinson has been able to continue his research and nine students have been hired on a part-time basis. He’s also collaborating with local companies involved in the growing field of mycology, including Pharmapsil and Herbal Apothecary.

“There’s a lot of research and work that’s going on in psychedelics here in Lethbridge and there’s a bunch more in Calgary,” says Robinson. “I would argue that Alberta and even Lethbridge is like a psychedelic hub for research and development.”

In March, Robinson started a second corporation called Mycos, which is working with a dozen different non-psychedelic mushrooms. They are combining various extracts into different formulations to create supplements that are targeted to specific problems. Robinson, who’s also completing a master’s in business administration through the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, is participating in a pitch competition through Washington ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in St. Louis, Missouri. Mycos made it into the top 20 finalists for a chance to win $50,000 US in funding. See Robinson’s video pitch.

“The benefits of these edible mushroom extracts just go on and on,” says Robinson.

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.

U of L scientists develop new medical cannabis cultivars that show promise in combatting COVID-19 virus

caroline.zentner — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 15:38:53 +0000

In partnership with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Pathway RX, a research company focused on developing custom cannabis therapies, and Swysh, a company focused on cannabinoid research and development, have found that specific Cannabis sativa extracts show promise as an additional treatment for COVID-19.

“While our most successful extracts require further validation in a large-scale analysis and an animal model, our study is crucial for the future analysis of the effects of medical cannabis on COVID-19,” say Drs. Igor (CEO of Pathway RX) and Olga Kovalchuk, both U of L biology professors.

The Kovalchuks and a team of researchers recently submitted a paper about their research study on the effects of medical cannabis on COVID-19 to a journal for publication and their manuscript has been uploaded to Preprints. This means the research has not yet been peer reviewed or been published in a journal.

The study focused on how certain cannabis extracts affected ACE2 and TMPRSS2 proteins. These proteins are imbedded into the cellular membrane and represent a key gateway for the COVID-19 virus to enter host cells. The researchers used C. sativa extracts to modulate the levels of these enzymes. Initial data suggest that 13 C. sativa extracts high in the anti-inflammatory CBD (cannabinoid cannabidiol) can modulate ACE2 expression in COVID-19 target tissues and down-regulate TMPRSS2. The results demonstrate that these high-CBD C. sativa lines have potential to become a useful and safe addition to COVID-19 treatment. They could be used to develop preventative treatments in the form of a mouthwash or throat gargle product for clinical and home use.

“Given the current dire and rapidly developing epidemiological situation, every possible therapeutic opportunity and avenue needs to be considered,” says Kovalchuk. “Our research team is actively pursuing partnerships to conduct clinical trials.”

Through Pathway RX, Kovalchuk has generated more than 1,000 C. sativa hybrids and tested them on human tissues and cells to learn about their biological activity. These varieties have been patented and are currently licensed to Sundial Growers, an Alberta-based licensed cannabis producer and partner of Pathway RX.

U of L study shows ancestral prenatal stress linked to premature aging and increased risk of disease

caroline.zentner — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 21:03:28 +0000

A new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge study published in Aging shows that experiences in early life may lay the foundation for developing non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes later in life.

Tony Montina, Gerlinde Metz, Mirela Ambeskovic, Slava Ilnytskyy

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death around the world and, given populations are aging, strategies to support healthy aging are urgently needed. A 2016 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that 22 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women aged 29 to 60 are likely to die from NCDs.

Risk factors for developing NCDs include lack of physical activity, an unbalanced diet and abuse of alcohol and tobacco. While scientists haven’t identified a single cause of NCDs, studies in both animals and humans have shown that an adverse prenatal environment heightens the risk for increased blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin levels, obesity and a reduced lifespan in offspring. What’s more, previous studies have shown that adverse early experiences can create a biological signature that is transmitted across generations.

“The current findings open exciting new avenues to understand the mechanisms of NCDs and how we can predict and prevent these disabling health conditions,” says Dr. Gerlinde Metz, a neuroscience professor and Tier 1 Board of Governors Research Chair at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience.

In this study, Dr. Mirela Ambeskovic, a U of L post-doctoral fellow in Metz’s lab, led a team of researchers in a study that examined ancestral stress using a rat model. Offspring of the fourth-generation of prenatally stressed rats were examined.

“Ancestral stress is stress that occurs across multiple generations,” says Ambeskovic. “We looked at multi-generational prenatal stress and our cohort showed an aging health trajectory that parallels the human population. In our study, stressed male rats between 14 and 15 months old, which is equivalent to middle age, were more likely to die from non-communicable diseases such as respiratory disease, tumours, renal disease and heart disease.”

The study results also show the ancestral stress induced different diseases in males and females. Male rats were more likely to have renal failure and female rats had higher incidences of respiratory disease and tumours. Ambeskovic says sex hormones may be involved since estrogen can protect against inflammation. The researchers measured blood glucose levels and found significant body-weight changes in males during their lives.

“The stressed males seemed to have a lower body weight when young and in middle age,” says Ambeskovic. “However, after middle age they got really heavy and almost obese. With the programming of ancestral stress, it seems that not only are these males more likely to die from renal failure and other diseases, but, if they do survive, they may get diabetes or other conditions that can contribute to morbidity and poor health. These stressed old males also became more depressed and anxious. Their mental health declined and their stress-response system was altered.”

The researchers analyzed tissues for specific microRNAs (miRNAs) that may be associated with NCDs. Both male and female rats showed changes in miRNA-150, which is also known as inflammatory microRNA, but the degree of change was greater in males. They also looked at miRNA 21, which is associated with a longer lifespan when down regulated and a shorter lifespan when up regulated.

“In our cohort, we found significant up regulation of miRNA 21 in young males, which may indicate that, somehow, these animals might have been programmed for short lifespans from their ancestors,” says Ambeskovic. “In females, this microRNA was down regulated, which may show early resilience or programmed protection.”

While miRNA information can be transmitted across generations, miRNAs can also be up or down regulated based on environment and experience. Knowing that ancestral stress has lifelong effects, providing an enriched environment early in life could offset some of the risks.

“We need to concentrate on the prevention of disease instead of treatment,” she says. “We really need to focus on these early years and early life environments to help prevent NCDs later in life.”

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.

Board of Governors Research Chairs revealed

trevor.kenney — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 21:01:18 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors appointed or reappointed seven Board of Governors Research Chairs at its regular meeting. The Board of Governors Research Chair program acknowledges the research accomplishments of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ faculty members.

“We’re proud to recognize these researchers for their consistently excellent work and the contributions they have made to their field of study,” says Dr. Erasmus Okine, Vice-President (Research). “They are representative of the outstanding research activities taking place across disciplines and throughout campus. Their studies are making substantial contributions to the quality of life locally, provincially, nationally and beyond.”

New Appointments

Dr. Aaron Gruber – Tier II Board of Governors Research Chair in Neuroscience
Dr. Gruber’s laboratory utilizes a wide array of computational and experimental techniques to study how the brain uses past experience to make good choices. The lab’s current focus is to use modern technologies for recording and manipulating large-scale neural activity to study how molecular actions of dopamine receptors affect brain dynamics to influence behaviour.

Dr. Maura Hanrahan – Tier II Board of Governors Research Chair in Native American Studies
Dr. Hanrahan brings a wealth of academic, policy and practical knowledge to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. She conducts interdisciplinary work in water security, foodways and nutrition history, Indigenous health, Indigenous land-use and Arctic exploration. Her work employs methods rooted in anthropology, ethnohistory, the humanities and Indigenous learning.

Dr. Jean-Baptiste Leca – Tier II Board of Governors Research Chair in Psychology
Dr. Leca’s research program on non-human primate behaviour aims to offer insights into the biological and culture underpinnings of human evolution. He is particularly interested in the proximate and ultimate causes of adaptive, questionably adaptive and non-adaptive behavioural patterns in free-ranging monkeys.

Reappointments

Dr. Igor Kovalchuk – Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair in Biological Sciences
The research in Dr. I. Kovalchuk’s lab is devoted to the analysis of epigenetic and genetic regulation of plant genome stability under normal and stressful conditions. In particular, he is interested in epigenetic regulation of transgenerational adaptation to stress and developing novel methods for improvement of plant transformation.

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk – Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair in Biological Sciences
Dr. O. Kovalchuk investigates the role of epigenetics in carcinogenesis and cancer treatment responses as well as the influence of epigenetics in radiation induced genome instability, DNA repair and carcinogenesis.

Dr. David Naylor – Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair in Physics & Astronomy
As the Director of the Astronomical Instrumentational Group, Dr. Naylor is recognized as a world leader in the development of novel instrumentation to explore the universe at far-infrared wavelengths. He is playing a leading role in training up-and-coming astronomers and engineers while contributing to Canada’s ability to play leading roles in future space astronomy missions.

Dr. Sergio Pellis – Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair in Neuroscience
Using a broad comparative approach, involving a range of rodents, primates and other animals, research in Dr. Pellis’ laboratory seeks to understand the evolutionary conditions that make it possible for play to be co-opted as a tool to sharpen social skills.

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.”

UNews - Igor Kovalchuk

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

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