UNews - Bryan Kolb

Dr. Gerlinde Metz honoured with Chair in Neuroscience

caroline.zentner — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 19:57:34 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge neuroscience professor Dr. Gerlinde Metz has been named the Dr. Bryan Kolb Chair in Neuroscience.

The professorship honours the legacy of Kolb (DSc '15), one of the most influential figures in establishing the study of neuroscience and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience. The chair provides a seven-year, research-focused term with the option for reappointment once to a second seven-year term.

“The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is thrilled to bestow this tremendous honour on Dr. Gerlinde Metz,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, vice-president (research). “Gerlinde’s research is making impacts on both fundamental understandings of the brain, as well as applied analyses and identification of key biomarkers regarding stress impacts and how intergenerational trauma response is transmitted across generations. She is widely viewed as a leader in her field and a highly sought-after expert worldwide.”

“I am deeply honoured to be named the Dr. Bryan Kolb Chair in Neuroscience,” says Metz. “This recognition is especially meaningful to me, given Dr. Kolb’s extraordinary legacy in shaping the field of neuroscience and his role in building the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience. I am humbled to carry forward this legacy through research that advances innovation and translational impact in neuroscience, both in Canada and internationally.”

Metz’s research investigates the influence of experience and environment on behaviour and brain plasticity, and how the effects of stress can be effectively prevented. Her work has shown that stress affects the motor system, and that adverse experiences can become predisposing factors for motor system diseases such as Parkinson’s and stroke.

Many groundbreaking insights have emerged from her research, including a study that found touch therapy helped the brain recover from stroke and that male experimenters make female rats uneasy.

Working with a rat model, Metz and her team have become internationally recognized as pioneers in studying how prenatal stress can affect health over a lifetime. Metz discovered that the effects of prenatal stress can also be transmitted from one generation to the next, influencing the health of future generations. Her research has examined the impact of war trauma on biological health in the next generation, and the long-term health effects of natural disasters like Quebec’s ice storm in 1998 and the Calgary flood in 2013. Recently, she has been studying the effects of space flight on astronauts. This research is leading to the discovery of chemical signatures for risk prediction and early diagnosis of common human diseases.

Metz is also an adjunct professor with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. In 2023, she was named a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, a first for a ULethbridge professor. In addition to being a neuroscience professor, Metz held a Board of Governors Research Chair in Healthy Futures and is one of the founders of the Southern Alberta Genome Sciences Centre.

After completing a BSc at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Giessen in Germany, she pursued graduate studies, earning a PhD from ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) in Switzerland. She also completed her habilitation in medicine at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Jena in Germany. Habilitation is the top level of higher education in Germany and some other countries; it qualifies individuals to independently teach and conduct research in the context of a university professorship.

Trailblazing ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge neuroscientists shaped global brain health and education

caroline.zentner — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 22:28:29 +0000

Brainstorm, a documentary that chronicles how ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professors Drs. Bryan Kolb and Ian Whishaw revolutionized the understanding of the brain, will premiere at the Yates Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. After selling out the Yates theatre, organizers decided to show the film concurrently at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre. For more information and to sign up for seats to view the event from the Sterndale theatre, visit Brainstorm. Those not attending the premiere will be able to watch the film on TELUS TV in early 2025.

Brainstorm was directed by Dr. Jenna Bailey, adjunct assistant professor with the Department of History and Religion, co-produced by Bailey and Dr. Edgar Bermudez Contreras, an adjunct professor at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), and edited by Bryn Hewko, assistant professor of new media.

“I made this film to showcase the groundbreaking work of two bold neuroscientists whose discoveries have transformed our understanding of the brain and advanced treatments for brain disorders and diseases,” says Bailey. “Their innovative research, fearless exploration of the unknown, and dedication to mentoring generations of scientists are captivating stories that highlight the power of science in making a real impact.”

The 42-minute film delves into the history behind the establishment of the CCBN and its growth through the efforts of Drs. Bryan Kolb, Ian Wishaw, Robert Sutherland and Robbin Gibb. The research results produced by CCBN scientists have provided insight into Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, strokes and early brain development, to name a few. As a result, prevention strategies for brain disorders and programs to improve brain health have been developed. Community programs have sprouted from their findings and have been key to launching such programs as Building Brains Together and the Early Years program through the Martin Family Initiative.

Brainstorm was produced with the support of TELUS STORYHIVE. Additional funding was generously provided by the Alberta Medical Association, Government of Alberta, Alberta Media Fund, CCBN, Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT) and the Historical Society of Alberta.

Watch the trailer.

About TELUS STORYHIVE

Since 2013, TELUS STORYHIVE has been able to support a community of thousands of local content creators across British Columbia and Alberta, providing over $66.9 million in funding and creating a safe space for storytellers to hone their skills and bring the projects they care about to life. Visit TELUS STORYHIVE for more information.

The latest weapon against Alzheimer’s disease could be as simple as touch

caroline.zentner — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 22:40:07 +0000

A study by a team of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge neuroscientists has shown that tactile stimulation shows much promise as a non-invasive method of slowing the onset of dementia in aging mice and could be an additional therapeutic intervention for people with Alzheimer’s disease.

January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and the Alzheimer Society encourages everyone to learn more about dementia and its impact on Canadians. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and represents a global health crisis.

Current treatment options only serve to slow the progression of the disease, not to cure or prevent it. That’s why researchers at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience are working hard to increase knowledge about what happens in the brain with AD and find more therapeutic treatments. A recent study by Drs. Bryan Kolb, Majid Mohajerani and their team points the way to a possible easily accessible treatment for AD in humans. Working with a mouse model of AD, the researchers found that tactile stimulation (TS) in the form of light massaging slowed the onset of AD.

“These results suggest that tactile stimulation, which is a non-invasive and cost-effective intervention, could be applied to human AD patients, even after symptoms are obvious,” says Kolb. “Tactile stimulation, such as skin-to-skin contact for newborns or massage for adults, has been shown to benefit brain development and aid recovery from an injury. In this study, we assessed cognitive, motor and anxiety-like behaviours, as well as the presence of plaques in the brain and the volume of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that plays a crucial role in memory.”

The study involved mice specifically bred to develop AD. The mice either received TS daily from birth until weaning (21 days) or, in a separate study, they received TS for 15 days beginning at four months of age. Control mice received no TS. In both cases, the TS groups received light massaging with an experimenter’s fingers for 15 minutes three times a day.

At five-and-a-half months of age, the experimenters used a series of tests to assess whether TS had led to improvements in cognition, motor skills and anxiety behaviours and, at six months of age, the degree of plaque formation and hippocampal volume. Plaque formation in these mice normally begins at about three months of age and by six months, the plaque formation in the brain is saturated and is associated with large deficits in cognition, anxiety and motor skills.

“We found that tactile stimulation significantly improved cognitive and motor dysfunctions and reduced anxiety-like behaviours, regardless of whether the TS was administered in infancy or adulthood,” says Kolb. “On top of that, mice that received TS showed reduced numbers and sizes of plaques in the brain and greater hippocampal volume than mice that didn’t receive TS.”

The authors hypothesize that the TS stimulates the activity of the vagus nerve, which produces a variety of changes in the brain, including reduced inflammation and increased immune function, as well as increasing the production of neurotrophic factors, which are a family of molecules that support the growth, survival and development of neurons.

Along with being non-invasive, TS costs less than drugs, has few, if any, side effects and is easy to administer.

“These findings point to an easily adoptable form of treatment for AD and the more therapeutic interventions we can apply to this disease, the better,” says Kolb.

U of L neuroscientist earns election to the Royal Society of Canada

trevor.kenney — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 16:05:54 +0000

Acknowledging a lifelong career with exceptional contributions to the field of neuroscience, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Dr. Robert Sutherland, Board of Governors Research Chair, Chair of the Department of Neuroscience and Director of the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), has been elected to the Royal Society of Canada (RSC).

Dr. Robert Sutherland's work revolutionized the understanding of how the hippocampus is involved in the storage of new memories.

“It’s absolutely thrilling and it’s really gratifying to know there are colleagues who have been working at the highest level in Canada who recognize our contributions and voted to elect me into fellowship,” says Sutherland. “It’s a tremendous honour and I think it’s also an acknowledgement the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a mature research-intensive institution that can hold its own in many areas. It’s a great tribute to all the people who put in efforts to create a neuroscience program, and that includes undergraduate students.”

Sutherland began studying neuroscience before it was a recognized field and he has watched it grow over the years. In the 1970s when he was starting his post-secondary studies, neuroscience courses were typically found in psychology departments.

“It’s been very exciting to be with the area of neuroscience from its inception all the way to now,” he says. “It’s been fantastic, a really good ride.”

Following the completion of his PhD at Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Halifax, Sutherland joined the U of L as a post-doctoral fellow under Drs. Bryan Kolb and Ian Whishaw. His key focus was on developing better ways to measure memory in non-human animals. He devised methods that are now used by drug companies and laboratories around the world.

Wanting to expand his skill set and work with students at all levels, Sutherland then took a position at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of New Mexico. There, he was able to work with students from undergraduate to PhD levels and post-doctoral fellows. During that time, he developed a theory of long-term memory that impacted the field and began focusing on understanding the role of the hippocampus in long-term memory. While scientists generally thought the hippocampus was only briefly involved in the storage of new memories, Sutherland’s work has shown the hippocampus continues to be engaged during memory recall.

He returned to the U of L as a senior Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research scientist when the CCBN building opened in 2001 and the U of L became home to the first Department of Neuroscience in Canada to offer degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s and PhD levels.

“I also morphed my research from purely normal aging to pathological aging and then to Alzheimer’s disease, bringing along the methods and theoretical perspectives I’d acquired over the years,” he says. “Now, in my lab, I’d say half of the work we’re doing is directly related to understanding Alzheimer’s type dementia.”

Sutherland’s election will be formally recognized at the Royal Society’s meeting at McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in November. Notably, he’ll become the fourth member of the Department of Neuroscience to receive the honour, along with Drs. Bruce McNaughton, Ian Whishaw and Bryan Kolb.

For more, see this profile.

Dr. Majid Mohajerani named first recipient of Dr. Bryan Kolb Professorship/Chair in Neuroscience

trevor.kenney — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 16:17:03 +0000

A new professorship created at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge honours the legacy of one of the most influential figures in establishing the study of neuroscience and neuropsychology. It’s first appointee is a rising star who continues to push the boundaries of the field.

Dr. Majid Mohajerani studies the neural basis of memory and its disorders.

Dr. Majid Mohajerani has been named the first recipient of the Dr. Bryan Kolb Professorship/Chair in Neuroscience, which carries a five-year term that may be renewed once for a second five-year term.

The award is an endorsement of the outstanding research Mohajerani has conducted since joining the U of L as part of the Government of Alberta’s Campus Alberta Innovation Program (CAIP) Chairs plan in 2014. At the time, Mohajerani had been serving as a research associate at the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste, Italy and at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, and selected the U of L above a number of suitors.

“This is a very important appointment for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the Department of Neuroscience,” says the U of L’s Dr. Erasmus Okine, provost and vice-president (academic). “Majid’s advanced work, primarily associated with the study of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease, has led to a better understanding of how the brain ages and the underlying biological processes associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease. He continues to attract significant research funding support and push the boundaries of his field as well as the reputation of the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN).”

Mohajerani studies the neural basis of memory and its disorders. His research group concentrates on neural dynamics, with particular emphasis on sensorimotor integration and memory systems. The group combines optical imaging, electrophysiology and behavioural methods and computational tools to understand how different brain areas communicate with one another and how memory is encoded and consolidated, or motor movements are generated based on sensory inputs.

“It is a tremendous honour to be selected as the inaugural holder of a professorship named after my brilliant mentor and colleague Bryan Kolb. Bryan is truly a legend in his field. His research has revolutionized the way we think about neuroplasticity, among many other subjects. Having had the opportunity to work with Bryan over the last six years, I can also say he’s as kind and generous a colleague and mentor as one could hope for,” says Mohajerani. “He has been instrumental, together with Drs. Ian Whishaw and Robert Sutherland, in building the CCBN into what it is today. By allowing me to focus on my research programs, this professorship will greatly help me to do my own part in advancing our understanding of the cerebral cortex, and in maintaining the profile of the CCBN as a leading institute for brain research in Canada.”

Kolb, after whom the professorship is named, is a legendary figure in the study of neuroscience. He was the first to demonstrate how the regrowth of brain cells accompanies restoration of brain function and also the first to show, with Dr. Terry Robinson, that psychoactive drugs change neuronal structures and networks permanently and in a manner such that later neuroplasticity is altered.

In 1980, he co-authored with colleague Dr. Ian Whishaw, the textbook that helped define the field of neuropsychology. Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology is now in its seventh edition and is regarded a seminal work in the field. He was key in establishing the CCBN and remains a primary investigator. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and in 2016, Kolb was inducted as an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Broader community invited to view popular Last Lecture Series as it moves to online format

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 17:32:27 +0000

It has become an annual rite of spring for ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students and now, the broader community will have the opportunity to take in an enhanced online edition of the Last Lecture Series.

Presented annually by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students’ Union (ULSU), the Last Lecture Series has become one of the most popular events of the academic year. It traditionally features three U of L professors talking about life lessons that cannot be learned in the classroom, posing the question to them, “If you could talk about just one thing for your last lecture, what would it be?”

This spring, with an in-person event not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ULSU is co-hosting with the student club PACT (philanthropy, advancement, community, traditions) and taking the event online. They have also expanded the lecturer list to an impressive eight speakers who represent a broad cross-section of disciplines from throughout campus. Celebrating a theme of adaptability, this impressive group will be online Friday, June 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to present their individual thoughts on what adaptability means to them.

“With most end-of-semester events cancelled, we wanted an initiative that could bring the uLethbridge community together,” says Kierian Turner, one of the event organizers and a past PACT president. “The Last Lecture has always been important to students of the graduating class, so we prioritized moving to an online model so that students are still able to get that final takeaway. It was important to have a panel with diverse experiences and research backgrounds so that attendees have the opportunity to connect on a deeper level and have a more holistic experience.”

The speaker schedule is as follows:

Tony Montina (BSc '08, MSc '10) — Introduction

10 a.m. — Adam Letourneau (Dhillon School of Business) — Life can Wonderfully be a Series of Career Changes

10:30 a.m. — Dr. Robin Bright (BASc '79, BEd '82, MEd '88) (Faculty of Education) — Everything I Really Need to Know, I Learned in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

11 a.m. — Dr. Shannon Spenceley (BN '84) (Faculty of Health Sciences) — Strange Days - Thriving in Uncertain Times

11:30 a.m. — Dr. Janay Nugent (BA '95) (Department of History) — The Empowerment of Young People in Tumultuous Times

12 to 1 p.m. — Lunch Break

1 p.m. — Don McIntrye (Dhillon School of Business) — Tricksters & Butterflies: Belonging Beyond this Day

1:30 p.m. — Dr. Robbin Derry (Dhillon School of Business) — What to Hold onto When Everything is in Flux?

2 p.m. — Dr. Anne Dymond (Faculty of Fine Arts) — Is it Too Late to Switch my Major? Or How I Learned to Live with Doubt

2:30 p.m. — Dr. Bryan Kolb (Department of Neuroscience) — Adaptability and the Brain that Changes Itself

Tony Montina — Closing

“What I love about our speaker lineup is that each of these professors apply their personal experience and expertise to a theme that is relatable to everyone — adaptability,” adds Turner. “This lineup will truly demonstrate the importance of a liberal education and how you can apply your uLethbridge experience to the many ways you will have to adapt throughout your lifetime. We have world-class faculty, and we are excited to share a glimpse of that with our community.”

The Last Lecture is a book co-authored by Randy Pausch, detailing everything he wanted his children to know after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Pausch delivered his last lecture entitled Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams as part of a lecture series where ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are challenged to think about what really matters to them and give a Last Lecture.

For more on The Last Lecture speakers, follow this link: uleth.ca/alumni/last-lecture. To join the event, check in at go.uleth.ca/LastLecture2020.

U of L researchers study the underlying biological processes associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease

caroline.zentner — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 18:25:16 +0000

Researchers at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will delve further into the basic markers associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) thanks to two funding grants.

Dr. Majid Mohajerani, principal investigator, and co-investigators, Drs. Robert Sutherland and Bryan Kolb from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and Dr. David Westaway from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, will primarily use mouse models to understand the underlying biological processes associated with the development of AD.

Dr. Majid Mohajerani

Their research will examine the links between noise stress and cognitive decline, as well as study the brain correlates of spatial navigation changes in early cognitive impairment and AD, thanks to almost $300,000 in funding for two projects from the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories and the Alberta Prion Research Institute.

Two abnormal proteins called plaques and tangles are prime suspects in damaging and killing nerve cells in AD. Both are fragments of proteins that get misfolded in AD, but researchers are still unclear where in the brain plaques and tangles emerge and how they contribute to changing the properties of neuronal circuits in the brain and lead to the progression of cognitive impairments.

In the first funded project, Mohajerani, Sutherland and Westaway will investigate these questions to figure out what neural circuits are responsible for spatial navigation deficits in AD, one of its earliest symptoms. These deficits are evident when people lose their way in familiar and unfamiliar places, get lost while driving or wander away from home.

“It is important to understand these primary brain alterations as they provide a target for early-stage therapeutic interventions before the occurrence of significant and irreversible brain damage,” says Sutherland.

Dr. David Westaway is Canada Research Chair in Prion Diseases at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta.

The goal of the second project is to explore the effect of traffic noise on general brain learning and plasticity, cognitive functions and its impact on AD neurobehavioural symptoms. A deeper understanding of these harmful environmental exposures, as modifiable risk factors of AD, contributes to improvements in public health.

Recent research publications by Mohajerani, Kolb and post-doctoral fellow Dr. Zahra Jafari, showed an association between long-term traffic noise exposure and cognitive decline in healthy animals. In their studies on transgenic mice which develop various aspects of AD, animals were exposed to real traffic noise at a level similar to a typical urban area. The offspring of these mice developed impairments in learning, memory and cognitive performance and earlier aggregation of amyloid-beta plaques, which are precursors of AD.

“Our findings raise questions around the neural mechanisms related to the early development of AD due to traffic noise,” says Kolb. “Further exploration in other animal models is needed, as is looking at the adverse impacts of air pollution, which has been linked to cognitive decline and dementia in humans.”

Recent research findings have indicated that environmental exposures, including air pollution from traffic sources, are consistently associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, death from any cause and with cognitive impairment and early dementia.

Dr. Robert Sutherland is director and Chair of the CCBN.

“We need to determine if there’s any way of preventing or reducing the adverse effects of noise stress on the brain,” says Mohajerani. “Programs to reduce traffic noise are essential to mitigate the development of various diseases and cognitive impairment in human populations. Studies that consider other sources of noise over the life course are also needed.”

“Among the various aspects of the effects of noise on the brain and behaviour, the effect of traffic noise on neurodevelopment, the neurotransmitter system and the immune system has been less studied,” says Jafari. “Current evidence emphasizes the need for neuroimaging and functional brain studies to clarify the role of chronic noise exposure in the development of brain changes that lead to dementia in humans.”

According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, more than half a million people were living with dementia in Canada in 2018. With about 25,000 new cases diagnosed every year, the number of people with dementia is expected to rise to around a million people by 2031.Possible or established risk factors for cognitive impairment include age, family history, genes, diabetes, hearing loss, hypertension, and lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption.

“We are very grateful to the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories and Alberta Prion Research Institute for these two grants that will enable us to gain an understanding of the mechanisms at work in the earliest stages of AD,” says Mohajerani.

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.

U of L invites community to participate in Research Week 2017

trevor.kenney — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 17:11:25 +0000

Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has evolved into one of the top research universities in the country, and will celebrate systematic enquiry throughout Research Week 2017 – Spotlight on Research, March 13-18, 2017.

The week is an annual event designed to highlight research and creative excellence across campus and throughout disciplines, shining a light on both graduate and undergraduate work and giving the southern Alberta community an opportunity to gain insight to the tremendous impact U of L research activities have on society.

Dr. Bryan Kolb, pictured here, will join Dr. Reginald Bibby to present a community lecture on Wedesday of Research Week 2017.

“There is so much interesting work being done by our faculty and their students; we really enjoy opening our doors and giving the community a look at what we’re doing,” says Vice-President (Research) Dr. Erasmus Okine. “The research we engage in here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is critical work affecting peoples’ lives locally, provincially, nationally and beyond.”

The week features both on- and off-campus events and kicks off Monday, March 13 with the Community ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Research Exchange (CURE) event. CURE is an initiative designed to connect U of L researchers with community members interested in research endeavours and has, over the years, facilitated a number of collaborative research relationships. Keynote speaker Dr. Christine Murray of Alberta Innovates, speed talks focused on projects with community partners and a poster session are all part of this event, with full details available here: http://www.uleth.ca/research-services/researchservices/community-university-research-exchange-cure.

On Tuesday, the Undergraduate Research Showcase is in the spotlight as undergraduate students will share their research experiences in the form of a poster show from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall Atrium.

“This is a new event we’re very excited about,” says Okine. “The undergraduate research activities at the U of L routinely rival that of graduate-level students at other universities and we’re pleased to give our students an opportunity to show off their work.”

A community talk highlights Wednesday as two of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s most accomplished and engaging researchers, Drs. Reginald Bibby and Bryan Kolb, share anecdotes of research growth and achievement over the U of L’s 50 years. The talk will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Galt Museum and Archives.

Thursday sees a Research Data Management panel discussion in the U of L Library (12:15 to 1:30 p.m., L950), while Friday’s activities include an Industry and Enabler Panel discussion as well as the popular Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) event, where students present a compelling oration on their thesis and its significance in just three minutes in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. The finals of the 3MT competition begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Markin Hall Atrium, with winners advancing to the Canada West event in April.

Research Week 2017 concludes with Saturday’s Meeting of the Minds conference, an interdisciplinary graduate research conference organized by the Graduate Students’ Association. Under the title Intersections, the conference will celebrate interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research activities and showcase all types of traditional and non-traditional research. The conference will run all day in the Markin Hall Atrium and conclude with Kolb’s keynote address at 6 p.m.

For a look at all the activities associated with Research Week 2017, visit this link: https://www.uleth.ca/notice/notices/research-week-2017-spotlight-research.

Dr. Bryan Kolb appointed Officer of the Order of Canada

caroline.zentner — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 23:22:01 +0000

Dr. Bryan Kolb (LLD ’15), one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, has been recognized for his work to increase understanding of the brain and brain development.

He is one of 100 people appointed to the Order of Canada by Gov. Gen. David Johnston on Dec. 30 and named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

“My first reaction is to be pretty overwhelmed because there’s a whole team of us here and what sets you apart is really not obvious to you. It’s pretty special, obviously. Not very many ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are awarded these things,” says Kolb.

Kolb will receive his Officer of the Order of Canada at a ceremony to be held later this year. The Order of Canada was established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to recognize outstanding achievement, community dedication and service to the nation.

While his first response to the news was disbelief, his second was to wonder why he had been selected, given the expertise of other team members at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN). Kolb joined the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 1976 and is a professor of neuroscience and one of the founders, along with his friend of 50 years, Dr. Ian Whishaw (DSc ’08), of the CCBN. Kolb has built an impressive set of credentials since then, including publishing six books and writing more than 400 articles and chapters about his areas of expertise. He and Whishaw have written two textbooks, the first of which is now in its seventh edition (Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology) and the second of which is now in its fifth edition (Introduction to Brain and Behaviour).

“One of the things we did when I first came here was to write a book. I had this idea that we needed a book on how the human brain worked because there wasn’t one and I had invented a course (Human Neuropsychology) that needed a book. Whishaw initially thought we were crazy. I said this was a good thing to do and convinced him that we would not get rich but maybe famous! We had a lot of trouble getting it published because publishers said there was no such field so therefore no such course and thus, no such book. Anyway, at the end of the day, it was published by Freeman & Co and now it’s in its seventh edition and it’s in many languages and is used all over the world. So, I think that sort of started things off and changed the way we thought about our research as to how it related to the human brain rather than studying the rat brain for the rat brain. We don’t really care much about how the rat brain works except that it tells us something about ours,” he says.

Kolb’s primary interests are in brain development, brain plasticity, and brain changes over time, including after injury. These areas of inquiry gained a foothold with the public and Kolb has been asked to speak at both scientific and public gatherings across the globe. One of his most memorable talks was at a public lecture in Lac La Biche where many First Nations elders were in attendance. Kolb spoke about how stress and abuse in childhood can lead to epigenetic changes in the brain, which refers to the processes whereby certain genes are turned off or on. These epigenetic changes can be passed from one generation to another, altering the brain and behaviour of the offspring.

“One elder said ‘You’ve just given us an explanation for the problem of residential schools. Why hasn’t anybody told us that before? This makes everything different.’ I think that was the most stunning reaction I’ve received,” says Kolb.

Animal research by Kolb and colleague Dr. Robbin Gibb and their students has shown that fathers’ experiences before conception and mothers’ experiences while pregnant can change the brains of their offspring and those of subsequent generations.

“That gives us an explanation for how severe stress, for example in residential schools, could cross generations and cause all kinds of problems later. Now that we know this, we recognize a cause of the residential school effect. It’s not that that these are faulty people or losers or anything of the sort. It has a biological explanation. So how can we change this? I think the place to start is recognizing why it’s happening,” says Kolb.

Kolb’s studies with Gibb using rats have shown that tactile stimulation has the power to change the brain. Baby rats with a brain injury were stroked with a brush for 15 minutes three times a day. The skin and brain come from the same germ cell during development so the stimulation of the brush stroking the skin increased the production of chemicals which cross into the brain and had a healing effect. They have shown this to be effective in treating perinatal brain injury and believe that it could have similar benefits in treating effects of early stress and trauma.

“It’s simple-minded but it seems to be working in our lab studies and it makes sense,” says Kolb.

Kolb first became interested in the brain when he was an undergraduate student studying at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. The field of neuroscience did not really exist yet so he was able to get into it from the beginning.

“I tell the students that until they understand what the questions about the brain are, they can’t even possibly understand what the answers are. As a student, it had never occurred to me that there was a question as to how we appreciate music. Once you understand what the question is, you say ‘How is it that we appreciate music? Why do we like music?’ And then you realize it’s got something to do with the brain. Once you start going down the ask-a-question route, you get more and more sucked in to the big picture as to how this is working and why we are the way we are. I just kept at it and kept asking questions,” says Kolb.

Kolb obtained bachelor and master degrees at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary and a doctorate at Pennsylvania State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. He completed two post-doctoral fellowships before joining the U of L.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, will invest 10 Officers and 34 Members into the Order of Canada during a ceremony at Rideau Hall, on Friday, November 17, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. (MDT)

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