UNews - Canadian Foundation for Innovation

Making the case for space exploration

trevor.kenney — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 19:07:15 +0000

A more effective way to give skin grafts to burned children. Advanced materials for producing safer and more robust airplanes and cars. A computer-assisted device for performing neurosurgery that is guided by real-time MRI brain scans. The potential to meet humankind’s growing energy needs through the safe production of nuclear power.

Dr. David Naylor says that probing the mysteries of the universe ultimately leads to countless direct and indirect benefits for society.

These are just a few examples of the many current and emerging innovations that have been made possible by space exploration, says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge astrophysicist Dr. David Naylor.

Naylor is a physics and astronomy professor at the U of L and a Board of Governors Research Chair. He is also the director of the Space Astronomy Division of the Institute for Space Imaging Science, a collaborative initiative between the U of L, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Over the last two decades, Naylor has led Canada’s involvement in the Herschel/SPIRE and SPICA/Safari space missions; previously, he worked at the European Space Agency on the ISO/LWS mission.

“With space exploration missions costing upwards of $10 billion, I’m often asked, ‘Why invest in space exploration when there are so many problems here on Earth?’”

As Naylor discussed as part of the U of L’s PUBlic Professor Series, probing the mysteries of the universe ultimately leads to countless direct and indirect benefits for society.

“There are literally tens of thousands of useful developments and inventions that have come out of space programs,” says Naylor. “Money that is spent on space research goes largely toward the salaries of talented individuals who make such things as rocket engines, life support systems, diagnostic instrumentation, electronics and communications systems. Out of their work come a whole variety of new technologies. When we do basic research in this area, industry can run with it in so many different directions."

The direction of Naylor’s own career in space research was determined more than 30 years ago when, after finishing his PhD in Physics at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, he completed a research fellowship at a European Space Agency centre in the Netherlands. The experience resonated with his deep interest in the workings of the world, both on Earth and in the stars above us.

Since joining the U of L in 1981, he has established an internationally recognized research program in the area of experimental astrophysics. He has also actively recruited over 300 students to his laboratory, seven of whom who have gone on to become professors in their own right, three of whom hold research Chairs.

Among his most current projects is cryogenic testing of equipment destined for space to ensure it works at very low temperatures. The research will be performed in a new first-of-its-kind facility in Canada that just received $150,000 in funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation. Cooling scientific instruments to extremely low temperatures is essential to realize the sensitivity limits of today’s state-of-the-art detectors. In turn, these instruments will allow astronomers to probe the farthest reaches of the universe, and answer fundamental questions such as how the first stars and galaxies formed.

As Naylor notes, many innovations have come about as a result of space research. This area of science has led to advancements in everything from laser eye surgery, to artificial limbs, to breast cancer detection, to water purification, to firefighting equipment.

A less tangible but also important benefit of space research, Naylor says, is the stronger respect gained for the Earth’s status as the universe’s only life-sustaining sphere, which he says can encourage us to more peacefully co-exist with each other and better protect the planet. As well, he says the insights gained from investigating outer space satisfy what he sees as a universal and unstoppable human instinct to better understand our world and our place within it.

“We are different from other animals, we have always had the exploration gene. Ever since people left the African savannah and spread into Europe, they have gone into every corner of the globe,” he says. “This exploration is something that’s a part of who we are...It helps us answer the bigger questions about how the universe and life began, how the world was created and whether we are alone.”

Academic couple works toward Alberta’s first epigenetics institute

trevor.kenney — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:51:44 +0000

Scientists Drs. Igor and Olga Kovalchuk came to Lethbridge knowing next-to-nothing about the city. Now, eight years later, they've happily set down roots and are pushing the U of L's epigenetics research program into the limelight.

When the reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant caught fire in 1986, a plume of radioactive particles descended over Ukraine. While only two people initially died from the explosion, many thousands have since become ill from the resulting radiation.

"When it happened, it was a major disaster for the whole country. It was the biggest disaster, impacting millions of people. Everyone in the medical industry got very interested in how they could help," says Dr. Olga Kovalchuk, who grew up in Ukraine and did her undergraduate degree at Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (IFNMU), just 600 km from the site of the nuclear blast.

Drs. Olga and Igor Kovalchuk are leaders in the field of epigenetics research.

Not surprisingly, the radiation-cancer connection was a big focus at IFNMU. Several of her professors were collaborating on a tool that could detect radiation levels quickly and efficiently, to prevent people from unknowingly exposing themselves to harm. "The problem with radioactive contamination is that you don't feel it – it's not hot, not cold, you don't see it and it doesn't hurt," says Olga.

While radiation wreaks havoc on DNA, creating harmful mutations that can lead to cancer, genetics itself fails to fully explain how cancer manifests. But another phenomenon, which also works on multiple levels in the cell, is helping fill in the gaps.

Epigenetics is the study of how genes are expressed or "turned on" by environmental factors. "People say that if genetics is the alphabet of life, epigenetics is the grammar," explains Olga, whose research focuses on the epigenetics of cancer.

Since 2001, Olga has pursued her research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, just across the hall from her husband Igor, whom she met at IFNMU. While both work within the realm of epigenetics, Igor focuses on DNA repair in plants. For him, plants offer an excellent platform for study because, unlike animals, they can adapt to changes in their environment within a single generation. "They're a better organism to study the flexibility of epigenetic changes, especially for understanding the role epigenetics plays in evolution and adaptation," he explains.

While epigenetics isn't a household word, the field isn't brand new, either. When Watson and Crick published their findings about DNA in 1953, proving a genetic component of heredity at long last, most clambered onto the genetics bandwagon. But a tiny minority realized that genetics didn't explain all the mysteries of life.

However, it wasn't until the early '70s that the majority of scientists began to seriously consider that the responses of plants to stress couldn't be explained entirely with DNA. Slowly, ideas like gene silencing came to the fore, and in the last 10 years, epigenetics has emerged as a strong discipline.

Recognizing the importance of epigenetics to many fields, the Kovalchuks have helped lead a charge for an epigenetics research institute at the U of L. In June 2009, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ received $3.2 million from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to build the equipment core for the Southern Alberta Group for Epigenetics Studies (SAGES). This fall, this funding was matched by the province, providing U of L neuroscientist Dr. Robert Sutherland and collaborating researchers with more than $2.8 million for research related to epigenetics. The combined funding provides a solid foundation for the future creation of the Alberta Institute for Epigenetics, which will harness the prowess of U of L researchers, including the Kovalchuks, who both hold U of L Board of Governors Research Chairs. Olga also holds a Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Chair in Gender, Sex and Health.

The pair says the institute will be the first of its kind in Alberta and, to their knowledge, the only one in Canada. At the moment, there are few labs that even have the basic technology needed to conduct this kind of research. In fact, both Igor and Olga often send samples to American and European labs for analysis.
"We thought some kind of unifying scheme would get the tools that are needed, bring the people together who share an understanding and interest, allowing us to be really efficient, share tools and knowledge, and start growing together," says Olga.

The institute will focus on six overlapping research areas: epi-cancer, epi-neuroscience, epi-plant, epi-cell, epi-toxicology and epi-technology. These areas have been chosen according to existing expertise at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the likelihood of current international collaborators relocating to Lethbridge, explains Igor.
While epigenetics sounds abstract, the outcomes have direct relevance to our everyday lives, according to Olga.

In terms of health issues, epigenetics is helping scientists understand how diseases of all kinds – not just cancer – occur. It also offers new ways of analyzing experimental therapies and may yield information on how people can prevent disease. Unlike genetic changes which are rather rare, epigenetic changes happen constantly. Knowing which external factors can trigger expressions of genes in DNA will help people make healthier decisions to lower risks of developing certain health issues.

Epigenetics also has direct relevance to southern Alberta and the agriculture industry. For instance, the field offers new ways to improve the quality and quantity of agricultural products without any genetic modifications. This could have a tremendous impact on Canadian agriculture.

As the scientific visionaries for the institute, the Kovalchuk duo is confident it will attract researchers from around the globe.

"Basically, it will allow people to see that there is a dedicated research centre here with a group that studies approaches to stress tolerance, evolution, genome stability, creating more and better food, making people healthier – you name it. It will basically work as a centre that attracts like-minded people to do research here," says Igor.

It is hoped that a physical building will eventually provide space for associates to collaborate directly, but for now, the institute will be established in the lab space the Kovalchuks currently use.

In time, Igor hopes to establish a tech-transfer wing for the institute that will focus on commercializing discoveries that emerge.

"It will help show people that we're not only satisfying our curiosity – we're actually doing research for the public."

The institute is a coup for the U of L and the city of Lethbridge, say the Kovalchuks. It is also a tremendous development in the evolution of the couple's careers. The institute will allow greater collaboration and technology, and inject a new sense of possibility.

"We are creating something that's really new. And when you're working in a new area, it's very exciting – you're exploring new avenues. That in itself is pretty motivating," says Olga.

For Igor, who compares research to gambling, the new institute offers new tools that level the playing field for epigenetics.

"Scientists are healthy gamblers. What drives most of us is this curiosity and hope for a rare reward. Designing an experiment in such a way that you can finally get an answer is the best reward you can get."

Engineering a better future

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:33:53 +0000

There isn't any avoiding it. Day by day, all Canadians – from newborns to seniors – are getting older. In fact, the country's large population of baby boomers is rapidly approaching retirement age. In 2011, the first of the generation will turn 65; by 2015, there will be more people in Canada over the age of 65 than under 15.

The good news is that as medical science marches forward, we're living longer, on average. Data released in 2008 by Statistics Canada showed that the average life expectancy was 80.4 years in 2005 – up from 77.8 in 1991.

Of course, living longer isn't all it is cracked up to be if we're not well enough to enjoy it. Statistically, we're far more prone to developing diseases like cancer, Parkinson's or diabetes as we reach the golden years. Many people are also likely to become less active and give up the things they once loved to do, both in the realm of work and recreation. However, contrary to popular belief, there's nothing about aging that makes any of this

(l-r) Drs. Jennifer Copeland, Jon Doan and Lesley Brown are working together to understand how we can age better.

inevitable.

"There are some changes that we assume are a natural part of aging when actually, they're a natural part of becoming sedentary," explains U of L exercise physiologist
Dr. Jennifer Copeland.

For instance: while muscle loss is unavoidable, aging muscle can adapt to physical activity just as well as young muscles. Bone density does decrease, but by maintaining physical fitness over time, you can make sure you've got plenty in the bank for your senior years.

"If you maintain a certain level of activity, you should be able to do the things you enjoy for a really long time," says Copeland, who studies the impact of exercise on health.

In 2006, Copeland and U of L colleagues Dr. Jon Doan (PhD '06), who investigates the relationship between activity levels and work, and Dr. Lesley Brown, who researches balance and fall prevention, formed the Southern Alberta Centre for Successful Aging (SACSA) to examine how the transition to the senior years affects activity levels and what can be done to promote greater wellness. It's research urgently needed: between 2006 and 2026, the number of seniors is projected to increase from 4.3 to 8 million in Canada.

"That volume means we need a better understanding of what seniors want to do, what will be beneficial for them, and how we can match those things together," says Doan.

Funded by the U of L and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, SACSA involves a dozen undergraduate and graduate students, and more than 100 people so far have participated in the centre's research projects.

At the moment, there is a wide range of studies underway. All three researchers are taking part in a collaboration called the Successful Transition to Active Retirement (STAR) project, which is examining how the transition to retirement affects activity. Studies show that generally speaking, life transitions have enormous influence on health behaviours and "retirement is a big life change that hasn't been studied very much," explains Copeland.

The study examines people in various stages on the path to retirement, including those over 55 and still working, those who have completely retired and those engaged in new careers or employment opportunities after officially retiring from a long-term occupation (bridge employment).

Preliminary findings contradict the researchers' hypothesis that people who are bridge-employed are more active because they're leaving the house regularly to go to work. Rather, the opposite is true: working after retirement seemed to make survey respondents less likely to stay physically active.

However, it's likely that how active people are during bridge employment depends upon the industry they're in, says Doan. Continuing to farm past the age of 65 is probably more conducive to activity than an office job, for instance. Ultimately, Doan plans to analyze the differences between occupations.

Doan's research tends to focus on the interaction between work and physical activity levels, as well as how environments can be engineered to promote greater health. One of his projects involves assessing how the workplaces of seniors in bridge employment can be altered to better meet their needs.

"Older workers have different demands in that their understanding of the job is probably greater, but their physical fitness may be a little lower than other workers," he says.

As an interdisciplinary centre, SACSA taps into exercise physiology, kinesiology and biomedical engineering, a growing area at the U of L. Doan, who has an engineering background, explains that many of the technologies and research methodologies at the centre rely on biomedical engineering, particularly research related to the biomechanics of movement.

Case in point: a research project involving Doan, Brown and researchers at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary involving the use of a new device, called a GaitMeter, to study the movement of people with Parkinson's disease. Because the neurological condition impairs motor function, people with the disease often struggle with walking and are apt to fall. As a result, the disease can limit a person's mobility and independence, so finding ways to improve their gait is critical. Studying the stereotypical movements of a person's walk can only be done with carefully engineered equipment.

The GaitMeter is about the size of an iPod and clips onto a belt loop. The data logger communicates with a small sensor placed on the shin to register and record subtle changes in a person's body as they move. Unlike traditional devices used to measure movement that can involve cumbersome wires, this wireless tool is engineered to allow researchers to track study participants beyond the lab.

"We can get them walking around the track or walking down the hallways at nursing homes," explains Brown.

Thanks to SACSA funding, Brown's lab is also equipped with state-of-the-art balance equipment, including a Neurocom® SMART Balance Master Clinical Research System.

"It's about the size of a British-style phone booth," she explains. "It's three-feet wide and three-feet deep, and you step into it."

The floor of the device rocks back and forth, and the visual surround also moves.

"It allows you to test the (physiological) symptoms that control your balance: your vision, what you're feeling on the ground and the integrity of your inner ear," says Brown.

The tool is enormously useful both to the community – hospital patients with balance problems often come to the lab for assessments – and Brown's research program, since falling is one of her areas of interest. One of her current projects involves investigating how the focus of a person's attention influences balance. She recently recruited patients who were self-identified as having a fear of falling and exposed them to threatening cues (such as flashing words like 'ice' and 'fall' on the screen surrounding them). Brown measured how long they attended to the words and determined that people who fear falling found it difficult to stop paying attention to the threat stimulus. One possibility from this finding, she explains, could be that people who are fearful are prone to falling because their attention is captured by the threat and consequently directed away from controlling balance.

While tripping or falling may seem like a minor issue to those in good health, the consequences increase as we age, explains Brown.

"Working in this area for the last number of years, I really appreciate that balance is something we take for granted when we're younger, but as we age it can become an issue that preoccupies your life."

As a result of trying to avoid injuries like broken hips, older people can start to limit their activity and become less vibrant and independent.

The U of L is in an ideal location to do this work. While Lethbridge has a population of about 80,000, its dry and sunny climate has made the city a popular spot for active seniors to retire.

When it comes to living an active lifestyle, researchers say there are ways to be active at any age. Despite the many disclaimers on exercise products, physical activity is remarkably safe for just about everyone.

"The risks are pretty similar, regardless of your age, when you're starting something new," says Copeland.

The key is starting off very gradually and checking with your doctor before you take on a more extreme regimen. Although she's an avid runner and outdoorswoman, Copeland says her research has reminded her to stay committed to an active lifestyle.

"I must admit that my research has affected my beliefs about physical fitness. It has to be done a little bit each day – like brushing your teeth or taking a shower."

While collecting data at the Lost Soul Ultra marathon in Lethbridge this past September, she was inspired by one of her research participants – a 65-year-old woman motoring along a 100-km route.

"That's how I want to be when I'm older."

To view the entire issue of SAM in a flipbook format, visit this link

Cryogenic system delivers the cold to AIG

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:12:12 +0000

The Astronomical Instrumentation Group (AIG) at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, a research group led by Dr. David Naylor, has taken delivery of a cryogenic system that is being used to evaluate the performance of detectors that will be on board the Herschel Space Observatory set to launch on Apr. 16.

With funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the pulse tube cooler allows researchers to test instrumentation at temperatures down to 0.3 K above absolute zero.

Dr. Darren Hayton, the project manager for the AIG's Canadian Space Agency-funded SPICA/SAFARI study, said that the device does not use expensive helium or liquid nitrogen, and allows researchers to conjure up any experiment that requires cooling to 0.3 K and maintain that temperature for up to 77 hours.

"This technology will undoubtedly find its way into other fields requiring low temperatures," Hayton says. "The ability to try out new concepts on a daily basis without the requirement for liquid cryogens, which are not only expensive, but also inherently dangerous and challenging to handle, represents a significant shift in how we operate."

The product is considered to be revolutionary in the physics research community and according to manufacturer Oxford Instruments, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the AIG has the first cryofree system in Canada and one of a precious few in North America.

Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick Vice-President (Research)

trevor.kenney — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:18:19 +0000

Welcome to the fall 2008 issue of FIAT: Furthering Innovation and Teaching

The U of L's growth as a comprehensive academic and research institution is reflected by our growth in research performance: the recruitment of 10 research Chairs; the development of the Prentice Institute for Global Population and our first endowed research Chair; and the evolution of the graduate program to embrace doctoral studies.

This year again, we have been successful in many provincial and national competitions, including those of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, National Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and others. In addition, eight successful applicants received awards from the newly established Community of Excellence in Research Development Opportunities (CREDO) program to further their endeavours in social science and humanities research. A listing of all our accomplished scholars is included in this issue. We applaud each of you and wish you continued success.

Breakthroughs in knowledge increasingly require the ability to address problems that cannot be solved by a single discipline. We must facilitate and invest in new models of collaboration and cooperation that enable us to engage partners in problem-solving and knowledge translation. The U of L remains committed to supporting multidisciplinary teams and projects that are both relevant and beneficial to our community. This issue of FIAT showcases a sampling of our collaborative success stories and the difference their research is making in the community.

Research excellence at the U of L is not limited to our faculty however. This year, 83 student recipients will share an average $12,863 in funding in 14 award categories. Three of them are featured on our back cover: Ambra Gullacher, an undergraduate student completing her studies in health sciences; Christopher Myhr, who through his studies here, has received a Fine Arts award to pursue a master's degree; and Craig Wheaton, who specifically chose our PhD program in chemistry and biochemistry.

Congratulations to all our successful ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and students. I hope you enjoy reading about some of their research in this issue of FIAT.

UNews - Canadian Foundation for Innovation

Making the case for space exploration

Related Topics

Academic couple works toward Alberta’s first epigenetics institute

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Engineering a better future

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Cryogenic system delivers the cold to AIG

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Dr. Dennis Fitzpatrick Vice-President (Research)

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