Background: Obesity is a common chronic disease -particularly in Western nations- that is frequently linked with the presence of other illnesses and earlier death. Typical obesity management strategies might include medication, such as the drug Contrave, which has been approved for weight loss in Canada. While Contrave reduces appetite and food cravings in most people […]

This project investigates the SPbeta bacteriophage, a model organism in phage biology with significant implications for microbiology and biotechnology. The primary objective is to develop and refine methods for its purification and biochemical characterization, enabling a detailed analysis of its structure and function. Using targeted deletion mutants, we aim to identify key genes and proteins […]

Outside the temperate zones, thermal biology (i.e., energy expenditure, microclimate choices) of bats is poorly understood. This leaves wildlife managers with little ability to set conservation priorities for tropical and sub-tropical bats in response to extreme heat events due to climate change and infectious disease. A recent risk assessment predicted that the disease white-nose syndrome […]

Le bruit sous-marin généré par le transport maritime est une pollution émergente qui peut perturber le comportement des organismes marins. Si ses effets sur les mammifères marins et certains poissons sont bien documentés, son impact sur les crustacés benthiques, comme le crabe commun (Cancer irroratus), reste encore mal compris. Ce projet de recherche vise à […]

This project aims to investigate asymmetric cell division (ACD) in blood cell development using live imaging and Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) as a model system. Hematopoiesis, the process of blood cell formation, relies on tightly regulated mechanisms to balance stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Disruptions in this balance can cause blood disorders such as leukemia. […]

Research in our group has begun to show that plants generate and use electrical signals to control functions within their structure. When external stimuli are applied to a plant, different electrical signals are generated. These electrical signals contain information both about the stimuli but also how the plant reacts to this stimuli. This research project’s […]

The Brodt laboratory engineered and developed a novel IGF-targeting molecule (the IGF-Trap) with otent anti-cancer effects. The objective of this project is to optimize the use of this potential drug in re-clinical cancer models and develop sensitive biomarkers for assessing and predicting its effect. In addition, the effect of this inhibitor on pancreatic cancer growth […]

This internship project focuses on developing optimized DNA sequences, known as signal peptides, to enhance the secretion of proteins produced by bacteria. Signal peptides are critical for secreting proteins out of the bacterial cell, facilitating their purification and downstream processing. Under the guidance of Dr. Susana Matamouros and Professor Michael Bott, a leading expert in […]

As the largest urban park in Canada, with more than 160 kilometres of maintained pathways and 20 major parks, the River Valley is a natural asset for the City of Edmonton and part of a broader ecological network that connects through the tablelands and into the region. Edmonton has a long history of protecting the […]

Biopharmaceuticals are pharmaceuticals that are produced in biological systems, as opposed to being made synthetically using purely chemical approaches. Biopharmaceuticals are becoming increasingly important today, as biological systems are very good at making pharmaceuticals with very precise activity within people and with fewer side effects. However, most of the conventional approaches used to make biopharmaceuticals […]

The research aims to develop new technology for production of nutritional berry powders with lower production cost and higher quality. The project will test the properties of the raw material and formulate new method for processing the sample for simpler and cost effective production process. With the outcome of this project, the partner organization will […]

Large burn wounds are a leading cause of morbidity and a major burden on Canadian patients and the health care system. Burns can be clinically treated by transplanting donor mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) that suppress inflammation and regenerate the recipient tissue. However, the stiff culture surfaces of bioreactors stress-activate MSCs during expansion into scar-promoting ‘myofibroblasts’ […]