Grizzly bears reside on changing landscapes across Alberta, Canada. The goal of this study is to determine how disturbances in the landscape affect the health of grizzly bears. This will be monitored by analyzing the (1) expression of proteins in skin that are associated with energetics, reproduction, and stress and (2) concentrations of hormones in […]

I will be working with Associate Professor Dr. Sasha Dall from Exeter University, who is a well-known Mathematical Ecologist. He and his lab are using game theory modeling to describe evolutionary outcomes. Although I often interact with mathematicians and economist at the U of C, I have been missing direct interactions with specialists in my […]

Nowadays, the balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (FAs) has shifted in favour of the latter and fiber consumption has decreased, both of which are associated with poor cardiometabolic health. Omega 3 FAs and fiber may impart their health benefits by modulating the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and the gut microbiome, both of which are […]

The negative effects of obesity on quality of life, daily functioning and overall health are well documented. Specifically, obesity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Despite this knowledge, the incidence of obesity continues to increase exponentially leading some, generally extreme cases, to seek out laparascopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), as a means to control […]

Les habiletés motrices fondamentales (HMF), par exemple : lancer, attraper, courir, sauter, sont le fondement d’un mode de vie actif. Elles se développement au cours de l’enfance via la pratique d’activité physique donc principalement à travers les périodes de jeu. Cependant, seulement un mince pourcentage des enfants répondre aux recommandations nationales du temps accordé à […]

This project aims at understanding the role at a cellular level, of a protein called Trmt2a,b in the repair of DNA in the context of cancer and inflammation. We will study a particular set of blood samples obtained from a cohort of patients affected by acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a form of blood cancer, where […]

Pressure ulcer is one of the top five leading causes for re-hospitalization of spinal cord injured patients. In general, there are three main difficulties associated with treating these ulcers: 1) Presence of cavities and tunnels which makes it difficult to treat with conventional regimens, 2) A high chance of infection and, 3) Susceptibility to weight-bearing […]

Facial expression is a universal language to convey emotions and significantly affects social interactions. While psychologists have investigated facial expressions for decades, they have recently found their way into human-computer interactions and the gaming industry. A lot of research has been published on automatic detection of human emotions given either a single image or a […]

Based on current research in the field of genetic disorders, gene therapy – through the use of gene editing tools such as CRISPR – is a promising method to rescue defective genes. Stem cells from patient can provide a compelling in vitro model for gene therapy. In this work we are investigating the effects of […]

Heart failure is a common cardiovascular disease that is becoming even more prevalent worldwide. The current gold standard treatment for end-stage heart failure is heart transplantation. However, heart transplant therapy is a limited option due to the available number of donors, thus heart pumps emerged to offer circulatory support to patients in the heart transplant […]

The general aim of this proposal is to discover new natural products with antibacterial activity of relevance to companion animal health. While numerous discoveries of natural products have been made, the rate of discovery of new natural products has declined in recent years. The strategy outlined in this project aims to provide a streamlined approach […]

Culture is often thought of as a human trait, but recent research indicates that many animals have rich and varied cultures. Sperm whales have culturally-based population structure, with groups of whales that share vocal dialects interacting to form clans. In the Tropical Pacific and Eastern Caribbean, multiple clans occupy the same waters. In contrast, only […]