Poor cognitive and academic outcomes are common consequences for children growing up in economically poor families. Poverty is associated with alterations in brain development, communication and cognitive skills. Children living in poverty are exposed to poverty-related risk factors and stressors, including less language exposure. Little is known about the early development of language and cognitive […]

Immune therapies for cancer are in their early stages and require further investigation to improve their function. Chemokines and their receptors are responsible for directing white blood cells to various parts of the body. Because they are so important in controlling the immune response, they make ideal targets for therapy. To exploit this, we aim […]

Cryopreservation of aquatic species’ gametes and embryos would enable stable and sustainable resources for genetic management in species preservation and breedstock for aquaculture. Cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos is of considerable financial interest to both Spanish and Canadian aquaculture, yet there have been no industry-scale successes in their cryopreservation. The Paredes lab at the University […]

Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer in both dogs and humans. The high mortality rate of this disease can be attributed to its ability to spread (metastasize) to the lungs. Metastasis is a complex and multi-step process. To promote the survival of cancer cells when they spread, organs can change their characteristics […]

Cannabis products are being used for a variety of conditions. In Canada, there are no cannabis products approved for use in children. Without evidence from clinical trials doctors are hesitant to recommend cannabis products for children. In order for doctors to feel confident in advising parents on medical cannabis they need better information on if […]

The intern will be conducting surveys of breeding waterfowl at nine wetlands previously restored by Ducks Unlimited Canada. Wetlands provide abundant ecosystem services and are threatened by modification from environmentally damaging human activities that have reduced their quantity and function. Waterfowl are highly dependent on wetlands for many stages of their lifecycle and Ducks Unlimited […]

Macrophages are a type of white blood cell of the immune system that engulfs and digests cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes and cancer cells in a process called phagocytosis. They are often involved in development of inflammation, but in some settings can have the opposite effect. Much research is dedicated to investigating how macrophages develop […]

Next generation preclinical development (caspase inhibitors, stem cell evaluation) and islet metabolic engraftment efficiency in a Phase I/II clinical study of the Cell Pouch™ for islet transplantation in Type 1 diabetes. (The Cell Pouch System™ is a proprietary non-biodegradable polymer device designed by biologists, scientists and engineers which unobtrusively fits under the skin, rapidly incorporating […]

With the onset of climate change and an ever-increasing human population, Sub-Saharan Africa faces a three-pronged sustainable development dilemma: how to increase food security while also conserving biodiversity and reducing social inequality. Given the importance of agriculture in Sub-Saharan economies, agricultural intensification and expansion will likely comprise the main course of action to address food […]

Fisheries are an important industry in Canada, particularly in rural communities that depend on marine resources for sustainable economic opportunities. But all fishing imposes environmental costs. In the case of northern fisheries, one cost of concern is the incidental bycatch of seabirds by fisheries. Birds, attracted to bait and discards from vessels, can get ensnared […]

The goal of the project is to determine if the cannabis-derived, non-psychoactive compound, cannabigerol (CBG) (a key component of Cannabis), which is known to reduce inflammation in a mouse model of colon inflammation, can also prevent intestinal strictures (fibrosis) and narrowing of the intestine in the setting of intestinal inflammation. We will use cell culture […]

Invasive aquatic species are one of the largest threats to aquatic ecosystems and cost Canadians around $343 million annually. Aquatic invasive species negatively impacts recreational use of freshwater and can decrease water quality, reduce native populations, and can cause fisheries to collapse. Prussian carp are an invasive species native to Asia that have recently been […]