AHFMR News
AHFMR honours longstanding researchers around the Province
(Edmonton, AB) Tuesday, October 17, 2006... The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Researcher (AHFMR) is honouring 15 researchers at the Universities of Alberta and Calgary who have received continuous Heritage support for 20 and 25 years.
"AHFMR has supported health research throughout Alberta for more than twenty five years. That long-term commitment is being realized in the fifteen extraordinary individuals we are recognizing this week." says Dr. Kevin Keough, President and CEO of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research. "Their AHFMR support is based on the investment from government and the people of Alberta.” Research by these investigators covers areas from heart to cancer to vision research.
The two programs will feature remarks from the Universities, greetings from the Government of Alberta, and a keynote address from a leading cosmologist and physicist, Dr. Lawrence Krauss who will be speaking on: The scientist as citizen: rules of engagement.
| What: |
25 and 20 year recognition for researchers Special guest speaker, Dr. Lawrence Krauss |
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| When: |
U of A: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 U of C: Thursday, October 19, 2006 |
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| Time: | 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM | |
| Where: |
U of A - Timms Centre (87th Ave. and 112th Street) U of C – Libin Theatre (Health Sciences Ctr – 3330 Hospital Dr. NW) |
Please call Dwayne Brunner, AHFMR Communications, at (780) 966-1518 for further information.
Backgrounder
25 Year Researchers
Dr. Christopher Bleackley
AHFMR Scientist, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta
Dr. Chris Bleackley has shown that cancerous tumours express low levels of a certain molecular receptor that allows them to escape death. This finding points the way to potential new treatments for cancer. Knowing the trigger that allows cancer cells to dodge death means researchers can focus on how to get the cells to make more receptors or find a way to convince the ones that are there to accept the killer T cells—the immune system's response to invaders.
Dr. Cyril Frank
AHFMR Scientist, Director, Bone and Joint Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
In tests of a gene therapy approach to improving ligament healing, Dr. Cy Frank found that he could improve scar tissue strength significantly within four weeks of a single injection. Dr. Frank is also creating a model to study the healing, repair, and replacement of a knee ligament. He ultimately plans to apply the gene therapy approach to healing ligaments in hopes of delaying or preventing osteoarthritis.
Dr. Michael James
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta
Dr. Michael James works in the field of proteomics—the study of proteins and their functions. Using Canada's only synchrotron facility, the Canadian Light Source in Saskatoon, Dr. James' work focuses on understanding the biological functions of proteins, especially those of enzymes, through knowledge of their three-dimensional structures.
Dr. Quentin Pittman
AHFMR Scientist, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
Dr. Quentin Pittman studies the role of the brain in controlling body responses to infection as well as in controlling blood pressure. He also studies plasticity of nerve cell function during pregnancy and lactation, and the influence of neonatal immune challenges on adult autonomic function.
Dr. Peter Smith
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta
When a nerve is cut or damaged, “neuropathic” pain can result. Such pain is typically chronic, and often very difficult to treat as it responds poorly to painkillers. Dr. Peter Smith tries to understand the long-term electrophysiological changes that occur in sensory nerves when they are damaged, including altered responsiveness to drugs, as well as alterations in ion channel properties.
Dr. Brian Sykes
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in western society for men and women. Dr. Brian Sykes studies the structure, dynamics, and function of the proteins that regulate heart contraction. Dr. Sykes is also the director of NANUC, the NMR facility at the University of Alberta.
Dr. John Vederas
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta
Dr. John Vederas' research centers on the formation of important biological molecules, using NMR and mass spectrometry, as well as other techniques. His work on the design and synthesis of inhibitors of certain enzymes could help in the development of drugs for illnesses such as the common cold, Hepatitis A, polio, and foot and mouth disease.
20 Year Researchers
Dr. Robert French
AHFMR Scientist, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
Dr. Robert French conducts fundamental research on ion-conducting channels—essential membrane proteins responsible for normal electrical signaling in nerves, muscles, and the heart. His work will help to further understanding of the structure and function of these channels, which are vital to proper cellular function. Understanding these mechanisms could lead to new clinical approaches in the prevention of stroke, heart attack, and tissue damage during surgical procedures.
Dr. Anne Gillis
AHFMR Scientist, Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
Dr Anne Gillis's experimental models of heart disease help study factors that lead to the development of abnormalities in heart rhythm. Dr Gillis is also a world leader in implantable device therapy for the treatment of heart rhythm disorders. She is currently conducting clinical studies both to identify patients who may benefit from a pacemaker, and to evaluate the effectiveness of pacemakers in the treatment of atrial fibrillation.
Dr. May Ho
AHFMR Scientist, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
Malaria infections worsen when infected red blood cells stick to the endothelial lining of capillaries, causing blockages that disrupt body functions. Dr. May Ho's research is aimed at defining the molecular basis of this sticking process, so drugs that prevent or reverse sticking can be developed to stop this chain of events. This kind of therapy would be lifesaving, particularly within the first 24 to 48 hours before the malaria parasite becomes rampant.
Dr. Christopher Mody
AHFMR Senior Scholar, Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
In AIDS patients, the immune system slowly shuts down, making them susceptible to infections. Dr. Chris Mody works to understand the immune response so that the remaining parts of the immune system can be triggered to compensate for lost immune functions.
Dr. Arthur Prochazka
AHFMR Scientist, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta
Dr. Arthur Prochazka has developed a medical device that could help some people who have suffered a stroke or spinal cord injury to recover basic hand movements. The wireless-triggered stimulator cuff is worn on the forearm and is triggered when the user clicks his or her teeth. The toothclicks are detected by an earpiece similar to a hearing aid, that sends a radio signal to the stimulator cuff. This in turn stimulates the hand to open or close, allowing every day objects to be grasped and manipulated.
Dr. Paul Schnetkamp
AHFMR Scientist, Departments of Physiology & Biophysics and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
Retinitis pigmentosa is a degenerative retinal disease that affects 50,000 Canadians and leaves them blind in early childhood. Dr. Paul Schnetkamp researches the basic mechanisms of sight. His findings are leading to a better understanding of RP and a host of other eye diseases.
Dr. Richard Schulz
AHFMR Scientist, Departments of Pediatrics and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta
Dr. Richard Schulz has found that a common antibiotic may lessen damage caused by heart attacks through its effect on certain heart cell components called MMPs. MMPs are released by heart cells within second of a heart attack, damaging heart tissue.
Dr. Dennis Vance
AHFMR Scientist, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta
Dr. Dennis Vance studies a lipid called phosphatidylcholine (PC), found in cell walls. He has shown that when the production of PC is blocked, the liver makes less low-density lipoprotein, known as LDL, or bad cholesterol. He has also determined that PC is made by a liver enzyme called PEMT that is also important for LDL secretion.
Keynote speaker: Dr. Lawrence Krauss is a scientist who plays an active role in connecting science to people's lives. Director of the Center for Education in Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics at Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Krauss is an internationally renowned scientist, writer, and commentator on science and society. His work in advancing science in the public has garnered him numerous prizes and honours. He is outspoken on such hot topics as intelligent design. The author of several popular science books, including The Physics of Star Trek, Dr. Krauss is a contributor to The New York Times, and is a regular guest on radio and television programs.
The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research currently provides funding for more than 600 researchers and researchers-in-training at the province's three main universities. AHFMR's commitment is to fund health research based on international standards of excellence and carried out by new and established investigators and researchers-in-training. Total AHFMR funding for more than a quarter of a century is in excess of $850 million. For more information, visit www.ahfmr.ab.ca.