Regional health institute marks three-year milestone as one-of-a-kind Windsor-Essex innovation Master’s student Tiana Visconti explores breast cancer treatment in the lab of WE-SPARK Health Institute executive director Lisa Porter. Windsor-Essex healthcare and academic institutions are marking three years since they joined using a one-of-a-kind model designed to elevate health research excellence — an innovative model that has proven to deliver exceptional results. WE-SPARK Health Institute is an official partnership of the University of Windsor, Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, and Windsor Regional Hospital, governed by a Board of Trustees made up of the CEOs of the respective organizations. Its six committees include representatives from across all partner organizations who inform, direct, and implement the institute’s strategic priorities of organizational effectiveness, research excellence, community engagement, knowledge translation, and building capacity. The seeds of the institute began about 13 years ago as a grassroots effort…
UWindsor researchers granted $750,000 to pursue cancer-related discovery It was a “serendipitous” discovery that could change researchers’ understanding of how a deadly form of liver cancer develops in the body. University of Windsor researchers were recently awarded $750,000 from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research to study how a protein, named Speedy, discovered by Bre-Anne Fifield promotes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) — which can lead to Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. “The project will focus on determining how Speedy changes the cell biology and the fat that accumulates in the liver and it will determine how that can lead to the formation of liver cancer,” said Fifield, who is an adjunct assistant professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Windsor and a member of the WE-SPARK Health Institute. “This is an exciting project, as results from this work could reveal new ways of detecting aggressive NAFLD early and new avenues of treatment for this aggressive form…
2023 WE-SPARK Grant Call WE-SPARK Health Institute is now accepting applications to stimulate the development of early-stage, novel, and innovative health research and education projects in Windsor-Essex. The WE-SPARK Igniting Discovery Grants will provide funding for projects that have any health research focus across all health themes: biomedical research; clinical research; implementation science; educational health programs; health services research; and social, cultural, environmental, and population health research. The objectives of the grants are to provide new research teams and programs with support to pursue quality projects and encourage exploratory and discovery-oriented projects, and boost collaborations among our Windsor-Essex community and beyond. The letter of intent deadline is April 3, 2023 at 5 p.m. For complete information including guidelines and application forms, please click here. Find a list of previously funded projects at www.wesparkhealth.com/projects.
March networking event to bring together health research community WE-SPARK Health Institute hosts monthly networking events for members of the Windsor-Essex health research community to get to know one another through fun and casual conversations. There is no formal agenda, and all are welcome. This is an opportunity for anyone interested in health research to make connections in an informal and enjoyable atmosphere. The next event will be held Thursday March 2nd, 5-8pm at Bourbon Tap & Grill, 1199 Ottawa St, Windsor. No RSVP is required. WE-SPARK Health Institute is a partnership supported by Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, the University of Windsor and Windsor Regional Hospital designed to take healthcare to the next level through research.
Report highlights third quarter accomplishments of health institute WE-SPARK Health Institute has released its Year 4, third quarter report, highlighting key accomplishments from November 2022 – January 2023: • added 129 new members from the previous quarter, to surpass the 1,000 milestone; • welcomed Erie Shores HealthCare as a new partner; • facilitated the collection of 73 patient tissue samples, an increase of 33 over last quarter; • hosted its first in-person International Research Conference; a 2-day event with over 200 attendees that featured 67 posters, 36 oral presentations and 14 student awards; • expanded its student research network at St. Clair College and the University of Windsor, for a total of 68 student members, and four paid internships; • facilitated five Adjunct Appointments in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Windsor; local physicians and healthcare providers need academic appointments to build their research programs; and • hosted six events focused…
Panel shows leadership from women in science The Faculty of Science’s Women in Science group held a panel discussion to mark the International Day for Women and Girls in Science. Leaders speaking included (from left) Dora Cavallo-Medved, Arunita Jaekel, Isabelle Barrette-Ng, Shari Forbes, Maria Cioppa, Lisa Porter, Chitra Rangan, and Alice Grgicak-Mannion. Students got a lesson in leadership from successful women scientists on Friday, Feb. 9. In honour of the International Day for Women and Girls in Science, the Faculty of Science’s Women in Science (WinS) held a panel discussion on leadership. Eight women leaders from various disciplines within the Faculty of Science shared their personal stories of resilience and persistence. Acting dean of science Dora Cavallo-Medved leads the WinS group out of the USci Network. She started off the discussion by answering a question about the best qualities of a leader. “I believe it takes good listening skills, patience, as well as a thoughtful approach. It is about building relationships…
Kinesiology professor lauded for work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities A UWindsor kinesiology professor has been featured in the latest edition of Community Living Essex County’s Possibilities Newsletter for his work with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Chad Sutherland is the founder of the Faculty of Human Kinetics’ Adapted Physical Exercise Research Group, or APEX for short. The program offers physical activity including sports and games for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. People supported by Community Living Essex County have participated in the APEX program for the past 12 years. “I’m pleased to be profiled in this edition of the newsletter,” said Sutherland. “It helps to showcase the University of Windsor’s connection with the community and the services our faculty in particular provides.” Sutherland joined Community Living Essex County’s board of directors in 2014 and is currently the agency’s first vice-president. The agency lauds Sutherland for his advocacy and hands-on programming.…
Online session to spark health research collaboration A virtual think tank on Feb. 10 will discuss three local health research projects Researchers and students in all disciplines interested in discussing new ideas, solving problems, and making new connections are invited to WE-SPARK Think Tanks. A session on Zoom scheduled for 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb 10, will hear three presentations: Postpartum Breast Cancer Perspectives: Awareness, Care, and Experiences Isabelle Hinch, PhD student of biomedical sciences at the University of Windsor Translational Control in Brain Aging and Disorders Vijendra Sharma, professor of biomedical sciences, University of Windsor Solving Health Problems Together: Connecting Kinesiology Expertise with our Community Needs Joel Cort, associate dean of research and graduate studies in the Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Windsor Click here to register for the event. WE-SPARK Health Institute is a partnership of Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, the University of Windsor,…
February networking event to bring together health research community WE-SPARK Health Institute hosts monthly networking events for members of the Windsor-Essex health research community to get to know one another through fun and casual conversations. There is no formal agenda, and all are welcome. This is an opportunity for anyone interested in health research to make connections in an informal and enjoyable atmosphere. The next event will be held Thursday February 2nd, 5-8pm at Bourbon Tap & Grill, 1199 Ottawa St, Windsor. No RSVP is required.
