UWindsor research team joins province-wide COVID wastewater project Mike McKay and his team at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research are part of province-wide effort to analyze wastewater for COVID. Researcher Mike McKay of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research and his team will be part of a first-of-its-kind province-wide SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance project announced yesterday and supported by Ontario Genomics, Genome Canada, and the biotech company Illumina. Dr. McKay will collaborate with Ontario Genomics, University of Guelph, University of Ottawa, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, and others to analyze COVID-19 in wastewater to improve public health response and better understand outbreaks in communities across Ontario. The project will enhance critical province-wide co-ordination and viral surveillance and support provincial and national efforts to understand how the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, is changing over time through emerging variants, including variants of concern. The virus responsible…
Science alumni event going virtual Alumni of the Faculty of Science will gather for talks, trivia, and team spirit on Thursday, June 10. A new event called “Science Leads the Way” aims to virtually gather science alumni for talks, trivia, and team spirit on Thursday, June 10, at 7 p.m. In the absence of in-person parties, the Faculty of Science and the Department of Alumni Affairs joined forces to create a science-themed evening of entertainment that could be enjoyed online. The one-hour event features two guest speakers: Lisa Porter, biomedical health sciences, will explore the role science has played during the pandemic in her talk, “The Pandemic Paradox: Trusting Science During a Health Crisis.” Dan Mennill, integrative biology, will discuss a species of toad that changes its colour for one day each year as well as how his team used lifelike robotic models to learn more about the mysterious toads in a presentation entitled “Toads and the Colour-Changing Frogs of Costa Rica.” In addition to two lightning…
Economic impact of UWindsor “dramatic and transformative,” says report The University of Windsor continues to have a dramatic economic impact on the region and the nation, according to a new study by financial services firm KPMG. The University of Windsor continues to have a dramatic and transformative economic impact on the region, the province, and at a national level, according to a new study by financial services firm KPMG. A recent Economic Impact Assessment concluded that as all universities prepare for future challenges, “UWindsor is uniquely placed to be a front-runner in meeting these challenges. This reflects its unique location at a major border and the depth and breadth of its educational programming.” KPMG also points out that UWindsor is an active and important stakeholder in the Windsor-Essex region through the education and training of its students, and has contributed to the productivity and growth of the local economy by: Supporting local businesses in educating and providing a skilled labour force for the region, and investing nearly…
Engineering professor takes on role as acting associate VP academic Edwin Tam will begin a term of up to two years as acting associate vice-president, academic, effective July 1. Acting provost Patti Weir announced Monday the appointment of Edwin Tam as acting associate vice-president, academic, effective July 1 for a term of up to two years. Dr. Tam is an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and served as its assistant dean, student affairs from 2007 to 2018. In this position, he oversaw and promoted first-year engineering, developed and maintained support services and counselling for academic related concerns, and oversaw engineering recruitment initiatives. Courtesy: https://www.uwindsor.ca/dailynews/2021-05-31/engineering-professor-takes-role-acting-associate-vp-academic
Research project working to tackle microplastics pollution at source Jill Crossman is co-ordinating a multidisciplinary team developing new tools to test, analyze, and track microplastics pollution. UWindsor researchers and institutional partners are tackling microplastics pollution at its source. Researchers must solve the mystery of where microplastics originate, as well as how they travel and where they end up, before the major international pollution problem can be curtailed. Jill Crossman, a professor in the School of the Environment, is co-ordinating a million-dollar multidisciplinary, multi-institutional project to develop new tools to test, analyze, and track Ontario’s microplastics pollution. “There are severe knowledge gaps limiting our ability to track plastics already in the environment and these gaps remain a key roadblock to efficient policy implementation,” says Dr. Crossman. Crossman, along with UWindsor researchers Scott Mundle, Bulent Mutus, James Gauld, and Simon Rondeau-Gagné, and colleagues from partner universities, have…
Go grey in May for brain tumour awareness Natalie Galarnyk holding a photo of her sister Katrina Photo credit: CTV News Windsor “Katrina otherwise known as Kat. She was the life of the party. The most contagious laugh. Biggest smile,” says Natalie Galarnyk. Natalie Galarnyk’s sister Katrina was diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma multiforme brain cancer at age 19. Katrina was 21 when she died. “It’s more about us being able to help other families that went through or going through similar situations. We were so fortunate to have family so close and have family members all over Canada come and visit us and support us, but a lot of people don’t have that,” says Galarnyk. Many, like Ontario Minister of Health, Christine Elliott are supporting ‘Go Grey in May’, a national campaign to raise awareness of brain tumours. “We should take this time to recognize all those impacted by brain tumours. I share my heartfelt support to those affected and express gratitude to the wonderful teams supporting them,” says…
UWindsor prof part of push to increase Canadians' physical activity University of Windsor Professor Chad Sutherland, pictured outside his home on Friday, is part of a national research team looking to make physical activity more inclusive and equitable for all Canadians. PHOTO BY DAX MELMER /Windsor Star At a time when a global pandemic is limiting options for exercise, University of Windsor kinesiology professor Chad Sutherland is part of a national research team looking to make physical activity more inclusive and equitable for all Canadians. David Patchell-Evans, CEO and founder of GoodLife Fitness, tapped Sutherland and a diverse group of individuals from health care, business, academia, sports and fitness for the “Change for Good Health” project. Other participants include Patchell-Evans’ wife, Olympian Silken Laumann, noted University of Toronto professor Bruce Kidd and Paralympian Joel Dembe, along with representatives from Diabetes Canada, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada and the Canadian Coalition for Seniors’…
College Students Examine Radiation Therapy Wait Times Some St. Clair College Data Analytics students have developed an innovative scheduling application to help address wait times for radiation therapy at Windsor Regional Hospital. Under the direction of Program Coordinator John Ulakovich, data was provided on different types of treatments, their duration and the typical wait times for those treatments in 2019. The students in the ‘Radiation Therapy Wait Time Optimization Project’ then created a detailed report which uncovered some interesting results. “We could tell which days were the busiest, which treatments took the longest, and which treatments were completed most efficiently,” says Ulakovich. Ulakovich praised the collaboration from the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre administrative team, in particular Laura D’Alimonte, Clinical Practice Manager for the Radiation Program who helped pull the raw data which was used to discern the information in hopes of improving the current processes - to the benefit of patients. He also thanked…
Going grey a way to raise awareness of brain tumours “Go Grey in May” is a national campaign to raise awareness of brain tumours. Local researchers, health care professionals, students, and the Windsor-Essex community are coming together for Brain Tumour Awareness Month, dedicated to supporting, empowering, and amplifying the voices of those affected by brain tumours. Local brain tumour research has been growing steadily over the past several years. New multi-disciplinary teams across local and international institutions have come together, funded by a grants from the Brain Tumour Foundation, the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and WE-Spark Health Institute. Collaborative teams include University of Windsor biomedical scientists and chemists, Windsor Regional Hospital neurosurgeons and oncologists, and cross-border collaborations with specialists at the Henry Ford Health System and Michigan State University. Local teams include University of Windsor professors Lisa Porter, Simon Rondeau…
