First Cohort of Students to Graduate with Master of Science in Translational Health Science Degree May 30, 2023 marks a significant milestone for the University of Windsor as the first-ever cohort of students graduate their Master of Science in Translational Health Science (MSTHS) degrees in the Biomedical Sciences Department. Established just over a year ago, the program caters to graduate students with an interest in health-related careers or pursuing advanced degrees in health professions. The success of the program can be attributed to the breakdown of silos and strong partnerships forged through WE-SPARK Health Institute. These collaborations have provided students with invaluable experiential learning opportunities through 12-month placements with local clinicians and researchers. This hands-on experience equipped them with practical skills and knowledge essentials for their future careers. The 22 graduates of the MSTHS program will embark on diverse career pathways, contributing to the betterment of healthcare in various domains. Notably, some graduates have secured careers…
June 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 June 1st, 5-8pm at Bourbon Tap & Grill, 1199 Ottawa St, Windsor. No RSVP is required. WE-SPARK Health Institute is an innovative partnership supported by the University of Windsor, Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, and Windsor Regional Hospital designed to elevate health research excellence across the Windsor-Essex region.
WE-SPARK seeking community input on next Strategic Plan WE-SPARK Health Institute is an innovative partnership supported by Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, University of Windsor and Windsor Regional Hospital designed to elevate health research excellence across the Windsor-Essex region of Ontario, Canada. WE-SPARK is focused on its next steps as an institute and creating a roadmap for its future for the next five years. As a part of the exercise, the institute is conducting a brief 10-minute survey to engage the community and has hired Stiletto: Make a Point, a strategic planning and market research consultant to lead the stakeholder engagement. Insights are instrumental in the development of WE-SPARK’s inclusive regional health research vision and future work in the health research ecosystem. Please visit https://www.wesparkhealth.com/strategic-overview to access the survey, and for updates on upcoming visioning and planning sessions. The deadline to complete the survey is end of day June 5, 2023.
Health unit a partner in Canada Research Chair applications The University of Windsor will work with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit in pursuing three new Canada Research Chairs focused on public health. It’s an example of the commitment to leveraging their collective strengths the two institutions announced in August 2022, says Chris Houser, UWindsor interim vice-president for research and innovation. “Our partnership with the health unit is already presenting exciting research opportunities on campus and for the region,” Dr. Houser says. “This will bring leading experts in health disparities, biostatistics, and environmental genomics to make us leaders in public health in Canada.” The positions are to be embedded in the faculties of science, human kinetics, and arts, humanities, and social sciences. “Prioritizing three Canada Research Chairs to better understand important areas of public health concern will provide our team of professionals enhanced opportunities to support better health for all,” says health unit chief executive…
University of Windsor Students Recognized as One of the Top 40 Teams from Across the North America in Medical Case Competition Kylie Slogan and Alex Agostinis were selected as one of the top 40 teams to present at the IgNITE Medical Case Competition. Kylie Slogan and Alex Agostinis, 2nd-year students studying in Dr. Yufeng Tong’s protein biochemistry lab at the University of Windsor, were selected as one of the top 40 teams out of over 200 participating teams from across North America to present at the IgNITE Medical Case Competition. This is the first time that a UWindsor undergraduate team participated in this competition and made it into the final round. Annually, students are invited to submit their proposals beginning with an abstract and elevator pitch video. Kylie and Alex were successful in progressing to the final round and prepared a poster presentation video of their novel research proposal to experts in the field. They were both drawn to seeing how eyes from the chemistry and biological fields offer different interpretations. Cardio Respiratory Diseases was the theme for this year and the team…
Lab tour fuels hope for brain tumour research More than 65 brain tumour researchers, doctors, survivors, volunteers, and their family members gathered on May 11 at the Centre for Research Excellence (CORe) to tour the tumour research laboratory. The tours were led by adjunct professor Dorota Lubanska, research associate in the biomedical sciences lab of Lisa Porter. Master’s candidate Alexandra Sorge said connecting with those affected by brain tumours has made an impact on her work researching glioblastoma. “As any researcher would agree, it is easy to get caught up In the logistics of the science we do each day but events like these where we are able to connect with survivors — and those impacted by this life-altering illness — is a reminder of the real reason why we love the work we do,” she said. May is Brain Tumour Awareness Month in Canada, which aims to raise awareness about brain tumours, promote research, and support those affected by the disease. Karen Metcalfe, assistant director of the WE-Spark Health Institute…
Computational tool to simplify process of drug discovery Drug discovery research can get complicated quickly and John Trant, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, wants to simplify the process. When designing a potential new drug, researchers cannot look at all the possible combinations of molecules ― there are more possible “small molecule” drugs than there are atoms in the universe. But that isn’t the case for small parts of proteins called peptides. Dr. Trant and his team have created an open-access computational tool that simplifies the process of investigating potential peptide drugs and recently published it in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis. They previously posted an earlier version of the paper to the open-access repository ChemRxiv. “This easy-to-use computational tool we’ve released will help people around the world who are trying to do peptide drug discovery,” says Dr. Trant. “Peptide-based therapeutics are increasingly pushing to the forefront of biomedicine with their promise of high specificity…
May 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 May 4th, 5-8pm at Bourbon Tap & Grill, 1199 Ottawa St, Windsor. No RSVP is required.
Research into the Trends of Pediatric Diabetes and How Families Can Thrive Dr. Jessica Kichler, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Windsor Dr. Jessica Kichler, a core principal member of WE-SPARK Health Institute, conducts research focusing on pediatric health psychology, especially type 1 diabetes and young adult transition to adulthood. She is an Associate Professor and Clinical and Health Psychologist in the Department of Psychology at the University of Windsor, also certified in the United States as a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. “My area in diabetes is to understand the psychological adjustment, coping and self-management around having diabetes, but all especially in youth and families…. What are the family factors that help kids thrive with diabetes?” Dr. Kichler has recently been part of a group of researchers that has been awarded a team grant from The Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) of Canada. Titled, “Building CAPACIty for Pediatric Diabetes Research and Quality Improvement Across Canada”,…
