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January networking event to bring together health research community WE-SPARK continues to host their monthly networking series in 2023. These events focus on networking by providing a casual forum to bring together the Windsor-Essex health research community. The evening does not have an official agenda, no rsvp is required, 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 January 5th , 5-8pm at Bourbon Tap & Grill, 1199 Ottawa St, Windsor.
Awards recognize collaboration in health research Ryan Palazzolo, WE-Spark Health Institute student network co-ordinator (centre), accepts an award for dedication to advancing its vision from executive director Lisa Porter and assistant director Karen Metcalfe. WE-SPARK Health Institute awarded 18 students for their poster presentations during its International Research Conference in November. The undergraduate, graduate, PhD, and medical students were awarded $1,400. The innovative projects were wide-ranging across a variety of disciplines and included addressing child literacy gaps in vulnerable populations, preventing the spread of COVID-19 through education, exploring barriers to young adults seeking mental health supports, cancer research projects, and more. For the complete list of projects and names of the students and their collaborators, click here. “It’s so important that students are given local opportunities to present their work,” said biomedical sciences professor Lisa Porter, executive director of WE-Spark. “Telling…
Industrial partnership yields big gains for Windsor-Essex and University of Windsor Members of chemistry professor Nick Vukotic’s research group pose with an instrument panel signed by Proto and UWindsor staff involved in the build (from left): Anton Dmitrienko, Dr. Vukotic, Michelle Dao, Melissa Berberi, Madeleine Chang, Joy-Lynn Kobti, and Ali Baranbo. An industrial partnership between Proto Manufacturing and the University of Windsor has resulted in the development of a cutting-edge scientific instrument for the discovery of new solid materials. The system uses X-rays to rapidly test small amounts of materials, such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, minerals, and nanomaterials. The team, spearheaded by chemistry and biochemistry professor Nick Vukotic, filed a provisional patent around the design of a new instrument in early 2022. “The partnership we have with Proto is truly unique in that it has both a local and global impact,” says Dr. Vukotic. “Locally, it enhances the research capabilities of the University, creates jobs, and provides an excellent training…
Leadership and research skills earn national award for chemistry student Joseph Zurakowski, a doctoral student of chemistry, has won a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. Synthetic chemist Joseph Zurakowski has won a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. As a Vanier Scholar, the doctoral student has demonstrated leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies. These awards are competitive — this is the first to be awarded to a UWindsor Faculty of Science student in over 10 years, and Fallon Mitchell is the first-ever recipient in the Faculty of Human Kinetics (see related story). “I’m completely floored and incredibly grateful,” says Zurakowski. “I believe it takes a city to raise a person and between my family, my partner, and my supervisors, this news is incredible.” The Government of Canada launched the Vanier scholarship program in 2008 to strengthen the country’s ability to attract and retain world-class doctoral students and establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning.…
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 December 1st, 5-8pm at Bourbon Tap & Grill, 1199 Ottawa St, Windsor. No RSVP is required. WE-SPARK Health Institute is a partnership of Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, the University of Windsor and Windsor Regional Hospital designed to take healthcare outcomes to the next level through research.
Report highlights accomplishments of health research collaborative WE-SPARK Health Institute has released its Year 4, second quarter report, highlighting key accomplishments from August 2022 – October 2022: $6.9M in new research funding reported by members; a new Innovation Hub to create a network of health care innovators; collected 40 patient tissue samples, re-launching fresh tissue trials in Windsor-Essex; 12 new members onboarded to its Student Volunteer Network; 10 face-to-face outreach events; and six events & workshops including a Think Tank and three WE-SPARK After Dark events, with 120 participants. Read the Report here. WE-SPARK quarterly reports communicate outcomes and provides accountability to its members and the Windsor-Essex community. All quarterly reports can be found here.
St. Clair College receives $720,000 to tackle youth homelessness and school nutrition St. Clair College has received $720,000 in social innovation research grants to tackle youth homelessness and school nutrition in Windsor-Essex. The first of the two projects focusses on youth experiencing homelessness, partnering with Family Services Windsor-Essex (FSWE). Lead Researcher, Dr. Kyle Jackson, Professor in the Honours Bachelor of Applied Arts in Social Justice and Legal Studies program at St. Clair College explains that the research will develop better methods to make contact with and estimate this hard-to-reach population. It will also conduct in-depth interviews with youth experiencing homelessness aimed at better understanding their lived experiences. “Ultimately, this will enable us to develop unique programming aimed at the prevention of homelessness before it begins in the first place,” said Jackson. SCC faculty and student researchers are utilizing a new sampling method and interviews to gather data on youth experiencing homelessness, to be used in assisting…
Erie Shores HealthCare Joins WE-SPARK Health Institute Left to Right: Bill Marra, President and CEO, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare / Lisa Porter, Executive Director, WE-SPARK Health Institute / Patti France, President, St. Clair College / Kristin Kennedy, President and CEO, Erie Shores HealthCare / David Musyj, President and CEO, Windsor Regional Hospital / Chris Houser, Interim Vice-President Research & Innovation, University of Windsor. Erie Shores HealthCare joined Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, the University of Windsor and Windsor Regional Hospital as an official partner of WE-SPARK Health Institute during a celebration and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on November 16, 2022. WE-SPARK Health Institute began approximately 13 years ago as a grassroots effort between health researchers and healthcare professionals across the Windsor-Essex region with a passion to elevate and grow health research. In March 2020, WE-SPARK was officially launched, with a vision to establish a thriving and engaged research community…
Innovation Ambassadors to address problems in healthcare Innovation Ambassadors will translate their research and clinical experience into products, services, programs, or processes addressing problems in health care. WE-SPARK Health Institute is launching an Innovation Ambassadors Program to create a community of innovators able to respond to problems within the local healthcare system. Made up of researchers and healthcare workers from its five partner institutions, the Innovation Ambassadors be involved in projects to translate their research and clinical experience into products, services, programs, or processes. The program will offer webinars and networking events to identify and act upon regional health and health care problems, connect with a diverse audience of industry and community partners, and forge partnerships with other innovators in regional ecosystems across Canada and internationally. Benefits of becoming an Innovation Ambassador include: connecting with representatives from provincial, national, and international organizations…
