Immunity problem affects nearly a third of calves worldwide
A University of Alberta dairy researcher is picking up where scientists left off 40 years ago, trying to solve an ongoing problem with calf health. Up to 30 per cent of dairy calves worldwide don’t get enough vital antibodies before birth to ward off the risk of diarrhea caused by E. coli and other bacteria.…
Anemia generates different immune responses in men and women
A University of Alberta-led study shows that when it comes to susceptibility to infections and other health conditions, sex matters. The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, was led by U of A immunologist Shokrollah Elahi. Elahi and his team looked at how anemia – a condition in which a person lacks enough mature red…
Fungi have great names – turkey tail, pigskin poison, honey mushroom – and come in all shapes and sizes
My local nature club recently hosted a mushroom walk. No, that’s not where you take your pet mushroom for a walk. We visited some trails in central Ontario looking for different types of mushrooms, poisonous and edible. We weren’t foraging so we left the woods as we found them, although many others go to local…
Research brings cancer-killing cells to bear against a certain type of colorectal cancer tumour
A University of Alberta researcher has discovered how two signalling molecules recruit immune cells known as killer T cells to a specific type of colon cancer with more favourable patient outcomes. The finding may represent a therapeutic strategy to target other types of cancers. Kristi Baker, assistant professor in the Department of Oncology, examined tumours…
Developers working to get it to market
A University of Alberta engineering duo is getting a boost from the university’s newly formed commercialization engine, imYEG, to get a new device for people with breathing challenges to market. Medical devices that assist people who have a low level of oxygen in their blood have evolved from large stationary tanks of compressed oxygen to…
Changing colour of alpine lakes may be a sign of worsening water quality, according to reports
Another casualty of the disappearance of glaciers in the Canadian Rockies is the vanishing of the iconic turquoise of glacier-fed alpine lakes, according to a University of Alberta limnologist who documented the unfortunate change in the latest look at the health of Canada’s mountains. In an essay written for the fourth annual State of the Mountains…
New materials could harness energy from cellphones or body heat, and improve solar power, geothermal
Extra heat is generated from any form of energy conversion – even with something as green as solar panels. But with up to 72 per cent of it left unused, there’s also great potential to harvest electricity from that waste. A University of Alberta researcher has successfully developed a way to figure out the chemistry…
Fractalkine molecule showing promise for treating certain neurodegenerative disorders
An immunological molecule called fractalkine can boost the production of brain cells that produce myelin, a key factor in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, according to recent research from the University of Alberta. Myelin is an insulating layer around nerves that is gradually worn away by inflammation in multiple sclerosis and similar diseases. Without this…
Device built by U of A team could help researchers learn how osteoarthritis develops
Members of a University of Alberta student club are walking on air after testing samples of bioengineered knee cartilage in a reduced-gravity experiment competition. Amira Aissiou and Kirtan Dhunnoo of the University of Alberta Space Design Group strapped themselves in and went for a wild ride in the Canadian Space Agency’s Falcon 20 parabolic aircraft to get a…
Tianna Tanasichuk's internship was a chance to gain experience – not learn about herself
Working in the sunshine, surrounded by the soft hum of a dozen beehives this summer, Tianna Tanasichuk couldn’t help thinking of her recently passed Métis great-grandmother. “Whenever I was working with the bees, I felt like if she was here, she’d be proud of me, knowing I took this risk, of trying to grow by…
Strength in agricultural, environmental and engineering research shows in latest NTU rankings based on scientific publications
Bolstered by a strong showing in agriculture, the University of Alberta landed in the top 100 of a world ranking that compares the scientific performance of universities based entirely on academic publications. According to the 2021 NTU Ranking, calculated by National Taiwan University, the U of A ranked 91st globally – up one spot over last…
Blocking a process involving a protein called BAD might lead to an ability to stem cancer's spread
A team of University of Alberta researchers has identified an unexpected role for a protein known as BAD in the ability of cells to migrate in the body – a finding that has promising implications for understanding how breast cancer spreads. BAD, short for “BCL2 associated agonist of cell death,” has many roles in the…
We have only two to five years to act once lionfish arrive
Coastal countries have between two and five years to act to protect native fish species once voracious lionfish arrive in their waters, according to a University of Alberta ecology professor who helped create a tool to predict which fish are in danger. The lionfish, originally a popular aquarium species native only to the Pacific and…
Calculator helps farmers assess potential crop losses and plan for future growing seasons
The work of a University of Alberta researcher has been used to develop a tool for Western Canadian canola farmers to get a better idea of how a disease common to the plant could affect their bottom line. The Blackleg Yield Loss Calculator is part of the Canola Council of Canada’s suite of agronomic tools being offered to producers…
Sanjay Kalra is creating the most comprehensive biological picture of ALS yet
University of Alberta researcher Sanjay Kalra is leading a team of investigators awarded $2.85 million from Brain Canada to create a platform that will help ALS researchers better understand the complex disease and find ways to treat patients with a more personalized approach. ALS, often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurological disease that affects…