Project delves into how one growth hormone contributes to the problem and whether drugs can stop it
Researchers are looking for ways to prevent or slow cachexia, a muscle-wasting syndrome thought to cause up to a third of the 80,000 deaths related to cancer every year in Canada. By understanding the role of activin A, a growth factor that contributes to muscle wasting, the team hopes their lab research will eventually help…
Could predict which men are at risk of developing an aggressive form of the disease
Scientists at the University of Alberta are part of a new research project to develop innovative precision diagnostics that could predict which men with prostate cancer are at risk of developing an aggressive form of the disease. The researchers will use germline sequencing (sequencing of the genes a person is born with) to determine which…
U of A researchers are harnessing AI to analyze patients’ own cells to create islet cells for transplant
University of Alberta researchers are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to find a safer, more personalized source of islet cells to treat Type 1 diabetes. The research project, a collaboration between the departments of surgery and computing science, aims to use AI to analyze images to speed up the process and reduce the need for human decision-making…
Industry poised for rapid growth
A fast-growing Edmonton startup company that’s a new player in the cellular agriculture sector recently received US$2.2 million from three U.S. venture capital firms and a number of private investors. Future Fields, which was incorporated in 2018, was founded by two University of Alberta graduates and a former U of A employee. All but two…
Transit users are part of a six-month pilot project assessing a new and surprisingly simple method of killing dangerous bacteria on touch surfaces – door push plates made of compressed salt. The pilot project, conducted by Edmonton biotechnology startup Outbreaker Solutions with Edmonton Transit, involves compressing sodium chloride (the chemical name for salt) into moulds to…