While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge Canada’s health-care system and economy, a University of Alberta economist has been awarded $1.25 million by the federal government to start planning for the next public health crisis. Christopher McCabe, professor in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and CEO of the Institute of Health Economics, will lead a cross-Canada team…
Women have been hit hardest when it comes to job losses during COVID-19, so when the federal government brings down its budget on April 19, the first since the pandemic began, it’s expected that getting women back to work will be a top priority. The government has tapped 18 women to form Canada’s Task Force on Women…
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…
With help from Alberta farmers, an online animal science course is giving U of A students an inside look at the agricultural industry
Online classes during COVID-19 can feel a bit distant. But add in 48 farmers and a real-time calf birth, and things perk up considerably. That vivid minute-by-minute experience of watching a Black Angus cow give birth was a matter of lucky timing as Jesse Emery gave University of Alberta animal science students a virtual walking…
Dental offices are safe, says U of A periodontist who urges people not to put off appointments that would prevent problems
Dental issues such as broken and fractured teeth are on the rise as COVID-19 pandemic stress continues to affect our lives. Dentists at the University of Alberta’s School of Dentistry Oral Health Clinic are warning patients that postponing treatment will only escalate the problem. “It’s a very stressful time, and we are grinding and clenching our teeth…
Covid-19 has proven the feasibility of online conferences. But as we emerge from the pandemic, will we slip back into our old ways?
As a conference co-ordinator, Oliver Rossier couldn’t believe the sheer waste of time, money and carbon it took to fly an international scholar to Edmonton for a one-hour lecture. “I tried to set up workshops with graduate students and other researchers the following day, but he had to get on a plane right after his…
Job site and neighbourhood risks should be taken into account when setting priorities, experts argue
It's time for a more nuanced approach to prioritizing COVID-19 vaccinations as more contagious variants become prevalent and a third wave of infections threatens to overwhelm hospitals in some provinces, according to an analysis published recently in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. “It’s time to move the debate away from age and medical risk factors,” said lead author…
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…
University of Alberta research highlights potential pathway for new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases
Scientists at the University of Alberta have identified a mechanism for a protein that decreases the chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease – a discovery that highlights a new potential avenue for developing therapeutic treatments. The protein, called CD33, is known for its connection to Alzheimer’s disease susceptibility, but its exact role was unclear until now.…
U of A pharmacy researcher looks for ways to correct a common but often hidden type of diabetes-related heart failure
A University of Alberta laboratory has uncovered a new approach to preventing heart failure in people with Type 2 diabetes, according to research findings published recently in the journal Cell Reports. “We know people with diabetes take drugs for years to control their blood sugars, but the drugs don’t cure their diabetes,” said lead author John Ussher, associate…