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…
Working with a local business and community groups to provide a cabinet full of free menstrual products
Passersby in Edmonton, Alta. ’s Garneau district may have noticed a new mid-sized cabinet covered in colourful stickers, looking like it belongs not on the street but in an office. Those who stop at its location outside Remedy Cafe on 109th Street to look inside are often surprised to realize the unlocked unit is stocked…
Innovators in women and children’s health, water safety, nutrition and archeology join ranks
Why some are more susceptible to cardiovascular disease than others, even when taking into account life-modifying factors like smoking and exercise, boils down to developmental aspects that start in the womb, according to a global authority on vascular pathophysiology in the pregnancy complication of pre-eclampsia. “It sets the stage,” said Sandra Davidge, Distinguished University Professor in…
Findings could help doctors plan and support treatment to give patients the best outcomes possible
Breast cancer patients who were in better physical condition completed more of their chemotherapy treatments, according to a University of Alberta study that gives physicians further guidance in individualizing treatments and preparing patients for the road ahead. “Clinicians often talk about patients being fit for chemotherapy, but no one ever had looked at actual physical fitness variables…
Pregnant women can now easily and quickly determine whether they should be exercising, thanks to a new one-of-a-kind tool developed in collaboration with researchers at the University of Alberta. The Get Active Questionnaire for Pregnancy, newly published by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, guides pregnant individuals through a series of yes/no questions to confirm…
Study suggests following physical activity guidelines could help a vulnerable group that is bearing the brunt of social isolation
New moms and pregnant mothers-to-be who were physically active in the early days of the pandemic had a 30 per cent less chance of experiencing depression, according to a study that also shows this already vulnerable group continues to bear the brunt of the isolation measures. “It’s not like it was a big shock that…
In honour of International Women’s Day, we celebrate three research-focused clinicians who are improving women’s health
As the world marks International Women’s Day, we celebrate the scientists who are working to improve women’s health. More than 140 researchers are working on women, children’s and perinatal medicine through the Women and Children's Health Research Institute (WCHRI) at the University of Alberta, supported by the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation and the Stollery Children’s Foundation.…
Women’s Health Collective Canada will support research to fill knowledge gaps and meet women’s unique health needs, along with educating
Women make up roughly half the population and have given birth to everyone, yet have remained largely excluded from medical research and drug trials, according to Sharlene Rutherford, president and CEO of the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation (RAHF). “We know it can take 17 years for medical research to filter down to clinical practice, and women…
To be held on Feb. 13, its goal is to arm women with knowledge and questions to ask their doctors
Did you know that heart attack and stroke represent the leading cause of premature death for women in Canada? Or that Canadian women are five times more likely to die of heart disease than breast cancer? Or that 53 per cent of women who have heart attack symptoms go undiagnosed when they seek medical treatment?…
Inhibiting the process that causes resistance in these cells improves the efficacy of immunotherapy, could mean better outcomes
New research at the University of Alberta has revealed a way to increase the sensitivity to immunotherapy of a rare type of cells within a tumour that are responsible for treatment resistance and breast cancer progression. The study, recently published in the journal Cancer Letters, could pave the way to better treatment outcomes for patients. The researchers…