Verge, Yang, Lang honoured as top USask researchers

The University of Saskatchewan (USask) is honouring groundbreaking neuroscientist Dr. Valerie Verge (PhD), a professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, with its top academic honour of Distinguished Researcher. The award will be presented June 5 during Spring Convocation at Merlis Belsher Place.

Five USask faculty members honoured with distinguished professorship

The honorary title of distinguished professor is an award that celebrates lifetime achievement in research, scholarly, and artistic work. Three University of Saskatchewan (USask) faculty members and two professors emerti were selected to receive the honorary title this year.

In the trenches: Dr. James Stempien on Emergency Medicine

Dr. James Stempien (MD) has navigated some of the most challenging corners of emergency medicine, from the frigid isolation of Inuvik to the bustling corridors of Saskatoon’s emergency departments. His experience in low-tech outposts has shaped his approach to modern emergency care.

Cuts Like a NanoKnife: Dr. Mike Moser

"When I got into medical school, the last thing in the world I wanted to be was a surgeon because I couldn't stand the sight of blood," said Dr. Mike Moser (MD).

Anatomy of Success: Three Researchers, Three Grants, One Goal

From the laboratory to saving lives, this episode brings together three outstanding researchers from the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology (APP) as they discuss their work and its implications for cardiac care.

USask honours MS researcher

The University of Saskatchewan (USask) has chosen Dr. Sarah Donkers (PhD), assistant professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science in USask’s College of Medicine, as the 2024 New Researcher awardee for her sustained and widely acclaimed contributions to neurorehabilitation and multiple sclerosis (MS) rehabilitation. 

Nerve cell damage control

Every disease has a burning question, and multiple sclerosis (MS) is no exception. Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan take an innovative and collaborative approach to solving the enigma of disease progression in people living with MS – and how it can be slowed or stopped.

USask researchers seek to develop new breast cancer treatments

Improving patient’s cancer treatments and minimizing side effects is the focus of new research at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) which aims to explore an innovative and potentially life-changing treatment targeting the most aggressive form of breast cancer.

Dr. Haissam Haddad: At the Heart of Patient Care

Dr. Haissam Haddad (MD) inadvertently horrified his family when he signed up for engineering courses in his first year of university. The teenager returned the next day to change his major to medicine – a move he's glad he made.

Inhale, Exhale, Repair: Dr. Valerie Verge

Dr. Valerie Verge (PhD) was in her early twenties when she landed her first job, doing neuroscience research and she loved it. But 43 years ago, her research journey began to take a twist.

Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation Proud to Support Vital MS Research in Saskatchewan  

Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation (SCHF) recently announced a gift of $750,000 to support the ongoing and crucial work of Dr. Michael Levin and his team in the area of multiple sclerosis research. It’s one of many acts of generosity and leadership that the foundation has shown in their decades-long history of supporting MS research in Saskatchewan.

USask shoulder motion study nets NSERC support

The same tools used for creating special effects in film and video games are being harnessed by a University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher determined to better understand shoulder function.

Funding boosts USask team developing test to determine preeclampsia risk

Dr. Ernesto Figueiro (MD, PhD) and his team are conducting clinical research on the use of placental growth factor (PlGF) test as a tool to manage high-risk pregnancies, aiming to improve outcomes for Saskatchewan mothers and babies. A $150,000 grant will help expand the team as they develop the test for clinical use.

Renewed support for Cameco Chair in Indigenous Health and Wellness at USask

Since 2017, the Cameco Chair in Indigenous Health and Wellness at the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) College of Medicine has carried out extensive and innovative research to improve the health outcomes of Indigenous people in Canada. A new commitment of $1.25 million from the Royal University Hospital Foundation (RUHF) will ensure that work continues for an additional five years.

Turning Back the Neurotoxin Clock: Dr. Jeff Dong

Midway through his undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia, a laboratory 'help wanted' poster caught Jeff Dong's eye. He applied, gaining invaluable practical experience that summer in Stephanie Borgland's lab.

Antibodies and Aging Gracefully: Dr. Peter Pioli

Before we’re even born, our bodies begin to grow and train an army of spies and assassins, creating a crew of immune system fighters in the upper chest's thymus gland. While this production is dominated by T cells, other immune cells such as B cells and plasma cells can be generated within the thymus, albeit at a very low level.

USask researchers: COVID-19 will continue to impact health care

Increasingly, attention paid to health care in Saskatchewan and across Canada has shifted to broader concerns, like physician and other health-care worker shortages. But the pandemic is still a significant part of the challenges being faced in health care here, and worldwide.

Scratching That Itch: Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis Targets Atopic Dermatitis

When Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis (MD) returned to the prairies after her dermatology residency in Toronto, she noticed a pattern among many of her pediatric patients. Hundreds of them were coming to her with itchy, raw patches of skin, the result of atopic dermatitis — eczema. 

New USask research hits cancer with a “one-two punch”

After attacking a tumour with a targeted therapy, the cancer might stagger but often comes back fighting — usually even harder to defeat. University of Saskatchewan (USask)-led research has revealed a promising strategy to strike tumour cells and land a knockout blow by choosing the right combination of cellular mechanisms to target together.