Research News
Just Give Mutants A Chance: Dr. Linda Chelico
How cell mutations and mutagenesis took one microbiologist from Melfort to Malibu and back
Four new USask Vanier Scholars demonstrate excellence in research and leadership
University of Saskatchewan (USask) doctoral students Gilbert Adum, Lindsey Boechler, Cody Koloski, and Pezhman Zolfaghari Didani have been named 2022 Vanier Scholars.
Read the 2022 edition of Connective Issue
Connective Issue is the annual College of Medicine magazine.
USask research a step closer to shedding light on bacterial infection process
Before you got those nasty gut cramps that sent you scurrying to the washroom, or you came down with a fever, chills, and clogged airways thanks to pneumonia, various cells in your...
USask research awarded $3 million help build better cities
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers are co-leading a new pan-Canadian and international research team aiming to understand how cities of all sizes in all countries can m...
Dr. Oleg Dmitriev on Copper, Platinum and Safer Chemotherapy
Colour-changing reactions and small explosions punctuated life at Dr. Oleg Dmitriev's home, when he was a boy. He loved trying out chemical reactions, and experimenting. As a teena...
USask research investigates what can happen when immune system proteins go rogue
A specific family of DNA-modifying proteins normally function as part of the human immune system to combat viral infections. But what happens when these proteins begin to modify DN...
Signature areas of research help USask highlight its strengths
The university has provided $360,000 to nine teams to assist in developing and showcasing innovative interdisciplinary research, scholarly, and artistic work
New bone imaging technique could lead to improved osteoporosis treatment
Osteoporosis takes heavy toll on Canadians in terms of physical suffering and economic burden.
What Physics Can Tell Us About Inflammatory Pulmonary Disease, with Dr. Asmahan AbuArish
Asmahan AbuArish grew up in Hebron, surrounded by military checkpoints. She knew she wanted to help people, but she had to give up her dream of being a medical doctor.
USask study links reconstructive surgery after breast cancer to changes in upper limb movement
A recently published study authored by a pair of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers shows that reconstructive surgery after breast cancer treatment has a demonstrable i...
Winning ‘battle for metals’ key to defeating antibiotic-resistant bacterium: USask research
Lock up the silverware! According to new research from the University of Saskatchewan (USask), that’s how the body responds to Acinetobacter baumannii, a nasty pathogen commonly fo...
Delivering success: USask research sheds light on what makes maternity waiting homes work in low-income countries
Pregnancy- or childbirth-related death is rare in high-income, western countries, but not so in low- and middle-income countries.
Childhood diet may contribute to impacted wisdom teeth, USask research shows
Have you ever wondered why so many people end up with impacted wisdom teeth, which cause discomfort, pain and infection, and often require expensive surgical removal? A University ...
Brain differences in men and women could affect post-stroke outcomes
Strokes are the third leading cause of death in Canada and have impacted close to 880,000 Canadians over the age of 20.
USask researcher targets pain relief from diabetic neuropathy
Diabetes affects about three million Canadians, with the prevalence increasing yearly. About half of those living with diabetes experience nerve pain and sensory issues—called diab...
Sophisticated tools enable USask researchers to advance water security, human health
Three University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have been awarded $430,000 in total by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to help purchase cutting-edge equipment that ...
USask-led research team aims to develop vaccines for prion diseases
Even Dr. Scott Napper (PhD) uses words such as scary when describing the focus of his research—a group of diseases caused when otherwise innocuous proteins go rogue, creating condi...
Bruna Bonavia-Fisher: Invaluable Facilitator
Faculty members within the biomedical sciences departments voiced their enthusiastic support to nominate invaluable research facilitator Bruna Bonavia-Fisher in the Create-it categ...
Young Innovators: USask researcher says pain assessment tools can be more inclusive
Have you ever been asked to rate your pain on a scale of one to 10? Or been shown a chart with different cartoon emoticons, where you are asked to choose one to describe your pain ...
USask’s Dr. Vivian Ramsden (PhD) elected Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Fellow
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher Dr. Vivian Ramsden (PhD) will be inducted today as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS), one of the highest hono...
USask research informing decision on national school food program
As you fret over lunches to send with your child to school, consider that Canada is the only G-7 nation—and one of only a few countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operatio...
USask research teams to test treatments for eliminating HIV infection, fibrotic diseases
Research to explore the effectiveness of innovative targeted treatments for HIV infections, and the use of protein therapy to break down fibrous scar tissue are two of five new Uni...
Regrowing nerves, understanding severe period pain are focus of new USask research
Investigating the effectiveness of intermittent low oxygen therapy for nerve regeneration and increasing health professionals’ understanding of menstrual pain in female youth are t...
New research on the risks of lead exposure from bullets used in big game hunting
For the first time, researchers have used synchrotron imaging to study both the size and spread of bullet fragments in big game shot by hunters.
USask researchers studying zebrafish to get to the heart of your heartbeat
A research team at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has been awarded a national grant to study genetically modified fish to gain a better understanding of how a human heart b...
Bold USask projects aim to advance MS therapy, agriculture innovation
Three interdisciplinary health and agriculture projects led by University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have been awarded $250,000 each under a federal program that aims to f...
Using CBD Oil to Treat Severe Epilepsy in Children, with Dr. Richard Huntsman
As a pediatric neurologist, Dr. Richard Huntsman sees children with the most medically complex forms of epilepsy.
USask teams to establish research programs to better understand and treat serious diseases
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have received more than $930,000 in provincial funding support from the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) for research a...
New assistant dean to strengthen mentorship program in Graduate Studies
As a University of Saskatchewan (USask) biomedical sciences professor and researcher, Dr. Erique Lukong (PhD) strives to provide and encourage strong mentorship for graduate stude...
Patient-oriented research in Saskatchewan receives $25.2 million in support
The Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR) based from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has entered a second phase of operation, thanks to a $12.6-million g...
Pewaseskwan at USask signs MOU with SFNWC to support research with Indigenous women
The Saskatchewan First Nations Women’s Commission (SFNWC) at the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and pewaseskwan—the Indigenous Wellness Research Group (IWRG) at ...
USask researchers awarded NSERC funding for future innovation in science, health and engineering
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers in diverse disciplines were awarded over $7 million in federal government grant funding.
Hot-boxing Rats and Brain Neuroscience, with Dr. Robert Laprairie
Researchers in Robert Laprairie's laboratory are hard to miss, wearing tie-dyed lab coats as they oversee mice and lab rats in iPad-sized chambers filled with cannabis smoke.
Dr. Ivar Mendez: The Robot Will See You Now
Dr. Ivar Mendez is one of the world's leading experts in neuroscience and robotics, neuromodulation, and remote medicine.
A recipe for success: USask researchers champion improved MS care with a ‘local flavour’
Multiple sclerosis (MS), which affects one in 3,000 Saskatchewan residents, is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that disrupts how information flows from the b...
USask researcher examines link of genetic mutation and immune systems to blood cancers
University of Saskatchewan (USask) research findings published in Cell Reports examine how a genetic mutation affects the body’s immune system response to viruses and its link to t...
New project studying connection between Indigenous mental health and housing promises to help people in Saskatchewan and abroad
Shortly after Dr. Jim Dosman (MD) came to the College of Medicine in 1975, he began studying the link between farm dust and lung health.
Game-Changer: Dr. Deborah Anderson on Triple Negative Breast Cancer
A profile of one of Saskatchewan’s top cancer researchers
Researchers at USask providing Indigenous leadership in $5M grant for national heart failure research network
Leading Indigenous researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) will play a critical role in a new national, patient-driven network addressing the challenges of heart fail...
USask research reveals pandemic had negative impact on mental health of Sask. children, youth
Nearly 40 per cent of children and youth in Saskatchewan reported their mental health was worse compared to the beginning of the pandemic, according to survey results published by ...
USask research team to establish community-informed program to help smokers quit
A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team is creating a provincial program framework to help community organizations better implement smoking cessation programs. The commu...
Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Chandra Dattani’s story
Chandra Dattani's smile lit up the room, and her laughter was contagious.
USask research plays role in developing space radiation experiments for NASA Artemis I mission
USask research plays role in developing space radiation experiments for NASA Artemis I mission
USask teams funded to breathe new life into lung health research
Three transdisciplinary research teams from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have been awarded almost $350,000 to discover solutions to lung health challenges.
'I'm Going To Do This': with Dr. Veronica McKinney
When Veronica McKinney was a little girl, she vividly remembers going to the Saskatoon Public Library, borrowing a Time-Life book about the human body.
USask-led multi-disciplinary team helping to develop strategy for virtual care
Internationally renowned virtual care pioneer Dr. Ivar Mendez (MD, PhD) of the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is leading a large gro...
USask-led study aims to provide guide to ‘build back better’ after pandemic
A large interdisciplinary team led by two University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers, which is collaborating with community service agencies in Saskatoon and Regina, has been a...
USask teams awarded $600,000 to find innovative solutions to addictions
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have been awarded more than $600,000 to catalyze innovative ideas and move research into real-world settings in the face of the growi...
Physician in the field: Niels Koehncke on the 'flip side' of medicine
Most patients at a hospital or a clinic walk in sick. Doctors do their best to treat their ailments.
USask researchers track multi-species transmission in world first
A team of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have cracked a multi-species mystery, documenting the flow of a common canine pathogen from a dog to a human.
Community-driven: graduate researchers make a difference
To spread hope and cheer in Saskatoon, the Office of the Vice-Dean of Research typically runs a charitable donation campaign at the end of each year, during the Christmas break.
Federal funding invested in research that will build cancer prevention tools rooted in Métis culture
A University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher has been awarded more than $175,000 from three major funding bodies to support a project that seeks to lower cancer rates of Métis p...
USask study finds dog therapy can reduce ER patients’ pain and anxiety
University of Saskatchewan (USask) research shows therapy dogs can help reduce pain and improve well-being for people treated in emergency rooms.
USask collaboration key to research funding success
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has awarded $810,000 over five years to a diverse team of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers who are embarking on an a...
USask researchers collaborate with Indigenous communities to address health inequities with new federal funding
Two University of Saskatchewan (USask) research teams have been awarded more than $2.8 million in federal funding to address systemic inequities in the lives of Indigenous people i...
USask researchers target prostate cancer cells to develop new treatments
Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer for men in Canada. Two University of Saskatchewan (USask) investigators are hoping their research will identify targets that lead ...
USask selects three new signature areas of research
Researchers embrace exploration — responding to emerging questions and needs as they arise in the pursuit of new knowledge. The renewal process for the University of Saskatchewan’s...
Dr. Alex Wong on Sask's rush to drop Covid rules
As Saskatchewan drops its proof-of-vaccine requirements and masking orders, doctors and nurses are angry and frustrated, as they care for record numbers of COVID patients.
USask-City of Saskatoon study finds ways to divert edible food from landfill
Diverting edible items from the landfill to improve food security is an easy cause to support. Removing the barriers to make it happen, however, can be complicated.
USask researchers: The post-pandemic legacy of COVID-19
From the lingering effects of long COVID on patients, to the long-term impacts of an overburdened health-care system, University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers are concerned a...
Pathology professor recognized with lifetime achievement award
After significant contributions and dedication to a career of cancer research, Dr. Rajendra K. Sharma (SOM, PhD, DSc, FRSA) has been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award by...
Rewards of teaching and research go beyond sharper clinical skills for USask medical faculty
Dr. Rob Woods (MD) recalls working a shift with a fifth-year emergency medicine resident about a year ago. A new staff physician who’d been a resident the year before was just fini...
How a summer research project with pewaseskwan turned my curiosity into a passion
When I was presented with the opportunity to do a 2021 Dean’s Summer Research Project with Dr. Alexandra King (MD) and her research team, pewaseskwan – the Indigenous Wellness Rese...
Phantom Power: Audrey Zucker-Levin on Artificial Limbs
Audrey Zucker-Levin estimates it's been more than 30 years since she first poked her head into a researcher's office at New York City's Hospital for Special Surgery.
USask study finds post-surgical monoclonal antibody treatment reduces breast cancer recurrence
Treating women diagnosed with one type of early-stage breast cancer with the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab after surgery reduces the risk of the cancer returning, reports a resea...
USask sponsors inaugural Canadian Black Scientists Network BE-STEMM Conference
The Canadian Black Scientists Network (CBSN) is hosting the first annual Black Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine and Health (BE-STEMM) conferenc...
USask researchers see virtual reality as way to build anesthesiology skills in physicians
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers are looking to virtual reality as a tool to help refresh anesthesia skills for rural physicians.
The importance of meaningful, community-led research projects
This past summer, I had the privilege of participating in a community-based participatory research project with the pewaseskwan (The Sky is Clearing) research group.
Internationally recognized Parkinson’s disease researcher honoured with Achievement Award
The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) announced the winners of the 18th annual Santé Awards to celebrate top health scientists in the province.
The Kids Are Not All Right, with Ayisha Kurji
Dr. Ayisha Kurji first noticed the uptick in children and teens being admitted to hospital in the spring of 2020. Some had cardiovascular damage. Some had gastrointestinal issues. ...
Disrupting COVID-19 with potential new treatments: USask research
SASKATOON – A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team has discovered insights into the structure of the virus that causes COVID-19, possibly leading to new treatment optio...
Behind BRK, biochemistry and breast cancer: Dr. Erique Lukong
Dr. Erique Lukong (PhD) grins, pointing to two bracelets on his wrist. One is inscribed with the word 'focus'; the other 'believe'.
USask researchers tackle health issues raised by COVID-19
As the pandemic rolls through another year, University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers continue to seek out timely responses to the crisis based on scientific discovery.
USask researchers among top scientists cited worldwide in Stanford list
On a recently published list, more than 130 University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers were featured prominently among the world’s top scientists, social scientists and academi...
Queering the medical curriculum
We spent the summer reviewing literature and creating suggestions for best practices for including queer content in the medical curriculum.
Treating diabetes with black bag medicine: Dr. Stu Skinner
Without a car, without childcare, without a grocery store, a pharmacy, or a place to get blood work done, how does a person with diabetes in rural Saskatchewan keep their disease i...
USask biomedical researcher investigating what makes COVID-19 variants more infectious
A University of Saskatchewan (USask) biomedical scientist is leading a research team in investigating how COVID-19 variants function and interact with a host’s cells.
USask researchers pave the way to accessible health care for those with inflammatory bowel disease
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers from the College of Nursing and the College of Medicine are collaborating to improve the virtual care experiences of patients with in...
Pewaseskwan at USask signs MOU with FSIN to create research alliance
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and pewaseskwan—the Indigenous Wellness Research Group (IWRG) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask)—have signed a memorand...
Slips, trips and spills: preventing falls with Dr. Cathy Arnold
For senior citizens, fracturing a hip is more often than not a life-changing injury.
Upcoming conference on HIV and hepatitis C vital to addressing rising rates in Saskatchewan
Pewaseskwan - the Indigenous Wellness Research Group based in the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Medicine, is hosting the Sask Stories Provincial Conference on HIV a...
Indigenous virtual conference to highlight lessons learned from COVID-19 to address viral hepatitis
The organizing committee of the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Viral Hepatitis is hosting a virtual conference about lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic by global I...
Who is avoiding the COVID-19 vaccine in Saskatchewan? New USask research could help to target the holdouts
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have been studying why Saskatchewanians have been refusing or hesitating to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
Unchanged over two decades: Marek Radomski calls for boost to biomedical spending
Dr. Marek Radomski says research pays off, in attracting dollars to post-secondary institutions, in creating healthier citizens, and in lowering health costs.
USask research aims to increase cervical cancer screenings with at-home HPV testing
A USask researcher has received $280,000 for a pilot project intended to lower and remove barriers to cervical cancer screening for women living in under-served or remote areas.
USask researchers take steps to develop new multiple sclerosis treatments
Research from a University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Medicine team will help develop medications that can inhibit the nerve cell damage that occurs due to diseases such as...
Wearing a surgical face mask as protection from COVID-19 does not affect performance of youth hockey players: USask study
A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team has found that wearing face masks to protect against COVID-19 during play does not affect the sport performance of youth hockey p...
Science with an armchair and a drink: Julia Boughner and Café Scientifique
Julia Boughner knows primates carry a deep-seated instinct to gather together.
USask research, published in major journal, contributes to understanding of Cystic Fibrosis
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) are hopeful new understanding of cellular defects related to Cystic Fibrosis (CF) could help pave the way for treatment of the...
Michael Levin and the race to reverse MS neurodegeneration
Dr Michael Levin is a neuroscientist unravelling the mysteries of nerve degeneration in Multiple Sclerosis patients.
USask researchers awarded more than $4.45 million for six health-related projects
A pair of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers will receive in excess of $2.4 million for two projects using Indigenous ways of being and doing to influence change in the...
Young Innovators: USask researcher crosses biological boundaries to discover insights into multiple sclerosis
PhD candidate Cole Libner and his research team have tackled the question of how to decelerate or halt the devastating neurodegeneration caused by MS.
What I Did Last Summer: Kyra Ives on neuromuscular disease
One of the trickiest parts of treating patients with neuromuscular diseases such as Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis is figuring out how to keep them active and moving.
USask researchers, Ovarian Cancer Canada and Province of Saskatchewan team up to improve testing and treatment options
A University of Saskatchewan (USask) project will create the province’s only tumour bank and—for the first time in Canada—offer ovarian cancer patients testing to learn if biologic...
USask researcher named a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher Dr. Malcolm King (PhD) has been named a fellow in one of Canada’s oldest and most prestigious national institutions.