Research News
Joint research team studies sustainable cities in Copenhagen
Representatives from the University of Saskatchewan (USask), the City of Saskatoon, and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) are going to Copenhagen to study what goes into buil...
Celebrated USask medical researchers named Canadian Academy of Health Sciences fellows
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers Dr. Alan Rosenberg (MD) and Dr. Nazeem Muhajarine (PhD) were named members of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) in recog...
USask helps lead promising Parkinson’s disease research
Like many Canadians, Dr. Changiz Taghibiglou (PhD) has seen first-hand the devastating effects of Parkinson’s disease.
Shelley-May Neufeld: Living Our Values
The College of Medicine Staff Awards recognize outstanding staff across the college who go above and beyond in their roles.
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 shou...
USask researchers receive more than $8.7 million in NSERC funding
SASKATOON - University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers from a variety of colleges and departments have received funding for projects through the Natural Sciences and Engineerin...
New USask research chair focuses on improving Indigenous children’s wellness
Newly appointed Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) Dr. Wendie Marks (PhD) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) is investigating links between obesity in Indigenous children an...
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 ...
Combating diabetes using community strengths, aided by USask research
SASKATOON – A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team is working directly with Indigenous communities throughout Saskatchewan to improve methods for preventing Type 2 diab...
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 ...
USask researchers receive $7 million in CIHR funding
Research on new ovarian and pancreatic cancer diagnostics and therapeutics among the projects to receive funding.
USask receives $1-million donation to improve research, care for neurological disease patients
Knight Cares and philanthropist Kevin Knight have generously donated $1 million to the University of Saskatchewan (USask) to improve research and care for patients affected by neur...
USask researchers developing AI to predict cardiovascular disease
Dr. Scott Adams (MD, PhD) is creating artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to more accurately identify people at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Mossy Cells and New Paths in Neuroscience: Dr. Justin Botterill
When Dr. Justin Botterill (PhD) first arrived at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), he took what he described as a 'shotgun approach' to choosing classes.
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 e...
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 p...
USask researcher aims to revolutionize human-assisted reproduction
Roughly one in six couples in Canada experiences infertility, a figure that has doubled since the 1980s. Many of these couples are turning to assisted reproduction technology (ART)...
Ready to Launch: Anurag Sakharkar Pinpoints Key Biomarkers in Astronaut Health
Like a lot of kids, Anurag (Anu) Sakharkar used to dream about being a doctor, or an astronaut. His parents, both academics, encouraged him to follow his dream.
USask technology leads to a groundbreaking human trial that solves 187-year-old surgical mystery
Rope-like bands of internal scar tissue that form in close to 70-90 percent of all patients who undergo abdominal surgery have bedeviled patients and surgeons alike for more than 1...
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 pandem...
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 we...
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 res...
New funding helps University of Saskatchewan researchers take aim at long COVID
SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers are part of a Canada-wide consortium awarded $20 million by the Government of Canada to pursue research into “long COVID,...
USask research projects receive SHRF funding
Four College of Medicine and School of Rehabilitation Science research teams received funding for Saskatchewan-aligned research needs.
When Can ICU Patients Be Discharged Home
Patients in intensive care units often move to a regular ward before they're discharged and sent home. Increasingly, hospitals are skipping that step, sending a handful of ICU pati...
Reversing the effects of Alzheimer's Disease: Dr. Ron Geyer on NeuroEPO
For decades, families have watched Alzheimer's disease steal their loved ones' cognitive function. It's the most common form of dementia; one that affects a third of people over th...
USask-led research project receives more than $1.3 million to study bone strength development in children with diabetes
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have received more than $1.3 million for an unprecedented multi-year study of the development of bone structure, density and strength...
From Scratch: Rural Dementia Care with Dr. Debra Morgan
Dr. Debra Morgan (PhD) grew up on a farm and continued farming with her husband, initially working in nursing in the winter. Nursing shifts took her from neurosurgery to pediatrics...
A DNA protein may be responsible for causing cancerous ‘stress balls’ in the body: USask research
In 2022, an estimated 7,000 Canadians were diagnosed with leukemia, a term used to define cancer of the blood cells. Of that 7,000, it is estimated that nearly half will face morta...
Clinical trial planned for novel Alzheimer’s disease therapy at USask
A novel therapy developed for Alzheimer’s disease — previously shown to significantly slow the progression of the disease and, in some instances, reverse cognitive decline — will b...
Leaders in discovery: five USask researchers honoured with top provincial health awards
College of Medicine researchers have received Santé Awards from the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation for research excellence.
Affairs of the (Zebrafish) Heart: Dr. Michelle Collins
If you've ever sat through a bad date at a restaurant, unsure of what to order, you're still doing better than a typical zebrafish on a date. Dr. Michelle Collins (PhD) said withou...
Pewaseskwan at USask supports Nehiyawak (Cree) language and culture revitalization on Saskatchewan First Nation
Nehiyawak (Cree) language echoes through the auditorium at Sakāskohc High School on Onion Lake Cree Nation (OLCN) on a cold December evening. Four male Elders sit in armchairs at t...
Dr. Darryl Adamko: Little Lungs, Lessons Learned
Diagnosing pulmonary diseases like asthma in young children is still largely a matter of trial and error, according to Saskatchewan’s top pediatric respirologist.
New connections advance health and wellness at USask
While experts in music and immunology may not typically have much in common, an unlikely pair of researchers are leading a new area of research focus for the University of Saskatch...
USask researchers to gain remote access to huge array of Statistics Canada data
SASKATOON – A recent investment of $17.4 million in a national research and training platform by two federal granting agencies will provide University of Saskatchewan (USask) healt...
Dr. Scott Widenmaier: Connecting Cholesterol, Obesity and Immunometabolism
When Scott Widenmaier left high school, he wasn't sure what career he wanted to pursue.
USask research investigates new treatments for drug-induced neuropathy in cancer patients
SASKATOON – Chemotherapy can be a saving grace when facing cancer. When drug-induced neuropathy results from anti-cancer drugs like Cisplatin (CP), a common drug for breast cancers...
Decolonizing institutional approaches to research from the inside
King is changing the way research is done with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities
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.
Zapping brain cancer with long needles opens door to new treatments: USask research
SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have developed a new method of killing brain cancer cells while preserving the delicate tissue around it. The technique a...
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...