Only five decades ago, central nervous system (CNS) brain and spinal cord nerve cells were thought to be impossible to repair. Part of the research led by neuroscientist Dr. Valerie Verge (PhD) over her career has shown that they can be – if the circumstances are right.
Can your daily commute positively impact your health?
A University of Saskatchewan (USask) biomedical researcher has been recognized with a prestigious honour celebrating their promising early-career innovations.
A $4M gift is establishing a pediatric research chair at USask to study how early life factors shape chronic disease risk and improve lifelong health.
Miniature human brains grown in a Saskatoon lab are upending the way researchers see neurology and immunology.
For two University of Saskatchewan (USask) undergraduate students, their education was more than lectures, labs and exams, it was also about discovery.
As Researchers Under the Scope marks its 100th episode, we hand the microphone to Dr. Linda Chelico (PhD), who recently accepted a five-year term as Vice-Dean Research, Biomedical Sciences, at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine.
Connective Issue is the College of Medicine's digital magazine
University of Saskatchewan (USask) graduate student Sheila Naytowhow was raised by First Nation elected officials and saw first-hand how their leadership roles impact their health.
Canada’s ability to respond to emerging infectious diseases depends not only on cutting-edge research, but on the development of a strong, well-trained scientific workforce.
Dr. Holly Graham (PhD) never planned on nursing. She wanted a police badge, then a law degree and a judge’s bench.
For Canadians diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), losing the ability to do the things they love is a real fear. And while breakthroughs in drug treatments have helped slow the progression of MS, there is still more to be done to ensure that people affected are able to keep living active and engaged lives.
During her undergraduate degree, Dr. Nataliya Tokarska (PhD) realized she had an interest in neuroscience.
Dr. Linda Chelico (PhD) is the new College of Medicine vice-dean research, biomedical sciences.
Most childhoods don’t involve sitting at the hospital for an infusion of medication, transfusions on weekends, or worrying that classmates will comment on the colour of your skin.
What did you have for lunch today?
Dr. Peter Hedlin (MD, PhD) recalls being a ‘young, naïve medical student’ when he asked a mentor a question that’s stuck with him for years.
It’s easy to take our hearts for granted. The strong muscle is powered by unseen electrical impulses that anchor our lives in a steady, reliable beat. But what happens when these electrical impulses misfire, and our hearts fall out of rhythm?
From greenhouse laboratory to teaching sites across the province, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Medicine has been shaping health care in Saskatchewan and beyond for a century. This year the college celebrates two milestones—100 years since the two-year School of Medical Sciences was established and 70 years since students have been able to take their entire four-year medical degree at USask.
A large cross-Canadian study led by pediatric emergency physicians determines the best pain medicines to use when treating children with broken bones and sprains.
Virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) have evolved from technological curiosity to cutting-edge tools.
In this episode, medical student and graduate researcher Vaidehee Lanke shares what large provincial datasets reveal about opioid use disorder, maternal mental health, and pregnancy.
We're sharing the top news stories from the College of Medicine for 2025.
Joel McNair understands what it’s like to deal with trauma as a frontline worker.
As a student, Jack Walther's friends often came to him when they needed a listening ear, or help with relationship struggles.
Eve Simpson knows from experience scientific research doesn’t always follow a linear path.
Dr. Sajia Kontulainen stands with a second-generation, high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT-II) scanner secured by an investment from CFI-JELF (photo: Erin Matthews/USask)
A new cell sorting hub at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has received prestigious national-level funding through a joint, multi-unit effort.
Dr. Jessica Sheldon (PhD) is on a mission to starve out Acinetobacter baumannii—one of the world’s most virulent hospital-borne pathogens.
Two research teams from the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) College of Medicine have received funding from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) for projects related to cancer. The funding was part of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR) 2025 Spring Grant Competition.
Now in its seventh year, the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) People Around the World (PAW) international congress will bring together community members, researchers, industry partners and students for data-driven discussions about global challenges.
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have published the first Canadian clinical guidelines for Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA), a rare hereditary neuromuscular disorder.
A team of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have identified a pathway to help the human body defend itself against sepsis – a life-threatening condition caused by the body’s inappropriate response to an infection.
Kirk Haan graduated from high school, thinking he’d study pharmacy at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), and walk out five years later.
Brianna Andrews has compiled a truly remarkable resume during her time at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
Dr. Sébastien Gauvrit (PhD) was only ten when his family let him have his first tank of guppies. Within weeks, he was hooked.
Canadian collaboration identifies optimal treatment approach to improve outcomes after emergency department discharge
A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team is bringing health education into a new, technological – and virtual – world.
Dr. Stu Skinner (MD) knew something was wrong three years ago, when patients started coming to him with vision loss, fever, rashes and meningitis.
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.
Dr. Chris Zhang (PhD) knows and understands the amount of time it takes to recover from lung cancer surgery.
Dr. Yi-Chun Chen (PhD) is taking a close-up look at some of the body’s hardest-working cells — the ones often processing an overabundance of modern-day food and nutrients.
Could a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease be sitting in the dairy cooler of your local grocery store?
SASKATOON – A team of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers, using innovative genetic screening, have identified a new target to suppress breast cancer growth.
Established in 1985, the Order celebrates excellence and achievements by Saskatchewan citizens and is the province’s highest honour
Trust in public health care is vital to its success, and that trust has been tested over the past five years like never before.
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.
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.
As the world aims to eradicate hepatitis C (HCV) by 2030, Carrielynn Lund and Dr. Alexandra King’s (MD) team created a how-to guide.
Health-care researchers from USask are working on a massive international development project to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and young women in Mozambique.
Researchers are still discovering more about the fundamental building blocks of human cells and a University of Saskatchewan (USask)-led research project is exploring microproteins and their role in defending against viruses.
Dr. Brianne Philipenko (MD) was midway through her respirology fellowship in Calgary when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the city.
The human immune deficiency virus (HIV) first entered public consciousness in the early 1980s, after cases of unfamiliar and deadly illnesses began to overwhelm medical centres across North America.
A new evidence-based resource has been launched to help eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat in the Prairie provinces.
Many clinicians are anticipating the massive wave of impact Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have on the field of medicine. But instead of watching from the shore, Dr. Stephen Lee (MD) is jumping right in.
In this episode, we catch up with Dr. Sarah Forgie (MD), the new dean of the College of Medicine.
Students in the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) College of Medicine can participate in a breadth of summer research projects within the college, at both Saskatoon and Regina campuses.
A behavioural neuroscientist in Saskatoon is uncovering important truths about cannabis's effects on fetal brain development.
The town of Canora is supporting its rural older adults to live well by developing a local primary care memory clinic delivered by health providers in the community.
A Breast Cancer Awareness Month discussion with Dr. Mita Manna (MD) — University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Medicine faculty member and medical oncologist.
New treatments for promoting nerve cells regrowth in those with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are inviting optimism after pre-clinical trials at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
A top University of Saskatchewan (USask) health researcher renowned for her work in Indigenous wellness is now a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS).
Everybody ages – but new research at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) is exploring both how aging damages cells and how that aging might be countered.
What if a key to improving children's health and learning outcomes lies in the food they eat at school?
A team of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers believe that iron metabolism could be targeted to treat an aggressive form of cancer.
Even as a teenager, Dr. Juan-Nicolás Peña-Sánchez (MD, PhD) could see stark differences in health for those who had medical coverage — and those without, thanks to his stepfather, an emergency department physician.
Understanding the interactions between microbes and their hosts can lead to new therapeutic strategies for major bacterial threats.
The answers to a crucial connection between the gut and the brain of individuals dealing with Crohn’s disease might lie in tiny, lab-grown brain and intestine organoids at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
The Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health (CCRAH) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) partnered with industry to conduct much-needed research at the annual Ag in Motion outdoor agricultural show.
Dr. Linda Chelico (PhD) is the new head of the College of Medicine’s Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology.
"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).
Life-saving technology speeds heart attack response times.
A pediatrician, scholar, and esteemed educator, Dr. Sarah Forgie (MD) is the new dean of the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) College of Medicine.
Retired Math Teacher Supports Dr. Ron Geyer’s Alzheimer’s Research
As an undergrad, Dr. Daniel Fuller (PhD) didn’t have a car, nor was he keen on taking the bus.
Researchers from across the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have received funding for a variety of creative and innovative projects through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grants program.
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.
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.
The PESTA award recognizes scholars who excel in research that engages with the community to address issues related to social, environmental and economic impacts.
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.
University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers Dr. Changiz Taghibiglou (PhD) and Dr. Sara Mardanisamani (PhD) are bridging biology and data science to develop a new, non-invasive AI screening tool for those at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Jacob Alhassan (PhD) felt inspired to study health systems while growing up in Ghana. His work in Saskatchewan led him to explore the health outcomes tied to public transportation.
A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team’s discovery of the additional health benefits of an appetite-suppressing protein has doubled the potential for scientists to find new avenues for treating obesity and metabolic disorders in animals and people.
Using an innovative new method, a University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher is building tiny pseudo-organs from stem cells to help diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s.
A rare cell type in the airways of the lungs may lead to new and innovative cystic fibrosis treatments.
Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) are developing a comprehensive health and rights program in Mozambique.
Dr. Sabira Valiani (MD) was one of the frontline physicians working inside Saskatoon’s critical care units four years ago, during the initial lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers with the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health (CCRAH) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) are testing movement and functional abilities for patients’ post-surgical treatment of breast cancer.
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.
Health care research projects at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) ranging from breast cancer treatments to pandemic preparedness have been awarded funding in the latest round of Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grants.
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.
When it comes to cancer research, scientists like Dr. Humphrey Fonge (PhD) know they are always working against the clock for patients who often don’t have the benefit of time.
It was a bitterly cold day in December 2012, when two First Nation women from northern Saskatchewan stepped off the bus in Saskatoon. One had travelled 12 hours, the other seven, both to see physiotherapist Dr. Stacey Lovo (PhD) for back pain.
Dr. Hassan Vatanparast (PhD) and other University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers were honoured for their contributions to health research at the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) Santé Awards on Jan. 25.
In the heart of the Health Sciences Building, Dr. Amanda Hall (MD) studies a tray of organoids under a microscope.
Dr. Angelica Lang (PhD) knows most of the people she sees have to keep working, even if they have shoulder pain.
