Microfabrication tools allow inventors to design and test precision medical devices at rapid speeds
In the world of precision medicine, really, really small is a really big deal. That’s certainly the case for western Canadian entrepreneurs who have big ideas for tiny medical devices, thanks to a new investment from Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) in a University of Alberta facility. Medical device developers now have access to $1.5 million in…
Designation signifies late U of A professor’s importance to the Canadian cultural landscape as a renowned classical music composer
An archival collection documenting the life and accomplishments of a University of Alberta music professor has struck a high note by earning a world-class designation. The Violet Archer fonds at the U of A has been accepted into the Canada Memory of the World Register, part of a UNESCO program that showcases the most meaningful documents in humanity’s…
Tiny sensors could be used to detect and treat foot wounds before they get bad enough to require amputation
It was sparked by a chance conversation. Simon Palfreyman and Manisha Gupta got to talking about their research after a meeting. He’s an expert in wound care and she’s a leader in making biosensors that can be attached to the skin to monitor things like temperature or the presence of germs. Palfreyman, an assistant professor…
Half of children with cancer being treated with cisplatin suffer irreversible hearing loss
A University of Alberta research lab has helped identify a genetic variant that increases the risk of hearing loss in children with cancer who are treated with the widely used drug cisplatin. Amit Bhavsar, assistant professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology and Canada Research Chair in Functional Genomic Medicine, led the U…
Daily positive messages are designed to help emergency personnel cope with trauma of the job, similar to successful Text4Hope
Two free text messaging services have been launched to support the mental health of Alberta’s first responders. Text4PTSI and Text4Well-being are designed to help emergency personnel cope positively with feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, disturbed sleep and suicidal thoughts, said project lead Vincent Agyapong, clinical professor of psychiatry and global mental health in the University of Alberta Faculty…
Latest technology will test how well different breeds convert the power of the sun, offering hope of better yields for farmers
A University of Alberta researcher is working to capture the power of sunshine to boost canola yield for western Canadian farmers. Over the next three years, plant scientist Linda Gorim of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences (ALES) will assess up to 300 breeding lines of canola from around the world to find out which are…
Kim TallBear and Jessica Kolopenuk are addressing increasing demands for Indigenous governance in STEM
It’s a common misconception, Dr. Kim TallBear says, that while Indigenous peoples have culture and tradition, white people own science and technology. As TallBear mentions in a video trailer for one of the Faculty of Native Studies’ newest online courses, this myth doesn’t only undermine the myriad ways Indigenous peoples have produced science, technology and knowledge systems throughout history…
Nano humus works like a sponge that attaches to and holds cadmium, a common byproduct of mining
A low-value byproduct of the coal mining process is proving highly effective at helping reclaim the land and water used in mining, University of Alberta research shows. Nano humus, a substance extracted from coal mine deposits and then crushed to a black, powdery material, has “outstanding physical and chemical properties” that remove heavy metals from…
Coalition they helped create will advocate, share ideas and shape policy aimed at improving access to broadband
Two University of Alberta professors are working to improve internet services for Albertans living in rural and remote communities as members of a new coalition. The Alberta Rural Connectivity Coalition (ARCC), which U of A digital technology experts Rob McMahon and Michael McNally helped found last fall, is working with steering committee members to bring together Alberta communities to explore ways…
Firefighters at the centre of the battle against the massive Fort McMurray wildfire in 2016 have persistent lung damage, according to new findings published by a University of Alberta occupational health research team. “Those who were dealing with burning organic matter were exposed to a barrage of small particles in the smoke, and the ones with the…
In the world of precision medicine, really, really small is a really big deal. That’s certainly the case for western Canadian entrepreneurs who have big ideas for tiny medical devices, thanks to a new investment from Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) in a University of Alberta facility. Medical device developers now have access to $1.5 million in…
