Awarded First Place was Dr. Michael Saley, a postdoctoral fellow in Chemistry, whose work creates new tools and techniques to uncover how cells communicate with one another—conversations that shape health and disease in ways often hidden from view.

Second Place in the competition was awarded to Dr. Olabisi (Bisi) Akinlabi, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Her presentation highlighted research examining how vaginal bacterial load and microbiota influence the clearance of human papillomavirus (HPV) and the progression of cervical cancer in Kenyan women. By advancing understanding of the microbiome’s role in HPV persistence and clearance, her work offers potential insights into improved strategies for preventing cervical cancer and related health outcomes.

Third Place in the went to Dr. Asim Joshi, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Dr. Joshi’s research focuses on understanding why lung tumors often develop resistance to treatment and how this resistance can be overcome. By developing laboratory models and studying the underlying mechanisms, his work aims to identify new therapeutic strategies that could improve treatment effectiveness and patient outcomes.

The People’s Choice Award went to Dr. Mariela Rodríguez, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Human Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Rodríguez’s research is advancing green technologies for extracting and improving plant proteins—particularly from pulses. Her work focuses on enhancing digestibility, taste, and functionality, with the goal of creating sustainable, high-value food ingredients that can strengthen Manitoba’s agri-food sector.

This competition shines a spotlight on the incredible contributions of our postdoctoral fellows,” said Dr. Kelley Main, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. “Their research is advancing knowledge in ways that will have a direct impact on our communities. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and the vital role they play in shaping the future”.

This year’s challengers included:

• Dr. Asim Joshi – Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Dr. Mariela Rodriguez – Human Nutritional Sciences
• Dr. Masoomeh Gomroki – Food Science
• Dr. Michael Saley – Chemistry
• Dr. Monire Nobahar Ahari – Occupational Therapy
• Dr. Olabisi Akinlabi – Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
• Dr. Ruchira Nandasiri– Human Nutritional Sciences
• Dr. Taalia Khan – Art and Architectural History

The competition highlighted the important contributions of 8 postdoctoral researchers across varied disciplines, showing how their work is creating real-world impact in Manitoba and beyond.

This dynamic competition challenges postdoctoral fellows to summerize their research into an engaging three-minute presentation using only one slide. Presenters will be evaluated by a panel of three judges on clarity, engagement, and impact. Audience members will also play a role by voting for their favourite presentation live at the event.

Eight postdoctoral fellows are set to take the stage this year, ready to share their groundbreaking work in a way that is both understandable and inspiring.

• Dr. Asim Joshi – Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Dr. Mariela Rodriguez – Human Nutritional Sciences
• Dr. Masoomeh Gomroki – Food Science
• Dr. Michael Saley – Chemistry
• Dr. Monire Nobahar Ahari – Occupational Therapy
• Dr. Olabisi Akinlabi – Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
• Dr. Ruchira Nanasiri– Human Nutritional Sciences
• Dr. Taalia Khan – Art and Architectural History

“The 3MP competition showcases not only the depth of research happening at UM but also the creativity and communication skills of our postdoctoral fellows,” says Dr. Kelley Main, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. “The Faculty of Graduate Studies recent name change to The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies highlights the important role postdoctoral fellows play in the university community.”

The event is open to students, faculty, and the public, offering a glimpse into the research being done at UM across multiple disciplines.

Event Details:
Date: Friday, September 19, 2025
Location: Senate Chambers, E3-262 EITC
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Register to attend in person: https://forms.office.com/r/RUgFDMkg4V

For more information, visit the University of Manitoba’s Postdoctoral Achievements and Awards page. https://umanitoba.ca/graduate-studies/postdoctoral-achievements-and-awards

Hosted by Dr. Kelley Main, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies,  the 2025 Faculty of Graduate Studies Awards Reception marked the faculty’s first in-person awards reception celebration since the fall of 2019, as an opportunity to come together and recognize the outstanding achievements of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, and faculty.

Dr. Michael Benarroch, President of the University of Manitoba, presented the Faculty of Graduate Studies Outstanding Support Staff Award, recognizing excellence in administrative service to graduate students. This year’s recipient, Susan Ducharme, Graduate Programs Coordinator in Peace and Conflict Studies, was celebrated for her dedication, responsiveness, and unwavering support of both students and faculty.

The ceremony also included greetings from Dr. Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic), who presented the Outstanding Administrator Award to Dr. Melanie Janzen, Professor in the Faculty of Education. Dr. Janzen was applauded for her exemplary leadership and commitment to graduate student success.

Highlighting the value of mentorship in graduate education, the Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Awards were presented across three academic categories.

• In Social Sciences and Humanities, Dr. Robert Hoppa, Associate Dean (Research) and Professor of Anthropology, was recognized for his sustained mentorship and dedication to scholarly growth, presented by Dr. Dawn Sutherland, Associate Dean in the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
• In Natural and Applied Sciences, Dr. Gail Davoren, Professor of Biological Sciences, received the honour for her commitment to fostering critical thinking and research excellence, presented by Dr. Steve Kirkland, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies
• In Health Sciences, the award was presented to Dr. Judith Scanlan, Associate Professor in the College of Nursing, whose mentorship has left a lasting impact on her students’ academic and professional development, presented by Dr. Greg Smith, Vice Provost, Academic Planning and Programs.

The spotlight then turned to emerging research leaders with the presentation of the Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow Awards presented by Dean, Dr. Kelley Main.

• In Health Sciences, Dr. Kathleen Kenny of the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Rady Faculty of Health Sciences was acknowledged for her innovative research and mentorship of junior researchers.
• In Natural Sciences and Engineering, Dr. Ruth Rivkin from the Department of Biological Sciences was honoured for her significant contributions, though she was unable to attend in person.

A poignant moment of the afternoon came as Dr. Steve Kirkland presented the newly established James House Memorial Awards for Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring, named in memory of Dr. James (Jim) House, a respected scholar and mentor who passed away in 2024.

• The award in Health Sciences was presented to Dr. Keith Fowke, Professor of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, for his dedication to fostering postdoctoral development.
• The award in Natural and Applied Sciences was awarded to Dr. Miyoung Suh, Professor in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences. Accepting the award on her behalf was Kristin Hildahl-Shawn, Associate Department Head.

The ceremony concluded with remarks from Dr. Kelley Main, who commended all recipients for their dedication and contributions to the university’s academic community. “This celebration reflects the deep commitment our faculty, staff, researchers, postdoctoral fellows and students have to supporting and advancing graduate education,” said Dr. Main. “Today, we honour their passion, mentorship, and the remarkable impact they have on shaping the future through scholarship and research.”

The 2025 Faculty of Graduate Studies Awards Reception was not just about handing out awards — it was a chance to come together and celebrate the incredible achievements of everyone recognized. It was a meaningful reminder of the University of Manitoba’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and the strong sense of community that supports it all.

To see the awards recipients recognized at this year’s event, please visit 2025-awards-reception.pdf.

“Congratulations to the UM researchers who secured CIHR funding for their cutting-edge work in health and well-being,” said Dr. Mario Pinto, UM vice-president, research and international. “This recognition highlights the impact of UM’s innovative health research. These researchers are driving solutions for better health care in Manitoba and globally.” 

Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-provost (health sciences) and dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, said the funded projects show the diversity of health research taking place across UM ranging from investigating gut health and HIV/HPV progression to reducing inequities in trail use for urban First Nation and Métis people and examining the interaction of dietary flaxseed with blood pressure medication. 

“The researchers who received project funding are from eight different Max Rady College of Medicine departments, the College of Pharmacy, the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences,” Nickerson said. “CIHR funding is vital to the research that takes place at UM. And it’s essential in advancing science with provincial, national and global implications.”  

One of the 12 grant recipients is Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin, assistant professor of physiology and pathophysiology at the Max Rady College of Medicine. She and her team received $1,032,750 over five years to study what could one day lead to new treatments to reduce the risk of heart disease in people with disrupted circadian rhythms.  

Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that regulate changes in the body, including heart rate and blood pressure. When the circadian rhythm is disrupted by things like shift work, poor sleep or jet lag, it has a negative impact on the heart and could lead to heart disease, Rabinovich-Nikitin said.  

“It’s known that shift workers have a 40 per cent higher risk of heart attacks, but we can’t do without shift work, so our research is working to develop treatments to help people with disrupted circadian rhythm, such as shift workers,” said Rabinovich-Nikitin, who is also a researcher with the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, a joint St. Boniface Hospital Research and UM institute.  

Rabinovich-Nikitin’s preliminary studies suggest that a disrupted circadian rhythm results in abnormal lipid metabolism and accumulation of lipids in the heart, and this might be the underlying cause of heart failure following a heart attack.  

“The goal of the newly funded project is to determine how circadian genes affect lipid metabolism following a heart attack and to understand how modulation of circadian proteins can improve lipid metabolism and cardiac function following a heart attack,” she said.   

“We know how diet and exercise contribute to one’s health, but circadian rhythm is a neglected area of research. It’s very important to have a normal circadian rhythm, and we’re working hard to better understand its impact on our health.”     

UM CIHR project funding recipients 

Dr. Michel Aliani, professor of food and human nutritional sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences; principal investigator, nutritional metabolomics research, division of neurodegenerative disorders, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre 

Project: The capacity for dietary flaxseed to inhibit the metabolism of antihypertensive drugs 

Grant: $1,189,575 (five years) 

Using state-of-the-art instrumentation, Aliani’s study aims to prove that flaxseed ingested in the diet can interact with drugs that control blood pressure. Data from the study will explain the action of dietary flaxseed in lowering blood pressure and provide important safety data on the interaction of flaxseed in one’s diet with drugs that lower blood pressure.  

Dr. Marissa Becker, professor of community health sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; director of technical collaborations at the Institute for Global Public Health 

Project: Prioritizing Place in Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infection prevention in Kenya: Reframing prevention programs through Program Science 

Grant: $975,375 (five years) 

Using a program science approach, Becker and the team will develop a deeper understanding of how physical, organizational, social and relational dimensions of “place” shape ecologies of risk and safety for prioritized adolescent girls and young women (15-24 years), female sex workers and their male sexual partners in Nairobi County, Kenya. This work will generate contextualized knowledge for prioritizing place-based strategies to optimize sexually transmitted and blood-borne infection prevention program coverage and address unmet needs.  

Dr. Lucy Delgado, assistant professor of educational administration, foundations and psychology, Faculty of Education 

Project: The impact of Métis-specific spaces on the health and wellness of Métis women and Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer people 

Grant: $1,017,452 (four years)  

Through data collected as part of a series of gatherings, interviews and qualitative surveys, Delgado’s project will measure the outcomes for Métis women and Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer peoples engaged in Métis-specific spaces and provide a framework for post-secondary institutions in their creation of Métis-specific spaces. The final stage of this project will be an evaluation of the efficacy of the framework when taken up by new institutions. 

Dr. Jason Kindrachuk, associate professor of medical microbiology and infectious diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; Canada Research Chair in molecular pathogenesis of emerging viruses; researcher, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba 

Project: Characterization of long-term sequelae and immune signatures in Ebola virus disease survivors from 1976-2014 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 

Grant: $100,000 (one year) 

Kindrachuk’s study will determine whether long-term health impacts following Ebola virus disease are conserved across geographic locations and what epidemiologic or biological factors might be linked to more severe complications and immune durability. The team will focus on disease survivors from multiple historic Ebola virus disease outbreaks within the Democratic Republic of the Congo and will also examine this through questionnaires and analysis of historical samples.  

Dr. Jonathan McGavock, professor of pediatrics and child health, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; researcher, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba 

Project: Honoring Ourselves and the Land – Reducing inequities in trail use for First Nations and Métis people in urban centres in Manitoba 

Grant: $1,266,075 (five years) 

With the help of Elders and Indigenous families, McGavock and his team will deliver and evaluate four main themed urban trail cultural events: 1) Full Moon ceremony walk/ride for girls, women and two-spirited people. 2) Land-based teachings with Elders/Knowledge Keepers. 3) Medicine teachings. The team will work with non-governmental organizations to plant gardens and/or traditional medicines in parks adjacent to the trails. 4) Youth-led teachings about local Indigenous cultures, languages and traditions. 

Dr. Donald Miller, professor of pharmacology and therapeutics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; researcher, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre 

Project: Improving therapeutic outcomes in medulloblastoma through optimizing brain delivery of agents targeting inhibitors of apoptosis proteins 

Grant: $592,876 (four years) 

Miller’s medulloblastoma research will use a method his laboratory has developed and tested to selectively and reversibly open the blood-brain barrier to increase brain and tumour levels of chemotherapeutics and the XIAP sensitizing drugs to allow both radiation and chemotherapeutic agents to kill the tumour cells in the brain more effectively. Using peptides that target cadherin, the team will temporarily loosen the connections between the brain capillary endothelial cells to allow increased delivery of drugs and sensitizing agents to the brain tumour.  

Dr. Thomas Murooka, associate professor of immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Project: Role of mucosal neutrophils in driving HIV/HPV infection and disease progression 

Grant: $1,139,850 (five years) 

Murooka’s project will focus on specific bacteria linked to inflammatory disease in the lower female genital tract and identify the immune cells that further exacerbate this disease process. The team will use an animal disease model to better understand how this inflammatory process increases HIV and HPV infection, with the overall goal of defining why some individuals are more prone to sexually transmitted infections and to test drug candidates that can lower acquisition risk.  

Dr. Liam O’Neil, assistant professor of internal medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Project: Cigarette smoking induced neutrophilic inflammation as a modifiable risk factor for Rheumatoid Arthritis in First Nations 

Grant: $100,000 (one year)  

O’Neil will investigate the way cigarette smoking interacts with the immune system, leading to rheumatoid arthritis. The team believes neutrophils, a common immune cell, are particularly prone to inflammation, leading to abnormal immune responses in people at high risk for rheumatoid arthritis development.  

Dr. Dake Qi, associate professor, College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Project: TAAR1 in adipose tissue is a novel therapeutic target to combat atypical antipsychotics (AAPs)-induced metabolic dysfunction via downregulation of MIF 

Grant: $849,150 (five years) 

Qi’s project will investigate how trace amine-associated receptor (TAAR1) downregulates the release of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in fat cells and its impact on metabolic dysfunction induced by the classic atypical antipsychotics (AAP), olanzapine, by utilizing a combination of molecular and cellular biology techniques and physiological animal models. The team believes that TAAR1 agonists will improve the clinical psychiatric treatment with AAPs. 

Dr. Deanna Santer, assistant professor of immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Project: Role of type III interferons in regulating mucosal immunity in a healthy gut versus ulcerative colitis 

Grant: $967,725 (five years)  

Santer will study fresh gut tissues and blood collected from people with or without ulcerative colitis during routine clinic visits. The team will use a combination of their novel human biopsy culture model, 3D “mini-guts” and immune cells to find out exactly how type III interferons (IFN-L) promote gut health but also how IFN-L could dampen the overreactive immune cells causing symptoms.  

Dr. Jarret Woodmass, assistant professor of surgery, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Project: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty with and without subscapularis repair: Randomized controlled trial evaluating patient-reported and clinical outcomes 

Grant: $455,175 (five years)  

The aim of Woodmass’ study is to conduct a high-quality, randomized trial comparing outcomes of reverse total shoulder replacement (RTSA) with and without subscapularis repair. This ground-breaking study will provide evidence to support or negate the ongoing use of subscapularis repair in RTSA to optimize patient outcomes and manage scarce health-care resources. 

#1 Grolar bears-what are they and how common are they?

The topic of Grolar bears (hybrid of Polar Bears and Grizzly bears) showed up a few times on this list. The first time was after a group of researchers published their study on how common hybridization might be in Conservation Genetics Resources journal. The team of scientists from Polar Bears International, Environment and Climate Change Canada, MacEwan University, also included UM researcher Ruth Rivkin, from the Department of Biological Sciences. Some of the media outlets that featured the story included, Advnture.com, Yahoo! News, BBC.com, CBC, and Canadian Geographic.

#2 The Kyrenia shipwreck, UM expert perspective

CNN tapped Mark Lawall, UM professor in the department of Classics to give his insights on the how improvements to carbon dating and other techniques helped decipher exactly when the Greek-Hellenistic Kyrenia ship came to rest on the ocean floor. Lawall has studied ancient Greek containers used for shipping wine, olive oil and other goods from the Kyrenia shipwreck. The reach of this story was furthered after it ran on Yahoo! News, as well.

#3 Grolar bears hybrids traced to same ‘strange’ female Polar Bear

As more stories around climate change grabbed headlines around the world, media came back to the Grolar bear topic and how it may be an indicator of climate change. Researchers including UM’s Ruth Rivkin, who also works with Polar Bears International, talked about how most hybridizations could be traced back to one female polar bear.  “Rivkin suggested the initial mother may have been ‘pretty strange’ but also pointed out that while female polar bears do have ‘some level of choice’ about who they mate with, size makes a difference.” This story appeared in a number of places including, Yahoo! News, MSN, and The Guardian. Many stories also talked about the new genetic sequencing chip, which was used to track and gather information on the Grolar bears and could be used in the future to track more hybridization cases.  Some of these stories also linked to a study published in Nature by UM researchers Alex Crawford and Julienne Stroeve from Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources. 

#4 UM expert weighs in on case of serial killer, Jeremy Skibicki

The trial of Winnipeg serial killer, Jeremy Skibicki, and the lives of the women he admitted to killing caught the attention of many people worldwide and media outlets came to Brandon Trask, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law and adjunct fellow, St. John’s College, for his perspective. Some of the media outlets that featured the story with Trask’s insights included BBC, CBC, Winnipeg Free Press, Globe and Mail, and CTV Winnipeg

#5 Can a DNA analysis help improve your fitness?

Can DNA analysis help improve your fitness? UM jumped into the discussion for CNN’s Fitness, But Better series. UM’s Dylan MacKay, Assistant Professor, Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, suggested people may want a level of skepticism when thinking Grandpa’s ability to throw a wicked caber toss at the annual Highland Games naturally gets passed down to them. Mackay noted while the accuracy in actual genetic testing is likely good, the science behind how the companies are interpreting the results could be problematic. This story was also picked up by Yahoo! News, intriguing readers across search engines and moving it into the top 5 most viewed news stories featuring UM experts.

#6 Are You A Bad Parent For Using Sarcasm Around Your Kids? Experts Have Thoughts

Tell me something we don’t know! So many thoughts to unpack in this interesting look at how children learn sarcasm. Melanie Glenwright, a Associate Professor of Psychology at UM, should know. She studied it and told HuffPost  “…it isn’t until ages 7 to 10 where children living in Canada begin to understand that a sarcastic speaker intends to be funny.” So, are you a bad parent for using sarcasm? Click the link above to find out. This story also ran on Yahoo! Life.

#7  and 8 A woman bought a vintage dress at an antique store. It had a secret pocket with a mysterious note

This story took two places in the Top 10 countdown because this story went big when it was first written and pitched to news outlets in December 2023, but then really took off in publications in 2024. It was covered everywhere from the New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN. When Rivers Cofield purchased the vintage dress—made in the 1880s— from an Antique mall in Maine, she found a code in a secret pocket. She posted a blog about it and for years she looked for someone to help her crack the code. Enter Wayne Chan, who is actually a data analyst at UM’s Centre for Earth Observation Science, but who also loves to solve mysteries in his spare time. So, if you missed what the code revealed, click on the story link above. 

#9 Mutated strain of mpox with ‘pandemic potential’ found in DRC mining town

UM is known for its world-renowned experts doing groundbreaking research to track and find solutions to some of the world’s most complicated viruses and pathogens. In the number nine position, is a story that features Dr. Jason Kindrachuk, Associate Professor in infectious disease at UM’s Max Rady College of Medicine in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. He was the co-author of a paper that looked at the ‘pandemic potential’ of a certain strain of Mpox. The story was featured in the UK’s Telegraph, and shared in Yahoo! News.

#10 UM apologizes for housing Indigenous remains and artefacts, develops repatriation policy

This story was the final story on our list that received a lot of media coverage. First, for the apology  and recognition by UM for the harms it caused First Nations, Métis and Inuit descendant communities for housing remains and artefacts without permission. Second, for developing the Respectful Rematriation and Repatriation Ceremony to coordinate next steps to return these artefacts and remains to affected communities. It was covered in a variety of outlets, including MSN and The Canadian Press.

This list was compiled by UM’s Media Relations team, based on data provided by the media-monitoring platform, Cision.

“I congratulate all of these researchers on their success in expanding the scope and impacts of their research programs,” said Dr. Mario Pinto, Vice-President (Research and International). “This funding advances UM strategic priorities for research with, by and for Indigenous Peoples, among others, by providing critical platforms, one of the four Ps in our Strategic Research Plan”.

Dr. Lara Rosenoff Gauvin (Anthropology, Faculty of Arts), Dr. Laura Kelvin (Anthropology, Faculty of Arts) and Heather Bidzinski, (Archives & Special Collections)

The Heart: Multiple Pathways to Indigenous Heritage Rematriation

Guided by The Respectful Rematriation and Repatriation Ceremony at UM and Agvituk Heritage Access and Care, “The Heart” project is part of an ongoing transformation of heritage research, policy and practice in Manitoba and Canada.

This new research infrastructure will include a physical centre on campus and a mobile unit for the repatriation and rematriation of cultural heritage currently housed at the UM. It is supported by a part-time Elder-in-residence and a technology suite for community-controlled work.

Dr. Rosenoff Gauvin

Dr. Kelvin

Heather Bidzinski

Dr. Brosowsky

Dr. Nicholaus Brosowsky (Psychology, Faculty of Arts)

The Immersive Cognition Laboratory

This project seeks to understand how we focus our attention in everyday situations using advanced virtual reality technologies including eye-tracking motion-capture VR and a driving simulator. The research will inform actionable solutions to improve road safety and provide better cognitive health support for the aging population.

Trainees in the Brosowsky lab will gain a deep understanding of behavioural science and will high-level technical skills empowered to address public safety and healthcare challenges in Canada.

Dr. Alley

Dr. Karen Alley (Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources):

Imaging Inaccessible Ice: Glacier Monitoring at the Ice-Ocean Interface

By obtaining detailed observations of the interactions between glaciers and ocean water, Dr. Alley seeks to better predict the rate of future global sea-level rise. 

This project will deploy autonomous vehicles using ice-penetrating technologies at ocean-terminating glaciers in Nunavut in collaboration with local communities. Complementary infrastructure will monitor ocean and atmospheric temperature, as well as ice-front calving, glacier speed and surface hydrology.

Dr. Gao

Dr. Xiaopeng Gao (Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences):

Optimizing Soil Fertility Management for Better Grain Nutritional Quality

This research aims to address soil fertility issues to enhance crop production and improve nutritional quality, thereby supporting Canada in producing higher-value grain products and strengthening its global competitiveness in the grain market. The newly funded infrastructure includes a growth room, UV spectrophotometer, and specialized root-testing lysimeters, enabling Dr. Gao to simulate climate change scenarios and investigate nutrient flow from soil to plants to humans.

Dr. Marcogliese

Dr. Beattie

Dr. Paul Marcogliese and Dr. Robert Beattie (Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences):

Functional Integration of Neurogenetics in Development & Disease

The Marcogliese and Beattie labs have found synergies in studying the genetic roots of neurological disorders affecting movement and will use newly funded automated tools for state-of-the-art precision motor assessment in animal models.

In combination with the newly acquired high-end super-resolution microscope which allows for tracking changes in motor and neuronal function at the single-cell level, the team aims to generate high-quality data that will aid in diagnosis and enable the assessment of drug efficacy. These advances are critical for targeting disorders with little to no effective treatment strategies.

Dr. Mendelson

Dr. Asher Mendelson (Internal Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences):

Microvascular Physiology, Exercise, and Muscle Research Facility for Studying Critical Illness

Dr. Mendelson seeks to establish a UM Microvascular Physiology, Exercise, and Muscle Research Facility located at the site of clinical care at Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg and UM Bannatyne campus.

This facility will comprise state-of-the-art tools to evaluate microvascular blood flow, oxygen utilization and muscle strength during exercise. Discoveries from this research will improve diagnosis and treatment during and after ICU admission for Canadians suffering from critical illness.

Dr. Rosell

Dr. Cristina M. Rosell (Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences):

Platform maximizing the value of co-products from plant-protein processing

Canada is a global leader in plant protein production, however new techniques used to obtain high-purity protein from cereals and pulses also generates copious waste.

Enhanced by this new research capacity, the Rosell lab will offer a unique interdisciplinary training environment while adding value to nonprotein co-products. By improving the sustainability of Canada’s plant protein industry this research will alleviate environmental and economic impacts of undervalued waste.

Dr. Uyaguari-Diaz

Dr. Miguel Uyaguari-Diaz (Microbiology, Faculty of Science):

Promoting equitable access to safe water in First Nations and urban communities by assessing water safety and security

New sequencing tools and sample preparation platforms provided by this funding will allow researchers to analyze microbes and antibiotic resistance in the water infrastructures of First Nation communities of Manitoba for the first time ever.

Studies enabled with this new infrastructure will generate the metagenomic libraries needed to identify clinically important pathogens with antimicrobial resistance in the environment. The long-term goals of Dr. Uyaguari-Diaz will develop new diagnostic tools identifying human and environmental health risks facilitating rapid remedial actions in affected communities.

To watch the story, please visit CityNews Winnipeg.

Dr. Miyoung Suh, a Professor in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, has received a Discovery Horizon Grant, placing her among the top 15 selected across Canada. The grant supports AI upgrades to the community-driven SMART-VF vertical farming initiative in Opaskwayak Cree Nation.

Started as a pilot project in 2016 with just seven plants, the high-tech northern farm now occupies 830 square feet, with capacity for more than 5,000 plants. This new funding of $250,000 over 5 years for Suh and her UM colleagues Dr. Young Jin Cha, Civil Engineering, Dr. Qiang Zhang, Biosystems Engineering and Dr. Champa Wijekoon, Agriculture Agri-Food Scientist.

Suh is a co-lead of the SMART Training Platform, funded by the Tri-Agency Council Healthy Cities Research Initiative alongside Dr. David Ma (University of Guelph) and Dr. Laurette Dube (McGill University). Suh’s UM project aims to address the high rates of diabetes in the northern Manitoba with improved year-round access to fresh produce. SMART-VF produces more than 40 types of vegetables and herbs which can be further enhanced with nutrient-enrichment with bioactive compounds, known for their anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Dr. Miyoung Suh

“Food is a basic entry point for building healthy communities and locally grown herbs and vegetables are a simple solution that’s having far reaching impacts,” says Suh. “The vertical farming beds currently use computer-monitored lighting to optimize growing conditions and with new deep learning-based control, informed by air, moisture and nutrient sensors, we can maximize nutritional benefits for diabetes management.”

Overall, Smart-VF has the potential to supplement the diets of more than 98,000 people living in northern or rural communities in Manitoba and across the North. Investigating the long-term health effects of fresh vegetables also contributes to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 19th Call to Action by seeking to close gaps in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

“The SMART-VF project has demonstrated remarkable growth over the past eight years,” says Dr. Mario Pinto (Vice-President Research & International). “This working model for Northern First Nations communities across Canada is an exciting example of research by, for, and with Indigenous Peoples, which is a key strategic priority at UM. I congratulate Dr. Suh and the many other researchers on achieving this competitive federal funding.”

This announcement also includes $4,284,936 million in long-term Discovery research grant funding for another 91 UM Researchers. Recognizing the creativity at the heart of all research advances, these funds promote flexibility to pursue emerging higher-risk research avenues as they appear.

“Canada’s science and research sector is solving some of the world’s greatest challenges, all while driving innovation, growth and productivity,” says François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “Research programs like Discovery give researchers the flexibility to explore the most promising avenues of research as they emerge, to ensure Canada remains a world leader in science and new technologies.”

These NSERC funded programs including supplements for Northern research, Subatomic Physics Project Grants, ship time on ocean-going vessels and more than half a million dollars for research tools and instruments. The 120 Awards in the 2024-2025 NSERC Discovery portfolio represent a fifteen-year record success rate of 77% for UM researchers. The national success rate for 2024 was 63%.

“For the last, I don’t know how many decades, we have had a preoccupation with weight loss. So this isn’t surprising,” she told Global News. “And of course, Ozempic has really penetrated the public consciousness.”

For the full story, please visit Global News.