“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. 

The Rosalind Franklin Society, in partnership with Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. publishers, launched these prestigious annual awards for the best paper by a woman senior author or under-represented minority in science in each of the publisher’s more than 100 peer-reviewed journals to highlight the important contributions of these scientists and provide role models and mentors for younger scientists following in their footsteps.

Santer  has led groundbreaking research on immune proteins called interferon-lambdas (IFN-lambdas) and recently secured a Manitoba Medical Service Foundation grant and $250,000 New Frontiers in Research Fund grant to study gut immune mechanisms and develop new treatments for gastrointestinal diseases, showcasing her innovative approach to medical research.

Beyond her research, Santer, who earned a PhD at the University of Washington and completed postdoctoral work under Nobel laureate Dr. Michael Houghton at the University of Alberta, has actively mentored young women in STEM for the past 14 years and is part of the executive team of WISDOM.

UM Today asked Santer to reflect on her career, research and vision for the future.

What does winning a Rosalind Franklin Society Special Award in Science mean to you and how do you think it will impact your future work?

I am very honoured to have received this award knowing it meant our contribution was recognized as the top paper in the Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research for 2023. The Rosalind Franklin Society does amazing work showcasing and supporting women in science inspired by the pioneering work of Dr. Rosalind Franklin -that was overlooked. The eventual Nobel Prize for discovering the DNA double helix was given to Drs. James Watson and Francis Crick (without any credit to Franklin). This award is also much appreciated because I started my lab during a challenging time of the pandemic. The team worked very hard leading to this study as my first publication as senior author.

Tell us about the award-winning paper. What was innovative or novel about it?

The publication was a big step forward in the IFN-lambda field because we were able to finally find and characterize new antibodies that could measure the IFN-lambda receptor after its discovery 20 years earlier. This was a team effort with collaborators in Australia and the United States to ensure the robustness of the findings. We are now using these antibodies in multiple projects to uncover in which health conditions or infections we should be promoting IFN-lambda activity.

Can you share a particularly memorable moment or breakthrough from your research career that has had a lasting impact on you?

Knowing you are the first person to see a result and then sharing that with your colleagues and eventually the world is exciting. I try to share this with my trainees that sometimes the fundamental science findings that are not always expected will lead to important discoveries that could impact human health in the future.

How do you envision the future of immunology research, especially in the context of emerging infectious diseases?

I am biased after studying immunology for over 15 years, but immunology is so fascinating for how our immune system has evolved to tackle many types of challenges. We are finding out more and more how we can block or enhance specific parts of our immune system which has led to many new groundbreaking treatments. My lab contributed to the testing of IFN-lambdas as a potential treatment for mild COVID-19, and we believe these proteins, with fewer side effects than other antiviral proteins, are worth considering as treatments against other viruses.

What advice would you give to young women and underrepresented minorities who are aspiring to pursue careers in science, especially in fields like immunology?

I didn’t grow up with anyone in my family in science or academia, so I encourage young people in general to not be afraid to reach out to mentors to find new opportunities. It is OK, early on, to not know exactly what your future career will be, but getting experience as a summer job in the lab is the perfect way to see if a research career is right for you. Don’t be afraid to be selective of the lab you choose, too, as you need to find a supportive environment that will help you achieve your end goals. Lastly, network whenever you can! This is actually how this publication came about; I networked at a conference after I gave a talk which brought our groups together.

Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals for your research and your role in advancing the field of immunology?

Our team has multiple, exciting human immunology projects on the go related to antiviral immunity and immune regulation, with the ultimate goal of discovering ways to promote optimal immune responses to benefit patients. I am lucky to work within the department of immunology here in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences with so many experts nearby and enthusiastic staff and students. I am continuing to build my IFN-lambda network around the world. There is still so much to discover: this family of immune proteins is quite young compared to other interferons discovered over 50 years ago.

Publication link: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/jir.2023.0040

This collaborative project focuses on using type III interferons (IFN-Lambda, IFN-L), which uniquely combat inflammation without damaging the gut. These proteins differ from other interferons that often exacerbate GI conditions. The researchers aim to engineer longer-acting versions of IFN-L and use nanoparticle technology to deliver these proteins precisely to the gut.

This project brings together an interdisciplinary team with expertise in immunology, gut physiology, biomedical engineering and glycochemistry to develop this cutting-edge technology to harness the dual function of IFN-L to promote gut health, and to selectively regulate immune cells contributing to GI inflammation and damage.

Dr. Deanna Santer, assistant professor in immunology at the Max Rady College of Medicine, is the nominated principal investigator on the project.

“If successful, our newly developed class of therapies could improve the lives of millions of patients suffering from inflammatory GI diseases around the world,” said Santer.

Dr. Mario Pinto, Vice President (Research and International), expressed optimism about the project’s impact: “This significant investment from the New Frontiers in Research Fund empowers our researchers to pursue cutting-edge solutions to manage and treat gastrointestinal diseases. Congratulations to the research team for this exciting opportunity to advance health research and make lasting impacts in their fields.”

Most of the 14 funded professors lead labs in the basic science departments of the medical college, such as immunology, physiology and pathophysiology, or biochemistry and medical genetics.

Their five-year discovery grants and one-year discovery launch supplements from NSERC total $545,000.

“Congratulations on obtaining these prestigious grants in support of cutting-edge science,” said Dr. Brian Postl, dean of the Max Rady College of Medicine and the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. “We are fortunate to have a wealth of experts at UM whose laboratory discoveries have exciting potential to benefit human health.

“These NSERC grants also make it possible for our professors in medicine to train a large number of undergraduate and graduate students in state-of-the-art research techniques.”

Here are the funded studies:

Dr. Heather Armstrong, assistant professor, internal medicine; Canada Research Chair in integrative bioscience; researcher, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM)

Discovery Grant: $28,000; Discovery Launch Supplement: $12,500

Armstrong’s team will focus on dietary fibres from agricultural products. They will examine how certain fibres alter microbial communities in the gut that are needed for the fermentation of fibre, and how this influences immune responses in the gut.

Dr. Robert Beattie, assistant professor, biochemistry and medical genetics

Discovery Grant: $37,000; Discovery Launch Supplement: $12,500

Beattie’s project centres on gene function in the normal embryonic development of brain cells in the cerebral cortex. His team will use new genetic technologies to examine molecular regulators of the proliferation of a specific kind of neural stem cell.

Dr. Britt Drögemöller, assistant professor, biochemistry and medical genetics; Canada Research Chair in pharmacogenomics and precision medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Discovery Grant: $37,000; Discovery Launch Supplement: $12,500

Drögemöller’s team will perform genomic analyses to identify novel genes and genetic pathways associated with variability in human hearing. They will also look at sex-specific auditory differences and how genetic pathways for hearing change as people age.

Dr. Jean-Eric Ghia, professor, immunology; researcher, CHRIM

Discovery Grant: $33,000

Ghia will examine the role of a stress protein in the gut microbiota and in smooth muscle contractions of the colon. In mice bred to lack this protein, his team will test whether a fecal microbiota transfer improves colonic muscle contraction.

Dr. Depeng Jiang, associate professor, community health sciences; researcher, CHRIM

Discovery Grant: $18,000

Jiang, a biostatistician, will develop new statistical models for multilevel data research by using a high-efficiency computer lab for statistical computations and simulations. These new models will provide researchers with new ways to understand their data.

Dr. Meaghan Jones, assistant professor, biochemistry and medical genetics; researcher, CHRIM

Discovery Grant: $31,000; Discovery Launch Supplement: $12,500

Jones will investigate how genes help cells to detoxify after exposure to dioxins, which are environmental pollutants. Her team aims to determine whether cells “remember” exposure to dioxins and mount a stronger response upon re-exposure, and whether this differs between embryos and adult mammals.

Dr. Oleg Krokhin, associate professor, internal medicine

Discovery Grant: $24,000

Krokhin, whose field is proteomics (the large-scale study of proteins), seeks to assist labs in separating peptides, which are produced when proteins are broken down. With the goal of advancing peptide separation science, his team will generate innovative tools and techniques.

Dr. Sam Kung, professor, immunology

Discovery Grant: $32,000

Kung’s project focuses on “natural killer” cells, which are important in maintaining immunity to viruses and tumors. His team will examine how a particular protein regulates natural killer cell biology, in part by studying mice that lack this protein.

Dr. Liam O’Neil, assistant professor, internal medicine; researcher, Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology

Discovery Grant: $28,000; Discovery Launch Supplement: $12,500

O’Neil’s study centres on neutrophils, which are blood cells on the front line of the immune system. His team will investigate how neutrophils modify their release of proteins to improve their ability to neutralize invading pathogens.

Dr. Deanna Santer, assistant professor, immunology; GSK Endowed Research Chair in immunobiology of infectious diseases; researcher, CHRIM

Discovery Grant: $28,000; Discovery Launch Supplement: $12,500

Santer’s focus is type III interferons – proteins released by the immune system to fight viruses. Her team will study their signaling and receptor biology, illuminating processes such as what happens immediately after these interferons bind their receptor in individual immune cells.

Dr. Tabrez Siddiqui, associate professor, physiology and pathophysiology; principal investigator, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine

Discovery Grant: $56,000

Siddiqui’s team will explore the role of synapse-organizing proteins in synapse development in the brain. They will investigate, for example, how these proteins govern brain lamination (cell layering) and plasticity, and how they control synapse numbers.

Dr. Galen Wright, assistant professor, pharmacology and therapeutics; Canada Research Chair in neurogenomics; principal investigator, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine

Discovery Grant: $28,000; Discovery Launch Supplement: $12,500

Wright uses genomics to study DNA repair processes in the human brain. His team will use computational analyses and human stem cell-derived neural models to identify important DNA repair genes and explore the mechanisms underlying how they are regulated.

Dr. Jiuyong Xie, professor, physiology and pathophysiology

Discovery Grant: $32,000

Xie aims to understand how genes have evolved to produce diverse RNA and protein products through an innate process called “alternative pre-mRNA splicing.” His team will use state-of-the-art techniques to uncover molecular details, helping to predict how splicing will evolve in the future.

Dr. Frederick Zeiler, associate professor, surgery; Rudy Falk Clinician-Scientist Professor

Discovery Grant: $33,000; Discovery Launch Supplement: $12,500

Zeiler will develop new techniques for continuous rapid assessment of cerebral autoregulation (control of blood flow to the brain by cerebral blood vessels) in healthy humans. This will allow for analysis of variations in brain regions and differences based on age and sex.

The grants are part of a $30-million federal government investment in research infrastructure at 31 Canadian universities through the CFI’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), recently announced by François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

Funding provided through JELF helps institutions attract and retain outstanding researchers and acquire cutting-edge tools for innovative work.

“Our UM recipients are pushing scientific boundaries and keeping UM at the forefront of innovation in fields ranging from food science to antiviral immunity,” said UM Vice-President (Research and International) and Distinguished Professor Dr. Digvir Jayas.  

Here’s a look at the projects:

DR. NANDIKA BANDERA

Dr. Nandika Bandara, assistant professor, food and human nutritional sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences; Canada Research Chair in food proteins and bioproducts

JELF grant: $160,000

With new analytical and processing equipment, Bandara’s team will develop novel protein ingredients and protein extraction and processing technologies to help meet the growing demand for sustainable protein products. They will also develop protein polymer-based bioproduct applications.

DR. FUJI JIAN

Dr. Fuji Jian, assistant professor, biosystems engineering, Price Faculty of Engineering

JELF grant: $149,945

Jian’s team will create a world-class grain-drying research lab to address challenges in Canada’s grain handling, storage and export industries. They will test methods of grain drying and develop new methods that take advantage of Canada’s winter temperatures. They aim to refine technologies that dry grain for safe storage while using less energy.

DR. HAGAR LABOUTA

Dr. Hagar Labouta, assistant professor, College of Pharmacy; researcher, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM)

JELF grant: $160,000

Nanoparticles (super-tiny particles of materials such as gold or iron oxide) have strong potential as carriers for targeted drugs. Labouta, an expert in nanotechnologies, will analyze the behaviour of nanoparticles in the human body. Her lab will acquire new high-resolution tools to examine how nanoparticles bind to cells, proteins and other biomolecules.

DR. CHRISTOPHER PASCOE

DR. TANVEER SHARIF

Dr. Christopher Pascoe, assistant professor, physiology and pathophysiology, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Dr. Tanveer Sharif, assistant professor, pathology, Max Rady College of Medicine

JELF grant: $328,744

Pascoe, who studies lung diseases, and Sharif, who studies brain tumours, aim to understand how the structural complexity of lung and tumour microenvironments contributes to disease progression. They will acquire “digital spatial profiler” technology to examine relationships between cell-specific RNA profiles and structural changes that occur in chronic disease.

DR. ELHAM SALIMI

Dr. Elham Salimi, assistant professor, electrical and computer engineering, Price Faculty of Engineering

JELF grant: $159,731      

Salimi uses electrical analysis techniques integrated into microfluidics to develop rapid, low-cost, portable “lab-on-a-chip” devices for medical diagnostic testing and biopharmaceutical applications. With new equipment for device fabrication, electronic measurement and cell culturing, Salimi’s team will advance these point-of-care technologies.

DR. DEANNA SANTER

DR. THOMAS MUROOKA

Dr. Deanna Santer, assistant professor, immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine; GSK Endowed Research Chair in immunobiology of infectious diseases; researcher, CHRIM

Dr. Thomas Murooka, assistant professor, immunology and medical microbiology, Max Rady College of Medicine

JELF grant: $344,376

Santer and Murooka study the immune response to viruses such as HIV, influenza and the virus that causes COVID-19. They will use cutting-edge technologies, including automated confocal microscopy, cell sorting, gene analysis and mouse models of infection, to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of antiviral immunity.