The funding will back the work of Dr. Galen Wright, Dr. Mark Nachtigal, Dr. Sachin Katyal and Dr. Tanveer Sharif, whose combined research spans the fields of neurological disorders, cancer and therapy resistance.

Each project is focused on advancing precision medicine, an emerging field that tailors medical treatment to the unique characteristics of each patient, including their genetic profile, environment and lifestyle.

Unlike traditional treatments that primarily manage symptoms, precision medicine targets the root causes of diseases, providing a more personalized and potentially more effective approach. By investigating the molecular mechanisms behind these diseases and developing targeted therapies, these researchers aim to break through the limitations of current treatments.

“These groundbreaking studies have the potential to transform patient care, improve survival rates and enhance quality of life,” said Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-provost (health sciences) and dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. “We are incredibly proud of these researchers, whose innovative efforts are pushing the boundaries of medical science and could lead to life-changing treatments for patients in Canada and beyond.”

Dr. Mark Nachtigal

Nachtigal, a professor of biochemistry and medical genetics, has been awarded a two-year grant of $130,000 to further his research into a groundbreaking treatment for chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest cancers affecting women.

His work, supported by Ovarian Cancer Canada and the Cancer Research Society, is focused on developing a novel drug that targets cancer cells in ways that traditional therapies cannot, offering new hope for patients whose cancers no longer respond to chemotherapy.

Ovarian cancer frequently develops resistance to treatment, leaving women with few options and poor survival prospects. By advancing this innovative drug, Nachtigal’s research has the potential to revolutionize ovarian cancer treatment, offering an effective alternative that could improve survival rates and enhance the quality of life for patients.

Dr. Galen Wright

Wright, an assistant professor of pharmacology and therapeutics and Canada Research Chair in neurogenomics, has been awarded a two-year grant of $130,000 to explore new treatments for Rett syndrome, a rare and devastating neurological disorder that primarily affects young girls.

Rett syndrome leads to severe developmental delays, loss of motor skills and cognitive impairments. Currently, there are no effective treatments.

Supported by the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation of Canada, Wright’s research will investigate the underlying mechanisms of the disorder to identify potential therapeutic strategies. By gaining a deeper understanding of how Rett syndrome progresses, his work aims to uncover treatments that could alleviate, or even reverse, its effects.

The research not only offers hope for children with Rett syndrome but could also pave the way for new approaches to treating other genetic disorders with similar underlying causes, such as fragile X syndrome and some forms of autism.

Dr. Sachin Katyal

Katyal, an associate professor of pharmacology and therapeutics, is focusing on overcoming chemotherapy resistance in glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant forms of brain cancer.

Glioblastoma grows rapidly, infiltrating healthy brain tissue, and is known for its high recurrence rate even after surgery and chemotherapy. As the cancer progresses, patients often experience a severe decline in quality of life, with few effective treatment options remaining.

His two-year project, supported by a $130,000 grant from the Cancer Research Society, targets a protein that helps glioblastoma tumours survive chemotherapy. Katyal’s research aims to inhibit the protein responsible for the tumour’s survival, potentially resensitizing it to chemotherapy and offering patients more effective treatment options.

If successful, his work could significantly improve survival rates and provide a new avenue for treating this aggressive cancer.

Dr. Tanveer Sharif

Sharif, an associate professor of pathology, is focused on a different aspect of glioblastoma research. While Katyal’s work centres on protein inhibition, Sharif’s research examines how glioblastoma tumours adapt their metabolism to survive the harsh environment of the brain, making them resistant to conventional therapies.

Funded by the Brain Canada Foundation and the Cancer Research Society, Sharif’s research is supported by a two-year grant of $130,000.

Sharif aims to identify metabolic shifts in tumours and develop targeted therapies that exploit these vulnerabilities. By addressing the tumour’s metabolic adaptation, Sharif’s research has the potential to reduce the chances of recurrence and improve survival rates, offering a new approach to glioblastoma treatment that could complement existing strategies.

The IHP offers two four-year degrees: the bachelor of health sciences and the bachelor of health studies. Established in 2007, it’s a joint program between the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science and the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, with the latter administering the program. Students study on the Fort Garry campus.

The degrees are designed to give an interdisciplinary education to students who are interested in health careers, says program director Dr. Mark Nachtigal.

“Students are receiving a degree that is focused specifically on health, and within each program this includes both fundamental science and social science,” Nachtigal says. “This distinguishes the IHP from other UM programs.”

That distinction is what attracted fourth-year student Lexie Rea to the bachelor of health sciences program. When Rea started university, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in health care, but she wanted to learn more than just chemistry and biology in her undergraduate studies.

“I wanted a broader perspective on health care,” she says. “I’ve enjoyed that I got to learn about everything from policy and planning to health determinants to research methods, and everything in between. I also got to learn about economics, sociology and biomedicine. I just really enjoyed the broadness of the program, and that is what really drew me in.”

In addition to science courses like biology, anatomy and chemistry, students in the health sciences program take courses in economics, psychology, native studies and business.

“There’s so much more to health care than I thought there was,” Rea says. “While being in the program I have changed my mind probably a dozen times about what I’m going to do in the future, which I think really goes to show how much the program has to offer.”  

While Rea has decided to apply to occupational therapy, students graduating with a bachelor of health sciences have the base to enter other health professional fields, such as medicine, physiotherapy or dentistry. Graduates can also go into biomedical research, teaching or health-care administration.

While the bachelor of health sciences focuses on the science of health, the bachelor of health studies degree emphasizes the social science of health.

Like Rea, Brooklyn Gigolyk entered university with her eye on working in health care, but she’d always been stronger in the humanities than in the sciences, and her interests aligned with the social sciences.

“When I heard about the health studies program, I decided it was for me,” says Gigolyk, a fourth-year student. “The program is interdisciplinary, so it’s really opened my eyes to a lot of different material that I wouldn’t have been able to learn about if I was doing a straight science degree.”

Health studies students take courses in anthropology, psychology, sociology, family studies and native studies, as well as the sciences. Courses range from ethics and biomedicine, to sociology of health and illness, to native medicine and health.

(From left to right) Karen Holmes, IHP student advisor and program co-ordinator; Dr. Brian Postl, dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; and Dr. Mark Nachtigal, IHP director. Dr. Postl takes a tour of the new IHP space on the Fort Garry campus.

Learners in the bachelor of health studies select one of three concentrations: health policy, planning and evaluation; health promotion and education; or family health.

Gigolyk isn’t yet sure what area of health care she’d like to pursue, but students’ possible paths include going on to graduate studies – for example, pursuing a master’s of public health – working in government to develop health policy, or educating the public for a charitable foundation.

In 2019, the IHP opened a new home in the Human Ecology Building on the Fort Garry campus. It features a reception area, five offices and space for Rady Faculty professors to use when they’re visiting from the Bannatyne campus or St. Boniface Hospital.

“It’s a bright, beautiful space that is welcoming for students, faculty and staff,” Nachtigal says. “It’s a recognizable space that our students can identify with to feel they have a comfortable home on campus.”

For Gigolyk, one highlight of being in the IHP has been connecting with like-minded people.

“It’s just great being part of this community,” she says.

The University Senate recently approved three new concentrations within the four-year Bachelor of Health Studies degree program. Applications are now open for September enrolment. 

The Bachelor of Health Studies is one of two degrees offered under the Interdisciplinary Health Program (IHP), a joint program between the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and the faculties of Arts and Science. The other IHP degree is the Bachelor of Health Sciences.

“We want students to know they can earn an undergraduate health degree here at U of M, with the option of direct entry from high school,” said Dr. Mark Nachtigal, director of the IHP.    

“The revamped health studies degree is a great fit for students who are interested in the planning, administration and delivery of health services, or in working with the public in health promotion, education and support. We also have a new concentration to help prepare students to become home economics teachers.”

The Bachelor of Health Studies degree focuses primarily on the social science aspects of health. Students take courses in departments such as economics, sociology, native studies and community health sciences to understand how social factors like poverty and cultural background affect people’s health.

“Students examine health issues at the individual, family, community and population levels,” Nachtigal said. “They gain an understanding of health and illness in a cultural context.”  

A degree in health studies provides a foundation for careers on health-care teams, and in community health management and education. Graduates might work at a wide variety of agencies, non-profit organizations and businesses that plan or deliver health-related services and products.

Students study on the Fort Garry campus and the degree is awarded by the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. All students pursuing the Bachelor of Health Studies will select one of the three new concentrations:

• Health Policy, Planning and Evaluation: This concentration provides foundational knowledge for students seeking careers such as health policy analyst or health program planner/evaluator, or for those wishing to pursue graduate studies in community health sciences.

• Health Promotion and Education: This concentration permits students who want to become home economics teachers to obtain their “teachable subjects” in family studies and nutrition. It also lays the foundation for careers such as community health educator, community wellness worker or health and safety program coordinator.

• Family Health: This concentration provides a path for students interested in family social sciences (an existing major that the university plans to phase out). Students in this concentration can choose course topics such as child and youth developmental health, family economics and family violence, laying the academic foundation for careers such as residential care worker, youth care worker or victim services worker.

Learn more about the degree program.