“These 10 cutting-edge projects highlight the impressive diversity of health research at UM,” said Dr. Peter Nickerson, dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.

“Some are lab studies that will advance knowledge of conditions like heart disease and cancer. Two projects focus on Indigenous health. Three studies are randomized controlled trials to be conducted at hospitals, with the potential to influence treatment protocols in the areas of kidney transplant rejection, pneumonia and stroke.”      

Dr. Christine Kelly, an associate professor in the College of Community and Global Health with expertise in home care and the care workforce, received nearly $1 million for a four-year study.

She and her team aim to learn more about the lives of health-care aides (HCAs) in Manitoba. The goal is to uncover why so many leave the field, and what can be done to recruit, support and retain these employees who do essential work in home-care programs and personal care homes.

“Research shows that as many as 40 per cent of recently graduated HCAs will leave their job within the first year of employment,” Kelly said. “The period during and immediately following training is a key time for understanding what is happening with these workers, who are mostly women and are often new Canadians.”

All five public colleges that train HCAs in Manitoba – RRC Polytech, Assiniboine Community College, Université de Saint-Boniface, Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology and University College of the North – will be involved in the provincewide study, titled “Care workers of tomorrow: Health-care aide experiences and education-to-work pathways to support retention and workforce planning.”

The project will follow HCAs from the start of their training and into their first year of employment, documenting why they stay at or leave their jobs. Based on the findings, Kelly’s team will make recommendations for educational institutions, policy-makers and employers.

Here are the other UM recipients of CIHR grants in the Spring 2025 round of funding: 

Dr. Michael Czubryt, professor of physiology and pathophysiology; executive director of research, St. Boniface Hospital

Grant: $1,149,414 (five years)

Czubryt will investigate how a protein, scleraxis, controls the conversion of heart cells called fibroblasts into myofibroblasts – a process that drives cardiac fibrosis, or stiffening of the heart, in cardiac disease. With greater insight into the role played by this protein, Czubryt’s team aims to help identify new targets for anti-fibrosis drug development.

Dr. Julie Ho, professor of internal medicine

Grant: $2,757,826 (five years)

Ho’s team will lead an international, multi-centre, randomized controlled trial to define the optimal steroid therapy for T-cell mediated rejection (TCMR) of kidneys after transplant. This trial aims to resolve the longstanding question, “What is the minimally acceptable, safe and effective steroid dose for the treatment of acute TCMR in kidney and simultaneous kidney pancreas transplant recipients?”

Dr. Jennifer Kornelsen, associate professor of radiology

Grant: $623,476 (five years)

Seeking to understand depression and anxiety in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Kornelsen will use magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the brain and spinal cord activity of patients who have IBD with depression/anxiety; those who have IBD without those conditions; and healthy people. The study will also test how the spinal cord carries information between the brain and the gut in IBD.

Dr. Sylvain Lother, assistant professor of internal medicine

Grant: $180,000 (three years)

Lother is leading a pilot randomized controlled trial of 120 patients across Canada in preparation for a much larger trial involving thousands of patients with community-acquired pneumonia. The goal is to establish whether one antibiotic strategy is better than others for certain groups of patients hospitalized with pneumonia.

Dr. Jonathan McGavock, professor of pediatrics and child health

Grant: $100,000 (one year)

McGavock’s project continues his research on how urban trails in Canadian cities rarely reach or serve the needs of urban-dwelling Indigenous people. This study will provide evidence-based policy and practice recommendations co-created with First Nations families and Elders/Knowledge Keepers for how to implement urban trails in an equitable way for First Nations people.

Dr. Kirk McManus, professor of biochemistry and medical genetics

Grant: $1,208,700 (five years)

McManus’s project will use cutting-edge techniques to study the expression of a gene, SKP2, that appears to play a role in the development of tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma, the most common and lethal form of ovarian cancer. The team hopes to gain knowledge that will lead to new therapeutic options for people with this cancer.

Dr. Claudio Rigatto, professor of internal medicine

Grant: $765,000 (three years)

Rigatto’s team will develop a small, easy-to-use, low-cost test for rapid, accurate assessment of kidney function in settings such as clinics, pharmacies, schools, and potentially homes. The test will use a new method for measuring kidney function, called cystatin C. The team aims to make kidney testing as widely available as possible to improve access to chronic kidney disease diagnosis.

Dr. Leslie E. Roos, associate professor of psychology

Grant: $489,600 (three years)

Roos’s team has developed an app-based mental health and parenting support program called BEAM (Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Wellbeing). In this project, the team is working with Indigenous researchers, Elders, community members and organizations to build, test and evaluate a cultural adaptation of BEAM that meets the expressed needs of Indigenous families.  

Dr. Nishita Singh, assistant professor of internal medicine; Heart & Stroke & Research Manitoba Chair in Clinical Stroke Research

Grant: $768,826 (three years)

Singh’s study aims to determine whether it’s safe for patients who take blood thinners called direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) to receive a clot-busting medication (tenecteplase) when they are having an ischemic stroke. Currently, guidelines say patients who are on DOACs should not be given clot-busting medication. This randomized controlled trial will test different doses of tenecteplase.

Cutting-edge building planned for health education

UM is set to transform health education in Manitoba with plans for a multipurpose building to open in 2025 on the Bannatyne campus. The project, supported by donors and a $40-million commitment from the provincial government, will allow for 30 additional medical school seats and introduce state-of-the-art facilities.

Situated at the corner of McDermot Avenue and Tecumseh Street, the multi-storey building will contain classrooms, simulation labs and a theatre to accommodate the growing number of medical students. The facility will also house the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry’s expansive new dental clinics, Ongomiizwin – Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing and a 90-space child-care centre. Read more >

Three new research chairs fuel discovery

Dr. Genevieve Thompson, professor of nursing, was named the inaugural Research Chair in Person-Directed Living, a position jointly established by Riverview Health Centre and the College of Nursing. Thompson’s focus will be on research to improve quality of life for people in long-term care. Read more >

Dr. Nishita Singh, a stroke neurologist who is assistant professor of internal medicine, was appointed the Heart & Stroke & Research Manitoba Chair in Clinical Stroke Research. The position at the Max Rady College of Medicine is the first chair in clinical stroke research to be established in Manitoba. Read more >

Dr. Jacquie Ripat, professor of occupational therapy, was appointed the first Endowed Chair in Technology for Assisted Living at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences. The chair, funded by donations to the Health Sciences Centre Foundation and UM, will focus on cutting-edge technology that helps people live independently. Read more >

Collecting data to disrupt racism

UM was a partner in announcing that Manitobans are now being asked to voluntarily declare their race, ethnicity or Indigenous identity when they receive care at hospitals. The initiative is led on behalf of Shared Health by Dr. Marcia Anderson, vice-dean Indigenous health, social justice and anti-racism of the Rady Faculty.

Manitoba is the first province in Canada to systematically collect this information from patients when they access care. The purpose of amassing and analyzing the data is to address racial inequities in health care. Read more >  

Dental college celebrates patient’s enduring trust

Catherine Hyska has been a devoted patient at the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry’s clinic for an astounding 57 years. She started visiting the clinic in an era when fillings cost 25 cents and crowns were priced between $5 and $10. Now 93 years old, she attributes her enduring oral well-being to the guidance of the dental students who have cared for her.

Hyska’s loyalty speaks volumes about the dental college’s quality of care, compassionate students and affordability for community members. Read more >

Medical college marks 140 years

Since its founding in 1883, the Max Rady College of Medicine has educated and trained the majority of Manitoba’s physicians and played a crucial role in the delivery of health care across the province.

The college is known for leadership in the areas of social accountability, equity, diversity and inclusion and anti-racism initiatives, Indigenous health and interprofessional collaboration. Its robust research enterprise includes a focus on global public health, infectious diseases and population health. Alumni, partners, faculty members, learners and friends of the college gathered in November for a gala celebration of its proud history.

Read more about the college’s research achievements of the past 140 years

Read more about alumni and faculty members who are Canadian Medical Hall of Fame laureates

College of Nursing welcomes historic summer cohort

In May, the College of Nursing opened a new chapter, welcoming its first summer cohort of 120 students. This enrolment expansion, supported by an investment of $4.3 million from the Province of Manitoba, marked a significant step in addressing the province’s nursing shortage.

The college has revolutionized its bachelor of nursing program, now accommodating three cohorts annually, with year-round delivery of the program across three terms: summer, fall and winter. This approach ensures that students will complete the degree in 28 months. Read more >

First class graduates from new PharmD program

The first students to earn the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) undergraduate degree at UM were recognized at Spring Convocation, marking a new era for pharmacy education in Manitoba.

The PharmD program, which has replaced UM’s longstanding bachelor of science (pharmacy), is a four-year professional degree program that focuses on clinical practice, experiential learning and pharmaceutical sciences. The program prepares pharmacists for their evolving scope of practice and role in patient care. Read more >

Ininiw scholar develops curriculum framework

With a vision to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing, Ininiw (Cree) scholar Margaret Hart is developing a curriculum framework for the occupational therapy program in the College of Rehabilitation Sciences.

Hart, who is from Pimicikamak Cree Nation with ties to Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, has extensive experience as an Indigenous educator. In consultation with communities, she is working to decolonize the occupational therapy curriculum and infuse it with First Nation philosophies. Read more >

Pride flag, queer health symposium encourage inclusion

In a ceremony in September, the Pride flag was unveiled in a permanent position above the stage in the Brodie Centre atrium, demonstrating the Rady Faculty’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. Read more >

In October, Caring Queerly, the first Rady Faculty symposium on queer health, was held on the Bannatyne campus. More than 60 people registered for the two-day event, which offered a safe space to discuss queer health inequities and services. Read more >

Rady Kids’ Club provides study break for parents

For students in the health sciences who have children, juggling the demands of university life and parenting can be a challenge. It’s tough to find quality study time.

In a game-changing initiative, the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Family Centre has introduced the free Rady Kids’ Club. Designed for children aged four to 12, the club runs one Saturday morning per month in the gym on the Bannatyne campus, giving parents some uninterrupted study time. Read more >

Dr. Nishita Singh, an accomplished neurologist and clinical researcher who comes to UM from the University of Calgary, has been appointed to the new position, called the Heart & Stroke & Research Manitoba Chair in Clinical Stroke Research.

“I’m very excited and very thrilled to be here,” said Singh, following the announcement that took place April 6 on UM’s Bannatyne campus. “We want Manitoba to be leading stroke research.”

Dr. Nishita Singh

The chair, which has a five-year term, is based in the department of internal medicine at the Max Rady College of Medicine in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. It is the first chair in clinical stroke research to be established in Manitoba. Singh will hold the rank of assistant professor.

Singh’s primary interest is in carotid artery disease, which encompasses multiple disease states, such as narrowing or tear in the wall of the artery, which leads to a decrease in blood supply to the brain causing a stroke in not only the older population, but also the young.

For the province to become a leader in stroke research, Singh plans to collaborate with centers across Canada and around the world for her study on carotid disease states.

“I’m going to start by doing some qualitative and quantitative research, which involves patient focus groups and surveys,” Singh said. “We will also be initiating a large registry database to collect data from across Canada to understand the prevalence and the burden of carotid diseases in each province using pragmatic linkages.”

In the next year, Singh plans to start designing a clinical study based on her findings from the patient focus groups and surveys to compare treatment strategies in different carotid disease states, which will help determine optimal treatment plans for these disease conditions.

“We’re hoping to be able to finally answer some questions to know the best treatment options to achieve the greatest outcomes,” Singh said. “This new position will help me accomplish this goal.”

Strong partnership

This marks the first time Heart & Stroke (a charity dedicated to healthy lives free of heart disease and stroke), Research Manitoba (the provincial agency that supports health research) and UM have jointly created a research chair.

Heart & Stroke contributed $500,000, Research Manitoba $300,000 and UM $200,000 to the chair’s total funding of $1 million ($200,000 per year for five years).

“Over the past few years, we’ve made great progress in the stroke system in our province. And this new Chair is another big step in the continuing progress,” said Christine Houde, Heart & Stroke director of health systems and policy in Manitoba. “It’s been a long road to get here and we’ve had to navigate roadblocks like Covid along the way.”

Karen Dunlop, CEO, Research Manitoba, said that the funding committed towards this initiative is invaluable as it will support the work of the new chair over the coming months and years.

“We believe that Manitoba has the talent and capacity to be a leader, not just in the country, but in the world,” Dunlop said. “And we think this is a step forward towards that vision.”

Dr. Mario Pinto, vice-president (research and international) at UM, said the collaboration is an investment to improve treatment for stroke, which is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in Manitoba today.

“Clinicians and other researchers working in the field of stroke research and care will look toward the new Heart & Stroke & Research Manitoba Chair in Clinical Stroke Research to assist in the integration of best practices in stroke care provincially, nationally and internationally,” Pinto said.

Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-provost (health sciences), dean, Max Rady College of Medicine, and dean, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, welcomed Dr. Singh to the University of Manitoba, where she is joining a strong and collaborative research community of 23 Canada Research Chairs and 16 endowed research chairs within the Rady Faculty.

“We look forward to your innovative leadership in taking clinical stroke research and care to the next level in Manitoba,” Nickerson said. “Your expertise is sure to have a positive impact.”