SFU researchers' new database to help eradicate asthma in children

Imagine a world where allergies, asthma and related chronic diseases are rare. Better yet, imagine a world where these conditions can be prevented before they develop.

A powerful new database being created by SFU genomics and bioinformatics researcher Fiona Brinkman and her team will help Canadian researchers make that world a reality.

Making water testing more affordable

Like many engineers, Ravi Selvaganapathy, McMaster’s Canada Research Chair in Biomicrofluidics, enjoys a challenge – the thornier, the better. His work focuses on developing small machines and tools (the “micro” in “biomicrofluidics”) and using them to improve medicine, biology and human health (the “bio”).

His latest project is about as thorny as it gets: a three-year, $1.8 million project funded by the University of Saskatchewan’s Global Water futures project to develop water sensors that can be used in resource-poor areas.

Like Zika, West Nile Virus Causes Fetal Brain Damage, Death in Mice

Two viruses closely related to Zika – West Nile and Powassan – can spread from an infected pregnant mouse to her fetuses, causing brain damage and fetal death, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The findings suggest that Zika may not be unique in its ability to cause miscarriages and birth defects.

Cancer 'Vaccine' Eliminates Tumors in Mice

Injecting minute amounts of two immune-stimulating agents directly into solid tumors in mice can eliminate all traces of cancer in the animals, including distant, untreated metastases, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Smog-Forming Soils

A previously unrecognized source of nitrogen oxide is contributing up to about 40 percent of the NOx emissions in California, according to a study led by the University of California, Davis. The study traces the emissions to fertilized soils in the Central Valley region.

UW-Led Climate Study: Most of Last 11,000 Years Cooler Than Past Decade in North America, Europe

University of Wyoming researchers led a climate study that determined recent temperatures across Europe and North America appear to have few, if any, precedent in the past 11,000 years.

NASA's GPM Probes Category 4 Tropical Cyclone Cebile

NASA analyzed a major tropical cyclone spinning in the Southwestern Indian Ocean and measured its rainfall.

Mammals Move Less in Human-Modified Landscapes

Most mammals are on the move every day searching for food, finding a mate or seeking shelter. But mammals in human-modified landscapes move much shorter distances on average than in more natural areas – a finding that could have far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and society, according to a new international study co-authored by University of Guelph biologists.

Prof. John Fryxell, chair of U of G’s Department of Integrative Biology, and post-doctoral researcher Tal Avgar helped lead a global research project whose findings were published recently in Science.

Choose Omega-3s From Fish Over Flax for Cancer Prevention, Study Finds

Omega-3s from fish pack a stronger punch than flaxseed and other oils when it comes to cancer prevention, according to a first-ever University of Guelph study.

Prof. David Ma has discovered that marine-based omega-3s are eight times more effective at inhibiting tumour development and growth.

Warming Climate Shrinks B.C. Beetles

Some of B.C.’s beetles are shrinking as their habitats get warmer, according to new UBC research. The study provides evidence that climate change is affecting the size of organisms.