• Ethnic background and excess stomach fat
  Not all types of body fat are created equal and excess stomach fat presents the greatest risk for developing heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. A team of CIHR-funded researchers led by Dr. Scott A. Lear, a Canadian Obesity Network Investigator from Simon Fraser University, discovered that a person's ethnic background determines where the body stores fat. Specifically, the team found that Canadians of Chinese and South Asian descent had higher amounts of abdominal fat than persons with European or Aboriginal heritage, putting them at greater risk for obesity-related diseases. The study is published in the high-profile American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

August 22, 2007

• A new molecular zip code, and a new drug target for Huntington's disease
  Canadian researchers funded by CIHR have discovered how Huntington's disease (HD) could be triggered. By doing so, they are paving the way to one day developing a drug that will target the bad proteins that cause the disease. HD causes uncontrolled limb movements and loss of intellectual faculties. The research by Dr. Ray Truant is published in the August 20th edition of the British Journal, Human Molecular Genetics.

August 17, 2007

• Early immune responses to SARS predicts severity of disease
  A new study shows that during the early stages of the SARS infection, patients produced two different immune responses. The researchers found they could predict how severe the disease would be by determining which type of immune response the patients had. Dr. Mark Cameron (University Health Network, Toronto) and his team studied blood samples from 40 SARS patients. Patients who would later experience only mild SARS symptoms had a different immune system response than those who would later suffer severe symptoms or death. This study, partially funded by CIHR, contributes to our current understanding on how the immune system reacts to SARS and in the future, may be used to target patients who need extra medical care. These findings are published in August issue of the Journal of Virology.

August 16, 2007

• New prion protein discovered by Canadian scientists may offer insight into mad cow disease
  Canadian scientists have discovered a new protein that might offer fresh insights into brain function in mad cow disease. "In addition to the original prion protein molecule called PrP, our team has defined a second prion protein called 'Shadoo'," said Professor David Westaway, CIHR-funded researcher at the University of Alberta. This is the first discovery since 1985 of a new brain protein.

August 15, 2007

• New health benefit for component in tomato
  Dr. Leticia Rao, a CIHR-Industry funded researcher at the University of Toronto and her research team have found another way in which lycopene, a naturally occurring component found in red tomatoes and a powerful antioxidant, provides health benefits. In their study, postmenopausal women who had consumed more lycopene in the form of tomatoes and tomato products had a lower amount of a specific bone protein associated with osteoporosis. These findings may lead to new strategies to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. This research is published online in the journal Osteoporosis International. Another clinical intervention study to evaluate the role of lycopene in osteoporosis is now completed and results will be submitted for publication.

• New Executive Director for Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute
  The Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute (ABJHI) has appointed Dr. Cy Frank, the inaugural scientific director of the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA), as Executive Director. Dr. Frank is a leading orthopaedic surgeon, researcher and professor with an impressive record of promoting bone and joint health and health care for Albertans. He brings more than 30 years of experience to the job.

August 3, 2007

• CIHR researchers develop vaccine for deadly intestinal parasite
  Dr. Kris Chadee, a CIHR-funded researcher at the University of Calgary, and his team have developed a vaccine to prevent infection by Entamoeba histolytica, a parasite that kills more than 100,000 people each year worldwide. The vaccine blocks infection by preventing the parasite from attaching to the lining of the intestine. The researchers tested the vaccine on gerbils and found that it provided 100 per cent protection against the parasite. In the future, these finding may lead to the development of a vaccine for humans. The study is published online in the scientific journal Infection and Immunity.

August 1, 2007

• CIHR-funded researchers discover way to enhance bone healing treatments
  CIHR-funded researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children SickKids have found a molecular pathway that plays a critical role in bone healing and have found that the drug lithium can improve the healing process. This research is reported in the July 31 issue of PLoS Medicine. Delayed fracture healing can cause substantial disability and often requires additional surgical treatments. Finding a drug that could enhance bone healing has been a long-sought treatment that could improve fracture repair and substantially improve patient outcomes.

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