May 6, 2004

For scientists, creating new vaccines to treat diseases such as cancer is only part of the puzzle. Equally important are the vectors or delivery agents that will be used to transport the vaccines into a patient's body. This is a complex process and, until now, there has been no university facility in Canada able to develop vectors suitable for use in people. Scientists have had to go to the United States and wait in line for laboratory space. Thanks to a $1-million gift from McMaster alumni Robert Fitzhenry to support gene therapeutic research, McMaster University is firmly on the path to a new era in medical discovery. His gift will establish the Robert E. Fitzhenry Vector Laboratory as the first Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) laboratory in Canada capable of producing vectors for use in clinical trials for patients. GMP is a set of regulations that ensure the identity, potency, safety and purity of pharmaceutical products. "I was overwhelmed when I learned what a huge stride forward the establishment of this vector laboratory would represent, not only for McMaster but for medical researchers across Canada who would now have access to Canadian produced vectors," said Fitzhenry, the former vice chair & COO of Woodbridge Foam Corporation in Mississauga, and a graduate of McMaster University in political economy.

May 6, 2004

McMaster men's volleyball team have received commitments from Nathan Groenveld and Peter Hrkal to attend McMaster University in the fall. Both players are members of . . .

May 6, 2004

Does older mean wiser? When it comes to motherhood for Mongolian gerbils, the answer is apparently yes. In her studies of these small mammals, McMaster University researcher Mertice Clark has found that the older a mother is, the more time she spends with her offspring and, perhaps as a result of that increased attention, the healthier her pups are. Clark, an adjunct professor in the department of psychology, explains, "Maternal effort increases with age. Older Mongolian gerbil mothers invest more in their offspring." To determine the effect of age on maternal effort, researchers divided 48 gerbils into four groups determined by age. Females were 35, 70, 90, and 120 days old. By observing the mothers with their babies, researchers found that the older a gerbil was, the more devoted she was to her offspring.

May 5, 2004

It's a mother's job to protect her children, teaching them to look both ways before they cross the street and not to talk to strangers. In the waters of Lake Tanganyika in Africa there are no streets to cross, but there are plenty of other threats that a mother fish must protect her offspring from. Sigal Balshine, assistant professor of psychology at McMaster University, along with her graduate students, has been studying tiny fish from Lake Tanganyika called cichlids, trying to understand why some parents aggressively defend their young from predators and other parents defend less vigorously. The species of fish studied by Balshine are co-operative breeders. Like wolves or some primates, these fish live in groups made up of two breeding fish (male and female) and up to 14 helpers. In some groups, parents work hard, carefully tending the eggs, cleaning their territories, and fiercely defending their young. In other groups, parents do little, allowing the "helpers" to take on the lion's share of the workload. Balshine and her students are examining the genes, hormones, brains and environmental surroundings of these fish to try to understand how different levels of parental care evolve.

May 5, 2004

As obesity is fast overtaking tobacco as the leading risk factor for heart disease, a new laboratory for studying the biology of fat cells (adipocytes) is opening its doors at the Henderson Research Centre. McMaster University's Arya Sharma, professor of medicine and Canada Research Chair in Cardiovascular Obesity Research and Management, says: "Fat cells are now recognized as highly active cells, that make a host of molecules contributing to metabolic disease, inflammation, and cancer." The new fat cell lab, with its state-of-the-art equipment, will support cardiovascular obesity research and management. Researchers will be able to examine fat biopsies and grow fat cells taken from obese patients with obesity-related health problems, like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. They will be able to look at the molecular aspects of the cells - watching for the changes in gene expression.

May 4, 2004

The sound of deep applause will be heard Wednesday, May 12 from Liuna Station when McMaster celebrates the collective achievements of its engineering researchers. An Applause and Accolades Awards Celebration will recognize the achievements of engineering faculty in 2003, including four Premier's Research Excellence Awards, one teaching award, three University honoured awards, two Canada Research Chairs and 17 professional association and societies recognitions. The event also will celebrate a business leader's exemplary contributions to McMaster and the community. "This event will publicly acknowledge the success of our corporate partnerships and our many internal successes within the Faculty of Engineering," says Mo Elbestawi, dean of engineering. "This is an opportunity to share in the appreciation of all our outstanding recipients."

May 4, 2004

McMaster University's School of Rehabilitation Science started its new application process yesterday into the master of science occupational therapy (OT) and physiotherapy (PT) programs. The . . .

May 3, 2004

A new face and a new name are helping to refresh the direction of health and safety issues on campus. This week, Environmental & Occupational Health Support Services (EOHSS) will be promoting awareness of important safety issues and showcasing their new Wentworth House offices for North American Occupational Safety and Health Week. "Workplace safety affects everyone, not just workers," says Nancy Wilk, who joined the EOHSS team as manager last November. "Right now our focus is on building strong relationships with stakeholders  that includes workers, but also visitors, students, volunteers, and everyone else on campus."

May 3, 2004

McMaster University researchers have developed a better way for both the public and healthcare professionals to seek valid medical information on the Internet. The group, . . .

May 3, 2004

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/cities2opt.jpg” caption=”Virtual Cities Web site”]Faculty and students in the multimedia program at McMaster University had the chance to experience working on a large . . .

May 3, 2004

Canada's Man in Motion, Rick Hansen, took his first tour of McMaster's Centre for Health Promotion and Rehabilitation on Friday. Hansen spent about 45 minutes meeting some of the people who use the exercise rehabilitation facility on a regular basis. Kinesiology professors Neil McCartney and Audrey Hicks hosted the informal tour which included demonstrations of the various pieces of equipment used in rehabilitation training. Members of the MacWheelers, numerous volunteers and other researchers who are involved in the centre were also on hand to talk to Hansen. The Centre for Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, established in 2000, is home to a group of multidisciplinary researchers who study the effects of exercise on the well-being of seniors and various patient populations. The centre has a pioneering robotic device called a Lokomat - the only one in Canada - designed for gait retraining in persons with spinal cord injuries. The centre is also one of the few locations in North America that incorporates body weight support treadmill training in the rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injuries and other movement disorders. Hansen received an honorary doctorate from McMaster University in 1999.

April 30, 2004

Long-term care and care of the elderly  cited among the top health related concerns for Canadians  will be explored at the sixth annual Carl Moore Lecture in Primary Care on May 5. Michael Gordon, vice-president of medical services and head of geriatrics and internal medicine at the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, will present this year's lecture, hosted by McMaster's Department of Family Medicine. He will speak on Humanity in Long Term Care  Ethical, Clinical and Social Challenges', and will address several dimensions of the topic, including: the long term care system, the decision to choose long term care, and geriatrics and long term care as a career. Gordon is also head of the division of geriatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital, and a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto. He has published widely on health and aging and is a regular contributor and commentator on the joys and problems of the elderly for various TV programs and radio shows. His books include Old enough to feel Better - A Medical Guide For Seniors and An Ounce Of Prevention - The Canadian Guide To Healthy And Successful Retirement. He is co-author of Parenting your Parents, and a new edition of the Encyclopedia of Health & Aging.

April 29, 2004

Shamir Mehta's innovative research at McMaster University has earned him a national and international reputation as a highly respected researcher in the treatment of acute coronary heart disease. Now, Mehta, a cardiologist with the department of medicine at McMaster, has been recognized for the large impact he has had on patients and the practice of medicine by being named one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40. The Top 40 Under 40 program, now in its ninth year, was established to recognize the achievements of outstanding Canadians under the age of 40. Recipients of the award represent Canada's best and brightest. "Dr. Mehta represents McMaster's premier candidate for this prestigious award," says John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences. "I believe that Dr. Mehta is an ideal candidate because he is a "triple threat," having made major contributions in patient care, research, and education." Mehta is one of a small number of physicians who performs complex and lifesaving interventional cardiac procedures. These procedures are minimally invasive, yet have profound health impacts. The techniques used by Mehta bring together major advances in diagnosis, anticoagulation, and technology.

April 29, 2004

Down corridors, workers install lighting; in classrooms, they place rows upon rows of seating, they carpet floors and plaster the walls, and put the finishing touches on doors and windows. These are the final details going into the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery (MDCL), the 300,000-square-foot building to the north side of the McMaster Health Sciences Centre. With approximately 100 construction workers toiling away each day, the building is getting closer to completion. It is expected that MDCL will be ready for the move-in of researchers, staff and faculty over the next few months and it will be ready for classes late this summer. Amid the dust and the sound of drills and hammers, the sign of an innovative facility peaks through. A light shines down from a skylight, floor to ceiling windows stretch down long corridors and state-of-the-art lecture theatres and classrooms begin to exhibit the state of the art. (Click here for a slideshow) "This is going to be a wonderful space for students, researchers, faculty and staff," says John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the faculty of health sciences. "It's going to house state-of-the-art infrastructure, meaning there will be many amenities, from audio visual to the Internet. It will have everything a student needs. I'm really enthusiastic about what is going to happen when students start using the building this summer and fall."

April 28, 2004

McMaster's Department of Family Medicine is helping raise awareness of the importance of regular blood pressure monitoring. A recently launched "Community Hypertension Awareness Program" (CHAP) is 'closing the loop' between health promotion activities in the community, and clinical care by family doctors. Steady attendance at the CHAP' blood pressure sessions reveals that many older adults are interested in having their blood pressure measured and their cardiovascular risk factors recorded and sent to their family doctor, according to Janusz Kaczorowski, research director in the Department of Family Medicine. To date, more than 600 Grimsby-area residents have attended sessions for blood pressure monitoring and cardiovascular risk assessment in local pharmacies.

April 28, 2004

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/artwork.jpg” caption=”Artwork by Ruth-Esther Johnson”]What is beauty? Artist Ruth-Esther Johnson, one of McMaster University's graduating studio arts students, presents an exploration of answers . . .

April 27, 2004

Nine McMaster research projects have received more than $1 million in the latest round of the Canada Foundation for Innovation's New Opportunities Fund (NOF). The funding will allow new and talented researchers to conduct their research in world-class facilities. To date, 85 McMaster projects have received a total $14,477,113 from the NOF. Thirty-three Canadian institutions across the country received $29.9 million under this program to help them attract and retain 164 high-caliber researchers in 145 projects. NOF enables eligible universities to provide research infrastructure for newly-recruited faculty members, in their first full-time academic appointment in Canadian degree-granting institutions, so that these researchers can undertake leading-edge research. The fund also enables institutions to recruit new faculty members in the areas of research identified as priorities in their strategic research plans.

April 27, 2004

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/luncheon2.jpg” caption=”Luncheon Series speakers”]McMaster University and Halton Region have formed a unique alliance to inspire and motivate members of the business community. The . . .

April 26, 2004

More than 2,900 students will move out of residence April 25 to 29, with almost 2,723 of these moving out between Tuesday, April 27 and Thursday, April 29. Student residences on-campus officially close on Thursday, April 29. It will be busy on the roadways near the residences in both the north and west quads, particularly during the peak periods between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. University staff who travel the roadway and/or park in Zone 2 opposite McKay Hall, the Commons Building and Woodstock Hall will find this area particularly busy over the next few days. To avoid the bustle of cars pulling in and out of the parking spots and the general increase in pedestrian and vehicular traffic in this area, staff are encouraged to park in Zone 2 south of the tennis courts for the next few days.

April 23, 2004

The McMaster community is advised that a McMaster student was recently diagnosed with active tuberculosis (TB). The part-time student is now receiving medical attention. The student does not live on campus. TB is not easily spread and those at greater risk must have had close, day-to-day contact with the student. Hamilton's Public Health and Community Services Department will be sending a letter to anyone who may have had possible direct contact with the student and will advise them to visit their family doctor for a tuberculin skin test now and in three months to determine if infection occurred. The testing procedure is a precaution as there is a low risk that others have contracted the disease.