August 13-18 2006 - XVI International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2006)
Discovery Could Help People With HIV Lead Healthier Lives
A team of CIHR-supported researchers has discovered defective immune cells that can make HIV-infected individuals susceptible to candidiasis, a common and often debilitating secondary infection that is often resistant to conventional therapies. "This new knowledge will be instrumental in designing more powerful and effective treatments, which will directly improve the health status of HIV-infected patients who suffer from candidiasis," says Dr. Louis de Repentigny of Université de Montréal, one of the study's lead researchers. The findings were published in the July issue of The Journal of Immunology.
Seeking an HIV Vaccine: Could childhood vaccines hold a clue to the development of an HIV vaccine? Dr. Kelly MacDonald, a Mount Sinai Hospital Microbiologist and OHTN Endowed Chair in HIV Research at the University of Toronto, is investigating the possibility. Her study could lead to a vaccine that could potentially be used to immunize kids against both chicken pox and HIV before they are sexually active.
Changing Behaviours: Liviana Calzavara, a sociologist at the University of Toronto, is studying the stigma, denial, fear and discrimination surrounding AIDS among immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean now living in Toronto. She is also the Canadian Scientific Co-Chair for AIDS 2006.
Why Undergraduates Binge Drink and Gamble
What are the individual and environmental factors that lead university undergraduates to binge drink? Two Canadian researchers are surveying thousands of students for answers as part of a major four-year CIHR project. It's also the first Canadian study to examine gambling problems among university students.
Keeping "Fun Food" Out of Your Children's Lunches
Glow in the dark yoghurt, fruit strips that look healthy, but are mostly sugar. For parents facing the back-to-school lunch crunch, it's hard to decide what to buy. And food manufacturers aren't making it any easier, according to research funded by CIHR. Dr. Charlene Elliott of Carleton University found 366 products in a local supermarket that fell into the category of "fun" food, including glow-in-the-dark yoghurt tubes, cereal that turns the milk blue, and instant oatmeal that hatches dinosaur eggs when boiling water is added - food that may have a huge "yuck" factor for adults, but is irresistible to children.
These and other back-to-school-related health stories can be found online here.
Why Many Patients Who Recover From Depression Relapse
Mild stress or sadness can cause some individuals with a history of depression to relapse, according to new CIHR-funded research at the University of Toronto and Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Led by Dr. Zindel Segal, the study found that even a mild negative mood, when experienced by someone with a history of depression, can trigger thinking patterns associated with the condition, increasing their risk for relapse. The research could lead to new approaches to help people manage depression.
Studying The Link Between Methanol And Fetal Alcohol Disorders
For the first time researchers are testing to see whether fetal exposure to methanol, a contaminant found in many alcoholic beverages, contributes to the life-long learning and behavioural problems associated with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). By contributing to a better understanding of fetal brain injury caused by exposure to methanol and related toxins, a team of CIHR-supported researchers in Ontario is getting the answers needed for new therapeutic interventions to protect fetuses at risk for FASD. Dr. James Reynolds of Queen's University is the lead researcher for the project.
Synthetic Product Offers New Hope For Blood Disorder
Patients suffering from an autoimmune disorder that causes life-threatening bleeding may soon be able to use a more effective treatment, thanks to research supported by CIHR. Dr. Alan Lazarus, a Canadian Blood Services scientist, has developed a synthetic replacement for a costly blood-derived product CALLED IVIg (intravenous immunoglobulin). This synthetic could help pave the way for improved treatment of a variety of conditions, and reduce demand for IVIg which accounts for $130 million in hospital spending each year.
Healing The Heart With Bone Marrow Cells
Researchers in Toronto have discovered the 'SOS' distress signal that mobilizes specific heart repair cells from the bone marrow to the injured heart after a heart attack. Led by Dr. Shafie Fazel at Toronto General Hospital, this CIHR-supported research reveals the critically important role of bone marrow adult stem cells in repairing a damaged heart, restoring its function and enhancing the growth of new blood vessels. The results were published in the July issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Currently, more than half of patients with congestive heart failure die within five years of initial diagnosis.
Why People With Diabetes Get More Infections
Researchers at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario have gained important new insight into why people with diabetes are at greater risk of developing recurrent infections and complications following seemingly mild infections. CIHR-funded researchers, led by Dr. Bhagirath Singh, found that those with diabetes have compromised immunity because their dendritic cells fail to produce enough of a potent antiviral agent known as interferon-alpha. "This indicates that strategies that reduce the incidence or severity of infections, such as vaccinations, are very important to people with diabetes," said Dr. Singh.
To Aire Is Human? Malfunctioning Gene Linked To Diabetes
A new finding from the Robarts Research Institute at The University of Western Ontario explains the role of what may be a vital gene for controlling autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes. This CIHR-funded research - conducted by Dr. Terry Delovitch and colleagues and published in Nature Medicine - describes how the Aire gene controls a subset of immune cells that can regulate many immune responses. "Understanding the role of the Aire gene could shed light on new treatment strategies for autoimmune diseases that are mediated by iNKT cell defects - not only type 1 diabetes but also multiple sclerosis, lupus, Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis," said Dr. Delovitch.
August 13-18, 2006: XVI International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2006)
Some 20,000 participants are expected to attend what will be the world's largest professional meeting on AIDS.
Toronto, ON
August 29, 2006: CIHR's Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis, Open Forum
Helping to shape the future of skin, oral and musculoskeletal health research in Canada.
Halifax, NS
September 21-22: CIHR Workshop for Journalists
The 1st CIHR Science Writers Workshop, Genetics, is an opportunity for health and science reporters to meet and learn from some of Canada's most renowned researchers in the field of genetics. This two-day workshop will take place in Toronto. Contact us for more information.
For more information on any of the above story leads, please contact:
Marie-France Poirier
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Phone: 613-941-4563
Cell: 613-447-4794
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
This e-newsletter is a new initiative from CIHR aimed at providing media with new health research story ideas. If you would prefer to be removed from this list, please reply to this e-mail and indicate 'remove' in the subject line. If you would like to sign up, please visit the media centre at www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/media.html.
