WE-SPARK Health Institute to Host "Cheers to Hope" Event to Support Health Innovation in Windsor/Essex WE-SPARK Health Institute is preparing for its annual “Cheers to Hope” event on November 7, 2024, at the Ambassador Golf Club. Open to the public, this event invites the Windsor/Essex community to interact with local health researchers and students, providing a unique opportunity for attendees to learn about ongoing research efforts. Whether you're familiar with the research or just curious, this is the perfect event to get involved in local health innovation. The goal of the event is to raise $400,000 for research grants that support cutting-edge health projects across the region. Running from 5:00 to 7:30 PM, “Cheers to Hope” will showcase the collaborative work between local and international institutions aimed at addressing key health challenges. Since WE-SPARK’s inception in 2020, the institute has awarded 105 grants, totaling over $1.8 million. These grants fuel a wide range of health research projects and contribute to local innovation, creating jobs and positioning…
Online think tank to ignite health research collaborations An online session Oct. 25 will bring together healthcare researchers, professionals, and community organizations. The next WE-SPARK Think Tank will take place Friday, Oct. 25, offering an opportunity for researchers, students, healthcare professionals, and community organizations to come together and find solutions. This virtual session on Zoom will run from 1 to 3 p.m. and will feature two exciting projects. Attendees are encouraged to bring fresh ideas, engage in problem-solving discussions, and build meaningful collaborations to drive these initiatives forward. 1. Improving Social Determinants of Health by Developing Relationships with Nature in the City Presented by: Anneke Smit, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor Catherine Febria, the Healthy Headwaters Lab Clint Jacobs, Indigenous scholar, Indigenous Knowledge Table This session, led by the University of Windsor’s National Urban Park Hub, will explore how green spaces within the proposed National Urban Park can improve the mental,…
'Housing is healthcare'; this physician thinks she has the key to solving homelessness in Windsor-Essex Researcher Jennifer Bondy is seeking to overcome barriers to health care for those experiencing homelessness. Windsor-Essex has seen a continued rise in homelessness in recent years – not an isolated trend, but one that requires a regional solution. There are currently about 850 households in Windsor-Essex experiencing homelessness. To address the needs of this population, Doctor Jennifer Bondy, an adjunct professor in family medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, is has brought together a variety of community partners to conduct a needs assessment study. "These are all professionals working in the field, each with their own focus, and I wanted to bring them together. When WE-Spark announced the think tanks, I saw an opportunity to create a research team," Bondy said. "The idea was to gather people from different sectors to collaborate, think ahead, and plan programs. Then we would have an embedded research team for continuous quality improvement, ensuring…
Researchers applying machine learning to detect cause of blindness Professor Esam Abdel-Raheem and doctoral student Sudipta Modak co-authored a paper on detecting a eading cause of vision impairment. Electrical and computer engineering professor Esam Abdel-Raheem is contributing to a work that is paving the way for early detection of diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness. Making an earlier diagnosis will help physicians treat the condition and stave off serious deterioration, says Dr. Abdel-Raheem. “If this diabetic retinopathy is detected early, over 90 per cent of vision loss can be prevented,” he says. “The current methods of screening rely on manual examinations, which are time-consuming, subjective, and prone to error. Adopting the presented deep learning techniques will result in saving vision and cutting down on overall health-care demands.” A paper published in IEEE Access, “Deep Learning in Automatic Diabetic Retinopathy Detection and Grading Systems: A Comprehensive Survey and Comparison of Methods,”…
October networking event to bring together health researchers Whether you’re already part of the health research community or just curious to learn more, the monthly networking events hosted by the WE-Spark Health Institute are a perfect opportunity to make connections in an informal and enjoyable atmosphere. The October gathering, from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, at the Bourbon Tap and Grill, promises fun, casual conversations, formal networking opportunities, and great prizes. All attendees will have a chance to win two tickets to WE-Spark’s Cheers to Hope event, valued at $300. Bourbon Tap and Grill is located at 1199 Ottawa Street. Registration is encouraged but not required — bring a friend or colleague. Click here to register.
Funding supports exploration of societal challenges Clockwise from top left: Steven Palmer, Adrian Guta, Hajar Fatemi, Michelle MacArthur, Naved Bakali, Yanhong Li, and Alexander Daros are recipients of SSHRC Insight and Insight Development grants recently announced by the federal government. UWindsor researchers have been awarded close to $500,000 for seven projects that will advance understanding of workplaces, addiction services, psychology, the consumer aspects surrounding female fertility, education, and film and theatre. Social work professor Adrian Guta, history professor Steven Palmer, and School of Dramatic Art professor Michelle MacArthur have been awarded Insight Grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Education professor Naved Bakali, business professors Yanhong Li and Hajar Fatemi, and psychology professor Alexander Daros have been awarded SSHRC Insight Development grants. These grants range in value from nearly $52,000 to $92,000. Insight Development grants differ from Insight Grants…
Business professor exploring innovative methods in analytics Yawo Mamoua Kobara, assistant professor in the Odette School of Business, uses statistical analysis to address social and business challenges. With a keen interest in mathematics, assistant professor Yawo Mamoua Kobara was drawn to explore statistics with the goal of using data to address business challenges and support decision-making in emerging economies. Dr. Kobara has earned two master’s degrees — one in mathematical sciences and another in financial engineering — along with a PhD in statistics which has driven his research interests. He explores using statistical analysis to address social and business challenges, focusing on areas of healthcare and finance. Joining the University of Windsor as a new member of the Black Scholars’ Institute (BSI), Dr. Kobara’s research aims to develop tools and insights to improve patient flow and minimize discrimination in the healthcare system. DailyNews will showcase the contributions and insights of members of the Black Scholars Institute…
Law professor to advise on sustainability in education Anneke Smit, associate professor in the Faculty of Law, has taken up a one-year appointment as special advisor to the provost on the Detroit-Windsor United Nations Regional Centre of Expertise for Sustainability in Education. Provost Robert Aguirre has appointed law professor Anneke Smit to a one-year post as special advisor to the provost on the Detroit-Windsor United Nations Regional Centre of Expertise for Sustainability in Education (UN-RCE). A joint initiative of the University of Windsor and Wayne State University, the Detroit-Windsor RCE will anchor exchange and research on urban sustainability and connect ongoing community initiatives in the greater Detroit-Windsor region. The local centre is the only cross-border entity among approximately 180 such centres globally. Dr. Aguirre called it uniquely situated to address a range of pressing issues, including sustainable and equitable land use planning and housing policy; environmental justice and the protection of water and land; industry…
WE-SPARK Health Institute Releases 5th Annual Impact Report WE-SPARK Health Institute has proudly released its 5th Annual Impact Report, covering the period from May 2023 to April 2024. Since its inception in 2019, WE-SPARK Health Institute has been committed to advancing research, education, and community engagement in Windsor-Essex. Over the past five years, the institute has celebrated significant milestones, driven by the collaborative efforts of its members, partners, and supporters. Thanks to the dedication of WE-SPARK members and a highly successful grants program—awarding over $1 million in seed and bridge grants—the institute has fostered substantial growth in health research across the region. Their events and student programs have played a critical role in aligning with advancements in health research. The institute’s influence on national health research funding has been profound, with the region’s funding tripling since WE-SPARK’s founding. This increased focus has enhanced the region’s profile and positively impacted local…
