Reducing Missed Appointments: RCC Project Strengthens Family Engagement in Mental Health Services A staff-driven quality improvement initiative is helping more children, youth, and families stay connected to care. (Photo courtesy: Markus Spiske, Unsplash) At the Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare Regional Children’s Centre (RCC), a recent quality improvement project is making a measurable difference in how families engage with counselling and therapy services. Like many organizations, RCC experienced an increase in missed appointments and same-day cancellations following COVID-19. These disruptions can have a real impact, limiting the effectiveness of treatment and making it more difficult for children and youth to receive consistent care. In response, RCC brought together frontline staff, families, and its Department of Research and Evaluation to better understand what was getting in the way of participation and what could help. Using a community-based participatory approach, the project engaged 25 frontline staff, the Family Engagement Committee, and parents with lived experience.…
UWindsor research powers the next wave of motion‑sensing technology Dr. Jalal Ahamed, mechanical, automotive and materials engineering professor, and lab manager Bhawya in the MicroNano Mechatronics Lab at the University of Windsor. (ANGELA KHARBOUTLI/ University of Windsor) Every time a car deploys an airbag, a smartphone tilts its screen or a satellite adjusts its position in space, tiny motion sensors are at work — quietly measuring movement with remarkable precision. At the University of Windsor, researchers are working to push that technology further, developing next-generation sensors that are smaller, more accurate and better suited for large-scale manufacturing. Dr. Jalal Ahamed, a professor of mechanical, automotive and materials engineering, has secured $1 million through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Alliance–Mitacs Accelerate program — $750,000 in cash and $250,000 in in-kind support — to develop nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), or nano chip-based motion sensors, for efficient, industry-ready production.…
Connect and Collaborate at WE-SPARK After Dark, May 7 Looking to connect with Windsor-Essex’s health research community in a relaxed, informal setting? Join WE-SPARK Health Institute for the next After Dark event on May 7, an evening designed to bring researchers, clinicians, students, and community partners together for meaningful conversation and new collaboration opportunities. After Dark is a monthly event that offers a welcoming space to spark ideas, share perspectives, and build connections across disciplines. Whether you’re actively involved in health research or simply interested in learning more about the work happening locally, this event is a great way to engage with the people behind it. All are welcome. This month’s gathering will take place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at The Bourbon Tap & Grill at 1199 Ottawa Street, Windsor providing a comfortable setting to meet new colleagues, reconnect with peers, and explore opportunities for collaboration. Attendees can expect a mix of informal networking and engaging discussion, all…
What if a children's book could take the fear out of cancer? Three UWindsor grads hope it can From left, Fatima Hamad, Lauren Oschanney and Olivia Wahby drew on their science backgrounds to co-author a children's book about cancer. (Photo supplied by the authors/University of Windsor) Cancer is a difficult subject to approach, both emotionally and academically. Explaining it to children makes that challenge even greater. University of Windsor alumnae Fatima Hamad, Olivia Wahby and Lauren Oschanney set out to make these conversations easier and more meaningful. What began as an assignment in the Cancer Undergraduate Research Education (CUREs) became Cellville Stands Up to Cancer, a children’s book designed to make cancer biology understandable without making it frightening. “The idea came from recognizing that much of the fear surrounding cancer comes from not understanding it,” says Oschanney. Instead of avoiding the topic, the authors wanted to create something that helps children approach it with clarity and confidence. “We didn’t want to shield children from reality,” says Hamad. “We wanted to help them…
UWindsor nursing professor leads cross-border study highlighting lung transplant care Jane Simanovski (left) and her team of colleagues and students stand with their research poster at the WE-SPARK conference in March, highlighting a cross-border study on caregivers supporting lung transplant patients. (SUBMITTED BY EDWARD CRUZ/University of Windsor) It takes more than medical expertise to support a patient after a lung transplant. As April marks Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month, a new cross-border study examines an often-overlooked part of the transplant journey — the family members and friends who provide care after surgery. Jane Simanovski, a nurse practitioner and professor in the University of Windsor Faculty of Nursing, is leading a first-of-its-kind cross-border research study examining the experiences of informal caregivers supporting lung transplant patients in Ontario and Michigan. Her work is grounded in years of clinical experience in transplant care. “My clinical expertise informs my research interests,” she said. “Transplant is such a scarce…
Precision Oncology in action: How WE-SPARK is transforming local cancer research Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope brought Canadians together to help find a cure for cancer. His legacy continues through partnerships spurred on by the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network, which includes WE-SPARK Health Institute. (Graphic courtesy of Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network) In cancer research labs and hospitals, a powerful transformation is reshaping how the disease is understood, studied and ultimately, treated. At the centre of this shift is precision oncology, an approach that moves beyond one-size-fits-all care to deliver treatments tailored to each individual patient. It represents one of the most promising advances in cancer care today. By analyzing a patient’s genetic profile alongside clinical data, researchers and clinicians can better understand how a cancer behaves and more importantly, how it can be treated most effectively. For patients, this means therapies that are more targeted, more personalized and potentially, more successful. In Windsor-Essex,…
Two campus labs just earned the first Green Lab designations Undergraduate researchers work in the lab of biomedical sciences professor Dr. Lisa Porter, which recently earned platinum designation through the Green Lab program.(Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Fidalgo da Silva/University of Windsor) Two campus labs have become the first in UWindsor’s history to earn Green Lab designations, recognized for their commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency in research and teaching. The designations were announced in time for Earth Day. Biomedical sciences professor Dr. Lisa Porter’s lab received platinum designation, led by their Green Lab representative Elizabeth Fidalgo da Silva. Biology professor Dr. Catherine Febria’s Healthy Headwater Lab earned silver, led by their Green Lab representative Alyssa Frazao. The Green Lab program recognizes sustainability and energy-efficiency practices within lab spaces as well as a culture of sustainability among undergraduate and graduate students, researchers and faculty. …
Interview With Dr. Lisa Porter: Advancing Breakthroughs in Cancer Research and Health Innovation Dr. Lisa Porter is a Canadian cancer researcher and biomedical scientist whose innovative research is transforming our knowledge of normal aging and cancer. As a distinguished professor at the University of Windsor and the founding director of WE-SPARK Health Institute, she has fostered innovative collaborations between researchers, healthcare providers, and community partners, turning Windsor-Essex into a hub for cutting-edge health research. In this interview, Dr. Porter discusses her latest work on brain cancer, the challenges with treating aggressive cancers like glioblastoma, and her influential role in health research across Canada. Q: Your recent research on Spy1 has received a lot of attention. Can you tell us more about this protein and its significance? Dr. Lisa Porter: Spy1 is a protein found in a small population of cells in the adult brain, neural stem cells, and is critical to the proper functioning of our memory and learning. Early evidence suggests that it can also support…
Biology researcher wins UWindsor thesis pitch competition with study on breastfeeding and cancer risk The top three winners in the 2026 University of Windsor Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition are (from left) Alex Stoinescu, Dora Strelkova and Isabelle Hinch. (DAVE GAUTHIER/University of Windsor) Biology PhD candidate Isabelle Hinch earned first place at the 2026 University of Windsor Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition with a three-minute pitch on breastfeeding and breast cancer risk. Judged on comprehension, communication and engagement, Hinch took the top prize at the April 1 final. In addition to a $1,000 cash prize, she will represent UWindsor at the provincial competition hosted by Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., on May 6, 2026. For the second year in a row, Dora Strelkova placed in the top three. The mechanical engineering PhD candidate won first place in 2025 and finished second this year with a presentation on defects in 3D printing, earning $500. Third place and $250 went to Alex Stoinescu, a master's student in chemistry and biochemistry, who…
