Researchers coming to grips with cardio workout A group of participants in Uganda use isometric handgrip exercises as part of a health intervention study aimed at treating high blood pressure. Photo by Eli Reichman. Worldwide, hypertension is a leading cause of death and disability. Too much pressure in blood vessels can lead to such complications as chest pain, heart failure, blocked arteries, kidney damage, and death. For the last 15 years, human kinetics professor Cheri McGowan, co-founder of the Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Research Lab, has been conducting studies together with her students and collaborators focused on isometric handgrip training — a form of resistance training that involves squeezing a handgrip interspersed with short periods of rest. It is “simple, inexpensive, time-efficient, and highly tolerable,” Dr. McGowan says. “People need therapies that do not cost a lot of money and that they can do over their lifetimes.” She is part of an international team launching a study to investigate its effectiveness…
Showcasing Health Research Excellence at WE-SPARK’s Annual Conference A conference March 22 is an inclusive space to present research, expand knowledge, and engage with the Windsor-Essex health research community. WE-Spark Health Institute is hosting its annual Health Research Conference on March 22, 2025, at Caesars Windsor. The event serves as a dynamic platform for the health research community to connect, collaborate, and showcase ground-breaking work alongside peers and renowned experts. The carefully curated program offers: Engaging plenary sessions: Learn from leading experts about the latest advancements in health research. Interactive panel session: Explore the meaningful inclusion of people with lived experience in research projects. Networking opportunities: Connect with researchers, clinicians, students, and trainees from across the region. Presentations and discussions: Share your work and gain feedback during poster and oral presentations. The conference welcomes researchers, clinicians, allied health professionals, administrators, students,…
Study to examine experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ players in recreational sports UWindsor researchers want to learn about the experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ participants in recreational sports leagues. Sometimes an idea for a research project comes from your lab, and sometimes it comes from an alumna. Enter “Bolt” (she/they), who runs the Windsor Rainbow Sports Club and is a UWindsor psychology grad. When one of her players mentioned psychology professor Dana Ménard’s research, she was enthusiastic about the possibility of collaborating on a project. Dr. Ménard says it was a natural fit. “My research group right now is 100 per cent composed of sexual and gender minority group members, so some of the research directions have sort of naturally evolved to reflect their frustrations with the existing research,” she says. “Every time we have a question about ‘what do we know about the experience of trans people’ or ‘how such-and-such a thing effects gay people’ the data just isn’t there. The research hasn’t been done, and that's been sort of endlessly…
Researchers using AI to address social isolation Computer science professor Pooya Moradian Zadeh believes artificial intelligence can benefit human health by bridging social isolation. Artificial intelligence often gets a bad rap. But professor Pooya Moradian Zadeh of the School of Computer Science argues AI has a critical role to play in supporting societal challenges and contributing to domains like the health-care sector. His research team is exploring how technology tools and AI can be leveraged to address social isolation, a key factor in determining health outcomes, in combination with other hands-on, wrap-around supports. “We know that there is a problem. Social isolation is a significant challenge, which may limit many individuals’ ability to access the necessary resources they require,” explains Dr. Zadeh. “The limited social connections and reduced community engagement associated with social isolation can create barriers, making it more challenging for people to reach and benefit from the support and resources essential…
Join WE-SPARK Health Institute's December Networking Event Connect with the vibrant Windsor-Essex health research community at WE-SPARK Health Institute’s monthly networking event. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet others passionate about health research through casual conversations and formal networking opportunities. WE-SPARK After Dark is set for 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, at Bourbon Tap & Grill, 1199 Ottawa St. Whether you’re already part of the health research community or just curious to learn more, this event offers an informal and enjoyable way to make meaningful connections. The first hour will focus on getting to know like-minded individuals interested in health research. Registration is encouraged but not required — bring a friend or colleague you’ve been wanting to connect with. Click here to register.
Research team investigating frequency of head injuries in hockey Steven Yalda, Emily Roberts, Megan Briese, Lucas Chartrand, and Emily Stanley are part of the Head Impact Research Team. A group of students supervised by professor Dave Andrews in the Faculty of Human Kinetics aims to understand just how frequently head impacts occur during youth hockey games. Besides the potential to prevent or mitigate brain injury, the project is giving the students experience in research: from conceptualizing a study to reviewing literature to working with data. It all started during the COVID-19 pandemic, says Dr. Andrews. “All the research in my lab requires human participants, so we needed to find ways that we could still study athletes while respecting social distancing. A group of undergraduate students, working as part of the Head Impact Research Team in the biomechanics lab, came up with some innovative ways of building on previous head impact research,” he says, mostly in football. The team begin observing and videorecording hockey games at the Atlas Tube…
Team to track instances of avian flu in Windsor-Essex birds Professors Mike McKay, Kenneth Ng, and Dan Mennill are leading an investigation into avian flu infections in local wild birds. So far there have been relatively few instances of humans contracting avian influenza, but that is no reason for complacency, says chemistry professor Kenneth Ng. “The concern is that each time there is a spillover infection from a bird to a human or from a cow to a human, we are rolling the dice and giving the virus another chance to pick up additional mutations that could then allow it to start spreading efficiently among humans,” Dr. Ng says. “When that happens, there will be an outbreak that could be the start of a major public health problem.” He is the project lead on a team of scientists exploring the diversity of influenza virus subtypes infecting wild bird populations in Windsor-Essex. Using environmental samples taken from areas of Essex County where both migratory and resident birds congregate, they will monitor the levels and types of influenza…
Research partnership aims to enhance outcomes for breast cancer patients Lisa Porter, Laurice Arayan, Caroline Hamm, Bre-Anne Fifield, and Rasna Gupta celebrate the support of the WE-Spark Health Institute for a project exploring a new treatment regime for breast cancer. A team of researchers is collaborating with Windsor Regional Hospital oncologists on a pilot project to improve treatment outcomes for hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer patients, a group that represents a significant portion of breast cancer diagnoses. The WE-Spark project will examine the effects of starting treatment with ribociclib, a medication that blocks proteins driving cell growth. While this drug is typically used when breast cancer has advanced or spread, this project, described by research associate and adjunct professor Bre-Anne Fifield as a “window of opportunity study,” will explore whether using it at the beginning — before surgery — can make patients more responsive to later treatments. “This project focuses on a type of hormone receptor-positive breast…
Securing the road ahead: SHIELD research centre leads in automotive cybersecurity Doctoral students Shiva Nejati and Kunj Dhonde are part of a UWindsor research team working to make the vehicles of tomorrow safe from cyber attack. At the University of Windsor, two teams — red and blue — are locked in a strategic battle, working toward the same goal: safeguarding the future of automotive cybersecurity. These teams, operating from the Automotive Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence, better known as SHIELD, are focused on opposing areas of security solutions for the auto sector. With an eye on the future, SHIELD, the only centre of its kind in North America, has the goal of ensuring vehicles of tomorrow are safe and secure. “I always go back to the difference between computers and cars,” said co-founder Mitra Mirhassani. “We typically keep our computers close and secure, while cars connect to networks outside our control when parked or at a repair shop. This lack of control raises safety concerns, especially since cars can physically harm us if their security systems…
