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Kinesiology professor warns of deadly threat posed by summer heat

Kinesiology professor warns of deadly threat posed by summer heat The extreme heat of summer places stress on our hearts and blood vessels that can be fatal to the elderly and other vulnerable people, warns kinesiology professor Anthony Bain. In an article published July 21 in The Conversation, Dr. Bain (pictured at left) writes that heat stroke is dangerous, but cardiovascular stress is responsible for more deaths during heat waves. And, thanks to global warming, heat waves are becoming longer, more intense, and more frequent. This is bad news for populations like the elderly and those with conditions such as heart disease and diabetes who are more vulnerable to extreme heat. Bain’s article explains how the cardiovascular system responds when core and skin temperature rise. Seeking relief in air-conditioned environments, wearing light clothing, keeping hydrated, and avoiding strenuous activity are effective ways to place less stress on the cardiovascular system during heat waves. Dr. Bain also explains how supervised heat therapy is emerging as…

No jab needed to return to campus at UWindsor or St. Clair College this fall

No jab needed to return to campus at UWindsor or St. Clair College this fall St. Clair College and the University of Windsor will not be implementing a mandatory vaccination policy for students and staff. (CBC)   If you're a student or faculty member returning to the University of Windsor or St. Clair College campuses this fall, you don't need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 — but reactions to this are mixed. "I think mandating vaccination would be a really important step, I think, in keeping the university campuses safe," explained Lisa Porter, a professor and biomedical researcher with the University of Windsor and executive director of WE-Spark Health Institute.  But Porter stressed that shouldn't be up to individual schools, and that the school will follow the guidelines set out by the government.  "Universities aren't in the business of developing public policy. I mean, that's the job of the province," she said.  "They develop policy and we're following what their guidelines are." University…

Youths gain virtual introduction to Faculty of Science

Youths gain virtual introduction to Faculty of Science Budding young scientists spent a virtual week at UWindsor learning about the programs and activities offered by the Faculty of Science during the 8th annual Science Academy, July 5 to 9. A record number of 60 top-achieving Grade 11 students from Essex County and across Ontario attended. Dora Cavallo-Medved, biomedical sciences professor and Science Academy faculty leader, says they spent a great week engaging with peers as well as UWindsor faculty, staff, and students. “Science Academy allows students to virtually explore our research labs, chat with our undergraduate students, participate in science challenges, and hear directly from our alumni about science and math related career paths,” says Dr. Cavallo-Medved. “Attendees really appreciated the opportunity to catch a glimpse into their futures as a Faculty of Science student.” The students attended departmental sessions and learned about the latest in cutting-edge research. They also competed in the Science Meets Art (SMArt)…

Undergraduate research experience leads alumnus to lifelong dream

Undergraduate research experience leads alumnus to lifelong dream When Sami Alrashed graduated this spring with his Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and biomedical sciences, he recalled fondly his research experiences as a UWindsor student. Entering post-secondary studies as an Outstanding Scholar with a thirst for learning, he found opportunities to engage in exploration by reading about professors’ research and attending campus presentations on their progress and discoveries. In his second year, he began working in the biology lab of Lisa Porter. “Professors want to have you on board,” Alrashed said. “And they want to train you into future stars.” By year three, he was known by science faculty and students, working as a teaching assistant and participating in community activities while holding down two part-time jobs off-campus. Alrashed’s fourth-year thesis proposed a novel targeted therapy to combat glioblastoma — an aggressive cancer that can form in the brain or the spinal cord. Research experience as an undergraduate…

Vaccination campaign encouraging students to knock out COVID

Vaccination campaign encouraging students to knock out COVID “Knock Out COVID” is the theme of a campaign to encourage UWindsor students to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.   The University of Windsor launched a vaccination campaign Monday to encourage students not only to get into the ring and “Knock Out COVID,” but to carry the message to others in the under-25 population around Windsor-Essex County. The KO COVID effort will team the University with the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance to help students and other young people in the community get the facts and support they need to overcome vaccine hesitancy and access vaccination in the community. The University will work with WE-Spark Health Institute and UWindsor researchers to provide expertise, while student mentors will guide, engage, and empower students to protect their health and the health of others in the community. “We’re finally getting closer to the finish line in terms of vaccination, but there is still some work to do and we need that final push with…

August think tank session to spark health research collaboration

August think tank session to spark health research collaboration A WE-Spark Think Tank will provide an overview of three projects seeking input on Friday, Aug. 6.   Do you like to discuss new ideas? Solve problems? Make new connections? Then WE-Spark Think Tanks are for you. The Aug. 6 event will begin with an update on local health research activities and new funding opportunities, followed by an overview of three projects that are looking for creative input and breakout sessions: Re-Imagining Health Justice in Windsor Essex Tess Sheldon, University of Windsor, Faculty of Law Clinical Diagnostics using Processing, Extraction, and Detection of Biomedical Signals Esam Abdel-Raheem, University of Windsor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Developing Health Related Mobility Innovations to Build a Connected and Sustainable City Tom Schnekenburger, University of Windsor, Data and Mobility Science Matthew Johnson, Invest Windsor-Essex WE-Spark Health Institute hosts the bi-monthly sessions, open to everyone. Click here to register for the August event,…

Anxiety affects a child’s ability to read facial expressions, study finds

Anxiety affects a child’s ability to read facial expressions, study finds Nicole Di Nardo, a psychology student entering her final year at the University of Windsor, has co-authored a peer-reviewed paper published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders.   There’s an association between anxiety disorders and a child’s ability to read facial expressions, UWindsor psychology professor Lance Rappaport and undergraduate student Nicole Di Nardo write in an article in the latest edition of the Journal of Anxiety Disorders. Di Nardo and Dr. Rappaport co-authored the article with researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Md. It is based on a study involving more than 600 children aged nine to 14. The children were asked to look at images of faces and identify the feelings each expressed. The study found that children with generalized anxiety disorder symptoms were able to more accurately recognize expressions of happiness and fear, among other emotions. Meanwhile, children exhibiting symptoms of depression…

Researchers devising new imaging agents to diagnose prostate cancer

Researchers devising new imaging agents to diagnose prostate cancer Lisa Porter and John Trant, shown in this 2019 photo, have received funding through the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation’s Seeds4Hope program to devise new imaging agents for the diagnosis of prostate cancer.   A pair of UWindsor scientists are researching ways to better diagnose prostate cancer. Lisa Porter and John Trant are developing imaging agents to help oncologists distinguish between different types of prostate cancer. The new agents would fluoresce under near-infrared light that could be used in conjunction with colonoscopies. Diagnoses would be more precise and wait times shorter than with current imaging using positron emission tomography, commonly referred to as PET scans. “What’s cool about this is you could just use a lamp,” said Dr. Trant. “This would be much more readily available, and we could cut costs a couple orders of magnitude.” The research is being funded with a $30,000 grant from the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation’s Seeds4Hope program. Since its…

Bring your research appetite to find out what WE-Spark Health Institute is all about

Bring your research appetite to find out what WE-Spark Health Institute is all about A video raises awareness about WE-Spark Health Institute and how it can facilitate local research collaboration.

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