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News Release

September 29, 2006

Ontario Invests $1.3 Million in U of G Research

The provincial government is investing nearly $1.3 million in leading-edge research at the University of Guelph. The nine projects being funded are headed by professors from six different departments, and about half involve neuroscience research, an area of study that is growing quickly at U of G.

"The support from the province for these researchers will help to reinforce their ability to make a difference in the health and lives of Canadians," said Alan Wildeman, vice-president (research).

Behavioural neuroscientist Linda Parker, who joined the Department of Psychology in July as a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair, received $422,793 to support her research on the psychopharmacology and neurobiology of learning, emotion, sickness and addiction. She hopes the research will lead to better understanding of basic neural processes affected by prescribed drugs, with applications to controlling nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy.

Also conducting neuroscience research are husband-and-wife duo Carol and John Armstrong of the Department of Biomedical Sciences. She studies how the brain develops; his interest lies in how the brain works. Carol Armstrong received $124,906 to study the development of pattern formation in the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for motor co-ordination. John Armstrong will use his $124,773 to study presynaptic mechanisms that control how neurotransmitters in the brain are released.

Another neuroscience researcher, Prof. Roberto Poma of the Department of Clinical Studies, received $80,836 to support his work on epilepsy in humans and dogs. He aims to foster innovative collaboration between veterinary and human health-care institutions, focusing on similarities of the disease.

In addition, Prof. Pawel Bartlewski of the Department of Biomedical Sciences received $117,000 to continue his studies on the development and fate of ovarian structures in sheep and cattle. His research could have groundbreaking results in developing new fertility treatments, hormonal replacement therapies and hormonal contraceptives, as well as identifying the reasons for various ovarian abnormalities in humans.

Prof. Andrea Buchholz, Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, received $159,594 to help establish a human body composition and energy metabolism lab to evaluate the effects of exercise, diet and supplement interventions designed to modify body fat, muscle mass and bone mineral mass.

Other researchers receiving support are Prof. Stefano Gregori, School of Engineering, $135,004 for a laboratory to develop new analog integrated circuits and microsystems; Prof. Helen Hambly, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, $44,013 for multimedia information and communication research for rural development; and Prof. Jaideep Mathur, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, $124,385 for a laser scanning microscope for live imaging of subcellular responses to environmental stimuli.

The funding, officially announced earlier this week, comes from the Ontario Research Fund and matches financial commitments announced earlier this year by the Canada Foundation for Innovation. In total, the Ontario government announced this week it’s investing $20 million to support 126 projects.

“We will continue to support our world-class research facilities such as those at the University of Guelph,” said Liz Sandals, MPP for Guelph-Wellington. “By providing universities with the resources they need we are not only supporting advanced research, we are also ensuring Ontario's future economic prosperity.”