We're Bringing Research to Life
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The UNIVERSITY of Manitoba March 23 2006 Volume 39 Bulletin Issue 21 U of M works on 2006/07 budget The March 6 provincial budget offered good news for the University of Manitoba, but not a complete solution for the funding challenges facing the university. The goods news was that the budget offered a 5.8 per cent funding increase in the university’s operating grant for 2006/07, with minimum increases of 5 per cent promised in each of the following two years. Knowing what it will receive over the next two years allows the university to do more long term planning than the traditional system of announcing funding on a year by year base ever could. However, the problem is that the university had asked for an 8.9 per cent funding increase this year just to maintain the status quo. Vice-president (administration) Debbie McCallum said the 8.9 per cent request includes $6.9 million – about 3.4 per cent – that the university had Photo by Bob Talbot From left, Glen Lang, pediatrics and child health, and Alec Sehon, distinguished professor emeritus, immunology, join built into its budget last year through three ancillary fees approved by the president Emőke Szathmáry at the March 16 ceremony honouring the university’s researchers who have successfully pat- ented new technologies. Board of Governors in May, 2005. The fees were not implemented when the province stepped in with a special one- time $6.9 million funding grant. However, while the funding might have been a one-time measure to the We’re bringing research to life province, it was filling an ongoing shortfall for the university. Instead of dealing with the shortfall, the one time grant merely moved the shortfall Ceremony recognizes U of M researchers for patenting new technology forward a year. “As a result, significant financial University of Manitoba researchers around the world.” The researchers honoured were: challenges remain and work continues aren’t just making new discoveries, The event was hosted at the on developing possible solutions to fill they’re learning how to put those Bannatyne campus by the university’s MICHELLE ALFA the gap,” McCallum said. She added, discoveries to use. Technology Transfer Office, one of the medical microbiology “We’re pleased with the three year On Thursday, March 16, president most successful university technology For inventing an artificial fluid for funding announcement because it does Emőke Szathmáry formally recognized transfer programs in Canada. It testing and cleaning studies of medical enable us to plan. If we can figure a way 27 researchers who have successfully provides a wide range of intellectual devices, including endoscopes and out of our problem this year, it will help patented new technologies. property services to the university other difficult-to-clean apparatuses. us to know the level of funding we’ll The patents cover a wide range community, including: Canadian and receive in 2007/08 and 2008/09. of applications, from potential new international patent prosecution, JUDY ANDERSON See BUDGET/P. 2. treatments for cancer, heart disease copyright registration, technology human anatomy and cell science and diabetes, to improvements in commercialization and start-up For discovering a basis for muscle spectrometer design, robotics and launches. regeneration that has potential wireless communications. “This event showcases the high applications in treating muscular Inside “We are very proud of these level of innovation at the University of dystrophy and muscle atrophy. outstanding researchers, not only Manitoba,” said Technology Transfer Stories for developing new technologies executive director Gary Breit. GILBERT ARTHUR and techniques, but for successfully “It also highlights the importance biochemistry and medical genetics Katz joins “the Power 30” 2 patenting them,” Szathmáry said. of making such important platform For developing a number of new breakfast at Smartpark “These are all important technologies available to the industries anti-cancer compounds that can innovations that have the potential that can fully develop them. In doing discriminate between cancer cells and 3 Mills receives honorary degree to advance our technological so, these researchers are making a vital normal cells. from University of Manitoba capabilities and improve the lives contribution to Manitoba’s economic See RESEARCHERS/P. 2 of people in Manitoba, Canada and growth and competitiveness.” Robson Hall students 5 earn Sopinka Cup victory 6 Tracing the roots of artist/theorist Moholy-Nagy 7 Cooper turns administrative skill Public Affairs to Faculty of Music 136 - 97 Dafoe Road Mars Society shows research Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 12 work on Mars is viable www.umanitoba.ca 2 Bulletin March 23, 2006 Smartpark welcomes “Power 30” member Sam Katz Why would you give up the good everything he wanted done and that life for a life in politics? This is one as long as he was making progress he of the questions that mayor Sam Katz would continue on as mayor. answered for the audience of Smartpark Another hot point for discussion was Interactive’s Breakfast Speaker Series the mayor’s views on keeping university on March 14. and college graduates in the city after Katz’s view? The owner of the completing their degrees. “Everyone Winnipeg Goldeyes didn’t like what he thinks the grass is always greener,” he saw at City Hall, knew he could run the stated, as a reason why some move away. city better and thought he had enough He also cited a Winnipeg Chamber of community support to get elected. Commerce study that said 74 per cent These were the reasons given for giving of youth (ages 18 to 30), if given the up a job where he could pretty much opportunity, would want to leave our do anything, including head home in city. Katz’s solution is, “We have to get the afternoons to be with his family, people to believe.” He said we need to throw his hat in the ring to become our youth to believe that businesses in mayor of Winnipeg. our city are growing and that there will Smartpark’s latest edition of its “The be jobs available for them once they Power 30,” derived from a Winnipeg graduate from university or college. Free Press article describing the thirty To help solve this problem, Katz most powerful and influential leaders said corporate and payroll taxes are in Manitoba, featured Katz speaking to a bad thing and that he would like to Geoff Kirbyson, a business reporter for see them reduced or eliminated. The the Free Press, on topics ranging from problem, he says though, is replacing his plans for the Oct. 25 civic election that revenue. He sees cities getting a to his days growing up in the city’s share of growth revenues like GST, North End. PST and income tax as a way to fill the Katz wouldn’t officially say if he void when business taxes are reduced Photo by Frank Nolan was planning to seek re-election this or eliminated. The tax issue is one of Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz with University of Manitoba vice-president (research) fall but he did state that two and a half many that will likely figure prominently Joanne Keselman following Katz’s interview at Smartpark as one of the “Power 30” years is not a long enough period to get during his next election campaign. of Winnipeg. Researchers develop patents for research innovations From Page 1. final phase III trial in metastatic and ROBERT HILL LUIS OPPENHEIMER recurrent breast cancer, which could plant science surgery CHARLES BERNSTEIN potentially be used to treat a wide range For his discovery that expression of a For developing a method for detecting internal medicine of aggressive cancers. specific plant hemoglobin can maintain pulmonary edema. For developing a non-invasive method the energy status of cells in low oxygen for detecting the presence of colorectal ALVARO BRAS environments, permitting plant roots to ALEC SEHON cancer and colon polyps. Pharmacy survive during flooding conditions. immunology DANIEL SITAR GLEN LANG LORNE BRANDES pharmacology & therapeutics WAYNE LAUTT pediatrics and child health internal medicine/ For developing a diagnostic test that pharmacology & therapeutics For developing a method for specifically Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology could be used to detect the presence For discovering a mechanism for insulin suppressing the immune response in a For inventing a new drug, now in a of cancer in general, and potentially to resistance in Type 2 diabetes. mammal receiving gene therapy. detect specific types of cancer. The UNIVERSITY of Manitoba GERALD LEFEVRE NARIMAN SEPEHRI KRISHNAMURTI DAKSHINAMURTI anesthesia mechanical and manufacturing biochemistry and medical genetics ALAN MUTCH engineering NARANJAN DHALLA anesthesia For inventing a method and apparatus Bulletin physiology/institute of For developing mechanisms for creating for accurate position control of cardiovascular sciences natural physiological variation in life hydraulic robots, and a controller that The University of Manitoba Bulletin RAJAT SETHI support devices, like mechanical compensates for flow deadbands in is published by the Public Affairs physiology/institute of ventilators and mechanical pumps hydraulic valves. cardiovascular sciences used to supply blood flow during open department every second Thursday For developing a treatment heart surgery. LOTFOLLAH SHAFAI from September to May and monthly for hypertension, as well as new electrical and computer from June to August. compositions and methods for treatment RONALD MARQUARDT engineering Editor: Dale Barbour and prevention of hypertrophy, animal science For developing mathematical models Contributors: Chris Rutkowski, hypertension, congestive heart failure For discovering a method for detecting for electromagnetic phenomena to Frank Nolan, Allen Patterson, and ischemic heart disease. the amount of biological activity, identity design and improve the performance of Chris Zuk, Darcy Patterson, Bob and/or the quantity of a biologically antennas and the software that controls KENNETH DOLYNCHUK active substance.