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In The Press
HRLMP Lab Connections Newsletter
Effect of influenza vaccination of children on infection rates in Hutterite communities: a randomized trial
Featuring: Dr. Mark Loeb
March 2010
Dr Loeb’s article (Loeb M, Russell ML, Moss L, et al. Effect of influenza vaccination of children on infection rates in Hutterite communities: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2010 Mar 10;303(10):943-50) is one of six studies shortlisted for the Lancet's Paper of the Year 2010.
You can vote for Dr. Loeb's article at http://www.thelancet.com/. Go to Announcements on the right side. Look for- Paper of the Year 2010 and click on that section to open the voting page.
Mac tests TB vaccine in Hamilton
Featuring Dr. Fiona Smaill
September 23, 2010 The Hamilton Spectator
Dr. Fiona Smaill is at the Second Global Forum on TB Vaccines in Tallinn Estonia and this morning presented the preliminary data on a new tuberculosis vaccine being developed by McMaster University that has proven to be safe and effective in the first 19 healthy adults to try it. McMaster is still looking for volunteers to bring that number up to 48.
No pain, big gain. Researcher studies promising new way to block pain caused by cancer
Featuring Dr. Gurmit Singh
May 14, 2010 The Hamilton Spectator
Gurmit Singh has been awarded a $430,000 grant from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to better understand the cellular mechanisms that can lead to the intense pain suffered by patients with certain types of cancer.
Early results from the work of Dr. Singh and his team at the Juravinski Cancer Centre suggest a promising new way to block the pain could also be a novel way to fight cancer that has spread to bones.
A gift that cannot be measured:
Donating one's body so others may learn
Featuring: Dr. Bruce Wainman
Apr 30, 2010 The Hamilton Spectator
On Thursday, April 29th, McMaster University held a special service to thank the families who gave up the remains of their loved ones in the name of education.
In the chapel of the university's divinity college, about 100 people gathered for the solemn service, an annual event that brings students and faculty together with donors' families.
Protocols for Neural Cell Culture
Featuring: Dr. Laurie Doering
April 5, 2010
Springer Protocols, Humana Press
Dr. Doering was selected as editor for the recently published 4th edition of this series which has been extensively revised and updated. The book consists of 23 invited chapters describing the latest methods to culture cells from the central nervous system.
Investigation of the "gatekeeper" function of scavenger receptors
Featuring: Dr. Karen Mossman
March 29, 2010
McMaster Daily News
PLoS Pathogens
Dr. Mossman leads research team to investigate the "gatekeeper" function of scavenger receptors in both human and mouse cells. Until now, it was thought that the role of scavenger receptors was limited to the removal of foreign substances and waste materials from the body.
Hutterite Influenza Studies
Featuring: Dr. Mark Loeb
March 9, 2010
CTV
Hamilton Spectator
New York Times
The Journal of the American Medical Association
Dr. Loeb leads an usual study done in 49 remote Hutterite farming colonies in western Canada that has provided the surest proof yet that giving flu shots to schoolchildren protects a whole community from the disease.
Milestone Paper published in "Blood"
Featuring: Dr. Cathy Hayward
December 2009 Blood
Dr. Hayward is excited to share the news about the publication of her paper "Persons with Quebec platelet disorder have a tandem duplication of PLAU, the urokinase plasminogen activator geneis". Cathy notes that research is a real milestone in her career as her team has identified the genetic cause of a unique Canadian bleeding disorder, called Quebec platelet disorder. Read Cathy's paper here
Surgical Mask vs N95 Respirator for Preventing Influenza Among Healthcare Workers
September 30, 2009 JAMA
Surgical masks as good as respirators to contain swine flu: study
October 1, 2009 The Toronto Star
Featuring: Dr. Mark Loeb
A new landmark study led by Dr. Mark Loeb (Professor, Clinical Pathology), suggests surgical masks protect health-care workers from flu as well as N-95 respirators do.
High-fat diet impairs muscle health before impacting function
Featuring: Dr. Tom Hawke
March 20, 2009 McMaster Daily News
In a paper published today in the scientific journal PLoS One, a team of McMaster University researchers, led by Thomas Hawke, an associate professor of pathology and molecular medicine at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, report that the health of young adult muscle declines during the pre-diabetic state, which is when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but lower than during Type 2 diabetes.
Evidence-Based Infectious Diseases (2nd Edition)
Featuring: Dr. Mark Loeb, Dr. Fiona Smaill, Dr. Marek Smieja
September 2009 BMJ Books
Following the success of their original 2004 edition of Evidence Based Infectious Diseases, Drs. Loeb, Smaill, and Smieja were privileged to have the opportunity to edit this updated edition. The book is targeted to general internists and to trainees in infectious diseases and the editors hope that this new edition will bring added value while continuing to serve as an evidence-based resource for physicians who manage patients with infections.
Let’s All Play Doctor:
Do you have what it takes to get through the Multiple Mini Interview?
Featuring Dr. Jack Rosenthal
September 16, 2009 MacLeans
Interviewing meets speed dating:
Med-school admission tool goes to market
Featuring Dr. Jack Rosenfeld
July 6, 2009 The Hamilton Spectator
The system developed by a team of professors including department Emeritus Professor, Jack Rosenfeld, was first used at Mac's Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine in 2004 and is now the standard at 12 of Canada's 17 medical schools, along with a whole host of other health-care programs, such as nursing, dentistry, pharmacology, physiotherapy, midwifery and veterinary medicine, in academic institutions in Australia, Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom and Asia.
Canadian Cancer Society Award
Featuring: Dr. Brian Lichty
May 7, 2009 The Hamilton Spectator
Brian Lichty received a grant from the Canadian Cancer Society yesterday to continue his quest to cure cancer with viruses that kill tumours and warn the immune system to destroy any more it finds.
He was one of three Hamilton researchers awarded funds in a tight competition for research funds that saw less than 20 per cent of submissions get funded.
Federal Government's New Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship
Featuring: Derek Chu (with supervisor, Dr. Manel Jordana) May 2, 2009 The Hamilton Spectator
Derek Chu was one of eight McMaster students to receive one of the 166 national awards from the Federal Government's new Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships for his work on Peanut Allergies. Derek is supervised by Dr. Manel Jordana.
Derek joined McMaster University’s new MD/PhD program in 2008. This seven year program integrates McMaster’s innovative medical education program and internationally recognized research training with a goal to producing the next generation of leaders in health care and research. Congratulations Derek.
TB Vaccine Study Announced
Featuring: Dr. Zhou Xing and Dr. Fiona Smaill
March 20, 2009 The Hamilton Spectator
A new tuberculosis vaccine study headed by Zhou Xing and Fiona Smaill (co-investigators: Jonathan Bramson, Ronan Foley, Jack Gauldie, Maria Fe Medina, and Marek Smieja) was announced to the public yesterday. McMaster is part of the global TB vaccine initiative and the first Canadian team to test a new TB vaccine in humans.
Pandemic research receives $1.6M funding boost
Featuring: Dr. Mark Loeb
July 29, 2008 EurekAlert! (a service of AAAS, the science society)
Densely populated cities and increased air travel can be factors which create and spread pandemic disease. But a McMaster University researcher is working with isolated Hutterite communities to understand the transmission of pandemic diseases like influenza.
Dr. Mark Loeb and his research team have received $1.6 million in funding to carry out the research from the Rx&D Health Research Foundation (HRF), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Public Health Agency of Canada:
Vitamin D Influenza Link pilot study
March 6, 2008 McMaster Daily News
March 5, 2008 National Post
The Public Health Agency of Canada has commissioned a novel study into the possible link between the nutrient and flu in senior citizens, suggesting a shortage of vitamin-producing sunlight may make Canadians more susceptible to the virus.
The study is already underway at Mc-Master University, with Dr.Mark Loeb helping lead the project.
Respiratory test gets FDA approval
Featuring Dr. Jim Mahoney
January 29, 2008 McMaster Daily News
Diagnosing a nasty cough is now a lot easier thanks to a new test developed at McMaster University, which has just been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States.
