Three CBS Researchers Awarded Funding Through CFI-JELF Fund

Three College of Biological Science researchers have been awarded funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF). The funding is part of nearly $134 million granted in support of research infrastructure projects at 63 Canadian postsecondary institutions.

Dr. Robert Harkness from Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dr. Andy Turko from Integrative Biology, and Dr. Mike Tymko from Human Health Sciences will receive about $80,000 each toward their research.

Dr. Harkness’s research program will focus on understanding how mRNA gets recycled at the proper time, a key step in ensuring normal cell function. The first and slowest step in mRNA recycling involves removal of the mRNA “tail” by enzymes called deadenylases, a process that must be carefully controlled to prevent serious health conditions, such as cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders. His team will study how the motions of these enzymes regulate interactions with mRNA and the removal of the polyA tail.

Dr. Turko’s research program will examine why some fish species are more sensitive to environmental changes, including warming temperatures, depletion of oxygen and suspended sediments, than others, and use that information to prioritize conservation programs that target the most vulnerable species.

Dr. Tymko’s research program will explore how the body’s nervous system, particularly the interplay between sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve activity, regulates blood flow to the brain. It will advance our understanding of cerebrovascular function and how humans adapt to environmental stressors.