Research News
Sexting for women may be empowering
Photo: Megan Swim
By Megan Swim
Society often frowns on the use of sexting – that is, digital technology for sexual purposes -- particularly for women. In some cases, women are more vulnerable for photos going viral or being shown to others without consent, leading to a culture of fear.
But how does this attitude impact women’s sexuality?
In a study last summer, PhD candidate Erin Watson and Prof. Robin Milhausen found sexting provides some women with increased pleasure, desire, and opportunities for sexual communication.
In fact, they say...
Reducing the digital divide between rural and urban Ontario
By Shannon Mustard
Our e-world requires good connectivity. But that doesn’t always happen in rural areas – even in Halton region, a municipal neighbour to Canada’s biggest city.
Prof. Helen Hambly Odame, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, is trying to change that. She’s the project leader for the UoG Regional and Rural Broadband (R2B2) project team. In September 2017, the team began collaborating with the Halton area, at the request of the region, in hopes of finding economic reasons to improve its connectivity.
The R2B2 team...
Taking a nutritional approach to reducing diabetes risk
Dr. Dan Ramdath (left), PhD student Dida Moravek and Prof. Alison Duncan. Photo: Shannon Mustard
By Shannon Mustard
This year, 23 million people globally will have been diagnosed with diabetes, the majority being type 2. Could Canadian lentils potentially reduce the risk of diabetes as they help to lower blood sugar levels? That’s what a University of Guelph research team wants to know.
Diabetes is a disorder that causes people to have abnormally high blood sugar levels over a long period of time. Those with diabetes may not have high enough levels of insulin (a hormone that helps reduce glucose levels in the bloodstream), or their insulin is not...
Leukemia, breast cancer and ovarian cancer research focus of new awards
Jim Petrik (left), Marc Coppolino and Paul Spagnuolo. Photo: Shannon Mustard
By Shannon Mustard
New support from the Cancer Research Society is helping advance research by three University of Guelph faculty members—Profs. Marc Coppolino, Jim Petrik and Paul Spagnuolo—to prevent and treat leukemia, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Spagnuolo, Department of Food Science, and his team of graduate students are studying how food-derived molecules could treat leukemia.
Their study began five years ago, when they discovered that a fat compound, Avocatin B, in avocados could help reduce the growth of...
Icewine harvest adds to the wine tourism experience
Prof Mark Holmes staying warm by the fire with a glass of Ontario red wine. (Photo courtesy Mark Holmes)
by Owen Roberts
At least one good thing has come out of this year’s incessantly deep and long cold snap – a great icewine harvest.
Sometimes the harvest, which typically yields about 800,00 litres of ice wine, takes place at night. That’s how producers try to avoid the warming or melting effect of the sun on the frozen grapes, which are left on the vine through the fall to dehydrate and concentrate their sugar content.
But that hasn’t been a worry this year, given the stubborn, rock-bottom -25 C temperatures experienced in the Niagara region...
Internet memes become online activism for Canadian politics
Photo: Mido Melebari
By Megan Swim
Memes— humourous or thought-provoking online images, videos and pieces of text—have been popping up all over the internet as a way of online activism for people promoting the discussion of Canadian politics.
But a Guelph researcher has found that as a technology, the internet and digital political tools such as memes have had less impact on Canadian politicians than other disruptive technologies.
Prof. Tamara Small, of the Department of Political Science at the University of Guelph, says that while digital politics creates a...
New office will help U of G research get out to the world
By Liz Snyder
The Office of Research has a new unit to enhance and increase the impact of research at the University of Guelph.
Sherri Cox is the executive director of the newly formed Research Innovation Office (RIO), an office that was formed to connect research with industry and society, increase research funding and build on the U of G’s reputation as a research innovation leader.
The unit will harness activities that are already happening at the Catalyst Centre as well as knowledge mobilization efforts across campus, and will also put...
Research Ethics now online
By Liz Snyder
Research Ethics submissions have moved from a paper-based system to one that is online, streamlining management of ethics protocols and the ethics review process for both researchers and review boards.
Researchers now complete their ethics protocols using a ‘smart’ e-form with branching logic and hover-over help text. The new system routes ethics protocols electronically through the approval process and researchers can view their submission along the approval pathway.
The Research Ethics module of ResearchLink was launched in...
Mitacs Globalink research intern at the University of Guelph works on a sensor that provides fast and affordable detection
Globalink research intern Kaidi Wang (pictured here) spent her summer at the University of Guelph developing a hand-held sensor that detects common food allergens in food samples
Photo credit: Jessica Blain, Mitacs Globalink research intern
This story was provided by Mitacs
Although the general population is aware of the health risks posed by food allergies, these risks are still a safety concern for the individuals affected. With no surefire method of detection, people with serious food allergies must avoid certain foods altogether; however, a project at the University of Guelph is increasing food safety by helping to detect allergens well before an item ends up on consumers’ plates.
Kaidi Wang, a food science student at Zhejiang University in China, has travelled to Guelph...
Shining a spotlight on SURG
The SURG editoral team. From left: JackMcCart (Editor-in-Chief), Umna Arshad and Shane Hubbard (Associate Editors)
Photo by Alaina Osborne
A closer look at the University of Guelph’s undergraduate research journal
By Sameer Chhabra
In 2007, an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph had a curious idea.
Matt Teeter, now an associate professor of medical biophysics at the University of Western Ontario, approached members of the Office of Research to find a way to launch an academic journal aimed at showcasing research specifically conducted by the undergraduate student body at the University.
Through a collaboration between the Office of Research and McLaughlin...