Research News
Guelph research spotlights Canada’s belly dance story
Omega-3s may help reverse age-related changes in muscle
By Amber Hutchinson, SPARK
Fish oil supplements, which are already associated with better heart and brain health, may also help you burn significantly more calories, say researchers at the University of Guelph.
Prof. Lawrence Spriet, chair of the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph, says skeletal muscles are the body’s calorie-burning machinery, using up approximately 20-25 per cent of the energy that we burn at rest.
Incorporating omega-3 fatty acids into muscle cell membranes improves their ability...
Research aims to make gluten-free options more appealing
By Allison Sears, SPARK
High quality, gluten-free products are on the menu for researchers at Canada’s food university who are working to advance this country’s gluten-free food industry.
Dr. Sanaa Ragaee, adjunct professor and cereal program manager in the Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, says many gluten-free products in North America lack protein, fibre and micronutrients.
“These gluten-free products are not nutritious enough for the people who depend on them,” she says.
Gluten in wheat flour allows dough to be baked...
Balancing health and agriculture in bustling Vietnam
Steven Lam, right, says that many farmers in rural Vietnam are at risk for health problems such as parasitic infections due to inadequate waste management systems.
Photo courtesy of Steven Lam
By Amy Westlund
Growing prosperity in Vietnam has led to increased agricultural intensification - along with its associated health risks. University of Guelph researchers in partnership with Vietnamese colleagues are trying to help Vietnamese officials identify the risks and research gaps involved with this agricultural intensification.
Steven Lam, a Master of Public Health student from the Department of Population Medicine, says rapid economic growth in Vietnam increases the demand for meat products. This both increases the demand...
Molecular “movie” helps microbiologists better understand chronic infections associated with cystic fibrosis
By Nicholas Murphy, SPARK
In microbiology, a “movie” makes all the difference, between seeing everything at the molecular level, and seeing very little.
So says University of Guelph Prof. Cezar Khursigara, who’s seeing more than ever these days thanks to a new spinning disk confocal microscope recently acquired by Khursigara, and colleagues Joseph Lam and Chris Whitfield in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. It’s opening up new research possibilities Khursigara and his colleagues previously only dreamt of.
...Digital Storytelling for Teens explores the relationship between media and identity
Digital Storytelling for Teens explores the relationship between media and identity
Photo by Nicholas Murphy
Flocking to create a vegan alternative to emu oil
University of Guelph Prof. Alejandro Marangoni (back), is seen analyzing the micro-structure of emu oil crystals with research assistant Saeed Ghazani.
Photo by: Nicholas Murphy, SPARK
By Elisabeth Aerts
A plant-based alternative to emu oil, a skin-softening ingredient in cosmetics and hand lotion, is being developed at the University of Guelph.
Prof. Alejandro Marangoni, from the Department of Food Science and a leading expert on fats and oils, was approached by Avaria Health and Beauty Corporation of Waterloo, Ontario to create cosmetics that are emu oil-free.
Avaria, a privately owned business, focuses on natural merchandise and wants to create a line of 100 per cent plant-based products. One of its most popular...
New non-toxic technique causes self-destruction of cancer cells
Photo by Nicholas Murphy, SPARK
By Joanne Pearce
A new, non-toxic treatment applicable to a broad range of cancers may change the way we look at cancer therapy, says a University of Guelph researcher.
Prof. Jim Uniacke, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, is studying tumour hypoxia, a condition where a tumour cell has been deprived of oxygen.
It’s found in individuals with diseases such as cancer or heart disease. As the hypoxic tumours grow, they deplete the available blood supply around them, leading to a lack of oxygen.
This physiology of tumour hypoxia...
Guelph researchers intrigued at possibilities of ‘terroir’ packaging of Ontario food
Terroir is the apple of their eye -- lead researcher Prof. Michael von Massow (left) from the Department of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management, and research associate Rob Anderson. Photo credit: Nicholas Murphy.
Prevention is the best defence against Lyme disease
Photo by Nicholas Murphy
Dr. Christine James, left, seen here with Toby and SPARK writer Amy Westlund. James is investigating relationships among ticks and dogs in Ontario, to gather information about minimizing Lyme disease.