Recognizing Western’s excellence in developing robust systems to track and fight global health threats, the government of Ontario has renewed and expanded the university’s wastewater surveillance project to track COVID-19, influenza and other emerging …
Research
Frankenstein and his monster – two centuries later
Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus still haunts conversations of scientific progress, ethics and human vanity. Today, we celebrate its 200th anniversary with insights from faculty across disciplines.
FRANKENSTEIN 200: Bequeathals create ‘life,’ enable research and learning
Two centuries ago, Mary Shelley was on a trip to Switzerland where she conceived and constructed the idea of Frankenstein. Through countless theatrical and silver-screen adaptations, the novel still conjures ideas of creating a new human from various pieces of humans.
Study to ease collateral damage of cancer treatment
A Western oncologist is examining new radiation techniques that could avoid damaging the esophagus for millions of people with advanced lung cancer.
Twin study unlocks schizophrenia secrets
A new study of identical twins shows for the first time that schizophrenia may be caused by not one distinct gene mutation, but an accumulation of mutations, some of which are not inherited from the twins’ parents. These mutations occur independently as individuals...
Database lends ear to language evolution
Four years ago, Yasaman Rafat became a mother and faced a dilemma that affects millions of the country’s non-native English-speaking immigrants. “How much of my native language, Farsi, do I speak with my son compared to English? When we are outside, do we speak in...
Study spotlights risks in anesthesiologist handoffs
Most patients are totally unaware that the anesthesiologist who put them under for surgery might not be the same one who brings them out even though that ‘handoff’ between the two doctors has been linked to a series of negative patient outcomes, including an increased...
‘Science, Action!’ contest puts research in motion
Postsecondary students across the country, including three from Western, are getting out of the labs and behind the camera for the annual Science, Action! initiative, sponsored by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), to highlight...
Probiotics for respiratory illness could save millions
A recent study suggests the use of probiotics to prevent respiratory tract infections in Canada could result in annual savings of nearly $100 million. There is growing evidence probiotics can reduce the risk and duration of respiratory tract infections, as well as...
Study: Brief, brisk workout can improve cognition
Approaching his latest study, Matthew Heath already knew aerobic exercise can be as good for the mind as for the body. What he wanted to find out was how long you need to exercise in order to reap those cognitive benefits. There’s a well-documented link between...
Study looks to extinguish persistent firefighter pain
A recently released Western co-authored study is providing an eye-opening look into how physical pain and discomfort have become a way of life for many firefighters across the country. According to the study, the longer a firefighter’s career the greater the chances...
Engineering a solution for brain trauma
Haojie Mao is working to understand traumatic brain injury (TBI) through collaborations with Western neuroscientists and neurobiologists. And those researchers are looking to crack the brain-injury code with help from Mao, a world-class engineer. “When we’re wanting a...
Grand Bend fireball may have dropped meteorites
Nothing lights up the night – or sparks the interest of researchers – quite like a meteor sighting. At 7:23 p.m. Wednesday, a network of Western-operated cameras captured a fireball jetting across southern Ontario. Analysis of the video data suggests that fragments of...
Frankenstein and his monster – two centuries later
Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus still haunts conversations of scientific progress, ethics and human vanity. Today, we celebrate its 200th anniversary with insights from faculty across disciplines.
FRANKENSTEIN 200: Bequeathals create ‘life,’ enable research and learning
Two centuries ago, Mary Shelley was on a trip to Switzerland where she conceived and constructed the idea of Frankenstein. Through countless theatrical and silver-screen adaptations, the novel still conjures ideas of creating a new human from various pieces of humans.
Study to ease collateral damage of cancer treatment
A Western oncologist is examining new radiation techniques that could avoid damaging the esophagus for millions of people with advanced lung cancer.
Twin study unlocks schizophrenia secrets
A new study of identical twins shows for the first time that schizophrenia may be caused by not one distinct gene mutation, but an accumulation of mutations, some of which are not inherited from the twins’ parents. These mutations occur independently as individuals...
Database lends ear to language evolution
Four years ago, Yasaman Rafat became a mother and faced a dilemma that affects millions of the country’s non-native English-speaking immigrants. “How much of my native language, Farsi, do I speak with my son compared to English? When we are outside, do we speak in...
Study spotlights risks in anesthesiologist handoffs
Most patients are totally unaware that the anesthesiologist who put them under for surgery might not be the same one who brings them out even though that ‘handoff’ between the two doctors has been linked to a series of negative patient outcomes, including an increased...
‘Science, Action!’ contest puts research in motion
Postsecondary students across the country, including three from Western, are getting out of the labs and behind the camera for the annual Science, Action! initiative, sponsored by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), to highlight...
Probiotics for respiratory illness could save millions
A recent study suggests the use of probiotics to prevent respiratory tract infections in Canada could result in annual savings of nearly $100 million. There is growing evidence probiotics can reduce the risk and duration of respiratory tract infections, as well as...
Study: Brief, brisk workout can improve cognition
Approaching his latest study, Matthew Heath already knew aerobic exercise can be as good for the mind as for the body. What he wanted to find out was how long you need to exercise in order to reap those cognitive benefits. There’s a well-documented link between...
Study looks to extinguish persistent firefighter pain
A recently released Western co-authored study is providing an eye-opening look into how physical pain and discomfort have become a way of life for many firefighters across the country. According to the study, the longer a firefighter’s career the greater the chances...
Engineering a solution for brain trauma
Haojie Mao is working to understand traumatic brain injury (TBI) through collaborations with Western neuroscientists and neurobiologists. And those researchers are looking to crack the brain-injury code with help from Mao, a world-class engineer. “When we’re wanting a...
Grand Bend fireball may have dropped meteorites
Nothing lights up the night – or sparks the interest of researchers – quite like a meteor sighting. At 7:23 p.m. Wednesday, a network of Western-operated cameras captured a fireball jetting across southern Ontario. Analysis of the video data suggests that fragments of...