It’s a long way from the sub-tropics of Mexico to Canada’s sub-Arctic.
In Mexico, Brian Branfireun studied a scarce water supply in a populous region.
In James Bay, the biology professor at the University of Western Ontario is studying how a cold and remote wetland is influenced by, and is influencing, climate change.
But there’s a common concern that make them both worth a closer look: “The link is sensitive ecosystems,” Branfireun says.
The James Bay wetlands are part of the second-largest wetland in the world, and are “profoundly” affected by warming trends, he said.
Branfireun’s work in James Bay is one of three UWO research areas to be awarded prestigious new Canada Research Chairs at a federal announcement on Wednesday.
The program is designed to promote innovation in universities and Branfireun’s carries with it $100,000 annually for five years.
From mercury in the water to a diminished ice cover and changing ecology, Branfireun says the James Bay area is one of the most influential and under-studied regions in the world.
In the university’s department of microbiology and immunology, Mansour Haeryfar is working to understand how a specialized immune cell called a Killer T cell works best.
And that research may lead to helping people’s immune systems fight more effectively against viruses, such as HIV and influenza, he said. “In doing so, we hope to exploit and boost our own immune system to efficiently battle viral infections.”
He said he’s delighted with being named a research chair and the potential it offers to accelerate studies in viral immunity. Haeryfar received $100,000 yearly for five years.
Kinesiology professor Kevin Shoemaker has received a $200,000 grant for each of seven years to study how vascular disease and exercise interact with the nervous system.
And, he said, there’s potential to figure out if preventing cardiovascular disease can also prevent or delay movement problems, particularly as people age.
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