MONTREAL/March 26, 2010—
Three Concordia University professors have seen the quality of their research recognized with the renewal of their Canada Research Chairs for a second 5-year term. Each Chair comes with $100,000 per year in funding to the university. Professor Vincent Martin is reconfirmed as the Canada Research Chair in Microbial Genomics and Engineering. Professor Uri Shalev is reconfirmed as Canada Research Chair in Neurobiology of Drug Use. Professor Chris Wilds is reconfirmed as the Canada Research Chair in Biological Chemistry. The Honorable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced the news this morning.
“This announcement comes as a further confirmation of the excellence of the work of Concordia University researchers in three important fields, “ says Concordia’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Judith Woodsworth. “These researchers are committed to a future where environmentally sustainable biofuels can replace our current reliance on fossil fuels, contributing to a better understanding of the problems of drug abuse and compulsive eating disorders, and finding new drug treatments for cancer.”
Martin’s work could produce a significant leap forward in the production of biofuels. Currently, these fuels are derived from food products such as sugar and starch. Martin’s research involves developing microbial strains that would be used to successfully ferment non-food carbohydrates such as cellulose, which are major byproducts and waste products in the agriculture and forestry industries. They can then be converted into derived bioproducts such as fuels or high value biochemicals.
Shalev’s research has improved the understanding of the mechanisms underlying both normal and pathological human behavior. Shalev has focused on the brain mechanisms that underlie food deprivation and their relationship to stress-induced relapses into drug abuse or compulsive eating disorders. He has succeeded in creating a better understanding of brain systems associated with drug abuse, mental illness and obesity.
Wilds’ research involves using chemically modified DNA to serve as potential therapeutics in the treatment of cancer. HIs work explores the mechanism by which tumor cells develop resistance to current chemotherapy drugs. Working on the level of cells and molecules, Wilds’ findings are relevant to the development of new drug treatments for cancer that would significantly improve patient outcomes.
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Source:
Fiona Downey
Media Relations Advisor
Concordia University
Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 2518
Cell: 514-518-3336
Fax: 514-848-3383
Email: fdowney@alcor.concordia.ca
