Bernie Crespi reappointed as Canada Research Chair!

Congratulations to Bernard Crespi, SFU Biological Sciences professor who has been reappointed as Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Biology of Human Health and Disease!

Research Summary from CRC Chairholder's profile page here:

"Evolutionary medicine examines how natural selection, genetic variation and adaptation shape human health and disease—and it can also offer new insights into various disorders. As Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Biology of Human Health and Disease, Dr. Bernard Crespi is testing an evolutionary-medical theory that links variation in female reproductive traits and the risks of endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to prenatal and postnatal testosterone levels. These levels may, in turn, influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian system and the development of dimorphic traits (those that differ between males and females).

Crespi and his research team are studying women with endometriosis or PCOS to explore hormonal effects on reproductive physiology. They are also examining healthy women to assess how testosterone levels influence traits related to these conditions and studying mice with low testosterone. Their work may lead to new treatments for reproductive disorders in women."

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Established by the Government of Canada in 2000, the CRC Program invests up to $311 million per year to attract and retain diverse world-class researchers, and to reinforce academic research and training excellence in Canadian post-secondary institutions. Chairholders aim to achieve research excellence in engineering and natural sciences, health sciences, humanities and social sciences. The program is a tri-agency initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) (the agencies).