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New funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation supports health research at SFU Science

September 19, 2024

Three Simon Fraser University Faculty of Science researchers have received funding totalling $700,000 from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund. 

This funding, announced September 13, 2024, supports investment in state-of-the art tools, instruments and facilities to support research in biomedical physiology and kinesiology; and molecular biology and biochemistry. These funds will be matched by the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF), in addition to partner contributions.

Projects funded include:

Infrastructure for the Laboratory of Brain Resilience 

Randy McIntosh, Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology

$300K CFI; $750K total project value

Brain resilience is affected by interactions between the brain and other systems (e.g., cardiovascular, immune, digestive) in the body across multiple scales. It is also influenced by the unique social and cultural context of the body and the person. A key challenge is that these multisystem, multiscale interactions cannot be understood by empirical research alone. The goal of the proposed research is to clarify the complicated interactions underlying brain resilience using empirical and computational approaches. The outcome will be a better understanding of the complex multisystem multiscale interactions, laying a foundation for new clinical studies to identify mechanisms to improve brain resilience. The outcome will be a better understanding of the complex multisystem multiscale interactions, laying a foundation for new clinical studies to identify mechanisms to improve brain resilience.

Infrastructure for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying DNA repair pathway choice

Dheva Setiaputra, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

$300K CFI; $750K total project value

Cells must repair DNA damage to safeguard their genetic material. Unrepaired DNA lesions ultimately lead to cell dysfunction and death, so the body has many different mechanisms of repairing DNA. The choice between these mechanisms has important physiological consequences. Setiaputra's new research program aims to characterize the multiple decision points that cells navigate during DNA repair, focusing on three areas. He will investigate how the choice between two DNA double-strand break repair pathways define the efficacy of cancer therapeutics targeting breast and ovarian cancers. He aims to investigate CRISPR-associated DNA repair that leads to undesirable gene editing outcomes and design approaches to make gene editing safer. He will use a computational neural network to predict how different DNA repair proteins communicate with each other to lead to specific repair pathway choices. 

Infrastructure for the Exercise Physiology and Performance Laboratory 

Alexandra Coates, Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology

$100K CFI; $250K total project value

Exercise has many important benefits including improving physical health and reducing the risk of disease. However, people who exercise too much, or consume inadequate calories to support the exercise-stress, experience a worsening of athletic performance and health. While the negative health outcomes of inadequate energy intake are well-known, it is unknown how excessive exercise-stress affects the body independent of inadequate-caloric intake. Coates' new research program seeks to understand how exercise stress and energy stress independently affect the body. This research will be beneficial not only in athletic domains, but also to individuals in physical occupations, military, and clinical populations. Benefits to Canada will include talent development, new knowledge that will improve health and well-being, and applications in sport and biotechnology.

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