On Campus News

On Jan. 9, 2017, three unique-in-Canada research centres at the U of S were awarded almost $69 million in federal funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation:

“Smart” cancer drugs

Eric Price (right), a new Canada Research Chair in Radiochemistry at the U of S, is leading work on developing a new generation of medical imaging technology and “smart” drugs for cancer treatment.

Selective in their targeting of cancer, these new drugs hold promise to reduce side effects compared with traditional chemotherapy, said Price, who was recruited to join the chemistry department.

“These new radioactive drugs will be like sniffing dogs,” said Price. “They will be able to select specific cancer cells and kill them, while sparing healthy ones.”

Price’s research will help address bacterial infections that have become resistant to drug treatments.

Tony Vannelli new provost and VP academic

Tony Vannelli is set to join the U of S as its next provost and vice-president academic for a five-year term starting Aug. 1, 2017.

In this role, Vannelli will be the senior academic, planning and budget officer at the U of S. Vannelli most recently completed a second five-year term as dean of the College of Physical and Engineering Science at the University of Guelph.

“It’s a privilege to step into this role. The U of S has always aspired to provide support to the development of individuals and the impact they can have in communities in the province, country and world,” said Vannelli, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in applied mathematics from Concordia University, and a PhD in electrical engineering at the University of Waterloo.

Prior to joining the University of Guelph in 2007, Vannelli spent almost 20 years at the University of Waterloo as a professor of electrical and computer engineering, serving as chair of the department (1998-2006), and later as associate dean of research and external partnerships.

Justin Trudeau visits

The university played host to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the evening of Jan. 25, 2017.

Speaking to a full room in the Leslie and Irene Dubé Lecture Theatre in the Health Sciences Building, Trudeau took audience questions ranging from the economy and mental health issues to relations with Indigenous communities and the United States.

“It really shows that people are interested in engaging in the political process,” he said, following a welcome from MP Ralph Goodale and subsequent standing ovation.

Saskatoon was the ninth stop on the prime minister’s cross-Canada town hall tour.

New immunotherapy technique holds promise for curing food allergies

U of S scientists have developed a new immunotherapy technique that nearly eliminates the allergic response to peanut and egg white proteins in foodallergic mice, reducing the anaphylactic response by up to 90 per cent with only one treatment.

“If we can reliably ‘cure’ food allergies, or related conditions such as asthma or autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis with this new therapy, it would be life-changing for affected individuals,” said U of S professor John Gordon, lead scientist behind the discovery.

With Health Canada approval, the first human trial could begin in about one year, Gordon said.

“We predict the treatment could be on the market within the next five to 10 years,” said Gordon.

From the U of S to outer space

Two U of S alumni are on the short list of 72 candidates selected by the Canadian Space Agency for its National Astronaut Recruitment Campaign.

Shane Journeay and Jason Leuschen were chosen from an original recruitment pool of 3,000 and have spent several months undergoing medical exams and physical and skills test to meet the stringent demands of astronaut training and space flight. They will find out this summer if they will be selected to join Canada’s astronaut corps.

Journeay completed his PhD in toxicology/ nanotoxicology in 2008 at the U of S, while Leuschen graduated from the College of Engineering in 2000.

U of S secures silver sustainability rating

When the university’s third integrated plan was first unveiled, campus leadership committed to improving the institution’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) ranking from bronze to silver by 2020. In February, that goal became a reality, three years ahead of schedule.

STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework used by more than 700 universities and colleges.

“The U of S is three years ahead of schedule in hitting its silver rating, which is great news,” said Toddi Steelman, executive director of the School of Environment and Sustainability and the chair of the President’s Sustainability Council.

London calling for healthy campus community

Chad London, the new dean of the College of Kinesiology, wants to hit the ground running—or walking—whatever gets you moving on campus.

London, who earned his bachelor’s at the University of Lethbridge, a master’s in human kinetics at the University of Windsor and a PhD in educational leadership from the University of Calgary, began his five-year term as dean on Nov. 1 and has set a lofty goal for the campus community.

“I would really love to see the U of S be the healthiest campus in the country and I think the College of Kinesiology is perfectly placed to be a leader in championing healthy living across campus,” said London, who came from Calgary’s Mount Royal University where he was dean of the Faculty of Health, Community and Education.

U of S reacts to provincial budget cut

On March 22, President Peter Stoicheff expressed deep concern over the 5.6 per cent budget cut to the university in the 2017-18 provincial budget— the largest percentage decrease in the university’s history—but affirmed the U of S is committed to serving the people of the province in ways that continue to promote economic growth and a better quality of life.

Adding to the difficulties this reduction poses, the province is requiring the university to provide $20 million from its base budget to support the College of Medicine.

“We have been preparing for a substantial budget reduction for many weeks. Even so, today’s budget is deeply troubling to the U of S, and to the people we serve throughout Saskatchewan,” Stoicheff said. “The people of this province deserve to have one of Canada’s top universities, and we will not be deterred by this budget; we are determined, as a community,that it will neither define us nor diminish us. As we have always done during our 110-year history, we will find a way to provide what our province needs.”

Stoicheff noted that the U of S is one of the best financially managed universities in Canada, and that these reductions will deplete the university’s reserves and weaken its ability to serve the province.

“Investment in education and our students is one of the most critical areas for the province to support as it plans for a strong future,” Stoicheff added. “Our university is a major economic driver in Saskatchewan and contributes more economic benefit to its region than almost any other university in the entire country. In 2015, about $1.3 billion of Saskatchewan’s economy was tied to the U of S. Continued reductions to our university will jeopardize the long-term economic future of our province.”