Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal condition that affects about one-third of women worldwide. BV can negatively impact a woman’s physical, emotional, sexual, and social well-being.

Symptoms of BV include watery, white or grey vaginal discharge, vaginal discomfort or itchiness and a strong fishy odour. Women with BV are at a higher risk of getting sexually transmitted infections and having reproductive health problems. However, there’s still much we don’t understand about why BV keeps coming back and why treatments sometimes fail.

Antibiotics are the main treatment, but options are limited and often not very effective. Up to 50 per cent of women experience BV again within a year after treatment. When BV returns, doctors may use stronger antibiotic treatments, sometimes including boric acid, which is usually used for recurring vaginal yeast infections. Although boric acid is being used in clinics, we don’t fully understand how it works. Previous studies have shown that boric acid is safe and effective against recurrent yeast infections by preventing biofilm formation and fungal growth. It’s believed that boric acid might also work for BV by disrupting the biofilm formation seen in resistant BV cases, but this hasn’t been tested yet.

This project aims to fill this knowledge gap by conducting experiments to see how boric acid affects bacterial growth, biofilm formation, and whether it reduces damage to vaginal cells. We hope to understand better how boric acid treats BV, which could inform doctors and lead to new and more effective treatments in the future.

Public safety communicators — such as 911 operators, call takers, dispatchers and tactical radio operators — experience high levels of stress at work. As a result, they may face more health problems than the general population.

Our study will survey and interview around 300 public safety communicators across Manitoba to understand their job-related stress, coping strategies, health and wellness outcomes, and ways to improve their training, resilience and well-being.

Through this research, we aim to support communicators’ health and wellness. Our findings will help inform wellness programs and advocate for recognizing public safety communicators as first responders. In communication work, like in most sectors, work conditions are reflected in the quality of work provided to the population. Thus, we hope this study will contribute to improving work conditions in public safety communications and further enhancing the quality of emergency services provided to Manitobans.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the brain and spinal cord, causing symptoms like vision loss, weakness and difficulty walking. Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world. So, understanding what contributes to this disease is especially important here. This research project will look at how mental health issues during childhood and the teenage years can affect the risk of developing MS.

In Manitoba, a large amount of health data is collected as part of managing the health system. We will look at anonymized health information from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. By reviewing health records of young people in Manitoba, we aim to find out whether those who had mental health challenges like depression or anxiety during their younger years are more likely to develop MS as they grow older. We will also look at whether medications for these mental health issues, such as antidepressants, could reduce the risk of MS.

To do this, we will assess visits to doctors, hospital admissions and drug prescriptions. This will help us to identify psychiatric problems and MS. Then, we will look at the link between psychiatric disorders and the development of MS. This will give us insights that could lead to better prevention and treatment strategies for MS.

This study is important because it might help us find ways to prevent MS or reduce its impact by addressing mental health issues early in life. Ultimately, this research aims to pave the way for better health strategies that could improve personal health.

In Canada, the number of people living with HIV continues to grow despite significant progress in reducing new HIV infections overall. The increase in the number of people tested for HIV in Manitoba in 2022 indicates a growing awareness and concern about the disease. Recent information indicates that the number of Manitobans who tested positive for HIV increased 30 per cent from 2021 to 2023. A review of the current trends indicates that new population groups are at risk and have been shown to have active spreading of the virus. 

Medical care for people that test positive for HIV is complex and presents major challenges for patients that are diagnosed, especially considering the many other chronic conditions that typically arise over time.

We will create case definitions and apply them to a large set of primary care patients in Canada and Manitoba. We will be able to describe many of the specific factors that impact the medical care of HIV positive patients. We will also be able to support future work to evaluate the complexities and test new models of care.

Metastatic multiple myeloma (MM) is a type of blood cancer that is currently incurable and deadly. The overall survival rate for people with MM after five years is only 42 per cent. Despite better education and early diagnosis methods, the number of MM cases keeps increasing. It’s currently the third most common and deadly blood cancer. One major challenge is that cancer often becomes resistant to chemotherapy, leading to relapses. Therefore, new ways to detect and treat MM early are urgently needed to improve patient care and survival.

Our bodies have a natural recycling system called the ubiquitin-proteasome system. It helps get rid of harmful proteins. The harmful proteins are tagged with a molecule called ubiquitin (Ub), which signals the proteasome to chop them down. This process keeps our cells healthy.

Unfortunately, cancer cells can hijack this system. They misuse special enzymes, like USP14,to remove the Ub tags from proteins. This prevents these harmful proteins from being broken down, allowing them to accumulate and promote cancer growth.

This project aims to design and develop PET imaging probes – tiny molecular detectors that can image USP14 levels. This non-invasive tool would help physicians to diagnose MM earlier, and tailor therapies to better combat cancer. This will potentially improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Menopause is a natural process that happens to women as they get older. During menopause, the body goes through a lot of major changes, including a drop in the production of the hormone estrogen. This drop in estrogen can affect many parts of a woman’s body, including the immune system.

The immune system is the body’s defence against germs and bugs, such as viruses. Estrogen regulates the immune system. So when menopause starts, the lack of estrogen can affect how the immune system fights viruses and infections. However, we don’t know enough about how menopause affects the immune system and whether it makes women more at risk of viral infections like HIV.

Our study will determine whether menopause changes how some cells from the immune system, called T cells, respond to viruses. T cells are some of the most important cells in our immune system, and any changes in how they respond to viruses can have an important impact on fighting viruses.

This study will help to understand the impact of menopause on the immune system and help improve women’s health.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a very common sexually transmitted infection. Over 70 percent of sexually active Canadians may get it at some point. While most HPV infections get better on their own, some continue and can cause cancer, particularly in the throat, anus and cervix. Current screening methods like imaging have limitations in detecting if cancer returns, highlighting the need for better tools.

This project aims to improve the treatment and monitoring of HPV-associated cancers using a new test involving circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). ctDNA is a fragment of tumor DNA found in the blood. Studies have shown that ctDNA can be used to monitor how well a person responds to treatment with levels of accuracy.

We will validate this approach by comparing ctDNA levels in blood samples with those from tumor biopsies in patients with throat, cervical and anal cancers. We will recruit 30 patients –10 from each cancer type – and analyze their blood samples before and after treatment. We will assess how well this method works.

We will also explore the different subtypes of HPV present in cancer samples to understand their roles in how a person responds to treatment and if their cancer returns.

Our long-term goal is to establish ctDNA as a reliable tool that will improve patient outcomes. This pilot study will lay the groundwork for future studies and potentially lead to more effective screening programs, tailored treatments, and better prognosis for those affected by HPV-related cancers.

In Canada, senior immigrants from racial and ethnic minority groups often feel lonely and socially isolated. This can be attributed to challenges like limited English ability, poor social networks, mobility barriers and limited understanding of Canadian culture and social systems. They also face the intersecting challenges of ageism, stress from changing cultures and racism. This can make their mental health worse.

Despite this impact, relevant studies about mental health services for senior immigrants in Winnipeg are lacking. We want to improve the use of mental health services among senior immigrants from racial and ethnic minority groups in Canada. We’ll do this through the qualitative understanding of their stressors, their barriers to accessing mental health services and their expectations toward the supports they receive.

This qualitative study will invite senior immigrants who moved to Winnipeg from the Philippines, India, and Mainland China to participate in in-person focus groups (IPFGs). Five IPFGs will be conducted per ethnic group. Each IPFG will consist of 10 to 12 participants and last 90 to 120 minutes. We will explore participants' experiences related to stressors, barriers and expected outcomes.

Our findings will increase the cultural competence of mental health professionals in Canada. They’ll also help mental health services in developing culturally tailored interventions and services for senior immigrant clients in Canada.

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, are conditions that negatively impact the brain in millions of people worldwide. Common symptoms include difficulties with remembering things, solving problems and motor control.

Scientists have been using special brain scans (e.g. MRI) and genetic analysis to understand why these diseases happen. They have revealed how changes in brain structure and associations with certain genes play a role in these illnesses.

Our project belongs to a research field called "radiogenomics," which analyzes both brain scans and genetic information together. The combination of both types of information provides a fuller picture of the disease. But there is a challenge: the large amount of complex information from scans and genes is difficult to interpret.

To solve this problem, we use deep learning– a smart type of computer program that can spot important patterns in complex data.

Another part of our research looks at tiny bubbles called exosomes, which are released from cells. These bubbles carry messages and can tell us a lot about what's happening in the brain without needing to do any surgery.

By using these advanced techniques, we hope to predict how these diseases will progress, find new treatments, and even tailor treatments to fit a person's unique genetic makeup. This could change the game in fighting neurodegenerative diseases. It could lead to earlier diagnosis, better treatments, and more understanding of how these conditions work, making a big difference for people and their families.

Weakness in knee muscles is common following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. Many exercises are used to improve knee strength. Recently, the use of specialized blood pressure cuffs that partially reduce blood flow (BFR) has been shown to help muscle growth and increase strength with the use of lighter loads. These may be more comfortable for patients in rehabilitation.

There are no standards in how to best apply this technique in patients following knee surgery. These cuffs are typically worn only on the leg that had surgery, which may lead patients to shift weight to their uninjured limb during standing exercises. This may reduce the effectiveness of the exercises to target these weakened muscles.

This study will compare applying the specialized cuffs to either one or both limbs during the completion of two weight-bearing exercises (barbell squats and dumbbell split squats) in uninjured participants and patients that are three to four months post-ACL reconstruction. Force plates will be used to determine whether the patients shift weight away from the surgical limb. Specialized sensors will measure muscle activity in the knee muscles. Accelerometers will measure joint angles to determine whether BFR to one or both sides impacts weight bearing, muscle activity or exercise technique.

The results of this study will inform clinical guidelines as to how to apply this new technique safely and effectively. These guidelines will be implemented at the Pan Am Clinic to improve outcomes for Manitobans following ACL reconstruction.

‍

In this project, we will investigate the oral health and dental treatment needs of people in care homes in urban and rural Manitoba. We will use the Canadian Oral Health Screening Tool for Seniors, clinical oral examinations and frailty assessments to explore several associations.

We will also investigate differences based on geography (urban vs. rural), availability of dental services, degree of frailty and socioeconomic status (SES).

This study will provide baseline data to advocate for improved dental care services and inform targeted interventions, especially with the introduction of the Canadian Dental Care Plan for seniors aged 65 and older.

Obesity is a risk factor for diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. A key driving factor in the decline to further disease is chronic inflammation. This is caused by immune cells attacking the wrong areas over time. Controlling immune cell activation is a potential way to stop or slow down the progression of obesity to chronic disease.

Omega-3 fatty acids are known as "healthy fats" in the diet, because they can lower both blood lipids and markers of inflammation. Recent work suggests that an omega-3 fatty acid from plant oil may act on white blood cells called monocytes to reduce the rate at which they break down sugar for fuel. This is expected to reduce their inflammatory activation.

We will feed mice a high-fat diet to induce obesity. Then, we’ll supplement their diet with omega-3 fatty acid. We will then collect monocytes from these mice and study their ability to break down sugar and other nutrients for fuel.

This study will offer key insights into how well mouse models of obesity and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation mimic the changes to monocytes observed in human studies. It will also help us understand how omega-3 fatty acids affect immune activation and inflammation, informing their use as dietary components or therapeutics.

Gum disease around dental implants affects approximately half the number of people who have dental implants. Gum disease around dental implants is difficult to treat with the current treatments available. If these diseased implants are not treated, half of them will eventually become loose and fall out.

The material of the crown placed on implants may affect gum health. The goal of this study is to assess the effect of altering the surface of the crown in addition to cleaning around the implant. Participants will have their implant cleaned and then have their crown removed. The surface layer of the crown will be removed and polished. After this is done, the crown will be put back onto the implant.

We will measure the severity of the gum disease around the implant through visual inspection, gum measurements and analyzing the gum fluids. The gum fluid will be used to assess the activity of the immune system in the gums. These measurements will be collected just before treatment and after 60-70 days.

We believe altering the surface of the crown has a high chance of resolving gum disease around implants. This is key to preventing the gum disease from progressing to the point where it becomes untreatable – leading to the implant falling out.

Resistance to therapy is one of the most important challenges for patients living with acute leukemia. Despite initially responding to chemotherapy and achieving complete remission, the disease will eventually come back and kill most patients within five years after the initial diagnosis.

For patients who remain in complete remission, prolonged exposure to chemotherapy causes long-term, detrimental side-effects. In addition to these adverse physical effects, acute leukemia and prolonged treatments both cause significant social and financial constraints that are disproportionally impacting younger and socioeconomically disadvantaged patients.

Current treatments destroy more than 99 per cent of the tumor, but a few leukemia cells survive and can regenerate the disease.

We will investigate how tumour cells survive chemotherapy, thereby improving our understanding of acute leukemia. This proposal will use innovative approaches that enable us to track tumor cells in different tissues. This will help us identify the weakness of chemotherapy-resistant cells that could be targeted with novel therapies.

Ultimately, this could not only improve response to treatment but also reduce the length of toxic chemotherapy needed for achieving and maintaining complete remission in children and adolescents with acute leukemia.