While feeling shy, uncertain, or apprehensive with strangers or in new situations is common in young children, an excessive display of these behaviours can negatively affect day-to-day functioning. Disruptions in friendships and social activities, decreased school attendance and performance, and increased family conflict are all common consequences of extreme shyness. Research shows that children who consistently respond in these ways are more likely to develop anxiety disorders later in childhood and adolescence. Furthermore, older children and adults who display this pattern of behaviour have more general health complaints and problems. Sherri Frohlick is conducting a study aimed at understanding the development of these general health complaints by examining the ability of preschool-aged shy children to understand and express different emotions, and determining the effect of this on their health status. Just as being able to identify and communicate different emotions is an important part of healthy psychological growth, not having these skills is linked to emotional and behavioral problems such as depression, anxiety, aggression or other serious forms of psychological dysfunction. By examining emotion identification and communication as processes underlying health complaints and problems in young children, Sherri is working to develop prevention and intervention programs that identify their needs more directly and lessen health concerns. A reduction in health complaints would lessen the burden on a health care system faced with the challenge of diagnosing and treating these problems.
Research Location: Simon Fraser University
Cognitive Bias in Subsymptomal Seasonal Affective Disorder
Canadians, like other people living at higher latitudes, often experience seasonal changes in sleeping patterns, appetite, mood, and energy levels between the winter and summer seasons, but there has been little research to explain why. Fern Jaspers-Fayer is studying the impact of season on thoughts, moods and behaviour. These changes occur along a continuum from normal to abnormal, with severe winter depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), at one extreme. Fern is identifying the changes in electrical brain activity associated with SAD, and will determine whether these changes disappear in the summer. The results should help explain the brain mechanisms involved in SAD, leading to better therapies for the condition and better ways for everyone to chase away the winter blues.
Computational characterization of genomic islands and their origins
Bacteria are the most abundant type of life on earth and are constantly adapting to survive in different environments. The species we see today are highly diverse, reflecting adaptations to massive environmental changes over billions of years. Some adaptations are of significant medical concern because they result in new strains of disease-causing bacteria, greater virulence in existing bacteria, and increased resistance to antibiotics and other drugs that kill or suppress bacteria. These bacterial adaptations are associated with āgenomic islands,ā clusters of genes the bacteria appear to have acquired from other bacteria, viruses and organisms. The genes of hundreds of disease-causing and non-infectious bacteria have been identified. Morgan Langille is using this information to develop a database of bacterial genomic islands. He aims to identify the origins of bacterial genomic islands and their role in causing disease. This information may enable scientists to better understand and develop new drugs that target infectious disease-causing bacteria.
Relations among maternal sensitivity in early infancy and infants' attachment security at 12 months
The quality of the mother-infant relationship early in infancy forms a foundation for infantsā subsequent social and emotional development. In particular, mothersā sensitive responses to behavioural cues helps their infants develop a sense of self and other and helps them regulate their emotions. Attachmentāor the bond between infants and their caregiversāis a developmental achievement in the first year of life that is essential for healthy physical and psychological growth. Studies have shown that insecurely-attached infants are at risk for a range of negative developmental outcomes. Nancy Mcquaid is working to identify ways in which mothers interact with their infants that facilitate, or inhibit healthy social and emotional development. Nancyās research will contribute to our understanding of healthy infant development and will help develop means of intervention for infants who are at risk for developmental emotional and interactive disturbances, such as infants of mothers with postpartum depression and low birth weight infants.
Measurement and training of fall-protective responses
Hip fractures represent a significant health problem for the elderly. While 90 per cent of hip fractures are caused by falls, only one to two per cent of falls result in hip fractures. The risk for fracture during a fall depends on the mechanics of the fall and the use of specific protective responses, including landing on outstretched hands, contracting the leg muscles to absorb energy and rotating to prevent impact to the pelvis. While these responses are known, knowledge is lacking on how these responses are affected by age and whether they can be enhanced through education and physical training. Chantelle Murnaghan is developing an exercise-based intervention program for the prevention of hip fractures resulting from falls. The research will focus on developing an improved understanding of fall protective responses, including how these responses are affected by age, and by sensory and cognitive variables. Given the safety constraints of conducting fall experiments with the elderly, Chantelleās study will involve young and middle-aged men in a series of lab experiments involving sideways and backwards falls, followed by a training program in safe-landing strategies. Results from this novel study will provide valuable new information for the development of more effective hip fracture prevention programs for the elderly.
The Cell Biology of the NIMA-Related Kinase Defective in Polycystic Kidney Disease
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) affects one in 800 people worldwide and is the major reason for dialysis treatment and kidney transplantation. One of the most common genetic diseases in the world, PKD has many forms, ranging from aberrant cell proliferation in the kidney to defects in other organ systems, such as the liver and pancreas. This abnormal growth within kidneys and other organs eventually leads to organ failure. The age of onset and disease severity for PKD are highly variable and are affected by additional genetic mutations. Mouse models of the disease have been used to identify many of the genes involved in the polycystic pathology and to determine links between gene and disease. Many of these genes encode proteins that localize to the cilia, a hair-like cell projection that senses the extracellular environment of the cell. The loss of a cilium results in the inability of a cell to response to external cues controlling normal growth. It has been shown that the failure of a kidney cell to build cilia results in PKD. Nek8 is an enzyme which, when mutated, causes PKD in mice. Melissa Trappās work has shown that Nek8 is also found within the cilia. This research project is focused on the role of Nek8 within cells, particularly how mutated Nek8 can alter the cilium and cause defects in cell growth. By manipulating the protein levels in Nek8 within cultured kidney cells and introducing mutant forms of Nek8, she is examining the effects on ciliary assembly and cell proliferation. This research will contribute to the body of knowledge accumulating about Nek8 and the cause of PKD. It could also contribute to our understanding of other cystic kidney diseases.
Structural and Functional Studies of Peripheral Components of the Sec Translocase Supercomplex
The delivery of proteins to their correct cellular location is a fundamental aspect of cell biology. For many proteins, reaching a final destination involves crossing membranes, a process known as translocation. Understanding the mechanisms that nature has evolved to translocate proteins across membranes is an important aspect to learning more about the function and dysfunction of this key process. A useful model for studying protein translocation is the evolutionarily-conserved Sec system of Gram negative bacteria (such as E. coli), which exports proteins across and into the inner membrane. The Sec translocase of Gram negative bacteria also serves as the primary conduit for the secretion of virulence factors (toxins and adhesions) in Gram negative bacteria, making it an excellent target for the design of novel antibiotics. David Oliverās research will expand our understanding of the Sec system and how proteins cross membranes. His work will contribute to improved and possibly novel strategies for protein production for biotechnological and pharmaceutical purposes, as well as to new insights into diseases linked to defects in protein targeting and trafficking.
Investigation of the role Cnk2p plays in ciliary length control
Eukaryotic cilia are membrane-bound organelles in cells known for their function to propel cells (such as sperm cells), or move fluid over a cellular surface (such as respiratory epithelial cells in the lungs). More recently, researchers have looked more closely at immotile (unmoving) primary cilia which are found on almost all terminally differentiated mammalian cells (mature cells that no longer grow). Previously believed to have no function, immotile primary cilia have now been shown to have significant signalling roles and are gaining recognition as sensory organelles. A series of recent discoveries has pointed to the idea that the cilia found in tubular epithelial cells of the kidneys are required for maintaining the differentiation of kidney tubules, and that the loss of this function results in Polycystic Kidney Disease, a common human genetic disease also found in other species. Focusing on one member of a family of proteins known as the NIMA-related kinases, Brian Bradley is studying the connections between cilia, the processes by which they are assembled, and cell division. He hopes his work can lead to a better understanding of the role of cilia in human health and disease.
Optimal use of linked SNP marker data in genetic association studies
Heart disease, diabetes and other complex diseases involve genes that combine with lifestyle and environmental factors to increase disease susceptibility. To find the genetic factors that influence disease outcomes, researchers have begun using haplotypes ā sets of closely linked genetic variants inherited together as a unit. However, the use of haplotypes introduces its own complexities, including uncertainty in haplotype measurement, handling of rare haplotypes and the optimal length of haplotypes to examine. By incorporating the genetic relatedness of haplotypes into statistical estimation, Kelly Burkett hopes to address these points to more effectively predict the effects of haplotypes on disease outcomes. The methods will not only enable researchers to identify genetic risk factors but also the connections between genetic and non-genetic factors, such as lifestyle, environmental and occupational risks. The identification of such risk factors is hoped to eventually lead to improved disease treatment and prevention by highlighting new drug targets and lifestyle modifications for those with increased disease susceptibility.
Elucidating the role of Fa2p in cilliary and cell cycle regulation
The majority of cells in the body contain a microscopic, hair-like organelle projecting from the cell surface called a cilium. Cilia play roles in motility and sensory signalling. In many cells, the disassembly of cilia by the cell is a precursor to mitosis (cell division) and cilia are reassembled by the cell following mitosis. Dysfunction of this structure and process leads to a variety of conditions, including blindness, infertility and polycystic kidney disease. MSFHR funded Moe Mahjoub in 2003 to complete his PhD study of cilia. His previous work showed that the kinase Fa2p is implicated in the regulation of ciliary shedding and assembly, as well as in cell division. He has determined that Fa2p is dynamic, moving to different locations in the cell at different points in the ciliary and cell life cycle. Moe is now working to discover exactly how Fa2p exerts its effects. He hopes his research will provide key insights into the mechanism of various human diseases.