Current research

Fighting disease

Our bacteriology and microbial pathogenesis research team is using cutting-edge molecular and genomic technology to study how pathogens cause disease. They’re also working on ways to make the food and water supply safer for Canadians.

As a student conducting research with us, you’ll gain a better understanding of the rational design of more effective vaccines and new antimicrobial strategies. You’ll also gain useful experience in the emerging field of synthetic biology, which has broad implications for the development of biofuels, green chemistry and robots.

Our team

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Working to eliminate cancer

As a team, we work to study all aspects of cancers and use these findings to benefit cancer patients and their families. Our researchers have focused on:

• new approaches to the early detection of cancer
• the development and spread of cancer
• cancer treatment

Our exciting projects include a simple blood test that allows treatment to be started earlier and a treatment that uses viruses to selectively kill cancer cells.

As a student conducting research with us, you’ll have the unique opportunity to work with world-class scientists and contribute to research that will one day eliminate cancer.

Our team

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An ounce of prevention

Our internationally recognized team of immunology and inflammation researchers are dedicated to finding ways to preventing and reducing the symptoms of serious illnesses. This research team focuses on six key components:

• how the immune system defends against infection
• how the immune system can be used to treat cancer
• how we can better treat inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, asthma and multiple sclerosis
• the development of new immunotherapies that can be used alone or combined with current cancer treatments
• developing vaccines
• exploring ways to prevent and control the inflammation responsible for many devastating chronic diseases

As a student, you’ll have many opportunities to get involved in basic or translational research projects in immunology or inflammation. We’ve attracted a substantial amount of research funding, resulting in a variety of research areas and training to choose from, including:

• summer work experience
• undergraduate experiential laboratory courses
• PhD and postdoctoral positions

You’ll also have the added benefit of learning from experienced researchers, many of whom are also physicians with research laboratories in the IWK Health Centre.

Our team

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Gaining understanding

At Dalhousie University, our world-renowned molecular virology and viral pathogenesis researchers are making great strides towards better understanding viral pathogens, as well as the host response to infection.

As a student researcher, you’ll gain extensive training in areas like:

•                viral genetics and evolution
•                host innate immune responses to viral infection
•                viral pathogenesis
•                vaccines and antivirals
•                cancer-fighting oncolytic viruses

Significant breakthroughs

Our research team has achieved a number of significant breakthroughs.

These include fundamental advances like Dr. Christopher Richardson’s discovery of new receptors for measles virus, Dr. Denys Khaperskyy’s discovery of new ways that influenza A virus interferes with host immune responses, Dr. Craig McCormick’s discovery of the unfolded protein response as an important virus-host interface, and Dr. Jean Marshall’s fundamental studies of mast cell responses to viral infection. In fact, basic virology research has long been a strength in this Department, with Dr. Stoltz leading the way in characterizing and naming the polydnaviruses.

There is a strong translational aspect of our research. For example, Dr. Roy Duncan’s fundamental studies of reovirus fusion-associated small transmembrane (FAST) proteins led to the development of the Fusogenix technology that underpins Entos Pharmaceuticals’ made-in-Canada COVID-19 DNA vaccine, Covigenix (currently in Phase I clinical trials across the street at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology). Similarly, Drs. Shashi Gujar, Chris Richardson, Roy Duncan and Brent Johnston study how oncolytic viruses train the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

The Clinical Virologists on our team, Dr. Todd Hatchette and Dr. Jason Leblanc, conduct research in the development of sensitive and rapid new assays to detect viral infection. Meanwhile, Dr. Lisa Barrett is shaping public health policy towards to the goal of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) elimination, while pursuing fundamental studies of how aging immune systems handle viral infections.

We have all re-focused our research efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. David Kelvin and his international team of researchers have made important new discoveries of the immune correlates of severe COVID-19 disease. Drs. Khaperskyy and McCormick have identified and characterized new candidate antiviral drugs. Dr. Richardson has developed new tools for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics and vaccine development. Drs. Barrett, Hatchette and Leblanc have led the remarkable scale-up of SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing in the Provincial Virology Lab, while also developing new public outreach models for rapid testing in the community.

Our team

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