Dale Martin awarded funding for innovative and high-quality research and technology

Establishing and supporting innovative research projects is an important priority for the University of Waterloo. The Canadian Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund has recognized four Faculty of Science researchers to embarking upon research or technology development that is innovative, high quality and meets international standards.

Dale Martin, Professor in the Department of Biology, was awarded $160,000 for the project Microscopy System for Targeting S-Palmitoylation in Neurodegeneration. This funding will go towards purchasing a confocal microscope to track protein movements in live cells, including cultured neurons, that are dependent on the lipid modification of proteins known as S-palmitoylation. S-palmitoylation works like a postal code – it tells proteins where to go in a cell and has emerged as an important modification that directs proteins in neurons. The scope will be used to track dysregulated palmitoylation in neurodegeneration and develop drug screens to target palmitoylation in neurodegenerative diseases. 

This project is one of the 21 projects selected for funding at Waterloo. A total of 332 projects were funded province wide though this initiative. This funding helps institutions recruit and retain outstanding researchers, acquire the tools that enable the innovative work of leading researchers and offer research support.