Thursday, August 11, 2016

Professors unveil advances in Alzheimer's research at global forum

This is an excerpt of an article originally published on the Faculty of Science news site.

Two studies involving University of Waterloo researchers presented last week at the 2016 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Toronto highlight a new diagnostic tool that can identify Alzheimer’s disease long before the onset of symptoms as well as document the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in Ontario.

Accessing the eye as a window to the brain

Alzheimer’s disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose and nearly impossible to catch early. This could soon change with a new type of non-invasive eye scan developed and patented by Professor Melanie Campbell of Waterloo's Department of Physics and Astronomy. It uses polarized light to highlight deposits called amyloid proteins found at the back of patients’ retinas decades before they experience cognitive decline.

In order to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, doctors currently rely on either a combination of late-stage symptoms and expensive positron emission tomography (PET) brain scans or tests on the brain after death. The new method would give a less expensive, more available alternative to PET.

Campbell’s research, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Waterloo, UBC, Vivocore Inc, InterVivo Solutions, and the University of Rochester and Massachusetts General Hospital, establishes her diagnostic method’s proof of concept in both human and an animal model. She shows polarized light scans are as sensitive as other more established methods and can be done cost-effectively without using irritating dyes, making it potentially useful as an in-office screening tool.

Amyloid beta protein deposits in the brain have been proven to be present in patients decades before they experience symptoms of the disease. Although the reasons this protein appears are still being debated, the fact that it also deposits in the retina, an extension of the brain, means these deposits can be used as a biomarker for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease long before symptoms appear.

Increased prevalence of Alzheimer’s

According to a report co-authored by Professor Colleen Maxwell of Waterloo's School of Pharmacy, also presented at AAIC, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s and other dementias rose more than 18 per cent in patients over 65 across Ontario over eight years, from 2004/05 to 2012/13. The study, which tracked prevalence, incidence and costs of dementias through Ontario health administrative data, was a collaborative effort with colleagues at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), the Ontario Brain Institute and the University of Toronto.

The results appear as an update to the initial 2015 report by the same group.

The team hopes to expand their study to explore ongoing trends in prevalence and incidence and to include other important data sources including information on patients’ quality of life and other health care use and costs.

Professor Maxwell is cross-appointed to the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo.

Read the full article on the Faculty of Science news site.

School of Planning student wins monumental award

This article was originally posted on the School of Planning's news site.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites Canada has selected School of Planning master's student Ashley Rudkevitch as one of two winners of their 2016 juried award.

The 2008 Cultural Heritage Grant Fund awards one or several grants to young Canadians who wish to travel to pursue advanced studies, carry out specialized research or take part in advanced training in the field of immovable cultural heritage.

Rudkevitch will use the prize to support her master’s thesis research on the subjective perspectives of locals and tourists toward cultural heritage in the northern community of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada.

"This award will allow me to travel to the remote northern community of Yellowknife, NT where I will be researching the effects of tourism on the unique cultural heritage of the community," says Rudkevitch. "While there I will be interviewing tourists, locals, business owners, and government officials, as well as partaking in tourism and local based activities in order to identify whether there is a disconnect between the perceived 'Northern Canadian Lifestyle' and reality."

Thursday's notes

Would you like to add more laughter & joy in your life? Discover the profound benefits of laughter with this mini-educational and experiential event on Thursday, August 11, 2016 from 12 to 1 p.m. on the M3 Green.

Laughter Yoga Leader, Kinga Burjan, a UW BSc. alumni will be offering a special one hour Laugher Yoga event.  Learn the benefits of laugher and discover how simple it is to engage in playful laughter yoga exercises in a group setting.  All movements will be done standing, however if you would like to lie or sit down during relaxation you may want to bring a towel or yoga mat for your comfort.

Plant Operations has announced that window cleaning and maintenance will occur through the remainder of August: 

• Quantum Nano Center - August 15th - 19th
• Dana Porter Library - August 22nd - 23rd
• East Campus Hall - August 22nd - 23rd
• RAC 1 - August 24th - 25th
• RAC 2 - August 24th - 25th
• Engineering 3 - August 24th - 25th

Any questions can be directed to the General Maintenance line at ext 36318 or pltops.workorders@waterloo.ca.

Beginning August 29th, Key Control will be relocating temporarily to GSC 1102. Access will be available from the GSC main entrance door off DC/MC Service Road. This is same entrance used to access Plant Operations Administration and where HR was once located.