Success stories: research breakthroughs supported by the Ottawa Bioinformatics Core Facility

The Ottawa Bioinformatics Core Facility is proud to have played a role in many key discoveries at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa. Selected success stories are profiled below.

Engineered lung tissue model reveals possible new treatment for lymphangioleiomyomatosis
July 12, 2023 - A research team led by Dr. Bill Stanford has discovered a new class of drugs that may be effective in treating lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). This rare disease is characterized by abnormal cell growth in the lungs which can lead to severe breathing ...
Novel stem cell drives ‘remarkable’ regeneration of tiny blood vessels in the lung
May 15, 2023 - Dr. Duncan Stewart’s team has identified a novel stem cell with a remarkable ability to regenerate and repair the tiny blood vessels in the lungs.
Research reveals novel mechanism controlling muscle stem cells
October 5, 2022 - New research from Dr. Michael Rudnicki’s team shows for the first time that a cellular structure called a primary cilium, which functions somewhat like an antenna, plays a crucial role in priming muscle stem cells for repair and regeneration.
Lab-grown “mini-kidneys” unlock secrets of a rare disease
July 21, 2022 - Researchers have solved a medical mystery in a poorly understood disease by uncovering which cells cause tumours in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).
MicroRNA protects mice from acute kidney injury
October 6, 2021 - New research led by Dr. Kevin Burns shows that intravenous delivery of a type of microRNA can protect mice from acute kidney injury, a serious and untreatable condition.
Research unravels links between fasting, lifespan and muscle stem cells
June 2, 2021 - Intermittent fasting (or skipping meals) has often been reported to increase lifespan in various animals, but the observation that it also affects muscle stem cell function has been less well-studied.
Studying sex differences in kidney disease could open door to developing new treatments
January 27, 2021 - During critical illnesses like septic shock, the kidneys are often the first to shut down and the last to recover, if they recover at all. Previous research has shown that men are more severely affected by this kind of acute kidney injury than women,...
Using lab-grown human tissues to identify possible treatments
June 8, 2020 - Dr. William Stanford and his colleagues are using human tissue models to understand why COVID-19 makes some patients severely ill.
COVID-19 research moving at ‘lightning speed’, thanks to generous community support
May 8, 2020 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital are working around the clock to advance more than 50 potentially life-saving research projects to support the world-wide effort to find better ways to treat and prevent COVID-19. Now, nine of these projects have bee...
Researchers reveal the circuitry regulating muscle stem cell function
October 2, 2019 - Muscles have a fantastic ability to heal themselves, thanks to pools of muscle stem cells that respond to damage. Drs. Caroline Brun and Gregory Addicks in Dr. Michael Rudnicki’s group discovered that a regulatory protein called MLL1 plays a key role...

2019

5/1/2019 12:00:00 AM - Precision medicine approach for leukemia awarded $1.5M

2018

10/22/2018 12:00:00 AM - New drug combination destroys chemo-resistant blood cancer

2017

8/4/2017 12:00:00 AM - How to trick your heart into thinking you exercise: cardiotrophin improves heart health and repairs damage in lab models
7/20/2017 12:00:00 AM - Researchers turn back the clock to watch aging in fast forward