Research & Innovation

2008 Research Projects

Dr. Michelle Alfa
Dr. Michelle Alfa, Clinical Microbiology Medical Director, will study use of a new device for collecting stool samples from elderly and incontinent patients, which will have the potential to improve the accuracy and reliability in diagnosing Clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) in this high-risk group. CDAD is the most common cause of hospital acquired infection that results in diarrheal illness and current methods to collect samples from diapers can be problematic.

Dr. David Parry
The research of Dr. David Parry, Clinical Biochemist, will focus on improving the management of maternal diabetes.  His project will measure changes in an analog of glucose, 1,5-anhydroglucitol, in the blood of pregnant women. This molecule competes with glucose for absorption and secretion but is inert. Knowledge of its variability in these patients will allow more effective use of 1,5-anhydroglucitol as a marker of glycemic control and improve care of the developing fetus.

Dr. David Grynspan
Pathologist, Dr. David Grynspan will focus his research on creating a database that will serve to monitor and improve population health as it relates to pediatric and stillbirth autopsies. No system currently links the data garnered from the approximately 125 pediatric and stillbirth autopsies performed annually with Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Vital Statistics repositories. Dr. Grynspan proposes to archive data from 1910 to the present, creating a searchable database that will serve to refine population health data, track patterns of autopsy utilization and assist in understanding potential correlations between social and environmental factors in fetal and neonatal loss.

Dr. Angie Dawson
Dr. Angie Dawson, Cytogeneticist, will study a new technology to identify types of leukemia, as well as predict the patient response to treatment. The new microarray technology combines chromosomal analysis and molecular techniques with the potential to identify additional genetic rearrangements that could not be detected by previous methods. She will determine if the new technology is beneficial in the analysis of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia and whether microarrays show additional genetic rearrangements that might be related to the poor outcome of these patients.

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