Page 37 - UHN Year In Review 2014-15: Patients As Partners In Care
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Highlights
Inflammation in Diabetes
Inflammation mediated by macrophages — a type of blood cell — contributes to the development of type
2 diabetes (T2D). By altering a subset of nerves, Dr. Minna Woo promoted the anti-inflammatory activity
of macrophages, which prevented the onset of T2D in an experimental model. This approach could be a
powerful new strategy for preventing and treating T2D.
New medicinal chemistry facility launched
A new medicinal chemistry facility was launched at TWRI,
headed by Dr. Donald Weaver, a medicinal chemist and neu-
rologist who has led several successful drug design
programs.The facility provides computational resources
for drug design and modeling, and capabilities for
biological screening and the preclinical development
of candidate drugs.
Non-invasive technique to measure severity of Dr. Donald Weaver, a medicinal chemist,
obstructive sleep apnea neurologist and Director of Toronto Western
Fluid accumulation in the neck is associated with the Research Institute, has led several successful
occurrence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), when drug design programs. (Photo: UHN Research
the upper airway is periodically blocked during sleep. Communications)
Dr. Azadeh Yadollahi developed a non-invasive
technique—using the change in breathing sounds
and tissue vibrations—to measure fluid accumulation
in the neck and to monitor the severity of OSA.
on two factors: the sample’s tumours should be treated using targeted treatment options to
genetic information and the oxygen more potent therapies, such as patients based on their unique
levels present in the tissue. The chemotherapy, hormone therapy cancer genetic fingerprint and
tumours with the greatest chance or therapies that target the genetic the cancer cell’s surrounding
of recurrence — 50 per cent — after abnormalities, to prevent recurrence. environment,” says Dr. Bristow.
radiation or surgery had high levels
of genetic abnormalities and low “This is personalized medicine to the
oxygen levels. Consequently, these hilt — the test provides more
Year in Review 2014 – 2015 37
