Innovation Anthology #4: Professor

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Do you drink baking soda or bicarbonate to calm an acid tummy?

Well, that’s what our cells do. They call on bicarbonate to neutralize the build-up of acids that are a by-product of the body’s metabolic functions.

Bicarbonate is formed in solution when carbon dioxide is exhausted by cells during the production of energy, much the same way as a car exhausts C02 when it’s running. And just like the fizz in your glass of soda, the bicarbonate can also revert back into carbon dioxide gas. So it’s this back and forth conversion that helps maintain the body’s pH balance.

But sometimes, something interferes with the movement of bicarbonate across cell membranes. And that’s the focus of research for Dr. Joe Casey, an expert in bicarbonate transport at the University of Alberta.

JC: We’ve discovered what we think is an important link to bicarbonate transport and the progression of heart failure. We’ve also recently published a significant paper where we identified a bicarbonate transporter involved in two forms of genetic blindness.

Dr. Casey hopes his work on bicarbonate transport will lead to new treatments for many diseases.

Thanks today to the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY, I’M CHERYL CROUCHER.

NOTE:  The former AHFMR is now called Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

Guest

Joseph Casey, PhD,

University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada,

Sponsor

Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

Alberta Innovates (formerly Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions)

As the newly formed Alberta Innovates corporation, we still fund top quality, internationally competitive health research and innovation activities to improve the health and wellbeing of Albertans. We provide leadership for Alberta’s health research and innovation enterprise by directing, coordinating, reviewing, funding and supporting research and innovation.

Working with our many partners  in the health system, we ensure that research achieves innovation in care, policy and practice, and that the needs of patients and clinicians influence research.

Our background

Alberta Innovates consolidation was launched November 1, 2016.

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions was established as part of the Alberta Innovates system by an Act of Legislation of the Government of Alberta. It is a agency  of the Government of Alberta. We receive a yearly allocation from the Ministry of Health and report through the ministry to the people of Alberta.

Our Mandate and Roles document reflects our role and responsibilities and outlines the government statues and regulations with which we comply.

Alberta’s Health Research and Innovation Strategy (AHRIS) sets out Alberta’s health research agenda for the coming decade to ensure our considerable investments in research align with our priority—to improve the health of Albertans.

 

 

Program Date: 2007-01-25