Innovation Anthology #417:

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The latest edition to the Islet Signaling Lab at the University of Alberta is Shandy Wogan. She is one of this year’s picks for HYRS, the Heritage Youth Research Summer Program.

Back home in Red Earth Creek, Shandy was the only Grade 11 student this year, her school a collection of portables, and her science education somewhat sparse.

SHANDY WOGAN: For the first semester we didn’t have a teacher so I’m on Alberta Distance Learning Centre – online learning. So we have a sink and some virtual labs, kind of, sometimes.

In Red Earth Creek, young Shandy already has a reputation as a healer, caring for sick animals and her diabetic mother. It’s this keen interest in medicine that landed Shandy a HYRS position in the lab of diabetes researcher Dr. Peter Light.

SHANDY WOGAN: I pick the islets and I put them under a microscope and I take pictures of them. And then we put the Vitamin D in it. We wait for an hour then take a picture. And then wait for another hour and then take a picture. There’s a bunch of little petri dishes, and I have to take a picture of each of those ones

Shandy Wogan calls the HYRS program a life changing experience, and she now realizes becoming a doctor or a researcher is truly an achievable goal.

Thanks today to Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY
I’M CHERYL CROUCHER

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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: 2011-08-16