Innovation Anthology #470:

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There’s hope in the war against superbugs thanks to the work of biochemist Dr. Hans Vogel.

Rather than developing more heavyduty antibiotics, Dr. Vogel’s research at the University of Calgary is focused on more natural means of fighting off bad bacteria.

That includes tweaking the body’s own antimicrobial peptides so we don’t kill off the good bacteria when we attack the bad.

DR. HANS VOGEL: Most of these bacteria actually live in your gut. And they actually help to digest your food And so this is the flip side. We talk about superbugs and we get worried about it. But at the same time we have other bacteria that are friendly to us and that live together with us and that we don’t really necessarily want to kill when we are going after these superbugs. And so what we’re trying to do with these peptides is to sort of emulate the natural response that we have so that we can maybe through these peptides augment the response that our body normally has to when bacteria come in that you don’t really want to have, that we can augment this response.

According to Dr. Vogel, the antimicrobial peptides could be administered by ointments.

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: 2012-04-03