Innovation Anthology #564:

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Until recently, scientists thought that the body’s immune system could not detect that it had prion disease, and therefore could not fight the progression of “mad cow” or Alzheimer’s.

But the research of Dr. David Westaway and Dr. Charlie Mays at the University of Alberta is changing that view.

DR DAVID WESTAWAY: We believe that the reason the diseases can be slow is that the sort of fuel for this conversion, making this bad protein, the amount of fuel is being reduced. That somehow, the body is trying to fight the disease. And is reducing the amount of this protein you need to make the bad protein. And that can explain how the diseases get so drawn out. So maybe if we can understand how that molecule as we call it gets reduced, we can just push it a little bit more. Then we can go from a partially effective halting of the disease process to something that could be fully effective. So basically take a disease that’s slow, and possibly we can make it so slow it’s not a disease anymore.

Dr. Westaway says with this discovery , researchers can now determine the mathematical relationship on how long it takes a prion disease to develop.

Thanks today to Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

I’M CHERYL CROUCHER

Guest

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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: 2013-06-11