Innovation Anthology #497:

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University of Alberta researcher Dr. Troy Baldwin studies T-cells and why they sometimes start attacking the body.

His recent important discovery was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

DR. TROY BALDWIN: So we recently published a manuscript that looked at how T-cells develop in the thymus and what is required to eliminate those bad T-cells. And we found that there was a particular protein named BIM that is involved in cell suicide. And if the cell did not contain this suicide protein, it was able to leave the thymus, enter the periphery and therefore has the potential to cause auto-immune diseases. Even those T-cells that weren’t eliminated, those bad T-cells that weren’t killed, they didn’t cause auto immune diseases. And so, what that really says is that the immune system has developed a number of different ways of trying to control T-cells that would normally attack one’s healthy cell tissues.

Dr. Troy Baldwin will now focus on understanding all the different mechanisms the immune system has to control rogue T-cells.

This could lead to new therapies that actually stop auto-immune diseases in their tracks.

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: 2012-09-18