This Week's Vitals - Our top social media hits, cell biology breakthroughs and more

Vitals is a weekly roundup of essential news and events in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.

FoMD Staff - 24 May 2016

No mitochondria? No problem.

Mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, have been considered to be absolutely indispensable components of all eukaryotic cells...until now. An international team of researchers has discovered an example of an organism that has completely lost all remnants of the mitochondria.

Led by Drs. Anna Karnkowska and Vladimir Hampl from Charles University, and including members of the Dacks lab from the Department of Cell Biology at the University of Alberta, this work overturns a fundamental principle in cell biology and tells us both about how the mitochondria evolved and why it is so important for the functioning of nearly all eukaryotic cells today.

Learn more about the study here.


In case you missed it: Top FoMD social media hits

Equipped with a brand-new mobile testing unit - a rig-sized lab on wheels - professor Nicola Cherry, tripartite chair of occupational health at the University of Alberta, and her team of researchers have visited fire halls to test firefighters' health after returning from Fort McMurray. The story appeared on CBC, Global Edmonton, CTV Edmonton, 630 CHED, Metro Edmonton, Edmonton Sun, Edmonton Journal and several other newspapers and websites across Canada. Our live coverage on May 19 from the mobile lab at a firehall in Sherwood Park were the FoMD's top tweets of the month so far, reaching more than 5,000 twitter streams.

Dr. Arya Sharma, professor of medicine and chair in obesity research and management at the University of Alberta weighed in on The Biggest Loser, saying the reality television show sends the "exact, 100 per cent wrong message" on what it takes to effectively and sustainably lose weight. Read the full story.

Our Facebook followers were particularly moved by the brave story of rural family medicine resident Dr. Ravi Seyed Mahmoud. Knowing he would likely lose his home to the Fort McMurray wildfire, he went to the hospital on his day off to assist with the evacuation. Read the full story.


Fort McMurray fire leaves many learning the hard way - new disaster relief fund could help affected UAlberta students return to their studies.

Hundreds of students were affected by the Fort McMurray fire and need help to get their studies back on track. The university and its alumni have come together to help these students by creating a new Disaster Relief Bursary.

The Disaster Relief Bursary is open to undergraduate or graduate students and does not need to be repaid. It is based on financial need and the amount we are able to give each student will depend on how much is raised by our fundraising campaign.

The bursary will be distributed by Student Financial Support within the Office of the Registrar. It will provide additional financial support in conjunction with established bursary programs at the University of Alberta.

Current, continuing, and prospective students are encouraged to contact Student Connect to learn more about the financial supports available to them.

The University of Alberta stands by its students, alumni, and friends impacted by the wildfires and will provide support as required.

Learn more about how students from Fort McMurray are coping with life after the fire.

Give today to help students hit by the Fort McMurray fires: uab.ca/relief.