Chris Guglielmo and a working section from the AFAR wind tunnel - see first article [photo:Chris Guglielmo]

BIOLOGY IN THE NEWS:

Western's bird wind tunnel lifts off
By Communications Staff, Monday, October 5, 2009

A new research facility containing the world's first hypobaric bird wind tunnel, allowing researchers to study avian flight while altering such variables as air pressure, moisture, humidity and altitude, has opened at The University of Western Ontario.
The new 13,000-square-foot Advanced Facility for Avian Research (AFAR) is also home to cutting-edge laboratories devoted to learning how changes in the environment affect birds’ neural and physiological systems, and their reproduction and migration patterns. [read more] [see also link to CBC.ca video]

Mark Bernards looks ahead as the new Chair of Biology

By Mitchell Zimmer

Mark Bernards says that he doesn’t plan on changing any of the things which the Biology Department is already doing; rather he is intent on raising the profile of research.

“We have a very large and strong undergraduate program that is, in my opinion, very well run and supported for the most part, especially with the first year biology program.” As encouraging as that is, Bernards also says that in the eleven years since he has been at Western there has been a lot of emphasis on this program and that the time is ripe to focus “more of our attention on our faculty research activities.” Part of the plan to raise this awareness will be making decisions that make it possible to accelerate faculty research programs. As budget concerns and teaching accountability for faculty mount, Bernards says that “the time available to work on research becomes more and more precious.” The challenge he faces is “just finding ways to protect faculty, and especially untenured faculty, from some of these other pressures, and to promote some of the really good things that have been done in recent years by faculty in the department.” [read more]


Make sure you pick up a copy of the August 2009 edition of the Journal of Experimental Biology... The front cover features an article by members of our department. In their study, A. E. McDonald, G. C. Vanlerberghe and J. F. Staples (pp. 2627-2634) discovered that the electron transport chain protein alternative oxidase (AOX), which confers cyanide-resistant mitochondrial respiration, is widespread in the animal kingdom. AOX is found in species such as (from top left clockwise): the echinoderm Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (photo credit: Dr Louise Page), the hemichordate Saccoglossus kowalevskii (photo credit: Dr Chris Cameron), and the molluscs Mytilus californianus (photo credit: Dr Rich Palmer) and Lymnaea stagnalis (photo credit: Dr Louise Page).

Citation: Allison E. McDonald, Greg C. Vanlerberghe, and James F. Staples. 2009. Alternative oxidase in animals: unique characteristics and taxonomic distribution. The Journal of Experimental Biology. 212: 2627-2634.

 

NSERC Newsbulletin Story

No. 184 - August 5, 2009

Not just about the soil

Add pressure from urban sprawl and shrinking cropland to a growing demand for locally produced fruits and vegetables, and it’s tempting to bring marginal land into food production.

The good news, according to a Canadian research study, is that growing vegetables on mildly contaminated soil can be safe. But the finding comes with a big caution.

"Much more attention needs to be paid to the match between the specific crop and the characteristics of the soil in which it will be grown, even if the soil is not considered contaminated," said University of Western Ontario biologist Sheila Macfie, who co-authored the study with master’s student Hollydawn Murray and honours student Karen Thompson. [read more]
[Related article on cbcnews.ca]

This page was last updated on November 19, 2009
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