Crossing Continents: Unveiling Insights from Uganda in Collaborative Research with North American Institutes

James Nnamutete, Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT) and Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences (BMLS)Laboratory Coordinator for Rakai Health Sciences Program James Nnamutete is a study coordinator at the Rakai Health Sciences program (RHSP) situated in Kalisizo, Uganda. His 17 years of expertise consists of his work with various clinical studies, including those related...

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Global Health: On a Mission to Health for All

The COVID-19 pandemic is not our first brush with health crisis that has sounded a call for global action. In 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was established in response to the ravages of polio outbreaks. Since its launch, there has been more than a 99% decrease in the incidence for this potentially debilitating disease....

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Navigating Inequities: The Challenges and Bias Faced by Scientific Research in Low-Income Countries

Curiosity and the eagerness to learn are inherent aspects of human nature, propelling individuals to seek answers to various phenomena they observe or experience. Through rigorous research, our world has undergone significant advancements across multiple fields compared to centuries ago. In fact, scientific research exhibits a positive correlation with the standard of living. Without it,...

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Unhealthy planet = unhealthy people

The looming effects of climate change on humans – of rising temperatures and extreme weather phenomena, are no new concern. While the physically destructive consequences of climate change have already begun running their course, the direct impacts of climate change on human health are now being documented in every biosphere. Air/Atmosphere Outdoor air pollutants, expelled...

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Health Data Use and Misuse: Navigating Information Dissemination and Privacy in the Digital Age

In 2019, Lifelabs, Canada’s largest provider of general diagnostic and specialty testing services, experienced a cyberattack, which compromised the health information of 15 million customers in British Columbia and Ontario. Lifelabs had to make a payment to the perpetrators to negotiate the retrieval of the information, and is now facing a class-action lawsuit settlement. In...

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Studying abroad: The Immunologist’s Perspective

Here are the narratives of newcomers to Canada sharing their experiences navigating the challenges encountered upon entering a different world. The interviewees decided to remain anonymous to feel comfortable sharing their stories. For the interview, they were asked to explain the challenges that come with living and studying abroad. Student 1: Embarking on my journey...

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Book Review – “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants”, by Robin Wall Kimmerer

In her book Braiding Sweetgrass, author Robin Wall Kimmerer, a decorated environmental biology professor and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation – a federally recognized tribe of the Potawatomi people in Oklahoma – weaves together her Indigenous roots and Western scientific expertise. Describing the relationship between people and the land as “the ultimate reciprocity,...

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Letter from the Chair, Dr. Jennifer Gommerman – Volume 11 Issue 3, 2024

Jen Gommerman, PhDCanada Research Chair in Tissue Specific ImmunityProfessor and Chair, Department of Immunology “Doing science with care and humility is a powerful act of reciprocity with the more-than-human-world.” Robin Wall Kimmerer Reciprocity… That is the word I would use to describe this fantastic new issue of IMMPress dedicated to Global Science. In Kitty Liu’s...

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Letter from the Editors – Volume 11 Issue 3, 2024

In order of left to right: James Pollock (Co-Editor-in-Chief), Kitty Liu (Design Director), Karen Yeung (Co-Editor-in-Chief), and Tianning Yu (Social Media Coordinator) Immunology, by its nature, knows no geographical boundaries. In this issue of IMMpress Magazine, we celebrate the diverse tapestry of research and innovation that span continents and highlight the collective efforts of scientists...

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Melody Horrill: On Saving Dolphins and Her Book The Dolphin Who Saved Her

Author, broadcaster and activist Melody Horrill (The Dolphin Who Saved Me) talks about saving the port river dolphins and how a dolphin named Jock saved her with Skaana host Mark Leiren-Young (author of Sharks Forever & Orcas Everywhere). “Dolphins do have a special place in our hearts… They help us connect I think to the...

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