The Karpowicz Lab is studying the circadian rhythms of intestinal stem cells to see how it influences the growth of cancer cells.The Karpowicz Lab is studying the circadian rhythms of intestinal stem cells to see how it influences the growth of cancer cells.

Researcher looks to body's natural rhythm for insight into cancer growth

Phillip Karpowicz is examining the body’s natural rhythm to see how it influences the growth of cancer cells.

The University of Windsor assistant professor said the human body cycles through a 24-hour biological process called circadian rhythm.

This naturally corresponds with normal sleep/wake cycles and allows for the renewal and regeneration of stem cells.

“We’ve discovered that this turnover is driven by intestinal stem cells and it’s important in absorbing food while also serving as an important barrier in our body to different harmful chemicals, bacteria and pathogens,” Dr. Karpowicz said.

“We’re working to understand how this process is involved with different diseases.”

Karpowicz said a disruption of the cycle, like a person working varied shifts, can lead to uncontrolled cell growth — a feature of cancer.

His lab is also studying how medical treatment could be improved by knowing how the time of day affects the healing process.

For more information about Karpowicz's research, visit www.karpowiczlab.ca.

Maple Leaf T-shirtWear your most Canadian clothes to the Canada Day party, June 25 in the International Student Centre.

Party to show international students how to celebrate Canada Day

The International Student Centre invites UWindsor faculty and staff to join in a celebration of the Great White North during its annual Canada Day party, 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, June 25.

Organizers promise games, music, and refreshments in the centre, located on the second floor of Laurier Hall.

“We want our international students to gain an appreciation for what makes our country great,” says the centre’s director, Beth Oakley. “Nothing makes them prouder to be here than to see that Canadians are proud to be here.”

She encourages guests to help set the mood by donning their favourite red-and-white attire.

Dane FaderEnvironmental studies major Dane Fader is the founder of GreenerBins Composting, which aims to convert food waste into natural fertilizer.

Start-up company aims to tap potential in waste

With a goal of combining his love for the environment with love of business, a UWindsor student has launched an enterprise to convert food waste into compost — fertilizing soil to grow more food.

Dane Fader, an environmental studies major, is the founder of GreenerBins Composting, which aims to pick up organic waste from homes, schools, and businesses, convert it into high-quality compost, and distribute it to farms and gardens.

He credits the RBC Summer Founders Program, which helps turn entrepreneurs’ ideas into viable ventures, with helping him get the project off the ground.

“The resources and mentorship provided by the Founders program will be extremely helpful in navigating all the tedious logistics of starting my business,” Fader says. “From permits to accounting to financial planning, there are so many little things to know that are paramount to the business’s success. Without this program, I would be on my own and in the dark about a lot of key actions to take.”

This is the second in a series of articles introducing participants in the RBC Summer Founders Program, leading up to a showcase of their prototypes on August 1 at EPICentre. Learn more on the centre’s website.

Vincent Georgie, Sheri Lowrie, Alan WildemanVolunteer Sheri Lowrie (centre) receives congratulations from campaign chair Vincent Georgie and UWindsor president Alan Wildeman for winning a free vacation day in a prize draw at the Annual Giving Program donor appreciation luncheon, Thursday outside the Welcome Centre. (photo by Roy Kang)

Luncheon reception recognizes employee donors

Dozens of UWindsor faculty, staff, and retirees gathered Thursday outside the Stephen and Vicki Adams Welcome Centre to celebrate the successes of the 2017-18 Annual Giving Program. This year’s employee appeal raised more than $333,000 in support of student scholarships and campus priority projects.

Campaign chair Vincent Georgie, director of the School of Creative Arts, spoke of his pride in how donors contribute to the cause.

“We drive our campus and make an incredible impact on our students, and as a collective, we can and will make a difference,” he said. “We are united as one group in creating a better campus and investing in the promise of our students.”

The fundraising program has garnered more than $2.7 million over the last eight years, with an average gift this year of $562.

The event saw several units win special recognition — the athletics department for its 100 per cent participation rate, and the canvass team in finance and human resources for a participation rate over 58 per cent. Each will enjoy a Popsicle snack break.

Volunteer canvasser Sheri Lowrie won an extra vacation day as a door prize, but said the prospect of an individual reward isn’t what motivates her to give her time and money to the campaign.

“It shows that we support our very own university, whether it’s campus beautification or student scholarships,” said Lowrie, an academic advisor.

She plans to use the extra day off to treat herself.

“I was over the moon excited!” she said. “My options are endless.”

Other door prize winners included Anita Bondy, who won the rights to name a commemorative bench on campus; James McGinlay, a $100 Amazon gift card; David Yott, a $50 UWin gift card; and Sherry Dugal-Nevin, a gift basket from the Alumni Association.

All attendees received a ceramic coffee cup bearing the text “I support UWindsor students.”

To learn more about how to donate to the Annual Giving Program and support the campus cause most dear to you, contact Annual Giving Program co-ordinator Nicole Broderick at 519-253-3000, ext. 4279, or Nicole.Broderick@uwindsor.ca.

Kayla SmithLaw student Kayla Smith told a Senate committee that young Canadians offer more than money to charities.

Law student addresses millennial support for charities before Senate committee

Second-year Windsor Law student Kayla Smith may officially be off for summer, but that doesn’t mean she has stopped working.

She kicked off summer break with an appearance before the Special Senate Committee for the Charitable Sector in May, where she served as a witness to contribute to its examination of federal and provincial policies governing charities, non-profit organizations, foundations, and the overall impact of the voluntary sector in Canada.

Smith, who volunteered as writer and fundraising research assistant for Imagine Canada in 2017, conducted research on giving by millennials — people coming of age in the early 21st century — and shared her findings in an online blog. That work earned her an invitation to appear before the Special Senate Committee.

Smith’s testimony summarizes her personal experiences in the charitable sector and her research on the subject area.

“It's important to me that young people today value the importance of giving back,” said Smith. “The charitable sector is an invaluable engine, which I believe forms the backbone of any given community. Without the generous donations and support of volunteers, our societies would lack some essential services that are often taken for granted.”

The hour meeting consisted of an opening statement and several rounds of Q&A.

Smith has always had a heart for community service and charitable giving and has organized events to assist Habitat for Humanity in Brampton, youth homelessness in Ottawa, and fundraising drives for food banks, and school supplies for students in Jamaica. 

She emphasizes that millennials do indeed give to charity and can contribute more than money.

“Our time, energy, expertise, innovation, and creative minds are resources that can be leveraged in the voluntary sector in unprecedented ways,” says Smith.


Marcie Demmans

buttons, including one that says "I love Leddy Library"The Leddy Library invites students to release all their stress and worry into making a button — and then wear it with pride!

Library offers button making as stress-relieving measure

Final exams for intersession courses are approaching, but the staff of the Leddy Library is advising students not to hit the panic button. Instead, it invites them to hit a free button-making session.

Library staff will provide the equipment and supplies: magazines to cut images from, markers for drawing pictures, and templates with poems and Leddy Library-related slogans. Participants can bring their own pictures, too. The necessary diameter is 6.5 cm to produce a button 5.6 cm across.

Just stop by the library from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 21 — the activity will be waiting in the lobby. Find more details on the library website.

Victoria ParaschakKinesiology professor Victoria Paraschak received the North American Society for Sport History Service Award at its annual convention, May 28 in Winnipeg.

Kinesiology professor honoured for service to sport history

The North American Society for Sport History presented kinesiology professor Vicky Paraschak with an award recognizing her service to its work during its annual convention, May 26 to 28 in Winnipeg.

The society’s past president, Kevin Wamsley, said the Canadian Museum for Human Rights made an appropriate setting for the conferral of the award.

“Vicky is an advocate for graduate students and an advocate for political and social rights,” said Dr. Wamsley, provost of St. Francis Xavier University. “In all of NASSH history, in my opinion, there has been no greater advocate for marginalized people and no greater advocate for diversity.”

Dr. Paraschak said she was honoured to receive the recognition, noting she has promoted inclusion, equity, and diversity throughout her career.

The society promotes the study of the history of sport and supports scholarly writing and research on the subject. Paraschak is currently a member-at-large on its executive board and chairs its membership committee. She has previously hosted the convention and served on its distinguished lecture and diversity committees.


Ryan Donally

ballcap and T-shirt bundleThe Campus Bookstore is offering a bundle of a UWindsor ballcap and T-shirt for just $25.95.

Bookstore bundle throws a little shade on buyers

Keep the sun off your face even in a record heat spell with a fun bundle for sale in the Campus Bookstore. Get a ballcap and a T-shirt, both proudly emblazoned with “University of Windsor,” for just $25.95.

The T-shirts are 100 per cent cotton, grey with blue screen-printed lettering, available in a range of sizes; the caps are navy blue with white embroidery and an adjustable strap in the back to fit almost any head.

“You’ll be glad to have this hat to keep the hot summer sun out of your eyes,” says marketing co-ordinator Martin Deck. “Or turn the bill to cover the back of your neck or the side of your head. No judgment on your fashion choices!”

The Campus Bookstore is located on the lower level of the CAW Student Centre.

Reception to bid farewell to Chuck Macdonald and Inga Sliskovic

An open house reception Friday, June 22, will give friends and colleagues a chance to bid farewell to Charles Macdonald and Inga Sliskovic as they prepare to leave Windsor for new opportunities in Ottawa.

Dr. Macdonald is a professor and head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Sliskovic is a research funding officer in Research and Innovation Services.

The reception promises light appetizers and a cash bar, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Mare Nostrum, the Mediterranean restaurant adjacent to the Education Building.