In the emerging field of health science there exists a gap between advances in laboratory medical research and health care in clinical practice – the Faculty of Science wants to bridge that gap.

UWindsor is bringing together a network of health professionals to create its new Master of Science in Translational Health Science (MSTHS) program in the Department of Biomedical Science.

“Building this local network will put a spotlight on Windsor as a centre for developing health scientists in Windsor, for Windsor,” says Martin Crozier, MSTHS program co-ordinator.

The program will foster partnerships between the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Nursing, Windsor Regional Hospital, Windsor Cancer Research Group, WE Spark Health Institute, Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital, and St. Clair College.

“There can emerge silos of specialized knowledge in health science and you can see that when you look at the gap between basic science taking place in a laboratory and clinical research,” says Dr. Crozier.

“In a modern-day approach to health care, successful research programs use a multidisciplinary team of scientists, health professionals, economists, and statisticians working together to solve complex health and social problems — like what we’re going through with the pandemic.”

Crozier says it is important to understand the real-world implications of closing this distance.

“I could be in a lab researching a gene that has great implications for human disease and meanwhile there’s a clinician out there treating someone with that disease,” he says. “There is data being collected separately in these two fields, in the benchside and bedside research fields, and we need trained individuals to help translate and bridge that gap between the two.

“The role here is to educate a cohort of individuals who can help in the process of bridging or translating between these different fields at whatever level.”

Crozier says there is a second valley of information dealing with public health that needs to be addressed by individuals trained in translational health science.

“There is a question of how laboratory or clinical research can inform decisions made for the health of the community at large,” says Crozier.

“There is a lack of students with these skill sets so that is why we are offering this program so we can offer a training path that incorporates clinical science, public health and basic biomedical research to accelerate application of biological breakthroughs to human health.”

Graduates of the program will be able to focus on laboratory, clinical, or public heath fields to find careers implementing clinical trials in industry, clinical, and academic settings, as well as work for government agencies and community organizations that engage in disease prevention and health promotion.

In the year-long course-based program, each student will be offered three terms of experiential learning placements with local clinicians or UWindsor researchers.

“We will leverage our research strengths here at the University as well as the growing network of clinical research that is being done for example at Windsor Regional Hospital, WE-Spark, and the cancer research group,” says Crozier.

“Our students will spend more than 200 hours working with local clinicians such as oncologists, cardiologists, and neonatologists, on real-world clinical research projects.”

The first cohort of the program will begin studies in May 2022 and Andrew Hubberstey, head of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, says he looks forward to the inaugural class.

“The Department of Biomedical Sciences is excited about this novel MSc program which will link our graduate students with local clinical health research partners,” says Dr. Hubberstey.

“Students will gain experience in relating basic and clinical research and learn how to analyze health related data and as a one-year MSc degree, this program will appeal to students with interests in health related careers or future health professional degrees.”

Prospective students are encouraged to visit the Translational Health Science program website to learn more about the program and how to apply.

—Sara Elliott

Applicant Days are underway. The University of Windsor has extended hours and services through Jan. 14 to support undergraduate applicants as they prepare their applications for fall 2022.

Students will be able to access video tutorials and connect live with representatives from the Office of the Registrar and student recruitment to ensure they have everything in place to complete their application to the University of Windsor.

“It is crunch time, particularly for Ontario secondary school students,” says Beth Natale, director of student recruitment. “These students make up a sizeable portion of next fall’s undergraduate class, and it is critical that we make ourselves as available as possible as they complete their applications in time to meet the Jan. 13 deadline.”

The final Applicant Days supports are underway this week, with extended hours and Zoom drop-in services each day. The admissions and recruitment teams are ready to assist with advising and application support.

• Tuesday, Jan. 11, 1 to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, Jan. 12, 1 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 13, 1 to 7 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 14, 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Virtual tours give applicants the opportunity to join a Student Ambassador on a live showcase of campus highlights daily through Jan. 14 from 3 to 5 p.m. After each tour, students will be able to connect one-on-one with recruitment and admissions specialists in Applicant Days, ready to answer any remaining questions they have about becoming a Lancer.

A three-hour workshop on Friday, Jan. 14, will help members of the campus community build skill, knowledge, and confidence to address domestic violence in the workplace.

Hosted by the Health Research Centre for the Study of Violence Against Women through its “Make It Our Business” campaign, the workshop reflects research that found a third of workers in Canada have a current or former history of domestic violence, and more than half of survivors have been victimized in their employment setting.

This training, developed by Western University’s Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women and Children, has three main learning objectives:

• recognizing signs of domestic violence,
• responding effectively and reporting, and
• referring people to a network of external resources.

This training will help participants build confidence and understand and respond to the important questions of “what would I do if someone disclosed to me?” and “how can I support them?”

The workshop will run 9 a.m. to noon over Zoom. University of Windsor employees — including student employees — interested in participating should register online at https://www.uwindsor.ca/hrcvaw/miob using code SM652LY.

This event is supported with funding from the University of Windsor Campus Safety Grant and the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Collaborative Research Grant.

Do you plan on hiring a student for summer 2022? The Canada Summer Jobs program can help.

A project of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, the federal program aims to help young Canadians develop skills and gain paid work experience to successfully transition into the labour market.

The University of Windsor will submit one application to include all job proposals received by the internal deadline. The application process will be co-ordinated by Career Development & Experiential Learning in partnership with the Department of Finance.

“On average, we are able to secure around 25 positions each year to help supervisors stretch their budgets a little further while providing students with an opportunity to gain valuable work experience,” says Kerri Zold, acting co-executive director of experiential learning.

“For 2022 the program is returning to the pre-pandemic model for funded jobs: 30 to 40 hours per week contained to the summer, making this a great option for supervisors planning on hiring students into full-time roles that will wrap up before Labour Day, like a summer co-op term, for example.”

As a public sector employer, the University of Windsor is eligible to receive funding of up to $7.50 per hour or 50 per cent of the minimum wage for six to 19 consecutive weeks. In previous years, the average funded full-time job duration was eight weeks.

The deadline to submit proposals for inclusion in the University of Windsor application is Wednesday, Jan. 19. Interested faculty and staff may apply online to request funding. All applications for positions at the University of Windsor must follow this process so they are submitted by someone with the authority to enter into an agreement and provide the financial details required to claim the funding at the end of the summer.

Visit the UWindsor Canada Summer Jobs page for more information. Email questions to Avy Maharaj at avy.maharaj@uwindsor.ca, or interested join Maharaj and Zold at one of two upcoming drop-in sessions using the Teams links below:

• Thursday, Jan. 13, at 10 a.m.
• Monday, Jan. 17, at 10 a.m.

Applications for the fourth cohort of the Libro-EPIC Social Enterprise Program are now open.

The Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) invites changemakers from the Southwestern Ontario region with a social enterprise operating for two years or less to learn about the tools, resources, and mentorship available to build their businesses.

The program is valued at more than $7,000 and is free to participants. Successful applicants can expect to receive:

• $2,000 in funding and the opportunity to pitch at the end of the program to win cash prizes totalling $6,000;
• Access to exclusive workshops, learning seminars, and speaker sessions with distinguished guest speakers;
• 1:1 tailored coaching and business support through Pillar Nonprofit;
• Access to EPICentre co-working space; and
• The opportunity to work alongside like-minded social entrepreneurs.

Get all the details on the EPICentre website.

After the holidays, it is normal to experience post-holiday depression, typically characterized by sadness, insomnia, low energy, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and anxiousness.

In a message sent Monday to UWindsor faculty and staff, Human Resources shares tips to help manage the post-holiday blues and bring the glow back into life:

• Call someone. Think about someone that you enjoy being around, talking to, or care about, and give them a call rather than texting them. Connecting with people can provide a much-needed boost.
• Incorporate physical activity into your day. Going for a walk or engaging in your favourite exercise routine can help boost your mood and relieve stress.
• Look forward, not backward. Identify one realistic goal that you would like to focus on in the new year and make a plan to bring it into being. Celebrate each step accomplished.
• Take care of yourself. Re-establish healthy lifestyle practices such as quality sleep and a nutrient-dense diet to help manage post-holiday sadness and get back on track.
• Be patient and go easy on yourself. Post-holiday blues won’t stick around forever. Be kind to yourself and exercise self-compassion.

If symptoms persist or become unmanageable, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional. Go to the UWindsor Employee and Family Assistance Program website to access services, resources, and supports.

Read the entire Wellness Tip of the Week.