A research grant of over $500,000 was recently given to Dr. Tamara Franz-Odendaal, a biology professor and researcher at Mount Saint Vincent University, to support her ground-breaking study on the effects of space travel on the skeleton.
A $320,000 Infrastructure grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (CFI-JEFL), $150,000 from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), matching money from Research NS, and in-kind support from MSVU are among the financial sources for this project. This research is additionally supported by additional funding from an NSERC Discovery Grant ($50,000 per year).space travel
The mandate of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is to promote the peaceful use and development of space, to advance the knowledge of space through science and to ensure that space science and technology provide social and economic benefits for Canadians.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is a non-profit corporation that invests in research infrastructure at Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions.
At a time of intense international competition, the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) is a critical strategic investment tool designed to help institutions attract and retain the very best of today’s and tomorrow’s researchers. The fund’s name pays tribute to the outstanding contributions of John R. Evans, the first Chair of the CFI’s Board of Directors.
Focusing on the crucial problem of bone loss brought on by microgravity—the virtual absence of gravity—is Dr. Franz-Odendaal’s research. This issue is especially critical for astronauts, whose bone mineral density may drop by as much as 10% following spaceflights. This phenomenon heightens the susceptibility of bones to breakage. Still unclear, nevertheless, are the mechanisms underlying bone loss brought on by microgravity.
Her work is the only one in Canada devoted to studying how microgravity affects an animal model’s skeleton.
Dr. Franz-Odendaal will build on her earlier research in this field, which started in 2020, with the help of her new funding. Dr. Franz-Odendaal and her colleagues refined the technique for comprehending the impact of space travel on human skeletons in previous research. The current funding will allow Dr. Franz-Odendaal to further investigate the intricate cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the overall effects of microgravity on the skeletal system, building upon the significant insights gained from an early award from the Canadian Space Agency.
This research is important for understanding numerous human illnesses when there is insufficient bone formation, as well as for space travel. In Dr. Franz-Odendaal’s words “The more we understand how cells interact and communicate to cause these results, the better we can improve targeted therapies to address bone disorders in humans (such as osteoporosis).”
Learn more about Dr. Franz-Odendaal and her research at https://www.msvu.ca/msvu-biology-professor-dr-tamara-franz-odendaal-awarded-500000-for-research-on-the-impact-of-space-travel-on-bones/
References:
https://www.msvu.ca/
https://www.innovation.ca/
https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/about/mission.asp
Photo credits to: https://www.msvu.ca/
