We fund innovation in Manitoban health care.
The HSC Foundation is proud of the researchers we fund. The work they do ultimately leads to improved patient care at Manitoba’s flagship hospital. Research is the key to deepening our understanding of health matters, and often leads to new technology, medicine, or practices.
The HSC Foundation 2026 grants were awarded through four different competitions and applications were reviewed by experts in their fields from HSC.
Name: Dr. Barbara Porto
Project Title: Airway epithelial cell pyroptosis as a novel therapeutic target for respiratory syncytial virus infection
Amount Awarded: $ 70, 000
Category: Immunology and Inflammation
Lay Summary: In Canada, RSV outbreaks happen every year and cause many at risk populations to be hospitalized. RSV often looks like a common cold, but it can become very serious, especially for at risk individuals including older adults, infants and people with chronic medical conditions. There is currently no treatment specifically for RSV. Because of this, it is important to understand how RSV harms the body so better treatments can be developed. In this study, we will look at how RSV causes the death of airway cells, which line the breathing passages and help protect the lungs from infection. We will also test new antiviral medicines to see if they can stop RSV from killing these cells. By protecting the airway lining, these new drugs may help reduce lung damage and make RSV infections less severe.
Name: Dr. Kayla Joyce
Project Title: Strengthening Integrated Addiction Care Pathways: Evaluating Service Use and Unmet Mental Health Needs among Patients Accessing Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Services in Manitoba
Amount Awarded: $ 70, 000
Category: Mental Health
Lay Summary: Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine (RAAM) clinics were introduced in Manitoba in 2018 to provide rapid, low-barrier assessment and treatment for substance use addiction. There is evidence from Ontario that RAAM clinics are effective in helping people recover from their addictions, but the impact of RAAM clinics has not been studied in Manitoba. Using secure, deidentified health records at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, we will track patterns of healthcare use after a RAAM clinic visit. We will identify gaps where patients missed medications or follow-up appointments. We will compare RAAM patients to a matched group who did not visit a RAAM clinic to estimate impact. Patients, healthcare providers, and policymakers will help interpret results and shape recommendations. Our findings will support planning and improvements across Manitoba. Our goal is to strengthen addiction care pathways in Manitoba, improve continuity of care, and reduce crises.
Name: Christine Finnbogason
Project Title: The Full Moon Challenge: An Implementation Study to Support Perinatal Nurses in Promoting Vaginal Birth
Amount Awarded: $ 70,000
Category: Women’s Health and Mental Health
Lay of Summary: Cesarean section (CS) rates continue to rise in Canada. CS are linked to increased physical complications, longer recovery, and poorer mental health outcomes. While they can be lifesaving, CS carries higher risks than vaginal birth, including bleeding, infection, delayed breastfeeding, increased risk of postpartum depression, and places greater demands on healthcare resources. At HSC Women’s Hospital, where many Manitoba births occur, 43% of patients receive epidural pain relief to support their birthing journey’s. While epidurals alone are not the cause of CS, they can limit movement, make labour longer, and increase chances of unplanned CS. This project will implement, and evaluate the Full Moon Challenge, a nurse-led, evidence-informed program that supports therapeutic position changes during epidural-assisted labour. Using an implementation science approach, the study will tailor the program locally and evaluate its impact on emergency CS rates. This aligns with HSC’s patients-first commitment to high-quality, sustainable care of Manitoba families.
Name: Dr. Bryce Barr
Project Title: The Manitoba Glomerular Diseases Registry and Biobank
Amount Awarded: $69, 134.98
Category: Advanced Diagnostics & Therapeutics
Lay of Summary: Glomerulonephritis (GN) is a group of kidney diseases caused by problems with the immune system that often affects children and younger adults. In Canada, it is the second leading cause of kidney failure. To slow or prevent kidney damage, patients are often treated with medications that weaken the immune system. While these treatments can be effective, they also carry serious risks, such as severe infections and certain cancers. Currently, doctors cannot accurately predict which patients need strong treatment and which could do well with less, leading to unnecessary side effects for some patients and insufficient treatment for others. This project will create a Manitoba-wide registry by collecting blood and urine samples from newly diagnosed patients, to better understand who develops GN, how the disease behaves, and which patients are most likely to progress to kidney failure, ultimately supporting more personalized care, reducing complications, and improving patients’ quality of life.
Name: Dr. Xiaoqing Liu
Project Title: Genomic insights into ovarian ageing: rare-variant discovery and clinical translation toward precision medicine
Amount Awarded: $70,000
Category: Advanced Diagnostics & Therapeutics
Lay of Summary: Ovarian ageing, when a woman’s egg reserve and reproductive hormones decline, affects fertility and long-term health. Genetics play a role, but many genetic causes remain unknown and few findings are used in clinic. We plan to update the Ovarian Kaleidoscope database, a key resource for information on genes involved in ovarian ageing. We will also create a new tool to analyze whole-genome sequencing data, allowing us to identify rare genetic variations that may play a role in cases with extreme ovarian ageing. Finally, we will conduct a pilot study in Manitoba, Canada, to investigate the genetic landscape of women with primary ovarian insufficiency and unexplained infertility. Understanding the genetic basis of ovarian ageing can lead to more personalized and effective treatments. By combining these approaches, the study aims to develop better diagnostic tools, improve fertility preservation strategies, and ultimately enhance women’s reproductive health.
Name: Kristine Acab-David
Project Title: Protein Intake, Muscle Strength, and Quality of Life of Patients Receiving Hemodialysis in Rural Manitoba
Amount Awarded: $20,000
Lay of Summary: Patients receiving hemodialysis often consume insufficient amounts of nutrients, which is important for maintaining overall health, physical function, and quality of life. This challenge is greater for patients receiving treatments in rural Manitoban communities due to food insecurity, limited access to healthcare, and long travel times. Despite these, there is no published research that has looked into nutritional intake, muscle strength, and quality of life in this group. Led by Registered Dietitians, the first phase of this study will examine nutritional intake, muscle strength, and quality of life among these patients as they try to determine how these variables are linked with one another. At the end of the first phase, those who are found to have the lowest intake will be invited to participate in a 16-week trial in which they receive a protein-rich snack during their dialysis treatments. The second phase of the study will investigate whether the intervention has led to improvements in protein intake, muscle strength, and quality of life of participants. The findings in this study may help improve nutrition care for rural hemodialysis patients, reduce their risk of muscle weakness and poor health outcomes, and increase their quality of life.
Student Name: Sina Taefehshokr
Advisor: Dr. Abdelilah S. Gounni
Project Title: Investigating the role of Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) in chronic mouse model of type 2-low asthma
Amount Awarded: $5,000
Lay Summary: Asthma is not one disease. A particularly difficult form, called type 2-low asthma, is often severe, driven by a kind of immune cell called neutrophils, and does not respond well to standard steroid treatment. My project studies a molecule called Pentraxin 3 (PTX3), which is part of the body’s early immune defense system and may help keep harmful airway inflammation under control. Our preliminary work suggests that PTX3 protects the lungs. In a chronic mouse model that mimics type 2-low asthma, mice lacking PTX3 developed worse disease, including more neutrophilic inflammation, higher levels of a key inflammatory signal called IL-17A, stronger allergy-related antibody responses, and more reactive airways. Building on these findings, I will examine how PTX3 affects different neutrophil populations in the lung and test whether PTX3 made specifically by neutrophils helps limit disease severity. This work matters because there are currently few effective targeted treatments for steroid resistant, neutrophil-dominant asthma. By clarifying how PTX3 regulates airway inflammation, this project could identify new biomarkers and open the door to new therapeutic strategies for patients living with severe asthma.
Student Name: Milad Sabzevary-ghahfarokhi
Advisor: Dr. Jean-Eric Ghia and Dr. Aaron Marshall
Project Title: Role of activated B lymphocytes in gut homeostasis and inflammation
Amount Awarded: $5,000
Lay Summary: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a long-term inflammatory disease of the colon that can cause severe bleeding, poor nutrient absorption, and an increased risk of colon cancer. It affects about 140,000 Canadians, including many children, and greatly reduces their quality of life. In UC patients, the natural healing process in the colon is disrupted, and immune cells abnormally invade the intestinal tissue. Among these immune cells, B cells are an important part of the immune system and are found in high numbers in inflamed areas of the colon. Our recent findings show that activated B cells are increased in the inflamed colon of UC patients. However, how these activated B cells contribute to ongoing inflammation and tissue damage remains unclear. This project will study how activated B cells change the immune environment of the intestine and related organs. Understanding these changes may lead to new treatments that help control inflammation and improve the lives of people living with UC.
Student Name: Mackenzie Chartrand
Advisor: Linda Diffey
Project Title:Exploring endometriosis amongst Indigenous people with uteri in an urban city in Canada
Amount Awarded: $10,000
Category: Masters
Lay Summary:
Menstruating each month can involve pain in the stomach or back. Some amount of pain is normal; however, severe pain is not. This increased chronic pain can happen because of endometriosis. Endometriosis occurs when uterine-like tissue grows outside of the uterus and sheds. It is hard to diagnose. Not enough is known about endometriosis, especially for Indigenous peoples. It is important to address this. Indigenous peoples are at an increased risk of having their experience of chronic pain dismissed. This study will examine experiences of endometriosis for Indigenous menstruators. It will also examine their perspectives on traditional healing practices for symptom management.
Eight to twelve Indigenous people, living in Winnipeg, who suspect or have an endometriosis diagnosis will be asked to join this study. This will include those who self-identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit. One-to-one story-gathering sessions will be audio recorded and transcribed. Transcripts will be shared with the participants to approve it and make any changes before data analysis. This study will be guided by Indigenous worldview. Contemporary Indigenous Empowerment Theory (CIET) will guide the methods used for this study. A story-based analysis and the Indigenous Healthcare Quality Framework (IHQF) will be used to interpret the gathered stories. This study will fill a gap and provide insight into Indigenous peoples’ experiences with endometriosis and perspectives on the use of traditional medicines for symptom management. It will also address two calls-to-action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Report, i.e., calls-to-action 19 and 22.
Student Name: Maria Arango Uribe
Advisor: Dr. Zulma Rueda
Project Title: Uncovering the vaginal microbiome linked to Chlamydia trachomatis infection and symptoms
Amount Awarded: $10,000
Category: Masters
Lay Summary: Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), affecting more than 120 million people around the world each year. In Canada, including Manitoba, it is the most frequently reported bacterial STI, especially among young females aged 15 to 29. People can acquire chlamydia through sexual contact, and more than 60% of people infected with chlamydia do not feel any symptoms and, for this reason, do not know they have the infection and can transmit it to their sexual partners. The infection can also be passed from a pregnant female to the baby during birth, which can cause eye infections or pneumonia in newborns. If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to serious reproductive health problems and an increased risk of acquiring other infections, such as HIV. Our research team found that people living with HIV, experiencing houselessness, injection drug use, and mental health conditions are more affected. In addition, these groups face barriers to accessing testing, treatment, and care. Growing evidence indicates that the community of microorganisms living in the vagina, called the vaginal microbiome, plays a crucial role in how infections like chlamydia develop, persist, or cause symptoms. My project aims to compare the vaginal microbiome of females diagnosed with C. trachomatis who have symptoms to those who do not. We will study females accessing health and social services at a shelter and the HIV clinics in Winnipeg, Manitoba. By analyzing vaginal samples, we will detect C. trachomatis infection and assess the diversity of the vaginal microbiome. Understanding these differences could help explain why some females develop symptoms while others do not, and why infections sometimes persist or recur. This knowledge may ultimately contribute to more accurate STI diagnostics and treatments that consider both the infection and the microbiome.
Student Name: Havva Afshari
Advisor: Dr. Rene Zahedi
Project Title: Determining kinase activation states in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) through multiplexed mass spectrometry
Amount Awarded: $12,500
Category: PhD
Lay Summary: Kinases are a group of about 500 important proteins that control many processes in human cells, like cell growth. Overly active kinases can cause cells to multiply too fast, which can lead to cancer. Many cancer drugs work by lowering the activity of certain kinases, but with current technology it is difficult to tell which kinases are overactive in a tumour and need to be targeted. I plan to combine a powerful and precise technology called ‘mass spectrometry’ with artificial intelligence to create a new method for measuring the activity of multiple kinases in cancer cells and tumors. I will use this method to determine which kinases are out of balance in individual chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. CLL is the most common type of leukemia in older adults and cannot be cured. CLL patients require life-long management and/or treatment with costly drugs that can have side-effects. This puts a heavy and growing strain on healthcare. It is important to find new treatments and improve CLL patient care. My hope is that my new method will help doctors to find alternative and more personalized treatments for individual CLL patients. This will improve their quality of life and ease the burden on their families and the healthcare system.
Student Name: Agata Marcinow
Advisor: Drs. Janilyn Arsenio and Asher Mendelson
Project Title: Characterization of T cell dynamics of early and late sepsis in a pre-clinical mouse model and patient samples
Amount Awarded: $25,000
Category: PhD
Lay Summary: When a serious infection is not controlled, this can lead to a life-threatening disease called sepsis. This disease can cause organs like the heart, kidneys or liver to stop working. Each year, more than 48 million people around the world get sepsis. People who have had sepsis cannot fight off disease as well as people who haven’t. Our bodies are protected from disease by the immune system, which is made up of many kinds of white blood cells. One type of blood cell is the T cell. T cells can kill microbes directly or they can give other cells instructions on how to deal with microbes. The T cells of people who have had sepsis are weakened and are worse at killing microbes and performing their other functions. We don’t know why the T cells of people with sepsis become weakened. We also don’t know what role T cells have in how sick the people with sepsis get. Females get sepsis more often than males, and are more likely to survive it, but we don’t know why. This research project will try to find out what T cells do during sepsis, why they become weakened and if there are any differences in T cells of males compared to females. To study this, I have used a live model of sepsis in mice. This model let me examine what changes occur in T cells during sepsis. I have used mice with a healthy immune system and mice without T cells in this model. I was able to find out T cells protect mice from organ failure during sepsis. In the future, I will also analyze the T cells outside of the body to help me understand what exactly they do when they encounter bacteria. In all these experiments I will compare male and female mice or cells to find out if they react differently. This project is important because understanding how T cells behave during sepsis can help find ways to prevent the immune system from becoming weak after sepsis.
Student Name: Mira Safa
Advisor: Dr. Kaarina Kowalec
Project Title: Association of Neurofilament Light Chain and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Levels with Comorbid Depression in Multiple Sclerosis
Amount Awarded: $25,000
Category: PhD
Lay Summary: Multiple sclerosis (MS) often begins in young adulthood and can lead to disability. Many people with MS also live with depression. Depression can make everyday MS symptoms, like fatigue, pain, and memory troubles, feel worse. It might also speed up the brain damage caused by MS. Yet in routine care, depression is usually treated on its own, not as something that could change how MS progresses. Our study asks a straightforward question: does depression add to brain injury in MS? This matters especially for women, because both MS and depression are more common in women. Understanding the link could improve care for women and for everyone with MS. We will look at two simple blood tests that act like smoke alarms for brain injury. One, called NfL, rises when nerve fibers are hurt. The other, GFAP, rises when the brain’s support cells are stressed. These tests can pick up ongoing damage even when a person isn’t having a clear attack. We will use data from a Manitoba study that followed people with MS, people with depression but no immune disease, and healthy volunteers for three years. Each year, participants gave a blood sample and filled out health and mood questionnaires. We will compare groups to see whether people who have both MS and depression show higher NfL and GFAP than people with only MS or only depression, and whether those levels stay higher over time. If depression is linked to more brain injury in MS, it would support treating depression not only for mental health, but also as a way to slow MS. That could help doctors monitor patients more closely, tailor treatments, and improve quality of life overall.
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