This year's lecturers were Professor��Michael Rosbash, 2012 Canada Gairdner International Award Recipient, and��Professor Cheryl Arrowsmith, Canada Research Chair in Structural Proteomics and a member of the Gairdner Awards Medical Review Panel.��

Michael Rosbash

Rosbash, a researcher with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and professor in the��Department of Biology at��Brandeis University in��Waltham, MA, has pursued two fields of research: studies concerning the metabolism and processing of RNA, and the molecular basis of circadian rhythms.

It is��his work delving into circadian rhythms –��the built-in 24-hour biological clock that regulates sleep and wakefulness, activity and rest, hormone levels, body temperature and other important functions –��for which he received the Canada Gairdner International award, along with his colleagues��Brandeis University Professors Jeffrey Hall and Michael Young. Rosbash's discoveries could lead to the development of drugs to treat insomnia, jet lag and other sleep disorders.

Rosbash encouraged students to��pursue science as a career, but also told them of the importance of finding balance in their pursuits. “Science, and life in general, is balancing means and ends. Like lab experiments, life is not about the outcome, but about the journey and process of discovery. Find something you love and you will be much better for it, ” he said.

Arrowsmith, a professor and researcher in the Department of Medical Biophysics in the��Faculty of Medicine at the��University of Toronto, is head of the Arrowsmith Lab and the senior scientist in the Division of Molecular & Structural Biology, Ontario Cancer Institute and at the (SGC), a not-for-profit, public-private partnership. “Science is a highly rewarding team effort. Be passionate about your research, share your data with others and you’ll see the world,” Arrowsmith told students.

Cheryl Arrowsmith

As part of her lecture, she demonstrated a portion of her work with the SGC which creates 3D models of proteins that represent potential drug targets. Knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of proteins involved enhances our understanding of the molecular basis of cancer and pharmaceutical agents that could impede disease processes. Arrowsmith encouraged students to “play” with the structures as they are all available online at the website.

Following the lecture, many of the high school groups stayed on campus for a presentation by 91��ɫ’s recruitment officers. Students also took tours of campus guided by 91��ɫ Student Ambassadors and remained on campus for lunch.��Participants were encouraged to fill out reply cards to be kept up-to-date about admission events.

The lecture, which took place Oct. 24, is part of an annual event that brings high school science students to the Keele campus to hear lectures delivered by the world's top scientists and medical researchers.

Visit the website to learn more about the foundation, its work and awards.

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin to research stories on the research website.

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His talk, Circadian rhythms: Molecules, Neurons and Circuits, will take place Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 1:30 to 2:30pm, in the Senate chamber, Ross N920, Keele campus, as part of Gairdner’s National Program lecture series.

Rosbash of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Brandeis University, is the 2012 Canada Gairdner Award winner. He’ll delve into the mysteries of how the human body’s biological clock works. Despite the fact that it’s been known for centuries that the human body is controlled by a biological clock, it has remained a mystery. Rosbash will look at how this internal clock guides the body through the day.

Michael Rosbash

Circadian clocks are active throughout the body’s cells, where they use a common genetic mechanism to control the rhythmic activities of various tissues. This is important as circadian clocks affect patterns of sleep and wakefulness, metabolism and the body’s response to disease. Understanding how the biological clock works has already allowed scientists to pinpoint irregularities in important sleep disorders.

“The opportunity to learn from the world’s greatest medical minds is one we hope will inspire students across the country to be imaginers, innovators, and ultimately, cultivators of the future of medicine in Canada and around the world,” said Dr. John Dirks, president and scientific director of Gairdner. “Gairdner’s National Program is our way of helping to ensure that Canada continues to grow as a global leader in medical science.”

The Gairdner awards are among the world’s most important biomedical research honours and a major indicator of leading scientific discovery. The Gairdner National Program is a month-long lecture series given by Canada Gairdner Award winners to over 6,000 students at 21 universities from St John's to Vancouver.

The National Program reaches students across the country, making the superstars of science accessible and inspiring the next generation of researchers. Along with the Canada Gairdner Awards, the National Program is part of Gairdner's efforts to promote a stronger culture of research and innovation across the country.

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin to research stories on the research website.

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