Communications.uvic.ca

UVic penicillin research
One part human,
may lead to new drug treatments ten parts germs
BY KIRSTEN RODENHIZER
tolerance — penicillin’s inability to ple their activities are kept in check by directly related to cell starvation.
Keeping one step
ahead of the microbes
Research assistant Cheryl Galvani prepares a gel used in analyzing
work by targeting the cell wall of bacterial proteins as Dr. Ed Ishiguro looks on.
Rodenhizer is a
UVic writing grad.
She wrote this
story as a
participant in the
SPARK program
(Students
Promoting
Awareness of
no one is at home,” says Ishiguro.
Research
Knowledge), funded by the
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council of Canada.
drugs that block its specific action.
not have come very far,” he says. “It Teaching and research,
a symbiotic relationship
• UVic researchers recently received
nearly $24 million in research and
equipment grants from the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research
Council and $1.7 million from the
Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council.
• UVic has been allocated 29 new
Canada Research Chairs in a
federally funded program to help
Canadian universities recruit
research stars of today and
tomorrow in the global intellectual
marketplace.
• UVic public lectures,
performances, conferences,
ordinates the introductory courseon biochemistry and human health.
exhibitions, and athletics events
• Want to watch E. coli bacteria being destroyed by penicillin?
attract a combined annual audience
There’s a short video at http://www-micro.msb.le.ac.uk/Video/
of more than 300,000.
Penicillin.html and at http://www.cellsalive.com/pen.htm
• UVic operates the third-largest
• A wealth of information on penicillin is available at the
co-operative education program in
Britannica.com site http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/9/
Canada, annually placing nearly
0,5716,60549+1,00.html
3,000 students in paid work-terms
related to their field of study with
• Who discovered penicillin and what did it have to do with World
employers around the world.
Wars I and II? See http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/
entries/bmflem.html
• UVic generates $299 million in
local economic activity each year.
Art 2000 International Exhibition
Operation Trackshoes
Through May 31
June 10-11
Artwork from Australia, China, Canada and Northern Ireland by
A sports festival for the citizens of B.C. with a mental disability.
students from their kindergarten year of 1988 to their graduation in
Opening ceremony, June 10, 8:30 p.m. Centennial Stadium.
the class of 2000. Maltwood Art Museum & Gallery, University
Competition, 9 a.m. to noon, Centennial Stadium. Wheelchair games,
Centre. Info: 721-6562
June 11, 9 to 11:30 a.m., McKinnon Gym. Closing ceremonies, noon,
Workshop: “Seafood Sustainability in a Changing Climate”
Centennial Stadium. Info: 721-2233, www.trackshoes.bc.ca
May 25-26
24-Hour Relay for the Kids,
Fishing industry leaders, climate researchers, policy makers, and
coastal community representatives will explore ways to mitigate
Sponsored by the Lions Society of B.C. for children with disabilities.
climate-related threats to B.C. fisheries. Agenda details and
Proceeds go to sending children with disabilities to Camp Shawnigan.
registration info: www.cics.uvic.ca/workshop
Relay begins at 10 a.m. Centennial Stadium. Info: 386-0668
w w w. u v i c . c a

Source: http://communications.uvic.ca/edge/v1n01_28may00.pdf