Articles by author: Brock University

• Goodman to honour Grey Cup champion, former CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie

  Friday, February 20, 2026 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE — February 20, 2026 — R0018

  Randy Ambrosie didn’t set out to lead a national sports league. In fact, when the 1993 Grey Cup Champion got the call from the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 2017 to serve as its Commissioner, it caught him completely off guard. 

  Ambrosie, who has been named the Goodman School of Business 2026 Distinguished Leader, began his career with nine seasons playing in the CFL before transitioning to leading national firms in the financial services sector. His professional life eventually came full circle with a return to his first love: football. Ambrosie went on to become one of the longest serving top executives in CFL history.
  

  “I saw the opportunity to come back to where I started with one big difference: instead of wearing shoulder pads and a helmet I would hold a pen and work in the boardroom,” the now-retired Commissioner said. “It was a chance to do something special and I’m happy to say that I think that’s what we accomplished during my time as Commissioner.”  

  The Brock and wider Niagara communities are invited to hear Ambrosie speak about his leadership journey during a fireside chat with Goodman Dean Barry Wright on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m in the University’s Goodman Atrium. 

  As he gets ready to share his insights on work and leadership with Goodman students, he hopes the principles that have guided his career — lifelong learning, authenticity and investing in others — inspire the next generation of leaders. 

  “I hope that students see that there are a lot of different ways to be successful,” Ambrosie said. “The best way to achieve success is through authenticity and a deep commitment to your own values and the things that make you unique, which can serve as a powerful source for your own success. 

  “My career as a player was characterized not so much by raw skill as by dedication and commitment to being the best I could be. Hard work and a commitment to continuous learning is a recipe for lots of success.”

  Ambrosie held senior leadership roles in the financial services industry, including President and CEO of MacDougall, MacDougall and MacTier, and President of AGF Funds Inc., along with executive positions at HSBC, Merrill Lynch Canada and Midland Walwyn. His time in the CFL saw him play as an offensive lineman with Calgary, Toronto and Edmonton, where he won the Grey Cup in 1993. 

  Each year, Goodman honours a prominent Canadian business leader and connects the recipient with Goodman students and the community at large. 

  “Our students are preparing to lead in environments that demand resilience, adaptability and integrity,” said Goodman Dean Barry Wright. 

  “Randy Ambrosie has lived those qualities at the highest levels. First as a Grey Cup champion, then as a senior executive in financial services and finally as Commissioner of the Canadian Football League. His career shows that leadership principles transcend industries and I’m so pleased to welcome him as our 2026 Distinguished Leader.”  

  Anyone interested in attending the fireside chat is asked to save their seat by registering on ExperienceBU or by emailing [email protected]

  Past recipients of the Distinguished Leader award include Julie Dell’Aniello, President of Martin Brower Canada; Michèle Boudria, retired President and Chief Executive Office of McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada; Margaret Kenequanash, CEO of Wataynikaneyap Power; Bonnie Lysyk, the 13th Auditor General of Ontario; Michael Lee Chin, Founder and Chairman of Portland Holdings and the late Ned Goodman of Dundee Corporation.

  
  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  *Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483

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  Categories: Media releases

• Breakthrough lung therapy, elder care and mental health research gets $2.3M boost

  Thursday, February 19, 2026 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE — February 19, 2026 — R0017

  Brock University researchers who developed an innovative immunotherapy approach are one step closer to commercializing a treatment for age-related lung disease.

  Professor of Health Sciences Newman Sze has already filed a patent for the breakthrough new drug called isoDGR-mAb, an antibody he and his team designed that clears out accumulated proteins damaged by inactive lifestyles, unhealthy diets, environmental stressors and genetic factors. 

  These harmful proteins, known as isoDGR, break down the normal function of healthy tissue and trigger chronic inflammation, which is associated with conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease. 

  Sze’s group is one of three at Brock that were recently awarded Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grants totalling $2.3 million. Notably, Sze’s proposal was reviewed and funded through the Commercialization Committee stream of the Project Grant program, reflecting its translational and commercialization focus.

  A team led by Assistant Professor of Health Sciences Luke Turcotte is working with Niagara Health and Ontario Health atHome to incorporate home care information into hospital discharge planning. The goal is to reduce unplanned hospital readmissions among frail and medically complex older adults. 

  “Most discharge planning tools focus on medical diagnoses,” says Turcotte. “Information about social determinants of health and caregiver well-being will help identify high-risk patients and support safer transitions home.” 

  Also receiving funding is Assistant Professor of Psychology Paula Duarte-Guterman and her team, who are investigating how sex-based features, such as male and female hormones, affect biological and behavioural responses to disruptions in daily rhythms. 

  “Mental health is deeply influenced by regular daily routines and the social environments we live in, yet much of the existing research has overlooked important differences between females and males,” says the Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Neuroscience.

  “Our work will help clarify how daily biological rhythms and social settings interact to shape mental health in both females and males,” she says.

  Sze’s research group will use their CIHR funding to develop isoDGR-mAb for human therapeutic use. 

  Their initial goal is to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a respiratory disease with no known cause. The condition affects the tissue surrounding air sacs in the lungs and causes permanent scarring, called fibrosis, that makes it increasingly difficult for people to breathe. 

  “Patients with this disease will typically die within three to five years,” says Sze, who is Canada Research Chair in Mechanisms of Health and Disease. “At the moment, there’s still no effective treatment. We hope the development of this drug will proceed smoothly so that we can give hope to patients to survive longer and improve their quality of life.” 

  Current approaches attempt to reduce inflammation overall, but do not target the underlying molecular damage that drives chronic inflammation and fibrosis, Sze says. 

  Preliminary research showed isoDGR-mAb cleared damaged proteins, reduced inflammation, improved lung function and extended survival while sparing healthy tissue.  

  Associate Vice-President, Research Deborah O’Leary says the CIHR grants highlight Brock’s capacity to deliver health research with a clear line of sight to tangible benefits.  

  “These projects show Brock researchers tackling urgent health challenges — from moving new therapies closer to patients and strengthening supports for older adults to building a clearer understanding of mental health,” she says. 

  St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle says a strong, effective health-care system is essential to Canadians’ health and overall well-being.

  “The goal of this funding is to turn innovative ideas into leading-edge knowledge, research and real-world outcomes,” he said. “Through this and other projects, Brock University researchers continue to demonstrate a strong track record of advancing key areas of Canada’s health-care system.”

  
  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  *Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483

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  Categories: Media releases