Articles by author: Brock University

• Badgers set to Paint the Meridian Red

  Friday, January 10, 2025 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE – January 10, 2025 – R0004

   The excitement of Brock University’s marquee basketball event will return to downtown St. Catharines next week as the Badgers take over the Meridian Centre once again.

  On Friday, Jan. 17, the annual Paint the Meridian Red doubleheader will feature the Brock men’s and women’s basketball teams as they host the McMaster Marauders in front of an electrifying crowd.

  The evening tips off with the women’s game at 6 p.m., followed by the men’s matchup at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca.

  The Badgers come into the event with strong records. The women’s team, sitting at the top of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Central division at 8-3, faces a Marauders squad on a four-game losing streak. On the men’s side, Brock (8-3) rides a five-game winning streak into their clash with McMaster, who is 1-11 in the division.

  For fourth-year Medical Sciences student and Niagara-born standout Madalyn Weinert, who leads the province in scoring with 18.9 points per game, playing at the Meridian Centre is always a highlight.

  “Every time we play at the Meridian Centre, it’s a special experience,” Weinert said. “As someone who grew up in Niagara, it means so much to represent Brock in front of my hometown. The energy in the arena is always incredible, and having family, friends and local fans there makes it even more unforgettable. It’s a reminder of how much this community supports us.”

  The men’s team is led by second-year Sport Management student Davante Hackett, who averages 13.9 points per game and is a key player for the Badgers. He echoed the sentiment of how meaningful the event is for the team and the community.

  “Paint the Meridian Red is such a special event for our team and the community,” Hackett said. “It’s more than just a game, it’s about bringing everyone together and feeling the support of the Brock and Niagara communities. The energy in the arena is unmatched, and it’s an honour to be a part of something that means so much to so many people.”

  Melissa Krist, Executive Director, Sports and Recreation at Brock, also emphasized the significance of the event for both the University and the Niagara community.

  “Paint the Meridian Red is an incredible showcase of school pride and community spirit,” Krist said. “The energy at these games is unmatched, creating unforgettable experiences for our student-athletes and fans. It’s a tradition that connects us with the Niagara region and celebrates everything Brock stands for.”

  Paint the Meridian Red is more than basketball. Fans can enjoy a community zone with family-friendly activities, including face painting and games.

  Brock University alumni attending the event are invited to check in at the entrance to receive their wristbands and gather in Section 114, where they can access the lower bar to connect and celebrate. 🎊

   

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  *Maryanne St. Denis, Manager, Content and Communications, Brock University [email protected] or 905-246-0256 

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  Categories: Media releases

• Research discovery may cure age-related lung diseases

  Thursday, January 09, 2025 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE – January 9, 2025 – R0003

  Research led by Brock University has found a possible cure for lung diseases typically found in older adults, such as pulmonary fibrosis.

  Professor of Health Sciences Newman Sze and his international team have identified a specific antibody that targets age-related damage to proteins, a type of biomolecule, in lung tissue and reduces inflammation in the lungs.

  “Treatments for chronic lung disease are currently focused on symptom management,” says Sze, who is the Canada Research Chair in Mechanisms of Health and Disease. “The antibody we identified is treating the root cause of the disease, so this would be a cure instead of just making the patient feel better.”

  As time passes, biomolecules damaged by lifestyle and environmental factors accumulate in body tissues, fuelling the aging process and age-related chronic diseases.

  Since this damage often occurs spontaneously, both the damage itself and subsequent age-related chronic diseases were thought to be incurable, says Sze. Typical therapeutic strategies targeting genes or enzymes were also ineffective.

  In their study, “Immunotherapeutic Targeting of Aging-Associated isoDGR Motif in Chronic Lung Inflammation,” Sze and his team examined isoDGR, a type of biomolecule called a peptide motif that contains three amino acids — molecules that combine to form proteins. The amino acids in isoDGR are damaged.

  The researchers began their study by examining the presence of isoDGR in human lung tissues obtained from people having a variety of ages and backgrounds as well as from patients diagnosed with lung fibrosis.

  The team found isoDGR concentrations increased with age, with levels being eight times as high in tissues from fibrosis patients.

  Using animal models to better understand how and why isoDGR gathers in the lungs, the researchers created an antibody — a protein produced by the immune system to fight off harmful substances — that binds specifically with isoDGR.

  “This antibody activated the immune system to remove isoDGR from the body,” says Sze. “Because this damaged protein is the root cause of pulmonary fibrosis, when it was removed, the tissue actually became healthy again.”

  Pulmonary fibrosis is one of many diseases triggered by isoDGR. Other conditions include chronic inflammation, cardiovascular disease, lung edema, hypoxemia and vascular congestion.

  In fact, isoDGR is stored in areas throughout the body such as the blood vessels, says Sze.

  “Since biomolecular damage is a main cause of many chronic age-related diseases, targeting and removing the damaged proteins with antibodies may offer therapeutic benefits beyond lung diseases,” says Sze. “This immunotherapeutic approach holds significant promise for reducing the burden of age-related diseases and supporting healthy aging in elderly populations.” 

  Sze says the next steps in the research are working with companies to modify the antibody for compatibility with the human immune system for clinical trials and further developing it for patient use.

  Research for the study, published Jan. 5 in the journal Aging Cell, was supported by funding from the federal government’s Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canada Research Chair Program (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Research Funds, as well as the Singapore National Medical Research Council.

  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