Three NOSM University Researchers Awarded NSERC Funding

NOSM University researchers Drs. Christopher Thome, Alexander Moise, and T.C. Tai, all cross-appointed faculty with Laurentian University, are among the leading Canadian researchers who have received significant grants for innovations through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). 

Drs. Thome and Moise are the recipients of Discovery Grants, NSERC’s flagship funding initiative that invests in forward-thinking, long-term research. Over a five-year period, these grants provide scientists with a portion of the operating funds needed to foster creative innovation, expand the collective scientific knowledge, and offer hands-on training environments for student researchers. 

Dr. Thome’s research will leverage the unique capabilities of SNOLAB in Sudbury, which is among the few facilities in the world capable of supporting sub-background radiation research, to study biological responses in the absence of natural background radiation. “All living organisms are continuously exposed to natural background ionizing radiation, yet its role in normal physiology remains poorly understood. Research in this area has been limited by the need for deep underground laboratories to shield experiments from cosmic radiation, and SNOLAB is uniquely positioned for this study. This research will advance our understanding of whether life has adapted to depend on natural background radiation,” says Dr. Thome, Associate Professor. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Moise’s grant will focus on the metabolism and function of vitamin A and related compounds, known as retinoids, an area he has studied since 2002. “Vitamin A is essential for fetal development, vision, immune function, tissue integrity, and repair, but both deficiency and excess can be harmful. This funding will help address current gaps in our understanding of how adults maintain stable vitamin A levels despite the many variables that exist both between individuals and within the same individual over time,” says Dr. Moise, Professor. This project is part of an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Johannes von Lintig at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. 

Dr. Tai has been awarded a two-year NSERC Discovery Development Grant, funding that promotes high-calibre research and specialized training opportunities within smaller, dynamic university environments. His research investigates how gas transmitters (nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide) regulate the production of adrenaline, a key hormone involved in the body’s response to stress. The project focuses on understanding how these molecules control the expression of the enzyme responsible for the final step in adrenaline synthesis. “The project’s findings will provide new insights into the regulation of the stress response and may identify novel mechanisms underlying stress-related disorders,” says Dr. Tai, Division Head, Human Sciences and Medical Sciences Divisions and Professor. 

Together, these NSERC grants will provide $534,000 for NOSM University researchers. Drs. Thome, Moise, and Tai also supervise graduate students at Laurentian University and NOSM University whose studies will be supported by this funding.  

“NOSM University is advancing a bold research agenda that tackles the unique challenges and opportunities of the North,” says Dr. Michael Green, NOSM University President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean, and CEO. “These grants reflect the extraordinary calibre of research talent at NOSM University. My sincere congratulations to Drs. Thome, Moise, and Tai.”