Recent News
Stacey Wetmore, PhD, FCIC. Stacey Wetmore is a leader in computational chemistry in Canada.
Her rigorous and prolific research program has made pioneering contributions to nucleic acid chemistry. Her work uniquely uses the full spectrum of computational approaches and close collaborations with experimentalists to study how naturally occurring or environmentally-derived nucleic acid derivatives are processed in cells, and the design of synthetic analogues with novel applications in medicine or nanotechnology. Her work has globally impacted the way researchers think about the function of critical biomolecules and aided synthetic nucleic acid-analogue design. After completing her PhD at Dalhousie University and an NSERC-funded postdoctoral fellowship in Australia, she accepted a faculty position at Mount Allison and was subsequently recruited to Lethbridge as a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair. Her work has resulted in >190 publications and >130 invited talks, secured >$8 million in funding, and led to her Tier 1 Canada Research Chair appointment. She is highly sought after to serve on and chair national and international research, policy, and editorial boards, scientific peer review panels, society committees, and conference organization committees. She is a passionate mentor to all trainees in her lab, who have achieved numerous successes under her supervision and in their future careers.
A team of Alberta researchers has received grants worth $400,000 to study honey bee viruses.
Drs. Trushar Patel, a Canada Research Chair and associate professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Lethbridge, and Shelley Hoover, a ULethbridge associate professor in Biological Sciences and honey bee expert, are teaming up with Drs. Wade Abbott, a scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Lara Mahal, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Glycomics at the University of Alberta, to better understand how these honey bee-infecting viruses are transmitted and how they interact with their host.
Understanding the mechanisms of honey bee viruses is crucial for developing effective strategies to protect these vital pollinators,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge vice-president of research. “The collaborative efforts of these researchers will pave the way for innovative solutions to combat these viruses and ensure the sustainability of our agricultural ecosystems."
“Right now, no therapeutics are available to fight these viruses,” says Patel. “We need to know more about how these RNA viruses infect honey bees before we can develop tools to combat the viruses.”
Honey bees are vital to agriculture and food production around the world, accounting for over $7 billion worth of food, honey and other bee products in Canada alone. In 2023, Alberta was home to nearly 40 per cent of honey bee colonies in Canada, and Alberta bees produced the same amount of the country’s honey. The production of hybrid canola seeds in southern Alberta depends on managed honey and leafcutter bees.
However, since 2006, Canadian bee colonies have experienced increased winter mortality, with over 50 per cent mortality in some regions in some years. Major factors influencing mortality are parasites, viral and bacterial infections, weather, forage availability, queen bee quality and the use of pesticides.
Viruses, such as deformed wing virus (DWV) and sacbrood virus (SBV), are an important part of the problem. These viruses hijack the bee’s cellular machinery and cause disease that spreads through a colony, resulting in lost productivity and even colony death.
The study is expected to take two to three years and will boost understanding of how these RNA viruses interact with host proteins.
“The proposed work represents what we believe is the first focused effort on identifying honey bee proteins necessary for viral replication,” he says. “This work will lay a strong foundation for further research work directed towards developing potential therapeutics against bee-infecting viruses,” says Patel. “Training highly qualified personnel is also a crucial component of our interdisciplinary work.”
Funding for the project came through the Agriculture Funding Consortium and was provided by Alberta Innovates and Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), as well as through the Canadian Glycomics Network (GlycoNet) Research Pipeline Program.
April 9, 2025
Dr. Stacey Wetmore, a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry with expertise in computational chemistry, has been appointed a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair while Dr. Julie Young, a professor in the Department of Geography and Environment, and Dr. Trushar Patel, a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, have had their Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs renewed for another term.
Wetmore, Canada Research Chair in Computational Chemistry, will receive $1.4 million over seven years. Young, Canada Research Chair in Critical Border Studies, and Patel, Canada Research Chair in RNA and Protein Biophysics, will each receive $500,000 over five years. These chairs were part of a larger federal announcement on August 29 by the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, on behalf of the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health. The announcement included investments of over $960 million to support over 4,700 researchers and research projects in Canada. The $133.7 million in funding for the Canada Research Chairs Program includes 82 new and 75 renewed Chairs.
“Congratulations to these talented recipients from all across the country who are doing the groundbreaking work that will contribute not only to Canada’s health and well-being but also to the world’s,” says Champagne. “Through this funding, the Government of Canada is investing in the next generation of researchers and inspiring them to continue to think outside the box and tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
“Canada Research Chair appointments are highly competitive and reflective of the excellence of our faculty members in their chosen fields,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, vice-president (research). “The research done by Drs. Wetmore, Young and Patel has the potential to improve the quality of life for people all over the world.”
Wetmore uses computer simulations to help answer questions in chemistry. By using the methods of theoretical chemistry and powerful computers, the structure and properties of molecules, such as nucleic acids, can be calculated. Nucleic acids like DNA and RNA are the most basic molecules of life as they store and transmit genetic information. During the global pandemic, RNA vaccines became a household name. They were made possible due to the introduction of modifications that enhance RNA stability in cells. In nature, nucleic acids are modified to control gene expression and build properly functioning proteins. However, knowledge about how modifications change the structure and function of nucleic acids and why nature introduces modifications is lacking.
“I use computer modelling to find answers and gain a fundamental understanding of the chemistry of modified nucleic acids,” says Wetmore. “This work is an important step toward understanding human diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and neurodegeneration, that are associated with modification errors.”
In addition to building basic knowledge, her work will ultimately help unlock the ability to treat many diseases. Calculations using computational chemistry methods are critical tools for solving these problems as they are powerful predictors of experimental outcomes and provide information to guide future experiments.
Patel focuses his research on the interactions between human proteins and viral nucleic acids with the goal of finding ways to interrupt the viral replication process by using sophisticated structural-biophysical techniques.
Emerging and re-emerging viral outbreaks are responsible for millions of deaths and impose a severe financial burden on health-care systems. Ultimately, his research can help pave the way for the development of antiviral treatments for diseases caused by the hepatitis B virus and Flaviviruses such as Dengue, Zika and West Nile viruses.
“I plan to continue unravelling the principles underlying viral nucleic acids-human protein interactions during viral infections,” says Patel. “I intend to focus mainly on Flaviviral and hepatitis B viral systems, to study the structures of viral nucleic acids and investigate how nucleic acids interact with human host proteins.”
Patel will also explore the antiviral activities of therapeutic molecules developed in the lab and find ways to optimize their efficiency.
Young’s research examines the impact of Canadian border control policies and practices. The border closures of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the shutdown of most refugee and asylum programs. People in need of protection were directed or pushed back into uncertain and insecure situations.
“There is a need to account for the stories and situations of people who continue to be prevented from arriving by Canada’s policies, while also considering the treatment of people whose entry is permitted but under precarious conditions, such as many temporary foreign workers,” says Young.
“With this renewal, I plan to analyze the impacts of the pandemic and subsequent border management policies on migration patterns and experiences, expand the network of those engaged in border studies through my collaboration with the Lethbridge Border Studies Group, and mentor students in the ethical, methodological, and practical considerations of qualitative and community-engaged research through various projects including with colleagues in the Community Bridge Lab. ”Using a feminist geopolitical approach, Young’s research program will look at the lived experiences of border control practices to gauge the impact of such policies.
August 30, 2023
A research leader in RNA and protein biophysics who regularly uses his expertise to engage in science outreach and communication activities, Dr. Trushar Patel has been named the 2023 winner of the University of Lethbridge’s Speaker Research Award.
Patel’s research on how RNA interacts with proteins and how proteins interact with other proteins, has made a substantial contribution to the overarching goal of uncovering events at the heart of diseases such as viral infections, covering everything from Hepatitis B to COVID-19. “The quality and impact of work from Dr. Patel since arriving at the University of Lethbridge is exceptional. He consistently demonstrates leadership in his field of study, as evidenced by the many awards with which he has been recognized and peer reviewed publications he and his team have produced,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge vice-president (research). “In addition to the valuable research his lab undertakes, Trushar continues to utilize his expertise as an engaging science and policy communicator and champion of outreach initiatives that inspire the next generation of scientists. He’s richly deserving of this award.”
The Speaker Research Award recognizes the importance of research, scholarship and performance to the philosophy and goals of the University.
Patel was presented with the Speaker Research Award at Spring 2023 Convocation, Ceremony I, on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gymnasium.
Dr. Trushar Patel
Globally, viral infections and associated cancers are responsible for millions of deaths and impose a severe financial burden on health-care systems. Dr. Trushar Patel, a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, heads a multidisciplinary program aimed at providing critical insight into the host protein-viral nucleic acid interactions that are of fundamental importance for viral replication.
Patel came to ULethbridge in 2016 as an independent researcher and earned a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in RNA and Protein Biophysics in November 2017, which was subsequently renewed in 2022. Patel graduated with BSc (2000) and MSc (2002) degrees in biotechnology from India. He joined the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom for his PhD (2007) and later worked at the Universities of Manitoba and Birmingham.
Patel’s lab, based out of the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, has earned extensive funding support as it investigates a variety of viral diseases covering everything from Hepatitis B to COVID-19. His research program has attracted over $8.5 million from provincial, federal and international funding agencies since joining ULethbridge.
The calibre of Patel’s research as a leader in RNA & Protein Biophysics is demonstrated by his early career productivity. He has published 86 peer-reviewed articles in top-tiered international journals, with 23 as the first author and 42 as a senior author, as well as 34 editorials.
Patel has demonstrated scientific leadership and excellence in community engagement. He is co-director of DiscoveryLab, which links companies and investors. He was a participant in the first Science Meets Parliament program, which unites scientists, members of Parliament and senators to discuss science and science policy, and he has played a key role in organizing subsequent meetings. He was co-Chair of the EDI committee for the Canadian Society for Virology. He is an executive member of the Biophysical Society of Canada (BSC), Chair of the Communications and Publications Committee and Councillor at the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSMB), and an incoming Chair of the Early Careers Committee of the Biophysical Society (USA).
Patel lent his experience as an informed voice throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and, for his work as a key member of the Return to Campus Committee, was awarded the 2022 ULethbridge Volunteer Award. He has also been recognized with the 2022 BSC Young Investigator Award, the 2022 New Investigator Award from CSMB and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. In 2022, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Dr. Stacey Wetmore is one of the world’s leading computational chemists and has pushed the boundaries of modeling nucleic acids and proteins to become one of the most cited and studied researchers in her field. The University of Lethbridge has named Wetmore the 2021 winner of the Speaker Research Award.
“Dr. Wetmore has demonstrated exceptional scholarly distinction and has had considerable impact on her field of study,” says Dr. Robert Wood, interim vice-president (research). “She is also a tireless advocate for training and supporting the next generation of aspiring scientists as well as educating the public at large through her knowledge mobilization and translation activities.”
Wetmore, born and raised in St. John, New Brunswick, came to the U of L in 2006 as a Canada Research Chair and quickly established the University’s own computer cluster within the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. She will be presented with the Speaker Research Award at the uLethbridge Awards Night on Thursday, May 27.
Dr. Stacey Wetmore
Stacey Wetmore learned early that her understanding of advanced chemistry principles were not best applied in a lab setting but rather in front of a computer, where she could also utilize her mathematical aptitude. So began an outstanding career in computational chemistry.
Wetmore completed her undergraduate degree at Mount Allison University before earning her doctorate in computational chemistry at Dalhousie University. Her research is primarily focused on using computer calculations to understand how the structure and function of DNA changes upon damage from external factors in our environment, how naturally occurring modifications impact the many critical roles of RNA, and the function of enzymes that interact with nucleic acids.
Her work has broad and far-reaching implications, including directly impacting the health of the general population. For example, by providing fundamental information about the structure of modified DNA/RNA and how enzymes that interact with nucleic acids work, her research permits the design of cancer treatments that minimize drug resistances or therapy-derived secondary tumors.
Wetmore’s contributions to the field have earned her numerous accolades, including a Tier II NSERC Canada Research Chair and a Tier I Board of Governors Research Chair. In 2021 she earned election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
In a first for the University of Lethbridge, Dr. Stacey Wetmore has been awarded a Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) Fellowship, the highest accolade that can be bestowed upon a CIC member.
“It’s a huge honour; I’m still in shock,” says Wetmore, a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry with expertise in computational chemistry. “I really wasn’t expecting to be awarded with that at this point in my career. Normally, it’s something that people receive in the later parts of their careers because it’s really a career-distinction type of award.”
Dr. Neil Burford, 2018-2019 Chair of the CIC Board of Directors, presents Dr. Stacey Wetmore with her CIC Fellowship award.
The award recognizes individuals for making exceptional contributions to the chemical professions.
“Fellowship in the CIC is awarded to those members of the Canadian Society for Chemistry, the Canadian Society (CSC) for Chemical Engineering and the Canadian Society for Chemical Technology who have made outstanding scientific, engineering or technical contributions, including service, management and teaching,” says Dr. Neil Burford, chair of the CIC. “Professor Wetmore is highly deserving of this honour which recognizes her outstanding achievements as a researcher and mentor and for her work with the CSC, the CIC, NSERC and the Canadian Journal of Chemistry.”
Wetmore came upon the field of computational chemistry somewhat by chance. She was attending Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, studying math and chemistry in a combined honours program.
“After my second year, I spent a summer doing math research and, after my third year, I spent a summer doing chemistry research in a wet lab,” she says. “Both of those experiences taught me what I didn’t want to do. Then we had a speaker come to the university and talk about how you can do chemistry by computer. You needed to understand math and be able to work with computers to model what was actually happening with the molecules and look at how they react together. I thought this sounded like something that played to my strengths and interests.”
The guest speaker was Dr. Russell Boyd. Wetmore went on to complete a PhD at Dalhousie under his supervision and now, some 17 years later, he nominated her for the CIC fellowship.
"Stacey has an inimitable level of enthusiasm that she applies to everything she does, be it teaching, research or administrative activities,” says Boyd, professor emeritus at Dalhousie University. “Her students have no choice but to be inspired by her enthusiasm and respond in kind. She has become an outstanding researcher through her willingness to tackle tough problems, to master complex material, and to persevere in a minefield of potential blind alleys."
After doing a post-doctoral fellowship at the Australian National University, Wetmore joined the faculty at her alma mater. As a student, she had been involved in research and, as a professor, she hoped to inspire that same love of research in her students. After five years there, Wetmore came to the U of L in 2006 as a Canada Research Chair.
“I was able, because of our strong liberal undergraduate program, to have undergraduate students participate in research with me,” she says. “We also have a very strong graduate program and two research institutes in our department. That was really appealing. I could do what I loved to do, but I could also extend and expand my research program into new areas by including MSc and PhD students.”
Wetmore, whose research looks at how DNA is damaged and repaired in cells, has had more than 80 undergraduate students and 20 graduate students conduct research in her lab. Her students have also had opportunities to work in labs around the world because of Wetmore’s reputation internationally. She has established research connections during visits to other universities, by attending international conferences and being contacted by other scientists who’ve read about her work in publications.
“The best is when experimentalists read what we’ve done and then come to us and say ‘We see the value in your approach and we want to work with you.’ I think it speaks volumes about the quality of work my students are doing,” she says.
October 2, 2018