Image

DREAM

Our Team

DREAM was founded in 2011 under the leadership of Dr. Jonathan McGavock and Dr. Grant Hatch as the 2nd research theme of the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba.

The vision was a translational research team, focused on improving knowledge about youth onset type 2 diabetes from the laboratory into the clinic, and community and back. Our team has focused on understanding risk from conception to young adulthood.  The team has since grown, with expanded expertise in type 1 diabetes, and diabetes in pregnancy, as well as a broader expertise in metabolism and epigenetics.

Metabolism

Metabolism

Michel Aliani, PhD

Professor Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences

My research is focused on mass spectrometry and NMR-based metabolomics studies of functional foods, drugs and their effect on biochemical pathways in populations with chronic diseases. Our goal is to provide healthy and acceptable foods to children and young adults and to understand the underlying mechanism related to the development of diabetes, renal and cardiovascular dise...
View Bio

Clinical Research

Clinical Research

Mandy Archibald BScN, PhD

Assistant Professor Interdisciplinary Artist College of Nursing

My research lab leverages knowledge of lived experience through qualitative, mixed methods and arts-based research to improve care and social wellbeing. Through this emphasis on applied qualitative research and arts-based, collaborative knowledge translation, I seek to improve the relevance and impact of research for diverse stakeholder groups.   Contact: Mandy.Archibald
View Bio

Epigenetics

Pancreas Biology

Early Life Origins of Diabetes

Early Life Origin of Diabetes

Pancreas Biology

Christine Doucette, PhD

Associate Professor Department of Physiology & Pathophysiology

Research in the Doucette Lab is focused on defining the molecular and metabolic factors that regulate pancreatic insulin secretion and importantly, learning how these factors are disrupted in the development of type 2 diabetes. Being a pre-clinical laboratory, Dr. Christine Doucette and her team use rodent and cell models to “reverse engineer” diabetes so they can explor...
View Bio

Metabolism

Metabolism

Joe Gordon, PhD

Associate Professor Department of Human Anatomy & Cell Science College of Nursing

My program of research focuses on the regulation of mitochondrial function and metabolism during cardiac and skeletal muscle differentiation and remodeling, including disease related conditions such as diabetic cardiomyopathy, insulin resistance, and hypoxia/ischemia,; as well as physiological stimuli such as exercise and contractile activity. Specifically, my laboratory stud...
View Bio

Early Life Origins of Diabetes

Epigenetics

Early Life Origin of Diabetes

Epigenetics

Meaghan Jones, PhD

Assistant Professor Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics

My current focus is on the role of epigenetic changes in the link between environmental exposures in early life and later-onset chronic illness, including diabetes. Students and staff in my lab have the opportunity to use large epigenetic data sets from human birth cohort studies to discover epigenetic changes associated with specific environmental exposures. These findings i...
View Bio

Pancreas Biology

Pancreas Biology

Lucy Marzban, DMLS PhD

Associate Professor College of Pharmacy Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

Pancreatic islet transplantation has provided a feasible approach for replacement of insulin-producing beta cells in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) but is currently limited by short supply and post-transplant loss of islets. My research program focuses on understanding the factors that destroy islet beta-cells following transplantation, potentially leading to islet gra...
View Bio

Interventions

Interventions

Jon McGavock, PhD

Associate Professor Department of Pediatrics & Child Health

My research program has 3 main pillars in order to span the spectrum of mechanistic human physiology studies to community-based participatory action research. Pillar 1: the determinants of type 2 diabetes and the associated complications, Pillar 2: dose of physical activity needed to prevent type 2 diabetes and improve metabolic control in individuals with type 1 diabetes, Pi...
View Bio

Clinical Research

Epigenetics

Clinical Research

Epigenetics

Taylor Morriseau, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow, First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba (FNHSSM)

My research aims to support First Nations-led biological health research by strengthening regional capacity for biobanking and data sovereignty initiatives. Areas of interest: type 2 diabetes, Indigenous foods, genetics, bioethics, science policy, early-career challenges, Indigenous data sovereignty Contact: tmorriseau@fnhssm.com...
View Bio

Metabolism

Metabolism

Samantha Pauls, PhD

Assistant Professor College of Pharmacy Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

My current research seeks to understand and target defects in immune cell metabolism that may contribute to the development or progression of obesity-associated metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Contact: samantha.pauls@umanitoba.ca Currently accepting students.
View Bio

Metabolism

Metabolism

Ayesha Saleem, PhD

Assistant Professor Faculty of Kinesiology & Recreation Management (FKRM)

The main focus of my research program is to decipher intercellular signalling, as mediated by extracellular vesicles, that regulates the interplay between host tissue and imposed challenges. These challenges can be physiological (exercise, age), dysregulated metabolism-related (cancer, obesity, diabetes), or developmental (breastmilk). Contact: Ayesha.Saleem@umanitoba.ca...
View Bio

Clinical Research

Early Life Origins of Diabetes

Epigenetics

Metabolism

Clinical Research

Early Life Origin of Diabetes

Epigenetics

Metabolism

Elizabeth Sellers, MD, MSc

Professor and Pediatric Endocrinologist Department of Pediatrics & Child Health

My main areas of research focus are on pediatrics, endocrinology and metabolism, epidemiology, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Contact: esellers@hsc.mb.ca Currently accepting students.
View Bio

Pancreas Biology

Pancreas Biology

Peter Thompson, PhD

Assistant Professor Department of Physiology & Pathophysiology

My research program investigates how and why insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas are targeted and destroyed by autoimmunity in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). We carry out basic and translational research studies using cell culture, mouse models and human donor tissue and specimens to examine islet stress pathways, interactions with the immune system and explore biomarkers fo...
View Bio

Clinical Research

Early Life Origins of Diabetes

Diabetes in Pregnancy

Clinical Research

Diabetes in Pregnancy

Early Life Origin of Diabetes

Epigenetics

Interventions

Metabolism

Brandy Wicklow, MD, MSc

Associate Professor & Pediatric Endocrinologist Department of Pediatrics & Child Health

My research focus is on early life determinants of type 2 diabetes and renal disease in children and adolescents, with a particular interest in the impacts of the psychological, economic, and social impacts on wholistic health of all children living with diabetes. Current research is evaluating the fetal origins of childhood onset type 2 diabetes, including in utero and epige...
View Bio

Clinical Research

Interventions

Diabetes in Pregnancy

Clinical Research

Diabetes in Pregnancy

Interventions

Jennifer Yamamoto, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Assistant Professor Department of Internal Medicine

My research and clinical interest centre around diabetes in pregnancy. Specifically, my research program is interested in how we can leverage diabetes technology to improve outcomes in pregnancies complicated by type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.   Contact: Jennifer.Yamamoto@umanitoba.ca Currently accepting students.  
View Bio