Media Releases

SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan (USask) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Agtech Accelerator, accentuating the university’s role in the innovation ecosystem and building a pipeline of talent for the agricultural industry.

SASKATOON – A University of Saskatchewan (USask) dentistry research team has proved the usefulness of a method of simulating tooth decay that can allow researchers to test new treatment options without a large expense.

SASKATOON – Acclaimed poet and community-based educator Zoey Roy (BEd’17, MPP’21) has been selected as the next Indigenous Storyteller-in-Residence for an eight-week residency with the University Library at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) beginning in December.

SASKATOON – Today, the Métis Nation– Saskatchewan (MN–S) government and the University of Saskatchewan (USask) signed an agreement on Métis citizenship and identity. The agreement will ensure the university will rely on the objectively verifiable MN–S Citizenship Registry to assess eligibility for Métis based opportunities at the university. This is a precedent-setting partnership between a Canadian University and a Métis Government.

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Arts and Science professor Dr. Raymond Spiteri (PhD) is the recipient of the 2021 Mitacs Award for Exceptional Leadership.

SASKATOON – Three of Saskatoon’s hospital foundations have partnered to donate $230,000 in support of Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research at the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO).

REGINA – Two of Canada’s leaders in agriculture and agri-food education and applied research, Olds College and the University of Saskatchewan (USask), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate in joint activities related to automation and increased incorporation of digital data in agriculture.

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers from the College of Nursing and the College of Medicine are collaborating to improve the virtual care experiences of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Saskatchewan.

SASKATOON – The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and pewaseskwan—the Indigenous Wellness Research Group (IWRG) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask)—have signed a memorandum of understanding on Nov. 23 to commemorate the start of a research alliance.

SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) fourth annual USask EcoHack event wrapped up after tallying the public vote on three shortlisted projects.

SASKATOON – As Thanksgiving rolls around in the United States, Americans will gobble up nearly 46 million turkeys over the holiday long weekend, just as Canadians devoured 2.5 million of the birds on this occasion in October.

SASKATOON – Pewaseskwan - the Indigenous Wellness Research Group based in the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Medicine, is hosting the Sask Stories Provincial Conference on HIV and Hepatitis C Wise/Promising Practices on November 25 and 26, 2021.

SASKATOON – The organizing committee of the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Viral Hepatitis is hosting a virtual conference about lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic by global Indigenous communities that are also impacted by viral hepatitis.

SASKATOON – Two new exhibitions at the Diefenbaker Canada Centre (DCC) on the University of Saskatchewan (USask) campus will showcase the experiences of many Indigenous children who attended and were deeply affected by Canada’s residential school system. The exhibits will also provide visitors with an opportunity to reflect on their path with reconciliation.

SASKATOON – A new partnership between the University of Saskatchewan (USask) Language Centre and the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce (SCC) will support SCC members and their employees by delivering English courses geared toward professional development.

SASKATOON – As a wrap-up to the fourth annual USask EcoHack event, University of Saskatchewan (USask) students have completed their hackathon projects related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11: Inclusive, Safe, Resilient, and Sustainable Cities, and the community of Saskatoon is invited to judge the shortlist of final presentations.

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have been studying why Saskatchewanians have been refusing or hesitating to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers are part of a global team that used DNA to track the genetic evolution and migration of the chickpea, offering insights that could lead to more nutritious and adaptable varieties.

SASKATOON – In commemoration of Remembrance Day, registration is now open for a free online course, led by University of Saskatchewan (USask) health researchers, for service dog organizations working with veterans.

SASKATOON – As part of a national initiative to mark the 50th anniversary of Gerhard Herzberg’s Nobel Prize, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) is naming the main experimental hall of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) and a prominent physics lecture theatre on campus after the renowned scientist.

SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan (USask) will host its Remembrance Day wreath-laying ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 1:30 pm at the Memorial Gates on campus.

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) PhD student Jensen Cherewyk has been awarded one of Canada’s most prestigious doctoral scholarships for leading-edge research into an overlooked compound formed by a toxic fungus in forage grasses and cereal grains that threatens human and animal food safety.

SASKATOON – The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has received approximately CAN$6 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

SASKATOON – Italian poet Dante Alighieri’s epic poem Divine Comedy (Commedia) is now available for free and in richer detail than ever before, thanks to a new online platform created with University of Saskatchewan (USask) research.

SASKATOON – The Board of Directors of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) regrets to announce the resignation of its Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Steven Webb (PhD).

SASKATOON – Research from a University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Medicine team will help develop medications that can inhibit the nerve cell damage that occurs due to diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).

SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) College of Law is taking a leadership role in the second annual National Access to Justice Week from Oct. 25-29. This year’s theme is inclusivity with a focus on Truth and Reconciliation.

SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan (USask) will honour two individuals who have made major contributions to their communities and the country, with special tributes during this year’s virtual Fall Convocation online celebration.

SASKATOON – Scientists are studying ways for plants and their associated microbes to clean up wastewater from oil sands operations.

SASKATOON – Over 95 per cent of the on-campus community at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have submitted a status of “fully COVID-vaccinated.”

SASKATOON – A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team has found that wearing face masks to protect against COVID-19 during play does not affect the sport performance of youth hockey players aged 9-14. Parents of a hockey player under the age of 12 can rest assured that their child can be protected from COVID-19 while still playing at their best.

SASKATOON – A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team is exploring how to increase access to breast cancer screening for Syrian refugee women in Saskatchewan.

SASKATOON – More than one-third of Canadians don’t trust parents to keep their children home from school if they develop COVID-19 symptoms.

SASKATOON – Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) are hopeful new understanding of cellular defects related to Cystic Fibrosis (CF) could help pave the way for treatment of the disease.

SASKATOON – Dr. Alyson Kelvin (PhD), a scientist at the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), was awarded close to half a million dollars to assess COVID-19 vaccine efficacy including against virus variants in vulnerable populations. Vulnerable populations including immunosuppressed individuals and those of older ages typically have less effective vaccine responses.

SASKATOON – The City of Saskatoon and the University of Saskatchewan (USask) recently collaborated on a study to determine if chemicals that leach from rubber tires are entering the stormwater system. Water that enters storm drains, through snowmelt or rain runoff, flows into the South Saskatchewan River.

SASKATOON – The new University of Saskatchewan (USask) Insect Research Facility (USIRF) will be the first of its kind in a western Canadian university and one of only a handful of facilities in the country specifically designed to conduct research on arthropod plant pests and beneficial insects.

SASKATOON – Today Innovation Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Agriculture announced combined multi-year funding of $3.2 million to the Global Institute for Food Security’s (GIFS) new engineering biology centre at the University of Saskatchewan.

SASKATOON – A PhD project in the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) School of Public Health (SPH) has identified ways the already-strong KidsFirst North program in northern Saskatchewan can have an even greater impact on the health of Indigenous children.

SASKATOON – Seven University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have been awarded nearly $445,000 in funding to support multiple projects that bridge history and social innovation.

SASKATOON – During the week of Sept. 27, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) will recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a series of events supporting efforts to raise awareness, and encourage reflection and education acknowledging the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools.

SASKATOON – A pair of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers will receive in excess of $2.4 million for two projects using Indigenous ways of being and doing to influence change in the justice system and delivery of mental health and addictions services.

SASKATOON – Following a successful phase of operations and a new corporate strategy, Nutrien, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have endorsed the renewed direction of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS), reconfirming their Memorandum of Agreement and additional funding to support the institute’s next phase of growth.

SASKATOON – The identification of the presence of recreational drugs and industrial chemicals in Saskatoon’s wastewater system are just two of the discoveries coming from a University of Saskatchewan (USask) and City of Saskatoon research partnership.

SASKATOON – Two new exhibitions at the Diefenbaker Canada Centre (DCC) on the University of Saskatchewan (USask) campus will provide visitors with a rare opportunity to view never before displayed artifacts.

SASKATOON – Saskatchewan’s residency training program is being expanded in the southeastern part of the province, the Department of Academic Family Medicine (DAFM) within the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Medicine and Saskatchewan Health Authority announced today.

SASKATOON – In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Gerhard Herzberg’s Nobel Prize this fall, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) chemistry department has created a new student award—the Herzberg International Equity Award—which will assist almost 50 students from 20 countries this year.

SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) most generous alumni, Ron and Jane Graham, are supporting Huskie Athletics, the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), the College of Education, and the College of Engineering with a multimillion-dollar donation.

SASKATOON – Less than a month after the launch of vaccination requirements at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), 91 per cent of the campus community have submitted a status of “fully vaccinated”.

SASKATOON – According to the latest figures from the Saskatchewan Coroners Service, the province is on track to have 378 overdose deaths this year—continuing a tragic upward trend that began in 2016.

SASKATOON – Four projects focused on improving life for Saskatoon residents will move forward thanks to Research Junction, an innovative partnership between the City of Saskatoon and University of Saskatchewan (USask).

SASKATOON – Cole Willmann and Eva Sosnina have been named the University of Saskatchewan (USask) 2021 recipients of the prestigious Schulich Leader Scholarship, the largest science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) scholarship in Canada.

SASKATOON – Three University of Saskatchewan (USask) leaders and researchers have been inducted as fellows into the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS): Dr. Volker Gerdts (DVM, PhD), Dr. Walter Siqueira (DDS, PhD) and Dr. Cheryl Waldner (DVM, PhD).

SASKATOON – A University of Saskatchewan (USask) project will create the province’s only tumour bank and—for the first time in Canada—offer ovarian cancer patients testing to learn if biologic drugs can control their illness.

SASKATOON – More water lies within the Earth’s continental crust than previously thought, according to new estimates published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, which indicates the planet’s land mass groundwater is the largest store of water in any form, larger than ice sheets.

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher Dr. Malcolm King (PhD) has been named a fellow in one of Canada’s oldest and most prestigious national institutions.

SASKATOON – Muted by the eventual avalanche of news reports about the emerging COVID-19 crisis was an announcement in fall 2019 that a quantum computer developed by Google had performed a complex calculation in 3.3 minutes that would have taken the world’s fastest supercomputer 10,000 years.

SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan (USask) and the City of Saskatoon have reinforced a joint pledge that aims to speed up the transition to a green community.

SASKATOON – A University of Saskatchewan (USask) research team has identified that concussion recovery can take much longer than many people think, due to a series of biological events following a blow to the head that can take upwards of four weeks to resolve.  

SASKATOON – As of the first day of classes on Thursday, Sept. 2, enrolment at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) for the fall term is up by one per cent.

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have uncovered a potential new pathway to fight rapidly growing, oxygen-starved cancerous tumours, including an aggressive form of breast cancer.

SASKATOON – As farmers adopt high-tech irrigation systems to manage water use for economic, conservation, and environmental reasons, University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers suggest policymakers should enact measures to curb an “agricultural rebound phenomenon” that increases water demand over time.

SASKATOON – Malcolm and Marilyn Leggett have long recognized the importance the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has on the local community.

SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan (USask) and Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority (Wanuskewin) have signed a renewed memorandum of understanding (MOU) to serve as a foundation for a dynamic, productive, and evolving relationship in the service of Indigenous education and opportunities for growth and mutual development.

SASKATOON – A first-of-its-kind project at the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) is using cutting-edge laser synchrotron technology to image live plants and allow for more efficient crop breeding.

SASKATOON – As a response to the COVID-19 fourth wave now underway across Canada, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) will expect all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated this fall with World Health Organization (WHO)-approved COVID-19 vaccines before entering USask campuses.

SASKATOON – Four University of Saskatchewan (USask) research teams have been awarded nearly $678,000 by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for equipment and labs to support leading-edge research in big data analytics, high-speed imaging of heart development, modernizing electrical networks, and expanding computer capacity to process huge volumes of historical data related to Indigenous sovereignty.

SASKATOON – Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and University of Calgary have found unusually high rates of Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atrophy, also known as Kennedy’s Disease, a rare neuromuscular disorder, among Indigenous people in Saskatchewan.

SASKATOON – The Oẏateki Partnership is a unique collaboration designed to transform the education and employment systems in Saskatchewan in service of Indigenous young people. Over the next five years, this bold initiative will support 32,000 First Nations and Métis youth on their path to post-secondary education, throughout their education and training, and as they transition to meaningful employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

SASKATOON – New research found caterpillars defend themselves against parasitic wasps using weapons also found in another enemy—viruses.

SASKATOON – The number of First Nations people in Saskatchewan living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) more than doubled from 1999 to 2016, according to research recently published by University of Saskatchewan (USask) community health and epidemiology researchers.

SASKATOON — Threats to Canada’s endangered woodland caribou can be traced back to spruce budworm infestations and salvage logging, says a paper co-authored by University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher Dr. Philip McLoughlin (PhD).

SASKATOON – Between May 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021, the number of students attending the University of Saskatchewan (USask) totaled 25,965, which is an overall increase of one per cent compared to the previous year and the highest enrolment to date.

SASKATOON – To help protect Saskatchewan residents from emerging disease threats, Hospitals of Regina Foundation (HRF) has invested $150,000 to help establish Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research at the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO).

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers along with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and CHEP Good Food Inc. are working together to better understand the historical roots of food insecurity and food sovereignty in the province, and design a path to a more sustainable future.

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) PhD students Fidelia Anulika Orji, Jocelyn Peltier-Huntley, and Gabrielle Iakotennikonhrare Doreen have been awarded the prestigious 2021 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. The annual award recognizes researchers who demonstrate academic excellence, research potential and leadership ability.

SASKATOON – One of the newest scientists at the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) has published new research on potential lasting effects of COVID-19.

SASKATOON – A new Beef Industry Integrated Forage Management and Utilization Chair will be established at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) to connect the study of soils, plants, animals, economics, and ecosystems to tap into forage crops’ full range of benefits.

SASKATOON – A once popular high-protein legume crop with potential to make farming more environmentally sustainable is poised for reinvigorated popularity, thanks to an international research team, including plant geneticists from University of Saskatchewan (USask).

SASKATOON – A new exhibition at the Diefenbaker Canada Centre on the University of Saskatchewan (USask) campus will provide visitors with a rare opportunity to view an authentic Second World War Enigma cipher machine.

SASKATOON – The University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) College of Medicine will expand its teaching and learning presence in Regina in August 2022 when that campus will become home to about 40 first-year medical students.

SASKATOON – The fourth report from the Confederation of Tomorrow 2021 Survey has found that seven in 10 Canadians believe individuals have a role to play in reconciliation—a proportion that is higher than either of the previous two years.

SASKATOON — Nearly one in three Canadians have flouted public health guidelines on COVID-19, justifying it mostly to see friends or family. Meanwhile, more than one in five have had a falling out with friends or family members because of conflicting views on the pandemic.

RBC commits $1 million to expand the RBC Learn to Work, Work to Learn program

SASKATOON – Today, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and the Canadian Light Source (CLS) are announcing the retirement of Professor Robert Lamb, CLS executive director, effective this fall.

SASKATOON – Today the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) announced positive interim results from their Phase 1 clinical trial for COVAC-2, VIDO’s COVID-19 subunit vaccine candidate.

SASKATOON – Researchers from the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and the University of Regina (U of R) have collaborated with leading public policy organizations across the country to release the third report from the Confederation of Tomorrow 2021 Survey of Canadians.

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher Dr. Yongfeng Ai (PhD) has been awarded $2.5 million through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to improve the processes of transforming pulses into novel food ingredients, new bioplastics, and high-value biomedical materials.

SASKATOON – An international team led by Dr. Tatiana Nomokonova (PhD), assistant professor of archaeology and anthropology in the College of Arts and Science at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), will investigate the 2,200-year history and ongoing importance of reindeer herding to Indigenous Nenets and Khanty peoples in the Iamal peninsula of Arctic Siberia.

SASKATOON – A new Indigenous-led centre for research on HIV, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and sexually transmitted blood-borne illness (STBBI)—focused on Saskatchewan and Manitoba—has officially launched.

SASKATOON – With a five-year Insight Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of nearly $214,000, Dr. Benjamin Hoy (PhD), assistant professor of history in the College of Arts and Science at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), and assistant librarian Sarah Rutley aim to advance knowledge about how Canada and the United States project power and exercise justice on their citizens living across the border.

SASKATOON – If no changes are made to the rate of global greenhouse gas emissions, storms that used to occur every 20 years on average will instead occur every seven by the end of the century.

SASKATOON – A multidisciplinary research team led by Dr. Scott Thompson (PhD), assistant professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Science at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), will use an award of $400,000 over five years to study prairie police services’ use of street checks—“carding”—to determine community impacts of the controversial practice that’s often criticized for unfair treatment of persons based on race and socioeconomic status.

SASKATOON – University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have been awarded nearly $5.7 million from Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s (NSERC) Discovery Grants Program to support 32 wide-ranging projects.

SASKATOON – Take a unique-in-Canada science project, inject $1.65 million, add brilliant young scientists from Saskatchewan and around the world, and mix in a rigorous set of professional development opportunities—that’s the recipe for a new training program just launched by the University of Saskatchewan (USask), thanks to new funding from Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

SASKATOON – Saskatchewan residents can give input about COVID-19 public health measures by using their smartphones to respond to a series of five-minute surveys.