Triad training frame of the GREAT Program
Basic
Research
Gasotransmitters
Clinical
Practice
GREAT
Community
Health
Gasotransmitter REsearch
Selected references
Abraham NG. (2003) Therapeutic applications
of human heme oxygenase gene transfer and
gene therapy. Curr Pharm Des., 9(30):25132524.
Furchgott RF. (1999) Endothelium-derived
relaxing factor: discovery, early studies, and
identification as nitric oxide. Biosci Rep.,
19(4):235-51.
Marks GS, Brien JF, Nakatsu K, McLaughlin BE.
(1991) Does carbon monoxide have a
physiological function? Trends Pharmacol Sci.,
12(5):185-8.
And Training Program
Program Director:
Professor Rui Wang, MD, PhD, FAHA
Department of Physiology
B4.4 Health Sciences Building
University of Saskatchewan
107 Wiggins Road
Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
E-mail: wangrui@duke.usask.ca
Tel. 306-966 6592, Fax. 306-966 6532
Direct enquiries to:
Ogden JE, Moore PK. (1995) Inhibition of nitric
oxide synthase-potential for a novel class of
therapeutic agents? Trends Biotechnol., 13:7078.
Shah AM, MacCarthy PA. (2000) Paracrine and
autocrine effects of nitric oxide on myocardial
function. Pharmacol. Ther., 86(1):49-86.
Wang R. (2003) The gasotransmitter role of
hydrogen sulfide. Antioxidant Redox Signal.,
5:493-*501.
Wang R. (2002) Two's company, three's a
crowd - Can H2S be the third endogenous
gaseous transmitter? FASEB J., 16: 1792-1798.
Dr Kash Desai
Program Coordinator
A120 Health Sciences Building
University of Saskatchewan
107 Wiggins Road
Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E5, Canada
E-mail: k.desai@usask.ca
Tel. 1-306-966 2723, Fax. 1-306-966 1440
For detailed program information and
application procedure, please visit
our website at
http://www.usask.ca/healthsci/
cardiovascular/gasotransmitters.html
University of Saskatchewan
University of Calgary
Université de Montréal
Queens University
Supported by:
Canadian Institutes of
Health Research
&
Heart & Stroke Foundation
of Canada
GASOTRANSMITTERS
The recently discovered gasotransmitters
form a new class of gaseous endogenous
signaling molecules. They include nitric oxide
(NO), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen
sulfide (H2S). Their criteria differ from those of
classical neurotransmitters.
Research on gasotransmitters is voluminous.
Moreover, bio-molecules such as formaldehyde (CH2O), ethylene (CH2CH2) and
ammonia (NH3) are potential new members of
the class.
This field of gasotransmitter medicine
encompasses biomedical, clinical, health
services, and population health studies. Many
circulatory and respiratory diseases involve
abnormal metabolism and functions of
gasotransmitters.
Our training program aims to produce a
young investigators and knowledge users
committed to the exploration and application
of gasotransmitters in health and disease,
and to provide laboratory medical researchers, clinician scientists and community
health personnel with systematic interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary training. In
the long run, we aim to build capacity in
Canada in the domains of gasotransmitter
research and clinical and community health
applications.
The training program has been formulated,
organized and delivered via four major healthresearch universities across Canada acting in
close co-operation.
M. Sc. & Ph. D. STUDENTSHIPS
are available for a period of two and three
years respectively. Students will be mentored
by leading GREAT Program mentor and will
have an opportunity to interact with other
program mentors and training facilities. They
will take a newly introduced 3 credit course on
‘Gasotransmitter Biology and Medicine’ at the
university of Saskatchewan. They will also
have the option of taking another new course
on ‘Career Development Essentials’.
THE GREAT TRAINING PROGRAM
Research on gasotransmitters has revolutionized conventional concepts on the
homeostasis of circulatory and respiratory
health. However, there is as yet no transdisciplinary training program and the need for
integrated training in this domain has led to
the establishment of the GREAT Program.
The GREAT program is the first and only one
of its kind in the world with a research and
training focus in this area.
TRAINING PROGRAM
OPPORTUNITIES
Canadian Light Source Inc., Saskatoon
The program activities are steered by
seventeen mentors enrolled from among
distinguished health science researchers at
these institutions, with expertise in the field of
gasotransmitters.
The GREAT program mentors have
backgrounds in physiology, pharmacology,
proteomics, genomics, toxicology, psychology, bioengineering, clinical academics and
community health.
POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP
are available for three years for training in the
field of gasotransmitter research under one of
the GREAT Program mentors.
SABBATICAL TRAINING
The GREAT Program also provides a unique
training opportunity to persons from other
disciplines with a keen interest in gasotransmitter research. These include high
school teachers, nurses, research administrators and researchers from non-medical
sciences.