Wave

SPECIAL REPORT NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK BY JOEL SCHLESINGER Some of the most intriguing research currently underway in Winnipeg focuses on the hunt for better treatments for lung-related illness, such as influenza and asthma. And much of this work is being done by a new wave of scientists who are just starting their careers. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. NOW BREATHE OUT. It's a simple, conscious act of a bodily function that normally happens unconsciously all day, every day. As a result, we often take breathing for granted. Our respiratory system works automatically. It provides a steady supply of oxygen to our body, and it removes carbon dioxide waste, too. We don't think about it, it just happens. But without the ability to breathe, we can't live. Indeed, every year, more than 10,000 Canadians die from chronic respiratory illness. It is the third leading cause of death in Canada behind cardiovascular disease and cancer. 24 WAVE It is for that reason that the Manitoba Health Research Council has partnered with various groups, including the Manitoba Institute of Child Health, on a number of research projects related to respiratory illness. Some of these research projects aim to better understand the causes of diseases such as asthma. Others look to better treatments or possible cures. But all are designed to improve the lives of the approximately 75,000 Manitobans who suffer from chronic lung disease. The project teams are headed by some of Manitoba's leading researchers, people who have earned a reputation for their work, at home and abroad. But these teams also include students, young researchers who are just starting to make their mark in the field of medical science. This special report, sponsored by the Manitoba Health Research Council, highlights the some of the work being done in this province, and shines a light on some of the young researchers who are doing it.

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