september, 2015 101 week edition

CatalystSeptember 2016 1

Student Science Journal - Journal étudiant scientifique

September 2015 | septembre 2015Volume 6: Issue 1

101 WEEK EDITION

ÉDITION SEMAINE 101 First Year Flops

Your Body on EthanolDear 101er, think before you drink...

Sleep Clears the Mind... Literally

Sniff for Your Soulmate What is attraction?

Science Survival GuidePAGE 5

PAGE 7

PAGE 7

PAGE 9

PAGE 19

CatalystSeptember 20162

THE TEAM | L’ÉQUIPE

Editor-in-ChiefVanessa Chinyere Nzribe

Production ManagerChristine Wang

Deputy Editor-in-ChiefYen Tran

Illustrations ManagerMariko Sumi

Authors | AuteursKevin AmélétéSetti BelhouariSafia HassanKelsey Huus

Johanne MathieuNooria Rizvi

Aleksandra ShalakhovaMackenzie ShaheenCassidy SwanstsonÉmilie Vaillancourt

Rabecca XuMaria Yakovlev

Editors | EditeursNicole Auclair

Alex ChenEmily Huang

Natashe KasulisOlivia MagwoodVanessa NzribeTanya Yeuchyk

Connie You

IllustrationsVeronica Correia

Jun Yu GaoTania SalikaMariko Sumi Saania TariqAshley Tenn

Christine Wang

Translators | TraducteursHadjar SaidiNooria Rizvi

Featured | Sélectionné(e)sTania Salika

September Contents | Contenu de septembre

Science Survival GuidePAGE 4

Time for Super VisionPAGE 6

Your Body on EthanolPAGE 7

And also...

Articles7The Meeting Point of Arts and Sciences

6Temps pour la vision extraordinaire?La lentille bionique peut aider le porteur à réaliser une vision trois fois supérieure à dix dixièmes dans chaque œil!

9Sniff for Your SoulmateAttraction. What is attraction?

10Interaction Between Apis Mellifera and Red, White and Purple Petunia x Hybrida Grandiflora

17The Value of Integration between Sciences and Social Sciences

21SidaEspoir de la guérison

Interview12Dr. Jennifer Collins on the Role of Communication in ScienceThe OHRI Summer Student Seminars provide students with the opportunity to enthuse and inform their peers about research in a positive and engaging environment.

14L’entrevue Dre Jennifer Collins sur le rôle de la communication en science

Poetry Corner21Epigenetics is yours to create

101 week featured18First Year Flops

19Guide to uOttawa Science Clubs

16A Good Night’s Sleep Clears the Mind... Literally


Dearest readers,I couldn’t be more excited to present to you the Catalyst’s special 101 week issue! You have, in your hands, a completely student

run journal, made with love. We are simply a group of students working together with the goal of presenting current and interesting scientific research in an accessible and entertaining way to our peers in the faculty of Science. Along the way, we wish to share some useful tips and tricks to help you thrive in your studies at the University of Ottawa.

With that in mind, here are my 3 tips:1. Stop Procrastinating. Seriously, stop. Get off your bum and go pick up your uPass before the lines get ridiculous. Roll out of bed

an hour early and go buy your books in the morning. Draft your lab report a couple days early. Start studying for your midterms weeks in advance. Apply for that scholarship right NOW!

2. Maintain a Work-Life-Study balance. You are more than your degree. Seek dynamic and engaging volunteer and work oppor-tunities that reflect your personal values and passions. Take up a hobby or sport. Make new friends and nurture old relationships. Try hard to keep to a regular sleep schedule, eat nutritious foods, and make some use of your gym membership. Remember, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

3. Seek resources. There are literally thousands of people on campus who would be delighted to help you if you simply ask. Have a research question? Ask a librarian! Need money? Head over to the financial aid and awards office. Looking for advice? Try the Men-toring Centre. There are so many amazing services that may be useful to you. Never underestimate the support of friends and family.

University can be hard, but the positive is that you are not alone. We the Catalyst are here to give you, and all science students, a voice and an outlet. So get ready. This may be the most rewarding, eye-opening experience you will ever have in your life.

Wishing you a magnificent year.Happy Reading!

Vanessa NzeribeEditor-in-ChiefThe Catalyst Student Science Journal

Chers lecteurs,Rien ne m’enchante plus que de vous présenter ce numéro spécial pour la semaine 101 au nom du Catalyst! Vous avez dans vos

mains un journal géré entièrement par les étudiant(e)s, rédigé avec amour. Nous sommes simplement un groupe des étudiants et étudiantes travaillant ensemble dans le but de présenter, à nos pairs dans la faculté des sciences, la recherche scientifique actuelle et intéressante d’une manière accessible et divertissante. Sur le chemin, nous souhaitons partager quelques trucs et astuces utiles pour vous aider à prospérer dans vos études à l’Université d’Ottawa.

En gardant tout cela à l’esprit, voici mes 3 conseils pour enrichir votre expérience à l’Université.1. Cessez les tergiversations. C’est une affaire sérieuse. Bouge-toi et aller chercher votre uPass avant que les queues deviennent

ridicules. Sortir du lit une heure plus tôt et aller acheter vos livres dans la matinée. Rédigez votre rapport de laboratoire quelques jours plus tôt. Commencez à étudier pour vos examens plusieurs semaines à l’avance. Postuler aux bourses dès maintenant!

2. Maintenir un équilibre travail-vie-étude. Vous valez plus de votre diplôme. Chercher des occasions de bénévolat et de travail dynamiques et stimulantes qui reflètent vos valeurs et vos passions personnelles. Gardez du temps pour un passe-temps ou un sport. Forger de nouvelles amitiés et entretenir des relations anciennes. Essayez de garder un horaire de sommeil régulier, manger des ali-ments nutritifs, et utiliser votre abonnement à la gym. Rappelez-vous, tous les travaux et pas de jeu fait de Jack un garçon terne.

3. Recherchez des ressources. Il y a des milliers de gens sur le campus qui seraient ravis de vous aider si vous demandez. Vous avez une question de recherche? Demandez à un bibliothécaire! Vous avez besoin d’argent? Rendez-vous au Service de l’aide financière et des bourses. Cherchez-vous à obtenir des conseils? Essayez le Centre de mentorat. Il y a plusieurs services magnifiques qui pourraient être utiles pour vous. Il ne faut jamais sous-estimer le soutien de vos amis et de votre famille.

L’université peut être difficile, mais le bon côté c’est que vous n’êtes pas seul. Le Catalyst vous donne, comme étudiant en science, une voix. Alors je vous en prie, préparez-vous pour une expérience révélatrice et enrichissante.

Mes meilleurs vœux de bonheur et de succès.Bonne lecture!

Vanessa NzeribeRédactrice-en-chefLe Catalyst Journal scientifique étudiant

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief“You gotta listen to your heart, listen to the beat. Listen to the rhythm, the rhythm of the street.

Open up your eyes, open up your ears, get together and make things better by working together.” – Ziggy and the Melody Makers; Arthur Theme Song.

Lettre du rédactrice-en-chef


11. Plan your courses early. When picking

classes for next year, don’t forget to check out

the 3rd and 4th year courses that catch your eye.

Chances are, there are some prerequisites you

should get out of the way early on.

12. Facebook it.

quickly have a Facebook group associated with

them – and if they don’t, you could start one

yourself! These groups allow you to easily share

resources, discuss questions and organize study

groups.

1. Get involved. There are so many options: clubs, sports teams, student councils. You’ll

meet new people, create awesome memories and live university life to the max. Plus, it’ll

make your résumé extra impressive!

3. Be bold. Don’t be afraid to say hello to the person sitting next to you in class or to that guy across from you in your lab section. Big

classes can feel isolating, but they’re the perfect chance to make new friends!

Chemistry might be the last thing you wantto think about at 8:30 on a Monday morning– especially if weekend shenanigans have kept you up late – but showing up is well

worth it. Studies show that class attendance

success.

2. Attend class

Greetings!5. Start a skip jar. Challenge your roommates to put a dollar in the jar every time they skip class – attaching a tangible price to skipping is a great way to break the habit. At the end of the year, donate the money to charity and let someone

schooldays.

6. Try something fun. There is plenty to do in downtown Ottawa: Check out $12 student tickets at the NAC, shopping at the Rideau Centre, food in the Byward Market, or movies at the Bytown!

7. Volunteer.

4. Stay on top of things.

older students say when asked for advice.

but if you value your mental health, keep ahead.

deadlines at once.

10. Have an adventure. You can study abroad via uOttawa’s exchange program or do summer volunteer trips across the globe. The Ontario

from Taiwan to Tanzania!

13. Open your lab manual. Laboratories can be overwhelming: a lot of instructions are thrown at you, you may be working with unfamiliar tools

questions. Carefully prepping the lab ahead of time – reading the manual, creating results tables or looking up unfamiliar terms – will make you feel a lot less lost.

14. Have more fun. Too much school? Take

a haunted walk, have a picnic on Parliament Hill, go skating on the canal (don’t forget the beaver tails!) or visit one of Ottawa’s many museums.

16. Free gym membership for all students at uOttawa! Feeling overworked? Go do some laps in

the pool or show up for a weekly Zumba class – it’s a great way to relax and stay healthy!

17. Visit your profs. They don’t bite – in fact, professors are often far less intimidating than

go ahead and ask ‘em. Plus, it never hurts to be on good terms with your prof.18. Roommate agreement.

It can be a good idea to deal with problems before they happen – sit down together and come to an agreement

about cleanliness, noise, or party etiquette, à la Big Bang Theory.

19. Study the right way. Desperately reading the entire textbook the night

much less stressed – if you study in small, manageable chunks. Better yet, try active studying: instead of passively reading the material, test yourself on it as you go. Look up Psychology by Dr. David Myers for other tried-and-true methods to get the most out of your studying!

20. Free magazine subscriptions. As a uOttawa student, you have access to all of

journals such as Nature. Simply log on to the library website using your uOttawa email and password and get caught up on the latest research! 21. Science buddies. Have questions about your courses? Feeling stressed or overwhelmed? The Science Buddies are here to help! Look for this friendly group of mentors and faculty members in Gendron 075.

22. Try the research experience. It can be competitive, and it can be a lot of work, but it can also be a bucketload of fun wrapped in amazing résumé potential. Summer NSERC scholarships or the uOttawa UROP program are a great way to get into a lab.

23. Procrastination, begone. If you’re always stuck doing the last-minute cram, try a simple trick: mark the dates down a couple days earlier than they really are. You’ll be ready with time to spare.

24. Relax. It may seem like a lot of changes all at once, but you’re not alone. You’ve made it to university; be proud of your accomplishments and look forward

15. Use your resources. There’s an invaluable Math Help Centre in Marion 021, a Physics Help Centre in 2nd

Academic Writing Help Centre next to the FSS building if you’re struggling with papers or lab reports.

by Kelsey Huus, Graduate | Design: Jun Yu Gao 4th year BIM


11. Plan your courses early. When picking

classes for next year, don’t forget to check out

the 3rd and 4th year courses that catch your eye.

Chances are, there are some prerequisites you

should get out of the way early on.

12. Facebook it.

quickly have a Facebook group associated with

them – and if they don’t, you could start one

yourself! These groups allow you to easily share

resources, discuss questions and organize study

groups.

1. Get involved. There are so many options: clubs, sports teams, student councils. You’ll

meet new people, create awesome memories and live university life to the max. Plus, it’ll

make your résumé extra impressive!

3. Be bold. Don’t be afraid to say hello to the person sitting next to you in class or to that guy across from you in your lab section. Big

classes can feel isolating, but they’re the perfect chance to make new friends!

Chemistry might be the last thing you wantto think about at 8:30 on a Monday morning– especially if weekend shenanigans have kept you up late – but showing up is well

worth it. Studies show that class attendance

success.

2. Attend class

Greetings!5. Start a skip jar. Challenge your roommates to put a dollar in the jar every time they skip class – attaching a tangible price to skipping is a great way to break the habit. At the end of the year, donate the money to charity and let someone

schooldays.

6. Try something fun. There is plenty to do in downtown Ottawa: Check out $12 student tickets at the NAC, shopping at the Rideau Centre, food in the Byward Market, or movies at the Bytown!

7. Volunteer.

4. Stay on top of things.

older students say when asked for advice.

but if you value your mental health, keep ahead.

deadlines at once.

10. Have an adventure. You can study abroad via uOttawa’s exchange program or do summer volunteer trips across the globe. The Ontario

from Taiwan to Tanzania!

13. Open your lab manual. Laboratories can be overwhelming: a lot of instructions are thrown at you, you may be working with unfamiliar tools

questions. Carefully prepping the lab ahead of time – reading the manual, creating results tables or looking up unfamiliar terms – will make you feel a lot less lost.

14. Have more fun. Too much school? Take

a haunted walk, have a picnic on Parliament Hill, go skating on the canal (don’t forget the beaver tails!) or visit one of Ottawa’s many museums.

16. Free gym membership for all students at uOttawa! Feeling overworked? Go do some laps in

the pool or show up for a weekly Zumba class – it’s a great way to relax and stay healthy!

17. Visit your profs. They don’t bite – in fact, professors are often far less intimidating than

go ahead and ask ‘em. Plus, it never hurts to be on good terms with your prof.18. Roommate agreement.

It can be a good idea to deal with problems before they happen – sit down together and come to an agreement

about cleanliness, noise, or party etiquette, à la Big Bang Theory.

19. Study the right way. Desperately reading the entire textbook the night

much less stressed – if you study in small, manageable chunks. Better yet, try active studying: instead of passively reading the material, test yourself on it as you go. Look up Psychology by Dr. David Myers for other tried-and-true methods to get the most out of your studying!

20. Free magazine subscriptions. As a uOttawa student, you have access to all of

journals such as Nature. Simply log on to the library website using your uOttawa email and password and get caught up on the latest research! 21. Science buddies. Have questions about your courses? Feeling stressed or overwhelmed? The Science Buddies are here to help! Look for this friendly group of mentors and faculty members in Gendron 075.

22. Try the research experience. It can be competitive, and it can be a lot of work, but it can also be a bucketload of fun wrapped in amazing résumé potential. Summer NSERC scholarships or the uOttawa UROP program are a great way to get into a lab.

23. Procrastination, begone. If you’re always stuck doing the last-minute cram, try a simple trick: mark the dates down a couple days earlier than they really are. You’ll be ready with time to spare.

24. Relax. It may seem like a lot of changes all at once, but you’re not alone. You’ve made it to university; be proud of your accomplishments and look forward

15. Use your resources. There’s an invaluable Math Help Centre in Marion 021, a Physics Help Centre in 2nd

Academic Writing Help Centre next to the FSS building if you’re struggling with papers or lab reports.


Dr. Garth Webb, an optometrist in British Columbia, has created the Ocumetics Bionic Lens. The Ocumetics Bionic Lens can help the wearer see three times better than 20/20 vision. This means that regardless of your age, you would be able to see a distance of up to 9m away!

Patients would have the bionic lens surgically implanted into their eye via a painless procedure which lasts only 8 min-utes long. The surgery is identical to that of a cataract removal surgery and would grant the patient with more than perfect vision immediately.

The question becomes: who is the ideal candidate for this surgery? Dr. Webb says that the bionic lenses are for an individual dependent on glasses or lenses above 25 years old, at an age when the eyes have fully developed.

After eight years of research funded by 3 million dollars, the Bionic Lens provides hope to even the most experienced surgeons who have seen similar devices fail in the past. The Bionic Lens alternative seems better than laser eye surgery, which requires the burning away of corneal tissue. Laser surgery has side effects such as glare and cataracts, and so the bionic lenses are even more idealistic.

So when will these bionic lenses become available? After conducting clinical trials on animals and blind humans, they have been predicted to hit the market in about two years. Hold on to your pair of glasses; there is still some time before you can have the perfect vision!

Reference

Bains, C. 18 May 2015. B.C. Doctor Says Perfect Vision Possible with Bionic Lens [online]. CTVNews. Available fromhttp://www.ctvnews.ca/health/b-c-doctor-says-perfect-

vision-possible-with-bionic-lens-1.2378961 (7 Aug 2015).

by Nooria Rizvi, 3rd year BCH minor in Spanish

Dr Garth Webb, un optométriste en Colombie-Britannique a créé une lentille bionique qui s’appelle « Ocumetics Bionic Lens ». La lentille bionique peut aider le porteur à réaliser une vision trois fois supérieure à dix dixièmes dans chaque œil! Cela veut dire qu’à n’importe quel âge, vous seriez capable de voir jusqu’à une distance de dix mètres!

Les lentilles seraient implantées chirurgicalement dans les yeux des patients grâce à une procédure indolore qui ne durerait que 8 minutes! L’opération oculaire est identique à celle d’une cataracte et restaurerait une vision plus que parfaite au patient immédiatement après.

Donc qui est un candidat idéal pour cette opération chirurgicale? Dr Webb dit que ces lentilles bioniques sont des-tinées à une personne qui utilise souvent des lunettes ou des lentilles, et qui est âgée de 25 ans ou plus, l’âge où les yeux sont complètement développés.

Après huit ans de recherche, financée par 3 millions de dollars, les lentilles bioniques s’attendent à bien réussir dans le marché, comme prévu par des chirurgiens expérimentés qui ont remarqué l’échec des technologies similaires dans le passé. Des lentilles bioniques semblent être une meilleure option que la chirurgie oculaire au laser. Pendant la chirurgie oculaire au laser il faut brûler le tissu cornéen, provoquant des effets secondaires indésirables comme la lumière éblouis-sante et des cataractes. Les lentilles bioniques sont donc encore plus désirables!

Alors, quand est-ce ces lentilles bioniques seront disponibles? Bien sûr après les essais cliniques sont conduits sur des animaux et des humains aveugles. C’est estimé que les essais cliniques prendraient environ deux années. Donc

tenez votre paire de lunettes, il y reste encore un peu de temps avant que vous puissiez avoir la vision parfaite!

par Nooria Rizvi, 3ème année BCH mineur en espagnol


by Cassidy Swanson, 1st year BIO Illustrated by: Saania Tariq, 3rd year BIM

Some people are just lucky. They know from the age of ten what they will focus on in their education, and that field continues to be a perfect fit for them. However,

not everyone is quite so fortunate. In many schools, students must choose between one of two major pathways: the artis-tic and the technical, which often appear to have very little overlap. This separation can ostracize students who have a wider field of interest, and it leaves many wondering how they can pursue a STEM (science-tech-engineering-math) education without losing their innate creativity.

It is easy to believe the stereotypes about working in science - those who do are boring, stuffy, and unimagina-tive, bound to a life of crunching numbers and prodding bac-teria in Petri dishes. However, the truth of the matter is that scientists can and should be just as creative as fine artists, musicians, and writers - building, conceiving, and producing new ideas just as new art pieces are born.

Just as with art, there is no “correct” answer in the sci-ences. In order to solve challenges, scientists have to be inquisitive, designing experiments and methods of interpre-tation that bring them the closest to the truth that they can get. They must work to hone their craft, practicing the scien-tific process until they have all but eliminated their sources of error to get the best result. Just as a pianist must diligently train their fingers to fit the abstract idea of “good music”, a scientist must train their studies to yield the abstract idea of the “best result”. Both stand on the backs of giants - Newton, Bernini, Shakespeare, Curie - yet still attempt to push their craft into the field of the unknown.

With a science education, students have the oppor-tunity to make discoveries. From these, the scientist must imagine new uses, from which come new inventions and applications. It takes a truly innovative mind to use scorpion venom in cancer treatment or to first visualize a double-helix as the basis for life. And so, why do we limit creativity to

artists? Perhaps it is because scientists build their creations with the basis of fact, but true science breaks the boundary of fact to mould new truths, never before studied or even considered.

As concepts are continuously discovered and theo-ries disproven, the world of science morphs into something completely new. Society speaks about art movements and eras in music, but less attention is paid to the generations of science. However, these movements of the technical have transformed society even more tangibly; where would we be without modern medicine, or the technologies that we’ve grown to rely on?

Although the argument may be presented that these are mechanical progresses as opposed to the emotional ones of the arts, science has had an equal share in pro-foundly affecting the minds of society. Over the last cen-tury, science has brought reduced stigma towards mental illnesses, more progressive questioning of medicinal prac-tices, and life-saving treatments that have kept loved ones healthy, to name only a few.

In the words of Earl Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, "Art and science have their meeting point in method.” As a student of science, you have every opportunity to be cre-ative and impactful in the classroom, the lab and in soci-ety as an artist. Despite popular belief, studying in a STEM field will not inhibit your free thinking. It will, in fact, broaden your perspective enormously, and bring out the best of your mind’s creativity.

Works Cited:

Bulwer-Lytton, E.G. 1868.Caxtoniana.Harper, New York.pp. 305.

Markovich, M. 26 September 2014. Scorpion venom leads local doctors to cancer breakthrough[online]. Komo News. Available from http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Tumor-paint-lets-surgeons-see-cancer-before-they-cut-277282681.html?tab=video&c=y (28 July 2015).

Finally attaining the age of majority in your province is an exciting and liberating milestone. For some, it is a symbol of the beginning of adulthood, maturity, and being legally rec-ognized as a citizen of society; for others, it’s party time. The beverage of choice in most adult festivities, what we com-monly call “alcohol”, is often consumed for its psychoactive effects. However, how does drinking make us fundamentally feel less inhibited, more stimulated, and ultimately, drunk? The answer lies with the intake and metabolism of the active

The Meeting Point of Arts and Sciences

by Joanne Audrey Mathieu, 3rd year BIMIllustrated by Christine Wang, 2nd year HSS


ingredient contained in all alcoholic beverages, whether it’s beer, wine, or other strong spirits: ethanol, or ethyl alcohol (C2H6O).

Ethanol is a small two carbon alcohol, soluble in both aqueous and lipid environments due to its small size and the presence of an alcoholic hydroxyl group; this molecule can freely pass from bodily fluids into cells. Upon ingestion, ethanol is absorbed through any mucous membrane it crosses, such as the linings of the mouth or stomach, but largely the small intestine. The speed of the absorption increases with several factors, including a higher ethanol concentration and drinking on an empty stomach; even the carbonation of the drink speeds up ethanol absorption by increasing pressure inside the stomach. After intake, the compound quickly enters the bloodstream and dissolves in the water inside each tis-sue of the body, but primarily the brain, where its negative effects are greatest.

Ethanol binds to the receptor of the neurotransmit-ter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), whose normal effect is to reduce neural activity by allowing negatively charged chloride ions to enter the post-synaptic neuron and render it less excitable. This physiological effect is amplified when alcohol binds to GABA receptors and fur-ther diminishes the neuron’s activity, thus explaining the sedative effects of ethanol, such as slow response times, slurred speech, and woozy feelings. By these means, ethanol touches the central cortex, the seat of the reason-ing mind, making the drinker feel elated and less socially inhibited, but also exercises poor judgement and demon-strates severe motor and sensory impairment. Ethanol also affects the limbic system by subjecting the drinker to exaggerated states of emotion (such as euphoria, ag-gression, or withdrawal) and memory loss.

Along with these cognitive effects, being drunk leads to dehydration and more frequent urination. Stud-ies conducted on rats show that ethanol reduces the cal-cium-dependent secretion of the anti-diuretic hormone, or vasopressin, by blocking voltage-gated calcium channels in pituitary nerve terminals. In turn, reduced levels of this antidiuretic hormone prevent the kidneys from maintain-ing water and thereby increase urine production.

Another reported effect of drinking is a feeling that the room is spinning. This is caused by the lowering of blood density that ethanol induces. When this blood passes through the cupola, an inner-ear receptor that detects the head’s rotation and balance, it distorts the shape of the cupola and bends the ciliated cells, which falsely send an electrical signal to the brain that you are undergoing some kind of rotary acceleration.

One of the best ways ou can get rid of your drunk-en state is to sleep if off. This, however, can lead to a stream of awful symptoms the morning after: headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and cognitive fuzziness, all signs of the infamous hangover. How is it possible to still experience side effects long after the alcohol has been digested? Scientists say the answer could lie in the me-tabolism of the ethanol. The breakdown, or oxidation, of

ethanol occurs as the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase strips electrons from ethanol to form acetaldehyde (C2H4O). Anoth-er enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase, quickly converts the acetaldehyde in aerobic conditions to acetic acid (C2H4O2) – the main component in vinegar – which can then be used to form fatty acids or be further broken down into carbon diox-ide and water. The problem in this conversion is that the first by-product, acetaldehyde, is very toxic. Investigators suggest that a buildup of acetaldehyde could be the reason for hang-overs, as they found in controlled studies that cases of acetal-dehyde poisoning also cause sweating, skin flushing, nausea, and vomiting. However, other research proposes that hang-overs could stem from alcohol withdrawal, where in the body makes compensatory changes in the central nervous system and GABA receptor sensitivity following the cessation of ex-cessive drinking. In short, study results have unfortunately been inconclusive and the aetiology of hangover symptoms remains unknown.

One must also consider the long term side-effects of the consumption of this considerably addictive drug. Habitu-al binge-drinking can lead to serious pathological problems. First, ethanol may lead to brain atrophy and decreased my-elin, an effect that is especially critical in adolescence, as it is when the brain’s prefrontal cortex matures. Studies using preclinical rodent models show that teenage alcohol abuse can significantly alter the course of brain development and structure. Secondly, chronic ethanol metabolism leads to cell death, tissue hardening, and fatty acid deposition in the liver, which may cause fatty liver syndrome, cirrhosis, and ultimate-ly, liver failure. Finally, ethanol and its metabolic by-product, acetaldehyde, are known carcinogens which heighten the risk for cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx, liver, and breast.

All in all, it is well understood that alcohol can be a de-structive force, but it’s safe to say that it can be savoured in vigilant moderation. With that being understood, be careful dear 101er, and think before you drink!

ReferencesDubuc, B.How Drugs Affect Neurotransmitters [online].The Brain from Top to Bottom.

Available fromhttp://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_03/i_03_m/i_03_m_par/i_03_m_par_alcool.html(23 July 2015).

Freudenrich, C.21 Dec 2000. How Alcohol Works [online]. How Stuff Works. Available fromhttp://science.howstuffworks.com/alcohol.htm(20 Jul 2015).

King, M.W.16 Feb 2015. Ethanol Metabolism [online].The Medical Biochemistry Page. Available from http://themedicalbiochemistrypage.org/ethanol-metabolism.php(22 Jul2015).

Kruszelnicki, K.S.19 Jul 2001. Room spins when drunk [online]. ABC Science. http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2001/07/19/329654.htm (18 Jul 2015).

Lathrop, J.28 Oct 2014. Adolescent Binge Drinking Reduces Brain Myelin, Impairs Cognitive and Behavioral Control [online]. University of Massachusetts Amherst. Available fromhttps://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/adolescent-binge-drink-ing-reduces-brain(16 Jul 2015).

Lieber, C.S. 2005. Metabolism of ethanol. Clin. Liver Dis.9(1): 1–35.

Swift, R.&Davidson, D.1998. Alcohol hangover: mechanisms and mediators [online].Alcohol Health & Research World. Available fromhttp://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publi-cations/arh22-1/54-60.pdf (16 Jul 2015).

Wang, X.,Dayanithi G., Lemos, J.R., Nordmann, J.J., &Treistman, S.N.1991. Calcium currents and peptide release from neurohypophysial terminals are inhibited by ethanol. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 259 (2): 705–11.


Attraction. What is attraction? I always thought that attraction was based solely on looks and personality, but boy was I wrong. Recently, I have learned of a guaranteed bona fide way to find that special someone: smell his or her armpit!

After witnessing dogs marking their territory, orchids attracting wasps, and bees emitting alarm signals, it was only a matter of time we discovered odour signalling in humans. (It worked for them, so why not for us?!) Pheromones are chemical signals that are released into the air and provoke physiological reactions when detected. To get a good whiff, focus on areas like the person’s underarms, chest and hair. The more you like his or her scent, the more compatible you are!

Here is one reason why: MHCs, which are also known as major histocompatibility complexes, have been described as “an important set of immune system genes” that are unique to every person (unless you are an identical twin). The proteins generated by the MHCs attach themselves to odorants via the bloodstream and are excreted by bodily fluids, giving people their signature scent. Hence, when you are enamoured with his or her scent, it means you have different MHC codes or in other words, dissimilar immune systems. The more contrasting they are, the more immunocompetent and healthier your possible offspring will be. (Even if you do not want children, your body will still pick out the proper suitor to better aid the reproduction of your species. Do not forget that we are animals too!)

Believe it or not, women do have a far greater sensitivity to smells than men. In fact, less than 6 percent of men can identify their personal body odour while 60 percent of women are capable of this. This is due to their evolved maternal instinct to find the best biological match to have a child with. Therefore, a woman must take heed of her body’s warning signals. A good word of advice is for women to stop taking their birth control before they fully commit to the relationship- it distorts their sense of smell! Studies have shown that women on the birth control pill tend to choose men with similar MHCs to their own. It is due to the fact that their estrogen and testosterone levels are not as elevated as they would be had they been off this contraceptive method. So stop using the pill and make sure he is THE ONE!

Can you distinguish a person’s sexual orientation by his or her scent? Studies by researchers Yolanda Martins and Charles Wysocki have demonstrated that your orientation impacts how you perceive smells. They asked heterosexual and homosexual sweat donors to wear pads under their armpits. This enabled a good dose of different pheromones such as androstadienone (from males), estrogen-like odours (from females) and MHC odours. The subjects inhaled the different smells- without knowing the source- and rated them. Interestingly, only gay men liked the smell of gay men and heterosex-uals liked that of other heterosexuals of the opposite gender. Surprisingly, lesbians liked the smell of heterosexuals too; apparently their genetic influences are not as strong as those of gay men and are described as “sex-flexible.’’ Basically, the lesson learned is that you should not worry too much about whether your date is secretly in the closet; your body will tell you!

Due to all the importance of odour signalling in humans, does this also mean that you should abandon body perfumes? The answer is yes! The perfumes and deodorants we use disguise our wonderful scent and even pheromone spray is a gamble. There is not any scientific proof that fragrances actually provoke any physiological response, let alone be effective on every single person (How could it be if we are all genetically different?).

So next time when you are on a date, lean in a bit more and cuddle for a little bit longer. Use this new knowledge to your advantage and let your nose guide you like a compass to your destination!

Works Cited

Agosta, W.C. 1992. Chemical Communication: The Language of Pheromones. Scientific AmericanLibrary, New York. pp. 84-92.

Bhutta, M.F. 2007. Sex and the nose: human pheromonal responses. J R Soc Med 6: 268-274.

Hadhazy, A. 13 Feb 2012. Do Pheromones Play a Role in Our Sex Lives? [online]. Scientific American. Available from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/phero-mones-sex-lives/ (27 Jul 2015).

Kaplan, M. 1 Jan 2014. Pheromones in Humans: Myth or Reality? [online]. Available from http://www.anapsid.org/pheromones.htm (27 Jul 2015).

Pincott, J. 2008. Do Gentlemen Really Prefer Blondes? Bantam Dell, New York. pp. 28-61.

Rosenblum, L.D. 2010. See What I’m Saying: The Extraordinary Powers of Our Five Senses. W. W. Norton & Company, New York. pp. 90-92.

by Meghan O’Meara, 2nd year MAT


Apis mellifera, a Latin term for “honey-carrying bee”, is a worldwide species known for their hon-ey-making abilities. This species originates from

African countries and are more active in warmer climates. Since the honeybees are now being used to produce hon-ey for humans, they are found all over the world including Europe, India, China and the Americas. For this reason, honeybees are very abundant in the natural habitats of Canada.

Honeybees visit approximately 225,000 flowers a day, but which ones? Is floral colour a factor to which flowers they will visit? The main question analyzed for this study is if honeybees are equally attracted to differ-ent coloured flowers. The study was conducted at a local apiary in Manotick, Ontario and the specific type of flower used in this study was Petunia x hybrida Grandiflora (Pe-tunia); the reason being they produce abundant and large flowers. Honeybees prefer flowers that are of this size as

InteractIon between apIs mellIfera and

red, whIte and purple petunIa x hybrIda GrandIflora

by Émilie Vaillancourt, 3rd year BPSIllustrated by: Ashley Tenn


it is easier to land on and pollinate them.

Figure 1: Colour spectrums: humans vs. honeybees

The colours of Petunias used in this study were red, white and purple. Honeybees were equipped with green, blue and ultraviolet (UV) receptors. However, the UV receptor could not be tested because humans are not equipped to see UV. This being said, it would be difficult to know which plants absorb UV wavelengths and which ones do not. In spite of this, a new technology created at the University of London called the Floral Reflectance Da-tabase (FReD) allows researchers to see the plant from the bee’s point of view; that is, to see the flowers with a UV spectrum. The FReD was created using spectrore-flective measurements of plants allowing the researcher to view the plant using a variety of spectrums including UV. This study aimed to determine which colour of Petu-nia the honeybees are most attracted to and the scientific explanation behind this behaviour.

Figure 2: Apis mellifera attracted to a white Grandiflora Petunia x Hybrida

The interaction between Apis mellifera (honeybee) and red, white and purple Petunia x hybrid Grandiflora was measured using frequencies to determine which colour was more attractive to the honeybees. The three flower baskets were placed 2m apart from each other in a honeybee field. The bees were examined while naturally interacting with the plants on three separate trials and the frequencies were noted each time. The results indicated that honeybees were most attracted to the white flow-ers followed by the purple and finally the red. This was because honeybees have UV receptors enabling them to see the flower petals as an ultraviolet nectar guide around the stigma (middle) of the flower. They could not see the red flowers because their eyes do not contain red receptors needed to absorb red wavelengths.

White flowers have a combination of all visible co-lours. To humans, we see this flower as being just white, but honeybees see it differently because their colour spectrum is different than ours. They have the ability to see UV wavelengths due to their UV receptors which constitute a part of their eyes. The eye of the Apis mel-lifera is made of 5000 units called ommatidia (plural of

ommatidium). Each ommatidium contains nine photore-ceptors for which four of them are green, two of them are blue, and three of them are UV receptors. They do not have the required receptor to filter the colour red because their spectrum ends at approximately 625 nm, and red wavelengths are much longer than this. However, both bees and humans can see blue and green. The purple flowers are less visited than the white ones, but more than the red. This can be explained because there is no purple wavelength being absorbed by the flower; rather it is a combination of red and blue wavelengths. Since the Apis mellifera can only see the blue wavelengths emitted in the purple flower, they are less likely to be attracted to them.

Orban and Plowright did a similar study to mine in 2014 where they focused on the Apismellifera’s attraction to flowers. Instead of only comparing flower colours like my study, they tested many different visual cues, such as colour, flower patterns, floral size, and floral species. This allows the researchers to compare all data from different variables in order to see if the results obtained are inde-pendent or not. Amongst all of their observations, one of them was the colour. They found that honeybees are most attracted to flowers containing wavelengths between 410 nm – 530 nm. This would be green coloured flowers and flowers containing ultraviolet wavelengths. Another study done by Giurfaet al. came to the same conclusions as Orban and Plowright. However, they were only testing colour preference and not any of the other visual cues. In comparison to my results, they were very similar. I found that the honeybees were more attracted to the white flow-ers, which contain UV receptors. However, I did not test green flowers, which would lead to a larger spectrum of colours being tested and thus, more conclusive results. Orban and Plowright as well as Giurfaet al.’s results were much more in depth as they tested many different colours whereas I only tested three.

To conclude, Apis mellifera was more attracted to white Petunia x hybrid Grandiflora because of their ultra-violet factor and less attracted to the red ones because they do not have the receptors in order to see the colour red. Hence, this study disproves the statement that hon-eybees are attracted to all colours equally. Works cited

Chittka, L.&Kevan, P.G. 2005. Flower colour as advertisement. Practical Pollina-tion Biology. Enviroquest Ltd. 4: 157-196.

Chittka, L., McOwan, P.&Savolainen, V. 2010. FReD: The Floral Reflectance Database- A Web Portal Analyses of Flower Colour. PLOS one.5: 12.

Chittka, L.& Wells, H. 2004. Color vision in bees: mechanisms, ecology and evolution. Complex Worlds from simpler nervous systems; MIT Press. 47: 165-191.

Giurfa, M., Nunez, J., Chittka, L.& Menzel, R. 1995. Colour preferences of flow-er-naïve honeybees. Journal of Physiology.177: 247-259.

Han, F., Wallberg, A., & Webster, M. 2012. From where did the Western honey-bee (Apismellifera) originate? Ecology and Evolution.2: 1949-1957.

Ismail et al.2013.Evaluation of pollen collected by honey bee, Apismellifera colo-nies. Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Science.12: 129-135.

Orban, L.&Plowright, C. 2014. Getting to the start line: how bumblebees and honey-bees are visually guided towards their first floral contact. InsectesSociaux. 61: 325-336.

West Mountain Apiary. 2015. Colors Bees See [online]. Available from http://westmtnapiary.com/Bees_and_color.html (16 July 2015).


With the globalization of scientific research, it is be-coming ever more apparent how effective communication can facilitate intellectual discussion and engagement. Indi-cators of research activities across the world bear witness to this explosion of scientific capacity amidst a strong trend toward international collaboration. As these global networks in science flourish, it is important that we build upon this phenomenal growth and plan for the future by investing in training for young scientists today. Programs such as the OHRI Summer Student Seminars, organized by Dr. Jenni-fer Collins and Dr. Mehdi Shafa, provide students with the opportunity to enthuse and inform their peers about re-search in a positive and engaging environment. Almost fifty students participate in this program each summer. During weekly meetings, students present ten-minute seminars on their research and engage in a subsequent Q&A period with the audience, student evaluators, as well as the coordina-tors. In an interview, coordinator Dr. Jennifer Collins shares her views on the role of communication in science.

Q: Dr. Collins, you have been leading this program as the coordinator for the OHRI summer student sem-inars for a few years now. What has first sparkedyour interest in leading this program for undergraduate stu-dents?

During my PhD studies in the Netherlands, I super-vised a number of under- and postgraduate students, which I thoroughly enjoyed. One of the things all of them always struggled with, because they had never learned it during their studies, was how to deliver a compelling presentation or write a report that flowed well. Of course, these were some of the skills they were supposed to pick up along the way when doing their internships in the lab. Although I always trained my students to the best of my abilities in this respect, I’ve often noticed than many other students wouldn’t get the same chance because they had supervi-sors that were just too busy or plainly didn’t care about this aspect of their training. I think that training in a skill as cru-cial as science communication should be accessible to ev-

eryone. When the position for summer student coordinator opened up three years ago, I thought it would be a really fun and informal way to contribute to this. Plus, I just really like working with students!

Q: Why do you think it is important for undergrad-uate science students to practice giving oral presenta-tions and to participate in seminar programs such as this one?

When you work in science, especially when you’re still training, you’re very much at the bottom of the food chain and you want to show how much you’ve learned. The big-gest mistake people make, especially early on, is to assume that a) science is very serious and must therefore sound very boring and b) everybody in the room surely must know a lot more than you (especially if senior scientists are pres-ent). What students often don’t realize is that they are the experts on their subject, and know more about their sub-ject than 99% of the people in the room. By assuming that everybody knows more than you, you end up losing your audience’s interest, as they simply don’t understand what you are talking about. As a result, people won’t pay atten-tion to you, and won’t give you that crucial feedback that might propel your research forward. The most important

THE INTERVIEWDr. Jennifer Collins on the Role of Communication in Science

by Rebecca Xu, 4th year BIMIllustrated by: Mariko Sumi, 4th year PHY


thing is to tell a compelling story, in which you explain your thought process and interpret what your results mean for the big picture. This way, everybody should be listening to your every word and think along with you. The most useful feedback and collaborations can often come from people who research differently than yours, because of the diverse perspectives. By participating in the OHRI summer student seminar program, in which everybody is equal yet from dif-ferent fields of research, I hope that students get a stage that is not intimidating so that they can practice their story telling.

Q: What do you hope students take away from this program?

I hope that they see the fun in engaging with their au-dience by telling their story, which can be a challenge, and realize that they are the experts and champions of their re-search.

Q: One of the components of this program is to have students not only present their research, but to also evaluate their peers. Why is peer-evaluation im-portant?

Peers are the harshest yet most honest of evalua-tors. In my personal experience, it can be easier to accept criticism from someone senior to you, but getting criticism from someone who is just like you really makes you think and look at yourself in a different way. In a way, being the peer-evaluator is an even more important experience. It forces you to really look critically at other people’s presenta-tions, and makes you think about what you think works well, or what you think might have worked better. Unconscious-ly, it also makes you reflect upon your own presentation in a similar way. The most important part is to give well-bal-anced constructive feedback: what worked well, and how could certain parts have been better? How would you like to receive constructive feedback from your peers? At the end of the day, it makes both parties better presenters.

Q: Do you believe communication in science dif-fers from communication in our daily lives?

Aside from the jargon, I think that it doesn’t differ that much at all. When you talk to people, you always want to have an interesting conversation or tell a compelling story; otherwise, people will easily drift off and stop paying atten-tion. You want to make sure you have eye contact, that your

body language is open and engaging and that you get some sort of response from the person opposite to you. I always tell people that the best way of practising science commu-nication is when you’re talking to relatives, friends, or, in my case for example, my fellow choir members. In other words, talk with people from all walks of life when they ask you what type of research you do. It’s the most fun and challenging thing to explain your research in lay terms, using analogies, and to see that flicker of understanding in the other person’s eyes, leading to a whole avalanche of further questions. It is storytelling, and you have to engage with your audience, no matter who they are.

Q: Many emphasize the importance of communi-cation in science. Why do you believe that is the case?

Communication is important for all steps in science. The most obvious one of course is communicating your re-sults, when you publish a research article. But to get there, you need to work together with people. And to get new col-laborations, or interesting feedback from people outside your group, you need to be able to effectively communicate what you’re doing, finding, and why. To be able to do your research, you need to get studentships, and at a later stage in your career, fellowships and grant funding. To get those, you need to convince people why your research is so im-portant, exciting, and promising. And last but not least, be-cause most of our funding comes from the public sphere, it is extremely important to get the general public to under-stand and support you in why your research is relevant and important for them as well. Science is often betrayed as be-ing aloof and in an ivory tower, but we’re really not. Com-munication is key.

Q: Given your expertise and extensive research experience, what advice would you offer to undergrad-uate students who are considering getting involved in research or are currently involved in research?

Make sure that you are very excited about the work that you do! Research can be very tough, as there are many disappointments along the way. But if you are truly excited and believe in the work that you do, it will keep you going, no matter what. And make sure you can tell that exciting story to everyone around you!


Avec la mondialisation de la recherche scientifique, il est de plus en plus évident qu’une communication efficace peut faciliter la discussion intellectuelle et l’engagement. Les indicateurs de recherche à travers le monde témoi-gnent de cette explosion des capacités scientifiques au milieu d’une forte tendance à la collaboration intellectuelle. Pendant que ces réseaux scientifiques mondiaux fleuris-sent, il est important de construire sur cette croissance phénoménale un plan futur en investissant dans la formation des jeunes scientifiques d’aujourd’hui. Des programmes tels que les séminaires hebdomadaires pour les étudiants d’été à L’IRHO, organisés par la Dre Jennifer Collins et le Dr Mehdi Shafa, offrent aux étudiants l’occasion d’enthou-siasmer et d’informer leurs paires sur la recherche, dans un environnement positif et engageant. Une cinquantaine d’étudiants participent au programme chaque été. Au cours de réunions hebdomadaires, des étudiants présentent des séminaires de dix minutes sur leurs recherches, puis enga-gent une période subséquente de questions-réponses avec l’auditoire, les étudiants-évaluateurs et les coordinateurs. Dans une interview avec l’un des coordinateurs, la Dre Jen-nifer Collins nous donne son point de vue quant au rôle de la communication en science.

Q: Dre Collins, vous êtes à la tête de ce programme en tant que coordinatrice depuis quelque temps mainte-nant- qu’est-ce qui dès le départ vous a donné envie de diriger ce programme destiné aux étudiants de premier cycle ?

Au cours de mes études en doctorat aux Pays-Bas, j’ai supervisé un certain nombre d’étudiants de premier et deux-ième cycle, chose que j’ai vraiment appréciée. Une des cho-ses avec laquelle ils avaient vraiment du mal, parce qu’ils ne l’avaient jamais apprise au cours de leurs études, c’est comment donner une présentation convaincante ou écrire un rapport bien structuré. Bien entendu, ce sont des com-pétences qui étaient censées être acquises durant les stag-es de laboratoire. Bien que j’aie toujours entrainé mes étudi-ants, au meilleur de mes capacités à cet égard, j’ai souvent remarqué que beaucoup d’autres étudiants n’auront pas la même chance, car leurs superviseurs étaient trop occupés ou tout simplement qu’ils ne souciaient pas de cet aspect de leur formation. Je pense que la formation à une compétence

aussi importante que la communication en science devrait être accessible à tous. Quand trois ans plus tôt le poste de coordinateur d’étudiants en été est survenu, je pensais que ce serait un moyen informel et très amusant de contribuer à cela. De plus, j’aime vraiment travailler avec les étudiants.

Q : Pourquoi pensez-vous que c’est important pour les étudiants de premier cycle de s’entrainer à donner des présentations orales et de participer à des programmes de séminaires comme celui-ci ?

Quand vous travaillez en science, et particulièrement quand vous êtes encore en formation, vous êtes tout en bas de la chaîne alimentaire et vous voulez montrer toutes les connaissances vous avez appris. La plus grande erreur que les étudiants font, surtout au tout début, c’est de supposer que d’une part la science est très sérieuse et doit de ce fait sembler ennuyante. Et d’autre part que tout le monde dans la salle à beaucoup plus de connaissances qu’eux (surtout si des scientifiques chevronnés sont présents). Ce que sou-vent les étudiants ne réalisent pas, c’est que ce sont eux les experts dans leur sujet, et qu’ils en savent plus sur leur sujet que 99% des gens dans la salle. En supposant que tout le monde en sait plus que vous, vous finissez par per-dre l’intérêt de votre auditoire tout simplement parce qu’ils

L ’ e n t r e v u eDre Jennifer Collins sur le rôle de la communication en science

Traduit par Hadjar Saidi, 3ème année BCH


ne comprennent pas de quoi vous parlez. En conséquence, les gens ne prêtent pas attention à vous, et ne vous donnent pas de commentaires constructifs qui pourraient propulser votre recherche vers l’avant. Le plus important est de racon-ter une histoire convaincante, dans laquelle vous expliquer votre processus de pensée et interprétez ce que vos résul-tats signifient à grande image. De cette façon, tout le monde devrait être à l’écoute de vos moindres mots et pensées. Les commentaires et collaborations les plus constructives sont ceux venant de personnes ayant des recherches différentes des vôtres, car ils vont regarder votre problème sous un au-tre angle. En participant au séminaire hebdomadaire pour les étudiants d’été à L’IRHO, dans lequel tout le monde est égal dans différents domaines de recherche, j’espère que les étudiants obtiennent une scène non intimidante sur laquelle ils peuvent s’entrainer à raconter leur histoire.

Q : Qu’espérez-vous que les étudiants retiennent de ce programme ?

J’aimerais qu’ils voient le plaisir dans le dialogue avec leur auditoire en racontant leur histoire, ce qui peut être un défi, et qu’ils réalisent que ce sont eux les experts et les champions dans leur domaine

Q : L’une des composantes de ce programme est de permettre aux étudiants non seulement de présent-er leurs recherches, mais aussi d’évaluer leurs paires. Pourquoi l’évaluation des paires est-elle importante?

Les paires sont les évaluateurs les plus durs et hon-nêtes qui soient. Selon ma propre expérience, c’est plus fac-ile d’accepter les critiques venant de quelqu’un de supérieur à vous, mais recevoir des critiques de la part de quelqu’un comme vous, vous donne une image de vous-même vrai-ment différente. En un sens, être évaluateur des paires est une expérience encore plus importante. Cela vous force à avoir un regard vraiment critique sur les présentations des autres, et vous fait penser à ce qui marche et ce qui ne marche pas, ou ce qui aurait pu mieux marcher. In-consciemment, cela vous fait voir votre présentation de la même manière. La partie la plus importante est de donner des commentaires équilibrés et constructifs : qu’est-ce qui a bien marché, comment certaines parties auraient pu être améliorée? Comment aimeriez-vous recevoir les commen-taires constructifs de vos paires? À la fin de la journée, cela permet aux deux parties de devenir de meilleurs présenta-teurs.

Q: Pensez-vous que la communication en science diffère de la communication dans nos vies quotidiennes ?

Mis à part le jargon, je ne pense pas que cela diffère de beaucoup. Lorsque vous discutez avec des gens, vous voulez toujours avoir une conversation intéressante ou ra-conter une histoire convaincante, sinon les gens vont vite

dériver et cesser de vous prêter attention. Vous devez veill-er à avoir des contacts visuels et que votre langage corporel soit ouvert et engageant. En quelque sorte, vous obtenez une réponse de la part de votre interlocuteur. Je dis toujours aux gens que la meilleure façon de pratiquer la communi-cation en science est de parler à ses parents, ses amis, ou dans mon cas par exemple mes collègues membres de la chorale. En d’autres mots des personnes de tous les hori-zons de la vie. Lorsqu’ils vous demandent quel type de re-cherche vous faites. La chose la plus difficile et amusante est d’expliquer votre recherche dans des termes simples, en utilisant des analogies et de voir les yeux de vos in-terlocuteurs scintiller de compréhension. Ce qui conduit à toute une avalanche de questions supplémentaires. C’est la narration, et vous devez interagir avec votre auditoire, peu importe qui ils sont.

Q : Beaucoup soulignent l’importance de la com-munication en science, pourquoi pensez-vous que c’est le cas ?

La communication est importante pour toutes les étapes en science. La plus évidente est bien sûr la commu-nication de vos résultats quand vous publiez votre article de recherche. Pour y arriver, vous avez besoin de travailler avec des gens et d’obtenir de nouvelles collaborations ou des commentaires intéressants de personne extérieurs à votre groupe. Vous devez être capable de communiquer ef-ficacement ce que vous faites, ce que vous trouvez et pour-quoi. Pour être en mesure de faire vos recherches, vous devez obtenir des bourses, ou plus tard dans votre carrière des financements. Pour obtenir cela, vous devez convain-cre les gens pourquoi votre recherche est si importante, passionnante et prometteuse. Et la dernière raison, mais non la moindre, parce que la plupart de nos financements proviennent de la sphère publique, il est donc très import-ant d’amener le grand public à vous comprendre et à vous soutenir dans la raison pour laquelle votre recherche est si importante et pertinente pour eux aussi. La science est ac-cusée d’être à l’ écart et dans une tour d’ivoire, mais ce n’est vraiment pas le cas, et la communication en est la clé.

Q : Compte tenu de votre expertise et de votre vaste expérience dans la recherche, quels conseils donneriez-vous aux étudiants de premier cycle qui en-visagent de s’impliquer ou qui sont déjà impliqués dans la recherche?

Assurez-vous d’être très excités par rapport au travail que vous faites ! La recherche peut être très difficile, car il y a beaucoup de déception en cours de route. Mais si vous êtes réellement excités et que vous croyez dans le travail que vous faites, vous allez être tenus en haleine, peu im-porte ce qu’il en est. Et assurez-vous de pouvoir raconter cette histoire passionnante autour de vous !


Art of the MonthThe medical world.

Tania Salika4th year, GenSci

An eye peers out suspiciously from behind. This painting depicts medicine as is seen on a personal level. Those in need have a tendency to feel threatened. There is much confusion and more to discovered.

Submit your artwork to [email protected] and you could be featured in our next issue’s Art of the Month!

Why do we sleep? This question has grappled scientists and philosophers throughout history. The benefits of a good night’s rest, as well as the consequences of sleep deprivation, have been very well documented within the scientif-ic community. Yet no one has ever been able find the biological and evolutionary purpose for sleep. Many believe

sleep is a resting period, where the mind reaches a state of inactivity. However, according to a new research conducted by the University of Rochester, during sleep mind is anything but inactive.

Contrary to the rest of the body, the brain lacks the lymphatic vessels needed to eliminate waste and toxins. Yet it uses a quarter of the body’s energy supply. Scientists across the years studied and observed the brain, but could not find its unique process of clearing waste. Which was especially puzzling since many of neurodegenerative diseases are due to cellular waste build up in the brain.The problem was, according to Dr. Nedergaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., that they were studying the living brain.

By studying difference between the living and sleeping brain, Negerdaard and her colleagues found that the instertital space grows larger when the mice are sleeping. Just as it was stated in Live Science, this allows the cerebrospinal fluid to wash more freely through the brain tissue hence dumping toxins and waste into the circulatory system. Where it eventually ends up in the liver. In fact, Dr. Nedergaard and team found that this waste disposal system, called the glymphatic system is ten times more active in sleeping brain than awake ones. She said, “The brain only has limited energy at its disposal and it appears that it must choice between two different functional states – awake and aware or asleep and cleaning up,”.

Hence, the old saying holds true. A good night’s sleep does really clear the mind. As Jeff Ilif puts it in his Ted talk video, this is just “One more reason to get a good night’s sleep”.

Works cited Choi, C. Oct. 2013. A Night’s Sleep Cleans Brain of Harmful Toxins. Live Science. Available from http://www.livescience.com/40510-sleep-cleans-brain-harmful-toxins.html (24

Aug 2015)

Michaud, M. Oct. 2013. To Sleep, Perchance to Clean. University of Rochester Medical Center. Available from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/3956/to-sleep-per-chance-to-clean.aspx (24 Aug 2015)

Iliff, J. Oct 2014, One more reason to get a good night’s sleep. Ted. Availalble from https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_iliff_one_more_reason_to_get_a_good_night_s_sleep/tran-script?language=en (24 Aug 2015)

by Safia Hassan, 1st year BIM


As a soon-to-be graduating Biomedical Science stu-dent, I have had the opportunity to take a number of fundamental and applied biology and chemistry

courses during my undergraduate degree. One of the best parts of studying science here at uOttawa is that you devel-op such a significant foundation to learn and understand the grander scientific phenomena in the world around us.

However, without also equally strengthening our un-derstanding of humanity by including various arts and so-cial-science disciplines in our academic profile, we are not able to take the knowledge gained from our science back-grounds and apply it on a broader scale.

I don’t believe, for most of us, the ability to recall the enzymatic sequence of the citric acid cycle verbatim is going to define our profession in science. Rather, being able to integrate and rationalize the multitude of implications that science and technological advancements will have on the world, is what will have longstanding relevance in our ca-reers.

As a Global Studies minor I have been able to take a number of politics, anthropology, sociology, and globaliza-tion-based courses during my time here.

My social-science professors have been incredibly un-derstanding and accommodating in allowing me to choose health-related themes in all of my major essay and assign-ment topics. Staying true to my interests at heart as first-and-foremost a science student, I believe I have advanced my skills at critical-thinking, reasoning, and above all, empa-thizing, through the integration of diverse coursework.

In order to prepare yourself for a career in the mod-

ern-age of science, you will flourish if you are able to draw upon your multi-disciplinary foundation to pose creative and critical questions, and ponder comprehensive solutions. Creativity, adaptability and critical reasoning are highly val-ued skills in this competitive work force, and being able to synthesize knowledge beyond your primary specialty of study prepares you to incorporate different realms of knowl-edge needed for solving novel problems.

We live in a dynamic global world, in which the integra-tion between science and social science matters, because scientists alone will not solve the problems facing our global community. Science and technology is inadvertently going to be intertwined with ethics and law, with politics, and with government until the end of time. While staying true to the sciences, having an integrated undergraduate education can provide better overall comprehension of global interde-pendencies, allowing you to develop a meaningful under-standing of the complex associations and influences within a topic.

After all, life beyond university will not be stratified into distinctive, mutually exclusive subject material, and working to remove these artificial divisions into a more fluid under-standing of the world will allow you to develop a whole pic-ture of the topics you explore.

More than anything, pursuing studies outside of the sciences has allowed me to foster curiosity and inquiry for large-scale global issues. Rather than simply memorizing and spewing out facts and details, I’ve truly enjoyed inte-grating streams of knowledge that I feel are authentic and worthwhile. I encourage everyone in science to take elec-tives in other disciplines, not only for self-interest, but be-cause I believe it is a wonderful way to prepare as we ven-ture into careers in our global and ever-changing society.

Works CitedCrane M and Chiles T. Why the Liberal Arts Need the Sciences (and Vice Versa).

[online]. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Available from http://chronicle.com/article/Why-the-Liberal-Arts-Need-the/129762/ (3 Aug 2015).

M Freeman and Mathison S. The Logic of Interdisciplinary Studies. [online]. National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement. Available from http://www.albany.edu/cela/reports/mathisonlogic12004.pdf (3 Aug 2015).

The Value of InTegraTIon BeTween Pure and SocIal ScIenceS

by Mackenzie T. Shaheen, 4th year BIMIllustrated by: Christine Wang, 2nd year HSS


How many students are entering their first year of science in the fall? A lot. How many science students will be facing challenges during their first year? A lot. How many students will be telling of their challenges? Not many. Those who have survived first year will often try to forget their bad times and not look back, just like the way one avoids the quicksand from which they’ve been lucky to climb out of. I haven’t had enough experience myself to share any good tips and suggestions on how to survive the first year, not yet. Anyway, given that we are each different, my methods may not be of any help to you. However, as I did survive my fresh-man year in one piece, I will share some of my experiences, especially the tough times, not unlike the ones that you may have before you. Although it will sometimes seem like you have the worst of luck, you can rest assured that there are others around with the same feeling.

Before my first lab session in university, which was for chemistry, I felt a mix of anxiety and excitement, but I also felt very proud. Climbing the steps up to the laboratory, wearing my new white lab coat and goggles, with a clipboard and pen in my hand, I thought I looked so professional that I wanted to take a picture and frame it in my room for mo-tivation. I even styled my hair a bit to make sure I looked presentable before my new lab partner. As soon as I passed the threshold though, my anxiety started to overweigh my confidence: the laboratory looked too huge, with too much unfamiliar, scary-looking equipment, staff that looked too smart for me to bother them, and of course, the lab partner assigned to me had to be good looking (which was not a bad thing, really, but you know…).

I had read the procedure for that day and finished the prelab activity perfectly, but the procedure and methods were mostly unfamiliar, and I was terrified of making a mis-take; while pouring the acid I prayed no one would nudge me, when holding the glassware above my lab bench I prayed my hand would not slip. Unfortunately, both events happened. Fortunately, not a teaspoon of acid spilled, and the glassware did not fall far or crack. The sky had not fallen either, gladly. Mistakes accidentally happened even when I was extra careful. Sometimes some of the slippery base in the beaker got on my hand, so the beaker slipped. Some of the carefully measured powder I poured into the flask did go overboard, and messing up with the valve quickly turned the results of my titration into the colour of a turnip. When such things happened it was rare that I didn’t end up feeling frus-trated and ashamed, the perfectionist that I am, and I even used to grumble to myself angrily while cleaning the glass-ware in the sink afterwards. Near the end of first term once

I had acclimated a bit, I still dreaded coming to the labs, yet ended up feeling relieved and in a good mood nevertheless, especially when the music was turned on above our heads.

There were often times when the lab reports drove me crazy. The material was so foreign, like another lan-guage, and trying to read about it in the textbook for more clarification was only making it more confusing. My eyes were squinting at the text for ages, and I felt like the dumbest soul on campus - Why can’t I get it?! Asking my classmates, who were sitting around with their lab questions in one hand while scratching their heads with the other, did not help me much at first, but they did reassure me - Maybe I’m not the dumbest after all. I think my determination, emails with ques-tions to my TA, and attending tutorials were what saved me those couple of times I felt doomed. Honestly, I wondered how I managed to pass some tasks that year. The feeling of handing in an assignment that I longed to get rid of was either ecstatic when I thought I aced it, or dreadful when I thought I bombed it. Moving onto something else to clear my mind off afterward was essential for the next few hours after that.

For a while my mortal enemies were the online assignments that were due every weekend. On Monday, I would leave them off until later in the week (I still have time, right?), then get caught up in other work. I would only re-member the online assignment that was due on the Friday when my professor emailed us that the next assignment was posted. Because of that stupid habit, I spent many late nights racing the clock and trying to score the maximum on the questions before time ran out. I gave up on several ques-tions that I was stuck on because it was too late to email the professor, and too time consuming to look for the an-swer in the massive textbook or mile-long slideshow from the lecture. I remember the times when assignments were overlapping and reports were due quickly. I remember when I wanted to finish the first task, but instead, I had to attend a DGD to be able to understand the second one. It sometimes seemed pointless to finish an assignment because two more were coming after it; it seemed never-ending. I was sure I was not cut out for university. I complained to myself, and scurried around like a hamster in a cage, multitasking 90% of the time. This probably sounds very depressing, but let me remind you that this was me, making life harder for my-self. I did look back after and changed tactics later on, thank heavens.

First year held many surprises for me, surprises I thought I was ready for. I accomplished things that I would

by Maria Yakovlev, 2nd year BIM


not have imagined I would be able to accomplish when I first applied. I had taught myself how to learn. I trained my mind to become a student’s mind; knowledge-absorbent, perse-verant, and patient. I learned to forgive myself for making stupid mistakes. I learned to complain less and do more. I learned that studying with peers that were as lost as I was and helping each other out made us all feel more confident academically. I realized that after all, it was never about me getting straight A’s, never getting lost on campus, and nev-er having to go to the professor’s office hours because I already know it all (not). Those were standards I placed for myself before I got my student card, back when I thought that getting a good picture taken was a challenge. In the end, I was not the first one to trip on my way up to a seat, or give the wrong answer in front of 15 times more classmates than I’m used to, or getting a mark of D+ instead an A like I expected. What I have written about are only a few exam-ples of the many hard times that first year students must experience. Hardships throughout the year are perfect for testing how far a student is willing to go. I felt stronger after every challenge I passed, and I’ve had an adventure of it. I think that’s what first year’s all about. Enjoy!

illustration by Veronica Correia, 1st year BIM

UOUCS The University of Ottawa Undergraduate Chemistry Society (UOUCS), also known as the ‘Chem Club’, serves as a social framework for bringing students of chemistry and other related fields together. One of the Chem Club’s core missions is to host fun social activities, which aim to instil a sense of community for the students, staff and faculty of not only Chemis-try, but Science in general. Trivia nights such as ‘Are you Smarter than a Chemistry PhD?’, study sessions like ‘the Great Chemistry Review’, and pub outings including the Club’s spring-time ‘Bus Rally’ are just some of the annual events and parties we organize during the year. Everyone with a passion for chemistry is welcome, so come out often! We also produce club merchandise each fall term, such as t-shirts and hoodies. Any purchase you make enables us to organize even better events for you!

The Club also serves as an academic aid to those studying chemistry and related fields. During our weekly office hours, we are happy to discuss issues you might have with your chemistry homework, labs, or course selection, as well as direct you towards resources available on campus to ensure your academic success. In addition to this, we organize scientific seminars throughout the school year on a variety of current, interesting topics.

As a Chem Club member, you have access to nearly all of our events for free, and you will also be the first to hear about them. To become a member (free of charge!), simply visit our webpage (http://www.chem.uottawa.ca/ugradassoc) and click on the ‘Join Us’ tab.

Remember, you don’t need to be working towards a Chemistry degree to join our club; anyone who enjoys the subject is welcome! In fact, if you have ‘alkynes’ of enthusiasm for chemistry and want to join an exciting team, be sure to look out for our Liaison Officer elections later this fall!

Please send us an e-mail at: [email protected] if you have any comments, questions or suggestions; we are very open to organizing new and exciting events.

We look forward to you joining us. Good luck with your studies this year!


U of O Pre-medThe University of Ottawa Premedical Society is a student-based club that strives to help like-minded students achieve a ca-reer in the medical field. Every year the club hosts multiple events such MED101, seminars, and MCAT sessions to prepare students for medical schools in North America. We are proud to say many of our members have managed to get into medical schools in places all over the world, and we are pleased to be part of their success story. The club is open to all students, so feel free to join the group. We would be happy to help you achieve your goals.

www.uopremed.com; www.facebook.com/uottawapremed

Bio-XBio-X is a club for uOttawa science students dedicated to increasing awareness of career/education opportunities in science as well as increasing student involvement in the field of science. We host several free events throughout the year including Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Honours, and Veterinary info sessions as well as events that

provide information about the MCAT, DAT, PCAT, and other graduate admission tests.For any questions about the club or membership, please email [email protected].

The CatalystThe Catalyst is a student science paper committed to educating, entertaining and enlightening students all over campus. Every two months we share the coolest new discoveries in everything from biomedicine to quantum mechanics, chat about faculty events, and keep it light with some of our favourite science-themed humour.

Want to see your name in print? We welcome student submissions. Send us articles, illustrations, or ideas by email-ing [email protected]. Or, join us behind the scenes as we edit, publish and promote The Catalyst. You’ll get to express your love of science in a fun and creative way, and we’d love to have you on the team.

iGEMWe are a group of students from the University of Ottawa participating in an annual competition called International Geneti-cally Engineered Machine (iGEM). Our team’s efforts range from applying biology and engineering to create a gene network, to educating the public about science, and even to finding sponsors. As a result we have many subdivisions to the team suitable for student from all faculties. Unlike many clubs, our team begins its work on the project in the Winter semester, working all through the summer to finally present in November. If you are interested in joining the club, you can email us at [email protected].

IJHSPubliez dans la Revue interdisciplinaire des sciences de la santé !

La RISS est gérée par des étudiants d’uOttawa ; elle accueille recherches originales, essais, et commentaires sur la santé humaine. La revue est bilingue et soumise à une révision par les pairs assurée par des professeurs et des experts, suivant les standards de publication académique.

La RISS est une revue Open Access : nos articles sont disponibles gratuitement, dans l’idée d’un savoir scientifique accessible à tous. Les articles ont été cités à l’international et les professionnels de la santé s’y réfèrent.

Découvrez la RISS et comment vous pouvez faire une soumission : www.riss-ijhs.ca

Get published in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Health Sciences!The IJHS is run by uOttawa students and welcomes original research, essays, and commentaries on human health.

Published in both official languages, the journal is fully peer-reviewed by professors and experts who select articles follow-ing academic publication standards.

The IJHS is an Open Access endeavour: our articles are publicly available at no cost – the essence of free and acces-sible scientific knowledge. Articles have been internationally cited and referred to by healthcare professionals.

Learn more about the IJHS and how you could submit a manuscript for publication:www.riss-ijhs.ca


An amateur marble on top of a hillLooked down with caution to find a good skill.By gravity rolling it searched for its fate.Slowly maturing it got a good trade.

For next generations, day after day,The marbles descendants behaved certain way.In specialized slopes with the same methylationThey served their roles in one valley location.

With chromatin locked they never had freedom.Their lives were predestined, or so it appeared.This way it’d stayed under Waddington’s scheme,Till one day Yamanaka came with his team.

The researchers took the mature somatics,And placed them in dishes. With no mathematicsThe cells got reprogrammed under such special careAnd became pluripotent. For new paths to prepare

Right factors allowed old genes to resurface-The stems can now be enrolled in new service!If you feel stuck, then challenge your state.Epigenetics landscape is yours to create!

ReferencesWang, J., Zhang, K., Xu, L., & Wang, E. (2011). Quantifying the waddington landscape and biological paths for development and differentiation. Proceedings of the Nation-al Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108(20), 8257. doi:10.1073/pnas.1017017108

Epigenetics is Yours to Create

Après l’apparition d’une épidémie apocalyptique du sida à la fin des années 1970, la possibilité de la guérison semblait tout simplement hors de question. Les médica-ments prescrits durant les trentaines prochaines années ne seront que des traitements qui ralentissent la multipli-cation du rétrovirus sans toutefois pouvoir l’éradiquer. On parlait tout simplement d’un virus invincible qui a échappé à tous les pièges qu’on a conçus. Pourtant, de nouvelles études révolutionnaires, à différentes approches, surgis-sent et redonnent l’espoir aux personnes atteintes.

Il y a quelque temps, on ne parlait que du “patient de Berlin”. Ce dernier, appelé Timothy Brown, testé positif au VIH en 1995, ne montre plus de signe d’infection du virus depuis 2007, le seul cas connu. Timothy Brown, atteint du virus, de leucémie et au seuil de la mort, reçoit deux gref-fes de moelle osseuse ayant des cellules immunitaires mu-tantes résistantes au VIH (idée de Dr Gero Hütter, héma-tologue à l’hôpital universitaire de la Charité de Berlin). La mutation touche le récepteur CCR5-d32 sur les cellules immunitaires (lymphocytes CD4) et empêche le virus de les pénétrer. La greffe a non seulement guéri sa leucémie, mais elle a réduit sa charge virale à un niveau indétect-able au bout d’un an et demi. Cependant, cette thérapie est mortelle dans un tiers des cas et requière le don d’une moelle très rare, 0.3% de la population mondiale.

Une autre étude, cette fois en France, a guéri deux cas de sida grâce à l’intégration du génome du rétrovirus dégradé et neutralisé dans l’ADN des malades. L’intro-duction du code viral neutralisé a activé le “codon-stop” qui empêche la traduction d’un gène en protéine virale. Cette interruption est due à l’enzyme Apobec qui fait par-tie du corps humain pour lutter contre le virus, mais qui était auparavant inactivée par une autre protéine du virus. Ce traitement efficace peut engendrer une modification à notre idée de “guérison” parce qu’il ne débarrasse pas le corps du virus V.I.H., mais l’inhibe.

Une autre étude française de l’Institut Pasteur a pu démontrer qu’une rémission du virus peut-être obtenu si le virus a été détecté tôt et traité en vigueur, préférablement à la naissance. L’étude a été menée sur une fille (née en 1996) infectée du VIH à sa naissance. Elle a immédiate-ment suivi un programme rigoureux de traitement par l’an-tirétroviral zidovudine. À l’âge de sept ans, elle présentait une charge indétectable du virus et on lui a ainsi arrêté le traitement. Aujourd’hui, elle est en rémission.

Ces dernières méthodes soulignées ne sont que des cas miraculeux d’études coûteuses et encore sous dével-

oppements. L’espoir d’un traitement efficace et permanent est rallumé. Mais pour l’instant, il vaut mieux prévenir que guérir.

Bibliographie:Scotto, R. 04 nov 2014. Sida: Deux cas de guérison par intégration du virus neu-

tralisé dans l’ADN [online]. 20 minutes. Retrouvable sur http://www.20min-utes.fr/sante/1474103-20141104-sida-deux-cas-guerison-integration-virus-neutralise-adn (3 août 2015).

26 jul 2014. Le “patient de Berlin”, seul homme à avoir guéri du sida [online]. Le Monde. Retrouvable sur http://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2012/07/26/le-patient-de-berlin-seul-homme-a-avoir-gueri-du-sida_1738151_1651302.html (3 août 2015).

20 juillet 2015. Sida: une Française de 18 ans, porteuse du VIH depuis sa naissance, est en rémission [online]. The Huffington Post. Retrouvable sur http://www.huffingtonpost.fr/2015/07/20/sida-vih-maladie-remis-sion-sante_n_7834676.html (3 août 2015).

Espoir de la guerison

by Aleksandra Shakakhova, BIM

par Setti Belhouari, 1ère année BCH

http://www.saphirnews.com/photo/art/grande/7732077-11967690.jpg?v=1430240632