2002-10-17. MUN Gazette, vol. 35, no. 05

              I Memorial
? University of Newfoundland
Publications Mail
Registration No. 40062527
blurae 35 Number 5
A MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND PUBLICATION
October 17,2002
MUN runs for a cure
By Kristin M. Harris
SPARK Correspondent
Who would you run for?" The
slogan for CIBC's Run for
the Cure brings faces and
names to a disease that can strike any
woman at any time in her life. It also articulates the goal of each and every competitive and recreational runner and walker
who participates in the annual race, held at
numerous locations throughout Canada.
This year, Memorial's team numbered
51 participants, and raised $3,700 - both
numbers topping those from 2001. The
team was comprised of faculty and staff
across campus and included both men and
women. Sandra Wills, Memorial's team
captain for both 2001 and 2002, is
delighted with the results.
"Memorial has great community spirit,"
she said. "Even people who haven't personally been affected by breast cancer participated."
This year, the run was particularly
poignant for staff members who were
friends and colleagues of Christine Good-
land, a library staff member who recently
passed away from cancer. Many in the
Memorial community ran or walked in her
honour.
As with so many other participants, Ms.
Wills was originally inspired to participate
by her own mother's experience, as a breast
cancer survivor who eventually lost her battle. "It's a great inspirational event; it's
heartwarming, and sometimes sad, hearing
everyone's stories."
Run for the Cure is positive and upbeat,
with a warm-up, the race itself, and a celebration afterwards complete with music
and refreshments. There is also the Wall of
Hope, where participants can post messages in memory of those who have passed
away from breast cancer, or as encouragement to those who are battling or have survived their fight with the disease.
Ms. Wills feels that this event is so successful in part because cancer is so prevalent. "Everyone, in some way, has been
affected by cancer. And women are aware
that they are all at risk." Even though few
men are struck with breast cancer themselves, many participate because of the
women in their lives.
CIBC's Run for the Cure is the biggest
fund-raising event for breast cancer in
Canada. This year, St. John's raised
$216,000, all of which will go towards
breast cancer research, patient education
and support.
see CURE, page 8
Convocation prep
Photo by Chris Hammond
Convocation begins when the mace, the symbol of authority of the university, is placed in front of the
chancellor. For years, Leo Maekey performed with dignity and style his duty as mace-bearer of convocation. With Mr. Maekey retiring from the university last year, the mace passed into the hands of Paula
Corbett of the Registrar's Office, who performed that duty for the first time during spring convocation
and who will lead the academic procession into Memorial's fall convocation ceremonies Oct. 18.
Pharmaceutical partnership with Japanese company
Dr. Daneshtalab's research is on discovery of novel antifungal drugs, specifically effective against invasive fungal
infections in HIV-infected patients. "The fiingi invade different organs, especially the lungs, and most AIDS patients
die because of that complication," he explained. "Right now
there is no good drug that is not toxic and is able to fight the
fungal infection effectively. I want to develop small molecules that would be more selective and effective against
specific fungi."
Collaboration with the
Japanese company SS
Pharmaceutical in Narita
City began last year when
Dr. Daneshtalab was in
Japan attending the 18th
advances in the discovery of novel small molecules with
potential antifungal activities.
"After I returned to St. John's, the head of the research
institute of this company contacted me and asked me to submit a research proposal and consider collaborative research,"
said Dr. Daneshtalab.
His proposal for research on discovery and development
of antifungal agents was accepted, and SS Phamaceutical
see JAPANESE, page 2
P
Photo by HSIMS
lohsen Daneshtalab, Pharmacy, with a silicon graphics sta-
irovided by the Computer Visualization Centre.
By Sharon Gray
r. Mohsen Daneshtalab, Pharmacy, has only been
at Memorial for two years, but he's already forged
links with a Japanese pharmaceutical company
fund his laboratory for three years and supply a
loctoral Japanese fellow to assist with research,
e also has support from Drs. Bob Lucas and Bob
mr in the Department of Chemistry who have been
mely helpful in facilitating his research by providing
5 to their laboratories for his postdoctoral fellows
Without their support and space it is unlikely that we
1 have got this project up and running at this time," said
Jnda Hensman, acting director of the School of Phar-
International Congress of
Heterocyclic Chemistry.
He is quite familiar with
pharmaceutical research in
Japan, having earned his
PhD in medicinal chemistry from Tohoku University, and having been
actively involved with
Japanese universities and
pharmaceutical industries
for the last two decades.
He visited SS Pharmaceutical to present a lecture
on the structure-based
design and development of
novel azole antifungals,
and was asked to privately
present    his    research
Roma now to deliver
Galbraith lecture
Roy Romanow, former premier of Saskatchewan and sole commissioner of the
federal government's Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada,
-will be visiting Memorial University to deliver the John Kenneth Galbraith
Lecture in Public Policy.
On Wednesday, Oct. 23, Mr. Romanow will deliver a
lecture titled Governance, Accountability and Public
Input: Building a Modern Health Care System. His lecture begins at 8 p.m. in the D. F. Cook Recital Hall,
School of Music, on Memorial's St. John's campus.
A native of Saskatchewan, Mr. Romanow graduated j
from the University of Saskatchewan where he earned his
arts and law degrees. He was first elected to the
Saskatchewan Legislature in 1967 and served as attorney 1
general and deputy premier between 1971 and 1982.
In  1991,  Mr.  Romanow became premier of I
Saskatchewan. He retired from politics in February 2001
Roy Romanow
see ROMANOW, page 7
Strength
technology