WE-Spark Health Institute

01/23/2026

Join us for our upcoming WE-SPARK Think Tank, where researchers, community leaders, and innovators come together to tackle complex health challenges through collaboration and data-driven approaches.

👥 Featured Presenters:

🔹 Creating a Community-Driven Research Hub in the Downtown Core
Adrian Guta, PhD – School of Social Work, University of Windsor
A discussion on building an equity-centered, community-driven health research hub grounded in local partnerships and shared data.

🔹 Mapping Complex Chronic Disease Processes
Marcel Dufour – President & Chief Research Analyst, Boomslang Analytics Inc.
Introducing a novel, patient-centric framework to advance chronic disease research and position Canada at the forefront of health innovation.

🔹 Designing Healthier Buildings
Rajeev Ruparathna, PhD – Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Windsor
Exploring a BIM-based tool that integrates health risk insights into building design to protect occupant well-being.

📅 Date: February 13, 2026
⏰ Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM
📍 Location: Zoom
💲 Cost: FREE

🔗https://www.wesparkhealth.com/conferences-and-workshops-187/think-tank-february-13th-2026
✨ Interested in presenting or sharing ideas for future Think Tanks?
📩 Contact us at wesparkhealth@uwindsor.ca

01/14/2026

🧠🔬 Brain health research spotlight: New findings published in Stem Cell Reports reveal how the protein Spy1 plays a powerful and complex role in regulating adult neural stem cells and tumour growth.

Led by Dr. Lisa Porter, with first authors Dr. Dorota Lubanska and Dr. Ingrid Qemo, this research helps deepen our understanding of brain cancer, aging, and memory, while opening doors to future therapeutic targets for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma.

We’re proud that this work was initially funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and later supported through a WE-SPARK Health Institute Igniting Discovery Grant — fueling discovery right here in Windsor-Essex. 💡✨

🔗 Read more about this exciting advancement in brain science!
https://www.uwindsor.ca/news/2026-01-12/brain-health-research-highlights-powerful-protein%E2%80%99s-role-stem-cells-and-tumour-growth

12/22/2025

📣 Call for Abstracts! Research leads are invited to submit abstracts to present their work at the 2026 WE-SPARK Health Research Conference.

🗣 Concurrent Sessions
Designed for research leads to showcase and discuss ongoing or completed research, these sessions include a 15-minute presentation followed by 5 minutes of Q&A. Preference will be given to projects with results and clear impact.

🖼 Poster Sessions
Open to all participants and ideal for visually showcasing key findings. Posters will be displayed for the full duration of the conference, with awards for Top Poster Presentations.

⚡ Rapid-Fire Sessions (Students & Trainees)
A fast-paced, 3-minute, 1-slide format highlighting current or completed research. Selected presenters will also participate in the poster session.

🗓 Abstract submission deadline: January 30, 2026
👉 Submit your abstract: https://wesparkconference.com/abstract-submission/

12/18/2025

📣 Call for Abstracts | Presentation Options

Looking to share your health research at the 2026 WE-SPARK Health Research Conference? We offer multiple presentation formats to suit your work and experience level:

🖼 Poster Session
Open to all participants. A great way to visually showcase your research and engage in discussion throughout the day.
🏆 Awards for Top Poster Presentations

⚡ Rapid-Fire Session (Students & Trainees)
Present your research in a fast-paced, 3-minute, 1-slide format—think elevator pitch.
🏆 Awards for the Top 3 Rapid-Fire Presentations
✔️ Selected Rapid-Fire presenters will also participate in the Poster Session.

🗣 Concurrent Session (Research Leads)
A 15-minute presentation with 5 minutes for Q&A, designed for in-depth discussion of ongoing or completed research. Preference given to projects with results.

🗓 Abstract submission deadline: January 30, 2026
👉 Submit your abstract or register: https://wesparkconference.com/abstract-submission/

12/17/2025

🎉 Big congratulations to WE-SPARK Core Principal Member Dr. Adrian Guta!

Dr. Guta has been appointed Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Health Disparities and Public Health at the University of Windsor—a prestigious national honour recognizing his impactful, community-engaged research.

A leading scholar in HIV, sexual health, substance use, and harm reduction, Dr. Guta partners with communities and people with lived experience to advance equitable, evidence-informed public health solutions that save lives and strengthen care systems.

We’re proud to have Dr. Guta as part of the WE-SPARK research community! 🌱

12/15/2025

📣 Take advantage of our Early Bird Registration!

🎟 Early Bird Pricing (Limited Time):
🎓 Students: $55 (Regular $85)
👥 General Admission: $185 (Regular $225)

Join us for the 2026 WE-SPARK Health Research Conference on March 28, 2026, a day to present, share, and discuss health research with researchers, clinicians, trainees, and community partners.

✨ Meet Our Plenary Speakers:
🔹 Dr. Sunit Das, MD PhD
🔹 Dr. Nikki Woods, PhD
🔹 Dr. Ross Upshur, BA(Hons), MA, MD, MSc

📢 Call for Abstracts – Now Open!
We’re excited to introduce a special abstract category:
“Case Studies / Learnings from the Field” — highlighting real-world applications and practical research insights.
🗓 Abstract deadline: January 30, 2026

👉 Register, submit an abstract, and learn more: https://wesparkconference.com/

12/12/2025

A huge thank you to the WonderBroads for donating $2,200 toward breast cancer research! 💗

Dr. Bre-Anne Fifield took the team behind the scenes for a tour of our cancer research labs, and they were blown away by the incredible work happening right here in Windsor! 👩‍🔬

We’re grateful for their passion, support, and dedication to supporting cancer research. 🌟

11/28/2025

🎗️ Big news in cancer research at !

Dr. Munir Rahim is the first recipient of a national grant from the Cancer Research Society, in collaboration with Play For A Cure and WE-Spark Health Institute.

His team has been awarded $135,000 to explore how our immune system responds to cancer, paving the way for new therapies to fight cancer.

A huge thank you to our community, youth leaders, donors, and the incredible U11 Lakeshore Lightning Girls hockey team, who donated their $100,000 Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup prize to CRCF, for making this possible. 💙

Together, we’re building the next generation of scientists and bringing hope to cancer patients everywhere.

🔗 Read more about the project: https://brnw.ch/21wXSU5

11/24/2025

✨ The 2026 Health Research Conference is happening March 28, 2026! ✨
Join researchers, clinicians, learners, and community partners as we share, learn, and spark new collaborations in health research.

We’re excited to announce our 2026 Plenary Speakers:
🧠 Dr. Sunit Das
Neurosurgeon & scientist advancing understanding of tumour evolution and treatment resistance in glioblastoma.
📚 Dr. Nikki Woods
Leader in health professions education, applying cognitive psychology to transform how we teach and learn in healthcare.
🌍 Dr. Ross Upshur
Clinical public health expert exploring ethics, climate change, pandemics, and AI in modern healthcare.

🎟 Registration is NOW OPEN! Even if your abstract isn’t ready, you can still register and lock in early-bird pricing:
• Students: $55 early bird | $85 regular
• General attendees: $185 early bird | $225 regular
You may submit your abstract closer to the deadline.

Visit our conference website to learn more! www.wesparkconference.com

We can’t wait for another year of inspiring research and collaboration! 💛

11/20/2025

🏒✨ A powerful example of what can happen when a community comes together.

The Lakeshore Lightning Girls Hockey Association U11 team sparked a movement that led to a $400,000 investment in local cancer research, the first partnership of its kind in Windsor-Essex!

Their $100,000 Good Deeds Cup win was directed to the Cancer Research Collaboration Fund (CRCF) to support WE-SPARK’s cancer research grants. That youth-led gift was joined by:
🔹 Woody's Hoodies ($57,000)
🔹 A CRCF top-up (bringing youth efforts to $200,000)
🔹 A rare dollar-for-dollar match by the Cancer Research Society

This partnership will support three local cancer research projects, including one led by Dr. Munir Rahim, a WE-SPARK Core Principal Member and University of Windsor researcher whose project, supported through our grants program, examines how cancer cells evade the immune system to improve future treatments.

This investment reflects growing confidence in our region’s capacity to drive meaningful discoveries.💛

Thank you to the young athletes, community champions, Play For A Cure, the Société de recherche sur le cancer / Cancer Research Society, and everyone who believes in the power of local research.

11/18/2025

We’re proud to see Dr. Lisa Porter, WE-SPARK Core Principal Member and Founding Director, featured by the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network. 👩‍🔬

In this Q&A, she shares how national collaboration is accelerating precision medicine and bringing hope to communities across Canada, including right here in Windsor-Essex.

A great highlight of the impact and leadership rooted in our region! 👏

Dr. Lisa Porter is the Windsor lead for the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network, working to ensure that the genetics and experiences of Windsor-Essex families are represented in Canada’s national precision oncology efforts.