Iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world. Iron deficiency is especially prevalent in the athlete, affecting upwards of 50% in female endurance athletes. Sub-optimal iron stores can lead to anemia which causes fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and pale skin. It can have several consequences to an individual's health, and in the case of female athletes, sport performance. The prevention and treatment of sub-optimal iron levels depend on the underlying cause and severity of the deficiency. While a balanced diet adequate in iron-rich foods is essential, diet alone is often insufficient to correct the problem. In such cases, iron supplements are recommended for individuals with sub-optimal iron status or those who are at high risk of developing it. The rate of absorption from currently available iron supplements is generally very poor and ranges from 2-20%. Furthermore, supplementation from these sources is commonly associated with side-effects including gastrointestinal distress, nausea, and constipation. As a solution, this research aims test a new novel, food-based iron-yeast supplement and compare it to a low dose and high dose iron supplement. The administration of iron as a part of a pasteurized nutrition yeast is thought to shift the site of absorption (from upper to lower gastrointestinal tract), enhance iron absorption and result in fewer side effects. The purpose of this research study is to determine if 12 weeks of consuming a low dose iron supplement, low dose yeast-iron complex-fortified capsule, or high dose iron supplement every other day can improve iron status and if that may improve exercise status. We are also interested in assessing how our unique supplement influences the bacteria that reside in the gastrointestinal tract (i.e., the gut microbiome).

We are inviting elite athletes and Para athletes, 18 years and older, who participate in their sport (any sport) at national or international level to participate in this study. We follow the athletes every four months by sending a link to online surveys including questions about demographics, sport and mental health history, mental health symptoms, injury, and illness occurrence. If any severe mental health concerns are identified, the athletes will be contacted by a physician chosen by the athlete themselves, or by a physician of the research team, in order to make sure the athlete receives adequate mental health support.

This study examines how humans walk on different types of terrains such as uneven or bumpy terrains, on sidewalks, and grass. These terrains may cause people to alter their walking, move their body differently, and increase the effort of walking. The main purpose of this study is to determine how humans make adjustments, maintain balance, and otherwise compensate for such terrain. The study is also about whether the decisions humans make about walking are similar to those for other movements such as reaching with the upper extremity. Humans often make point-to-point reaching at self-selected speeds. The speed trajectory resembles the speed trajectories for walking (Carlisle & Kuo, 2023). In this study we will compare walking and reaching trajectories to investigate whether there are common mechanisms underlying the control of reaching and walking. Other aspects of this study include the adjustments that humans make to their speed and balance on different terrains and when time is important. The experiments of this study involve walking both in and outside the laboratory, on a variety of terrains, reaching and placing objects by arm, and in daily life. Subjects will walk and reach at objects by arm in a variety of conditions, while their motion and energy expenditure are measured. Depending on subject's availability, the study has components that could take one to four hours. One optional section that involves self tracking daily life activities can take up to eight hours.

We are investigating how mild to moderate experimental knee pain affects neurological, cardiovascular, metabolic, and psychological responses during cycling. You will be required to attend the Human Performance Lab for a total of 12 sessions. In the first session, you will perform a maximal cycling test to determine your aerobic fitness. In 7 of these sessions, electrical stimulation of the knee will be used to simulate moderate knee pain. We do this so we can study how knee pain and fatigue impact performance so we can help people suffering from knee pain stay active and improve their quality of life. During these sessions, aside from cycling, we will measure you breathing rate, heart rate, and blood lactate (via fingerprick). We will measure your pain threshold using a handheld pressure device. We will also stimulate your femoral nerve and motor cortex to examine your neural pathways. Finally, we will track your movement using markers and 3D motion capture cameras. All of these measures are non-invasive (aside from the lactate measure, which is very minimally invasive) and will cause no or very minimal discomfort.

This study will investigate the relationship of the brain, body and bioenergetics to determine how childhood nutrition shapes developmental outcomes.

Material hardship (e.g., housing hardship and bill-paying hardship) is common among international immigrants as immigration presents enormous challenges (e.g., financial problems, language barriers and unmet health services). As such, newcomer women tend to experience less maternity care and be vulnerable to hardship exposure during pregnancy, causing more prevalent postpartum depression than non-immigrants and thereby having long-lasting adverse impacts on child behaviours. Our study aims to examine atypical brain alterations via which maternal hardship caused by immigration affects infant temperament which is a significant predictor of behavioural problems later in life. The findings will provide pilot data for optimizing child neurodevelopment and lifelong mental health among Canadian new arrival communities.

The Canadian Pediatric Imaging Platform (C-PIP) is studying how the brain develops using magnetic resonance imaging, also known as MRI. The project aims to learn more about how the brain changes across life. The project will also look at how conditions like concussion can disrupt the brain’s development. This project is a partnership between the Alberta Children’s Hospital and 2 other leading research centres in Canada. C-PIP will make it easier for researchers to share data between research sites in a secure way. This makes it possible for different researchers to use the same data to answer different questions.

Symptoms of anxiety and depression often occur in early childhood. Supporting youth with mental health concerns requires studying risk and resilience. This study is a sub-project for a larger study where we will use advanced imaging methods to provide a detailed picture of brain function. We will study the changes in youth with and without early symptoms of anxiety and depression. In the sub-project, we will work with youth to develop elements of this protocol. We will co-develop elements of the study protocol including recruitment and retention strategies.

This study will investigate the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on children's brain development and mental health. By understanding alterations in neurobiology, effective screening and treatment methods can be developed. Participants will be asked to complete an MRI scan and cognitive assessments at the Alberta Children's Hospital. We are asking for a two-year time commitment. Participants will be compensated with a gift card.

This study wants to find a better way to identify people who have early signs of memory loss, trouble with thinking and decision-making, difficulty paying attention, and slower processing speed. The study enrolls community dwelling older adults for assessments of cognition, behaviour, function, quality of life, and caregiver stress, in association with biomarkers, at 6, 12 or 18 month intervals. Participants attend with a study partner, and at each visit are given a series of questionnaires and tests (the study partner will only be asked to answer the questionnaires). The overall visit is ~1.5 to -2.5 hours in duration. Non-invasive brain imaging (electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) will be used to record brain activity patterns. We will compare these patterns in healthy people, people with mild memory problems, and people with mild to moderate dementia. By understanding these patterns, we will create a way to detect memory problems sooner so people can get the proper treatment and support.