Is there a gender gap when it comes to heart health? Will climate change impact how mosquitoes transmit disease? Are cochlear implants a threat or a tool? The broad definition of research at MacEwan means that students tackle big issues from multiple perspectives.

See how these 11 projects (a small sample of the more than 300 presented by students from every faculty and school at the university’s biggest-ever Student Research Day) are focused on the science and social aspects of our health.

1. Culturally safe birth practices for remote and northern women

“Birth and health care are political and colonial in many ways,” says Jordan Laframboise. So the Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology student set out to look at Canada’s evacuated birth policy, a practice which requires many pregnant Indigenous women in remote, rural and northern communities to leave their homes and travel to larger, urban hospitals to give birth. These policies, she says, separate women from relationships critical to the holistic experience of Indigenous birth – connections to family, community, culture, spirituality and the land. 

With support from Dr. Leslie Dawson, Laframboise used the holistic perspective of anthropology to review existing research from across disciplines. 

While many policies currently control Indigenous bodies through narratives of risk, says Laframboise, Indigenous maternal health care that is local and culturally safe, including Indigenous-led midwifery programs that are already proving successful, challenge that narrative. “Indigenous communities know what their people need, and we need to listen to them and the midwives who have been doing this work for a long time,” she says. “I hope ongoing research can inform policies to better support culturally safe birthing practices and restore self-determination in Indigenous communities.”

2. Can essential oils help battle antibiotic resistance?

Sahiba Pahwa grew up listening to and learning about how natural compounds also possess antimicrobial potential, and the idea has been a thread throughout her undergrad. A small experiment in a 200-level biology course that showed promising results with oregano oil eventually led her to an independent study with Dr. Benjamin Bourrie. 

The Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences student looked at how carvacrol, a natural compound found in oregano oil, affects a type of bacteria called Bacillus subtilis (a food spoilage organism used in research and food studies). She wanted to find out how much carvacrol it would take to stop the bacteria from growing and whether they could eventually become resistant to it, like with regular antibiotics.

Pahwa made significant progress over the summer as part of a Summer Research Studentship, supported by Alberta Innovates. She successfully created a carvacrol-resistant bacterial strain (mutant strain) that can be compared to a non-resistant strain. This first (and longest) step in the project will allow her to look at the precise mechanism by which carvacrol kills bacteria. The long-range goal? Improving health outcomes by combating the global issue of antibiotic resistance.

“This project showed me how even small experiments can contribute to bigger conversations in science, and it’s made me even more excited to keep exploring research in microbiology and health,” says Pahwa. “There is so much more to discover.”

3. Bone biology: Getting down to the elements

In an honours research project that blended her major in biological sciences with her minor in gender studies, Shaye Parsons teamed up with Dr. Treena Swanston to see where elements, including lead, strontium, copper and iron, tend to be located in human bone – and how that might vary from person to person. 

The microarchitecture of femoral bone samples was previously analyzed at a synchrotron, which is a source of brilliant light used to study structural and chemical properties. Parsons compared the scan patterns to see where each of the elements was located in the bone.

While this pilot study focused on qualitative analysis and didn’t result in definitive conclusions about the distribution of those specific elements between females and males, the general trends Parsons uncovered provide a starting point for Dr. Swanston’s future research students. 

“I hope my project sheds light on the biological differences in the elemental compositions of bones, adding to our growing understanding of spatial element distribution in human bone tissue,” says Parsons.

4. Does the gender gap extend to heart health?

A discussion about the gender health gap in an introductory sociology course got Bachelor of Arts student Justice Marks thinking about the limits of our health system when it comes to diagnosing and treating women suffering from coronary heart disease. In Canada, the disease is the leading cause of death among women – nearly 14,000 per year.

Working with Dr. Kalyani Thurairajah, Marks reviewed existing research and public-facing data, which she says confirmed the disparity. 

“We are clearly aware that heart disease is one of the biggest killers of both men and women,” says Marks. “How many more articles have to be released before we realize that the current diagnostic processes for coronary heart disease are structured around the male representations of symptoms?”

Marks hopes her sociological research contributes to the conversation about creating diagnostic practices and treatments designed for women, and encourages people who hear about it to take up the cause. 

“I hope women will advocate for themselves and their loved ones when they feel their symptoms are being ignored or misdiagnosed,” she says. “And that we start to see the implementation of diagnostic technologies and practices designed specifically for women.” 

5. Antibiotic resistance and silver-coated bandages

Curiosity about how chemistry plays a role in developing medical and health products eventually led Layal Zidan to work with faculty mentor Dr. Samuel Mugo on an internship with Exciton Technologies Inc., a Canadian company focused on creating silver-based infection prevention and wound-care technologies. 

“Their mission to make these innovations more accessible and affordable stood out to me, and I knew I wanted to contribute to that work in any way I could,” says Zidan, who was a quality control analyst at Exciton during the Winter 2025 term. 

While she was analyzing samples, documenting results and ensuring the lab was clean and safe, Zidan was also developing a range of technical and professional skills. 

“Exposure to real-world quality control processes and industry standards enabled me to connect academic concepts with practical applications,” she says. “It also opened my eyes to how much work goes into the everyday products we often take for granted. The next time you reach for a Band-Aid, it’s worth pausing to consider the complex process and collaboration that made it possible.”

6. Treating diabetes at a cellular level

Madelaine Britt is working with Dr. Habib Rezanejad, helping advance a treatment strategy at the cellular level for Type 1 diabetes – a condition where the body can’t produce enough insulin, a hormone essential for controlling blood sugar.

“Diabetes is a significant and growing global health concern, and current treatment options carry challenges – cost, donor shortages and immune rejection,” explains the Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences student. “Our research is novel and uses innovative methods to find potential treatments to enhance insulin production in the pancreas.”

Using CRISPR-on (technology which allows scientists to “turn on” specific genes), Britt is looking at specific genes involved in the development and function of the pancreas. 

“By activating these genes, we aim to convert other types of cells into insulin-producing beta cells,” she says. “The approach is a form of cell therapy that could one day help the body make its own insulin again, offering a potential diabetes treatment.”

Britt’s work, which began as an independent study with Dr. Rezanejad, has continued over the past year and a half in her role as a research assistant.

7. Stressed? A saliva stress test could confirm it

Finding a simple, cost-effective, rapid and portable test that could detect stress levels right at the point of care was the goal of Bachelor of Science, Chemistry student Rina Tran’s independent study.

Working alongside Dr. Samuel Mugo, Tran contributed to research focused on detecting and quantifying the concentration of alpha-amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starches into sugars (maltose and glucose). Increased levels of alpha-amylase can indicate increased stress levels.

Tran conducted two separate experiments that looked at the concentration of alpha-amylase. First, she used electrochemistry (analyzing how saliva reacted with a chemical using screen-printed electrodes). The second had Tran using smartphone colorimetry – determining colour values of reactions between saliva samples and a chemical using a phone’s camera.

8. Are cochlear implants a threat or tool?

As someone who is deaf and wears cochlear implants on both ears, Eman Farhan has always been curious about perceptions and beliefs surrounding the electronic devices that create sound for individuals with moderate to severe hearing loss. 

“It’s personal to me,” says the Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology student. “Many Deaf communities view cochlear implants as a threat and a tool simply to ‘fix’ deafness, rather than having deafness as a natural state that does not need medical attention.”

Working with Dr. Jenanne Ferguson, Farhan used her own experience and interviews with cochlear implant users to explore cultural and medical viewpoints. “My research shows that cochlear implants can be both a tool and a threat to cultural identity, depending on which culture users grew up in: a hearing culture where deafness is viewed as a disability or Deaf culture where deafness is viewed as a natural state.” 

Her biggest takeaway from the experience is how crucial it is for both communities to continue learning, given that deafness and hearing loss are among the most common disabilities in Canada. 

9. Is climate change impacting how mosquitoes transmit disease?

Not only is climate change causing some species to decline, but it’s also giving some problematic species a leg up. 

“I assumed that mosquitoes capable of spreading diseases like yellow fever, dengue and Zika virus were close to the equator and that there was no way they would be in Canada,” says Anna Ostergaard, Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences student. 

As a research assistant to Dr. Treena Swanston and Dr. Nour Moussa, she discovered that simply isn’t true. Today, Aedes mosquitoes capable of transmitting those diseases have established populations in both the United States and Canada. 

In addition to her work as a research assistant, Ostergaard reviewed and analyzed existing literature showing the past, present and estimated future North American range of Aedes mosquitoes, and what is behind that expansion. 

“As average temperatures rise, the length of the viral transmission season will increase too,” says Ostergaard. “By 2100, much of the United States and parts of Southern Canada are predicted to have favourable environments for these mosquitoes to thrive.”

10. Egg donation in Ukraine and the commodification of women’s labour 

When MacEwan students Mary Templado and Kiara Bruynooghe teamed up with Ukrainian students Anna Sarabun and Khrystyna Pachkovska as part of the International Sociological Field School (SOCI 395) led by Dr. Michael Gulayets, they decided to find a topic that blended their interests: women, feminism, gender, social inequality and commodification. 

“At first, studying the commodification of women’s labour through egg donation in Ukraine seemed too niche,” says Templado. “But it turned out Ukraine had a booming artificial reproductive technology industry and was a hub in Europe before Russia launched its full-scale invasion.” 

The four student researchers set out to learn what it’s like for women who donate and what it means for society when parts of women’s bodies are sold. They met up in Poland during the field school to work together and conduct interviews, gathering personal stories and social perceptions of artificial reproduction.

“It’s a tricky topic because while egg donation can give women extra income and help families who cannot have children, it can also lead to women being treated like objects instead of people,” says Templado. “Technology moves faster than laws and policies, and just because something is new and promising does not mean we are ready for all its impacts.”

11. Accessible cancer screening for rural communities

When they signed up for the Chancellor’s Student Innovation Challenge, Bachelor of Science in Nursing students Sasha Ryzhova, Mayank Kaushik, Gloriya Mehriezgi and Isaiah Stobee decided to pitch a project that would help address health disparities in cancer care – making cancer screening more accessible for rural communities across Alberta. 

“Instead of people needing to drive long distances or wait for a referral, our pitch for a mobile cancer screening clinic would bring screenings to them for the four most common cancers in Alberta: breast, prostate, lung and colorectal,” says Kaushik. “By catching cancer earlier, we could help save lives and reduce the pressure on our health-care system.” 

The team’s first-prize-winning project, supported by their professor Lisa McKenrick-Calder, suggested creating mobile units to visit different towns for periods of time, performing pre-screenings, screenings and referrals for the major types of cancers affecting populations (depending on demographics). 

“While Canada spends heavily on health care, redirecting resources toward preventative initiatives like this would not only improve outcomes but also save millions of dollars in the long term,” says Kaushik.