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Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology

The Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology is located at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa. The aim of the institute is to develop and apply systems biology to biological studies relevant to human diseases.

About us

Systems biology represents a shift from the in-depth examination of biological parts to an attempt to understand how a process, cell, group of cells, or organism works at a global level. The premise of systems biology is that in order to fully understand a process, all the individual elements must be studied in conjunction.

The Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology (OISB) aims to develop and apply systems biology to biological studies of human diseases. Our approach is based on the integration of technologies, biology and computation. The technology will provide the approaches to examine biomolecules in various environments; the biology will provide the context in which to apply these technologies; and the computation will provide mathematical and spatial modeling at the molecular level. This integration of science will improve our understanding of biological processes at the molecular and cellular level, and will have a tremendous impact on target and drug discovery.

The OISB and most of its core members are located at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa. However, the interdisciplinary approach of systems biology means that some members are located across Ottawa in various departments. The OISB was established in 2005 and granted University Centre status in 2009. Its mandates include development and application of systems biology approaches; education and training in systems biology; the implementation of an outreach program to engage the public; and, as of 2007, building relationships with the international scientific community.

Male scientist working in the lab
Ebola stuck in traffic

Ebola stuck in traffic

Ebola virus infection requires internalization and trafficking through host cells. Treatment of cells with a trafficking inhibitor causes of accumulation of virions (green) in early (red) and late (magenta) endosomes.

Making stronger cardiomyocytes with cardiac protein PEX1

Making stronger cardiomyocytes with cardiac protein PEX1

Primary cultures of neonatal cardiomyocytes infected with adenovirus- HA-PEX1 construct were co-stained with anti-Sarcomeric alpha-Actinin to visualize the myofibrils (Green), anti-HA to detect the expression of PEX1 protein (Red) and Hoechst to stain cell nuclei (Blue).
Cell-to-Cell communication: “The first kiss”

Cell-to-Cell communication: “The first kiss”

All living creatures communicate, including individual human cells that use thousands of wireless signals to talk to each other, such as cytokines and proteins.

Awards & Recognitions

OISB awardees

Congratulations to the recipients of the following 2024 OISB Awards and the 2025 OISB-NRC Graduate Scholarship Awards: 

The 2024 OISB Early Career Researcher Award

  • Dr. Suresh Gadde

The 2024 OISB Paper of the Year Awards

  • Dr. Lucia Minarrieta (PDF category) (Dr. J. St-Pierre Lab)
  • Alyssa Pastic (co-winner in PhD category) (Dr. D. D’Amours Lab)
  • Kanchi Baijal (co-winner in PhD category) (Dr. M. Downey Lab)
  • Heba Farookhi (MSc category) (Dr. X. Xia Lab)

The 2025 OISB-NRC Graduate Scholarship Awards

  • Kieran Furlong (Dr. A. Rudner and Dr. J. Li Labs)
  • Maram Ashraf El-Azouni (Dr. M. Lavallée-Adam and Dr. J. Hill Labs)
  • Angel Albarran-Ponce (Dr. S. Bennett and Dr. M. Cuperlovic-Culf Labs)
  • Shelby Kaczmarek (Dr. S-H. Lee and Dr. S. McComb Labs)
  • Rholls Tomsine (Dr. M. Khacho and Dr. J. Sandhu Labs)

  • Ella McIlroy (Dr M-E. Harper, Dr. A. Haqqani and Dr. M. Cuperlovic-Culf Labs)

Kudos on the Eberhard. F. Mammen Young Investigator Award 2024 and the ISTH 2025 Early Career Award for an OISB PDF trainee:  

Congratulations to Dr. Tom Kazmirchuck, OISB PDF trainee from the Golshani Lab, for selection for the Eberhard. F. Mammen Young Investigator Award 2024 (Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis), and ISTH 2025 Early Career Award, selection of which funds attendance at the ISTH 2025 Congress (https://www.isth2025.org/).

The OISB congratulates the following 3 OISB members, each recipient of a 2025 CIHR grant:

  • Michael S Downey (CMM): “Metabolism and function of polyphosphate chains in S. cerevisiae.”
  • Ryan Russell (CMM): “Uncovering the mechanisms of ATG16L1 regulation in autophagy control”
  • Tommy Alain (CHEO RI/BMI): “Development of Reovirus-based, orally administered, colon cancer vaccines.”

                                                                                 

Congratulations to 3 OISB members on their newly appointed or renewal of Canada Research Chairs 

The University of Ottawa is furthering research excellence through 15 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) that address a broad range of global challenges.

New CRC holders are: Anne Broadbent (Quantum Communications and Cryptography); Céline Castets-Renard (International and Comparative Law of AI); Josephine Etowa (Advancing Black Women’s Health in Canada); Mary-Ellen Harper (Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and Metabolic Health) and Bernard Thébaud (Lung Stem Cell Biology and Regeneration).

They also include Hang Chi (Quantum Electronic Devices and Circuits); Ebrahim Karimi (Structured Waves and Quantum Communication); Thirusha Naidu (Equity in Global Medical Education); Yan Xu (Thrombosis); and Vignan Yogendrakumar (Stroke).

The following CRCs have been renewed: Robert Boyd (Quantum Nonlinear Optics); Kelly Bronson (Science and Society); Melike Erol-Kantarci (Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Next-Generation Wireless Networks); Mireille Khacho (Mitochondrial Dynamics and Regenerative Medicine); and Maxime Rousseaux (Personalized Genomics of Neurodegeneration).

The CRC program supports researchers who conduct high impact work that benefits society. Appointed scholars receive dedicated funding to focus on projects that drive progress and strengthen Canada’s role in science, technology and innovation.

                                                                                  

Grant awards to OISB Principal Investigators in the 2024 CIHR Spring Operating Grants Competition

The OISB is thrilled to extend its congratulations to OISB Principal Investigators on their recently awarded grants in the 2024 CIHR Spring Operating Grants Competition. This substantial funding is a testament to their hard work, dedication and the importance of their innovative research. These grants will undoubtedly move their projects forward with new discoveries and contributing to the broader scientific community.

Congratulations to the recipients of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research grants for the Spring 2024 competition!

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 NSREC Discovery grants!

  • Dr. Tommy Alain: Molecular Mechanisms of Translation Control for Viral-Delivered Transgenes
  • Dr. Daniel Figeys: Metaproteomics technologies for microbiome analysis analysis
  • Dr. Arvin Mer: Machine Learning Framework for Inferring Isoform Functions
  • Dr. Erin Mulvihill: Postprandial signalling of glucagon like peptide 1 and 2 withing the intestinal tract in conditions of nutrient scarcity and environmental stress
  • Dr. Derrick Gibbings: Nanoparticle Tracking Instrument for Study of Extracellular Vesicles and Nanoparticles

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 Kidney Foundation of Canada grants!

  • Dr. Suresh Gadde (with co-applicant Kevin Burns): Bioengineered Nanoparticles to Prevent Acute Kidney Injury

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Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology

University of Ottawa
Health Sciences Campus
Room 3510
451 Smyth Road
Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5
Phone: (613) 562-5800 
Email: [email protected]