Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/609048
FALL 2015 simon 35 SFU.CA BIG DATA MEETS BIOLOGY SFU's Fiona Brinkman is applying data to real-life health issues in an interna- tional study on how genes and the environment interact to cause allergies and diseases. As so-called "Big Data" provides scientists with a wealth of information to work with, researchers are finding traditional fields melding with the world of high tech. SFU's Fiona Brinkman is one of those new types of researchers, working in the relatively new field of bioinformatics, where biology and computer science meet. Her research environment includes both wet lab and computer lab, where her group gains insight into how infectious diseases change over time, and applies those findings to disease tracking and control. It's easy to see how the work she's advancing will have real, immediate impact on Canadians. One of her bioinformatics projects with an even broader impact is linked with an international study called CHILD—Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development. It's one of the largest studies in the world to focus on how genes and the environment interact to cause allergies, asthma and other chronic diseases. Researchers are working with pregnant mothers from more than 3,500 families, and monitoring their children until they're at least five years old, examining the effects of allergens inside the home, as well as diet, infectious disease, genetics, stress and antibiotic use. One of the most surprising early results from this study is the role that pets play in preventing allergies and asthma. "Just the act of having a dog offers incredibly protective benefits," says Brinkman. "A baby's immune system is more naturally exposed to a richer diversity of good microbes from the outdoors, which act to help its immune system develop properly." Brinkman's work has made her one of the world's top one per cent most-cited researchers in her field, an honour that she credits to SFU's support. "We have this incredible wealth of data coming down the pipeline, with it being very cheap and easy to sequence DNA in a microbe," she says. "SFU was one of the first institutions to set up a training program specifically designed for bioinformatics. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for SFU's key support for training, IT infrastructure and interdisciplinary research." FIONA BRINKMAN Q Q Former SFU soccer coach John Buchanan never really left SFU after retiring in 1997 from a 40-year career with the athletics department. These days, Buchanan spends up to 60 hours a week volunteering with the golf team, and last year received the Chancellor's Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his commitment. C H A MP IONS , INNO VATORS , DOERS + C H A NGE M A K ERS