As the CRC in Aging and Immunity, Dr. Bowdish investigates what makes the elderly vulnerable to pneumonia, how age-associated inflammation, chronic inflammatory diseases and how  the anti-bacterial immunity changes as we get older. By understanding the aging immune system she hopes to disover novel treatments to protect older adults from infection and that improve their immune function..

Canada Research Chair in Aging & Immunity

Thesis title: Interactions of the human host defence peptide, LL-37 and the innate immune response

Project title: Genetic and Functional Analysis of the scavenger receptor, MARCO

Dr. Dawn Bowdish is an Associate Professor at McMaster University and a Canada Research Chair in Aging & Immunity. Dr Bowdish did her PhD at the University of British Columbia with Prof. Bob Hancock where she studied the anti-infective properties of antimicrobial peptides. This work led to a patent and the formation of a small biotech company. She did her post-doctoral work with Prof. Siamon Gordon at the University of Oxford and studied how macrophages recognize the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. She started her lab at McMaster University (Hamilton, ON) in 2009 where her team of post-doctoral fellows, undergraduate and graduate students study how macrophages recognize and destroy Streptococcus pneumoniae, the major cause of pneumonia in the elderly. Using a combination of animal models and human samples her lab has is uncovering how ageing, and age-associated inflammation affects the development of myeloid cells, which ultimately impairs monocyte and macrophage function and how the microbiota of the upper respiratory tract becomes permissive to Streptococcus pneumoniae colonization with age.  She has published over 80 manuscripts, review articles and book chapters.  She has won a number of early career awards including the Pfizer-ASPIRE award and the G. Jeannette Thorbecke Award from the Society of Leukocyte Biology. She has received funding from the CIHR, NSERC, ORF, NIH, the Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative and the Lung Association to understand why the elderly are susceptible to pneumonia and to develop novel preventative therapies. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Lung Association and advocates to increase research funding for lung health and advocates for a comprehensive Lung Health Action Plan for Ontario.

Immunology

Microbiome 

Immunosenescence

Aging Immune System

Pneumonia

White Blood Cells

Macrophages

Inflammation and Disease

Host-Microbe Systems 

Lung 

Lung infection

Aging and Elderly

Vaccination

Vaccine Research

Probiotics

English

Associate Professor, Pathology and Molecular Medicine

On June 6, 2016, members of the public and the Ontario Lung Association gave deputations to the Committee on Social Policy at Queen's Park. Dawn spoke on how important having a Lung Health Act would be to the health of older adults.

Dr. Bowdish's deputation on Bill#41 The Ontario Lung Health Act.

Dr. Dawn Bowdish is an associate professor at McMaster University, and her NSERC-funded research program focuses on the evolution of macrophages, a class of immune cells. Her lab is utilizing bioinformatics and molecular biology to understand the evolution of phagocytosis, which is a process whereby macrophages and other cells (e.g. bacteria) engulf and digest external particles. Her research has found specific evolutionarily conserved macrophage proteins that are essential for phagocytic function, and further understanding of these proteins will enable the development of novel therapeutics for broad applications to the lives of Canadians.

Dawn Bowdish Macrophage Evolution - Yung Lee - McMaster University

CSPC - Status of Women in Science &amp; Technology: Dawn Bowdish (Part 7)

If you think it's just a failure of the immune system, think again. Breaking down the complex web of causes could prove vital to us all.

READ THE FULL STORY: http://research2reality.com/health-medicine/why-does-sickness-come-with-age/

DOWNLOAD THE TRANSCRIPT: 
http://research2reality.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Why-Does-Sickness-Come-With-Age-Interview-with-Professor-Dawn-Bowdish.pdf

Why Does Sickness Come With Age?

Front-line researchers offer insight into the importance of ongoing government financial support.

READ THE WHOLE STORY:
http://research2reality.com/science-society/vital-public-funding-pushes-research-toward-innovation/

DOWNLOAD THE TRANSCRIPT:
http://research2reality.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Vital-Public-Funding-Pushes-Research-Toward-Innovation-Interview-with-Professors-Margaret-Campbell-Brown-Ron-Martin-Dawn-Bowdish-Patrick-Gunning-Sheila-Singh-Melanie-Campbell.pdf

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