fairn

How bacterial invaders are sensed in the gut

25 October 2019|

A new paper in the latest issue of Science describes how the bacterial-sensing proteins, NOD1/2, are recruited to the membranes of our gut cells for them to function to initiate a proper immune response. This involves the addition of a lipid, palmitoyl, to NOD1/2 by the palmitoyl-transferase ZDHHC5. Importantly variants of NOD2 that are associated with Crohn’s disease are unable to be palmitoylated.  This work involved an international collaboration […]

2018 Faculty Promotions

4 July 2018|

The following faculty members received academic promotion this year:

Congratulation to Drs. Alex Ensminger and Roman Melnyk who have been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry.

Also, Dr. Gregory Fairn (primary appointment: Surgery) has been promoted to Associate Professor, and Drs. Walter Kahr (primary appointment: Paediatrics) and Aleixo Muise (primary appointment: Paediatrics) have been promoted to the rank of Full Professor.

Congratulations to you […]

An image of word cloud of keywords in Dr. Fairn's publications. Since 2005, he has authored 35 publications including 32 focused on lipids and/or membrane biology.

Dr. Greg Fairn wins the 2017 Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator Award!

9 August 2016|

Dr. Greg Fairn, St. Micahel’s Hospital and Assistant Professor in the Departments of Biochemistry and Surgery, has won the 2017 Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator Award in Lipid Research from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Dr. Fairn is also the first Canadian to win this award.

The award recognizes outstanding research contributions in the area of lipids by young investigators who are an Assistant professor or […]