Associate professor
Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry
Oral Biology
University of Manitoba
600A - 715 McDermot Avenue
John Buhler Research Centre (JBRC)
Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P4
Phone: 204-789-3688
Email: ayesha.saleem@umanitoba.ca
Ayesha Saleem, PhD
Cross appointments
Holds cross-appointments with:
Adjunct, UM Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management
Research summary
The focus of my research program is to decipher the effects of extracellular vesicles (EVs) on metabolism and cellular outcomes during conditions of health and disease. These can be physiological (exercise, age), metabolic (cancer, mitochondrial disorders, diabetes, obesity), environmental and/or developmental (fetal maternal communication, breast milk, asthma).
Keywords
- Contractile activity/exercise
- Extracellular vesicles
- Mitochondrial disorders
- Mitochondrial metabolism
- Skeletal muscle
Research and professional affiliations
- Research scientist, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM)
- Research affiliate, UM Center on Aging, University of Manitoba
- Member, Board of Director, Canadian Society for Extracellular Vesicles (CanSEV)
Research groups
- Principal investigator, Biology of Breathing (BoB)
- Principal investigator, Diabetes Research Envisioned and Accomplished in Manitoba (DREAM)
- Principal investigator, Manitoba Chemosensory Biology Research Group (MCSB)
Biography
Dr. Saleem is an associate professor in the Department of Oral Biology, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and a research scientist at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM).
She has recognized expertise in molecular and cellular physiology, specializing in mitochondrial metabolism, skeletal muscle and extracellular vesicle (EV) biology. Her current research program covers basic, translational and clinical research using elegant state-of-the-art and innovative bench-to-bedside approaches and experimental paradigms to gain insight into the fundamental role of EVs in health (exercise, metabolism) and disease (mitochondrial disorders, cancer, diabetes, aging, asthma, etc.).
Her research program has been funded by NSERC, SSHRC, Research Manitoba, University of Manitoba, CHRIM, Children’s Hospital Foundation (CHF), Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), New York Academy of Sciences and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).
Education
- Postdoctoral Fellowship (Pediatrics), McMaster University (2016)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology), York University (2013)
- Master of Science (Kinesiology), York University (2008)
- Bachelor of Science, Honours (Kinesiology and Health Science), York University (2005)
Awards
Kerry Bittner Communications Award, Manitoba Medical Service Foundation (MMSF) (2023)
Outstanding Team Presentation Award - Interstellar Initiative, Japanese Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) & New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) (2022)
Honorable mention – Reimagine Biomedical Research for a Healthier Future Essay Challenge, Health Research Alliance (HRA) and the Public Library of Science (PLOS) (2021)
Merit Award (2020) – Combination of Teaching, Service, and/or Research, Scholarly Work & Other Creative Activities, University of Manitoba and University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) (2021)
CBC Manitoba Future 40 – Class of 2020, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) (2020)
Contact us
Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry
Room D113, 780 Bannatyne Avenue
University of Manitoba – Bannatyne Campus
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W2, Canada
204-789-3497
204-789-3950