Department of Pediatrics

Faculty of Medicine

Atlantic Research Centre

A space for discovery

The Atlantic Research Centre (ARC) is an internationally recognized  laboratory in the IWK Health Centre that is home to a research group that investigates how lipid metabolism and signal transduction is involved in health and disease. The group is made up of four biochemists and over 20 technicians and trainees. All members are actively involved in university administration, and national and international review panels.

Our research

The majority of our research focuses on the synthesis and degradation of membrane lipids like phospholipids and cholesterol. We place emphasis on the relationship between lipid metabolism and human disease, including cancer, neurodegenerative, heart and infectious disease.

Our research also examines the ways these processes contribute to the generation of intracellular "second messengers" involved in cell communication and the ordered trafficking of cellular material in lipid vesicles.

Specific projects include:

  • the discovery of novel genes and enzymes of lipid metabolism
  • understanding the role cholesterol and sphingolipid transport in normal and disease states
  • apoptosis/anoikis as a tumour-specific therapeutic target

Our courses

Our other focus is on education. We not only teach advanced science courses related to lipid biochemistry and signal transduction, we also make our ourselves available to help other researchers within the medical school—particularly those working in areas of:

  • protein structure and function
  • yeast and human genetics
  • cell signalling

Our people

Contact us

If you have a question or comment, or you’d like to book an appointment, please contact our administrative secretary, Brenda O’Brien, with the contact information below.

Address:
Atlantic Research Centre
Room C-302, Clinical Research Centre
5849 University Avenue
Halifax, NS B3H 4H7

Phone: 902-494-7066

Fax: 902-494-1394

E-mail: arc@dal.ca