Jerry Vriend, PhD

Research themes

  • Melatonin: role in regulation of thyroid hormones
  • Ubiquitin proteasome system in cancer

Research summary

Currently using publicly available datasets to investigate the role of the ubiquitin proteasome system in cancers.

With colleagues, he is investigating genes that encode ubiquitin conjugases and ubiquitin ligases related to the proliferation of cancer cells. We are attempting to identify potential therapeutic targets in various cancers, including subtypes of medulloblastoma, ovarian cancer and glioma.

Biography

Dr. Vriend was born in the Netherlands in 1946. His family immigrated to Canada and he grew up in northern British Columbia.

His research career began in Edmonton, Alberta, where as part of an MSc Program he did a project on the reproductive effects of environmental lighting on mice.

His research continued in San Antonio, Texas under the supervision of Dr. Russel J. Reiter, an expert on the pineal gland and its product melatonin.

His post-doctoral training was in the department of anatomy and in the neuroendocrine unit at the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.

He joined the in the department of anatomy at the University of Manitoba in 1981 where he taught anatomy and conducted research until the present.

Education

  • PhD, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas (1978)
  • MSc, University of Alberta, Edmonton (1972)
  • BA, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, Michigan (1969)

Awards

  • Merit Award for Teaching in the Faculty of Medicine (nominated by Dr. Tom Klonisch) (2008) 
  • Award for Teaching Excellence 4th year Medicine University of Manitoba Teaching Services (2008)

Contact us

Human Anatomy and Cell Science
130 Basic Medical Science Building
745 Bannatyne Avenue
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9 Canada

204-789-3411
204-789-3920