Two U of S researchers recognized by Royal Society of Canada

The Royal Society of Canada has recognized the contributions of two researchers at the University of Saskatchewan.

According to the university, the Royal Society admitted Dr. Daniel Chen as a fellow and Dr. Tara Kahan as a member of its College of New Scholars for their contributions to their respective fields of engineering and chemistry.

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Chen, a professor in the university’s department of mechanical engineering, helped create the field of three-dimensional bioprinting, focusing on new techniques to construct layered structures from living cells in order to grow new tissues, which the university said have helped advance the fields of regenerative medicine and disease modelling. He’s also used bioprinting to create tissue and organ models that can be used to test new medications.

“From an engineering point of view, it’s like building a bridge, but instead you’re using biological materials and living cells,” Chen said in a statement.

“One of the first applications we did, in collaboration with researchers in the College of Medicine, worked to build a bridge between damaged nerves so that function could be recovered.”

Chen was quick to credit his colleagues and other researchers for their own contributions.

“I’m deeply grateful because none of these achievements are mine alone,” he said.

“They reflect the dedication and contributions of my graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and colleagues that I’ve had the privilege to work with over three decades. Together, we have been able to develop new approaches that ultimately aim to improve people’s lives.”

Kahan, meanwhile, is a professor in the university’s chemistry department and serves as Canada Research Chair in Environmental Analytical Chemistry.

The university said her studies focus on the reactions between pollutants emitted from different types of combustion and various environmental surfaces, as well as developing new techniques to study chemistry at ice surfaces, which have provided new insights into the behaviour of pollutants in cold regions “and have the potential to protect polar regions and shape policy on pollutants around the world.”

Kahan has also studied photochemistry – chemistry involving light – in indoor environments, exploring the impact of chemical reactions caused by light sources on indoor air quality. That work also has practical implications, with the university noting that Kahan has partnered with First Nations communities to answer questions about air quality.

“It’s really rewarding to help answer questions that people have and be able to see the impact of your work immediately,” Kahan said.

“I was adamantly opposed to doing a PhD but then I realized I love research, and I like being the one who decides what questions to ask.”

Kahan has also written about her experience balancing life as a mom, a scientist and a professor.

“I think it was a really important thing to write and have out there because you often hear women say they don’t want to go into academia because there is no work-life balance but you can really thrive and if you don’t hear those stories, you don’t know how good academia can actually be,” she said.

Baljit Singh, the university’s vice-president of research, said both scientists have continued the institution’s legacy as a reputable global leader in many disciplines.

“These two researchers are making real-world impacts through their discoveries, and we are extremely proud of them both for this outstanding achievement,” Singh said in a statement.