Chemistry

News Stories

Kyle Duncan leans against a white railing.

VIU professor develops imaging technology to take a deeper look at tumour metabolism

August 28, 2023

Dr. Kyle Duncan is part of an innovative cancer research team that received funding from the Terry Fox Research Institute. A team of researchers is leading an innovative project that will give clues to the origin and behaviour of cancer. The Terry Fox Research Institute is awarding $2.4 million to the Spatial Metabolome Hubble Project. The Terry Fox New Frontiers Program Project Grant is led by... Read more


An brown Vancouver Island marmot sits on a grey rock with some green bushes around it.

VIU lecture series kicks off with the story of the endangered Vancouver Island marmot

January 31, 2023

Science and Technology Community Lecture Series features seven presentations by VIU faculty. Scientists are sharing their insights on everything from the endangered Vancouver Island marmot to investigating deep-sea organisms with computational chemistry during the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Science and Technology Community Lecture Series. The lecture series has run almost every spring for... Read more


Dr. Kyle Duncan, a VIU Chemistry Professor,  smiles while leaning against a white railing.

VIU researcher aims to build a new tool to map molecules in tissue

January 4, 2023

Chemistry Professor Dr. Kyle Duncan receives NSERC Discovery Grant to help develop new mass spectrometry imaging technology. A Vancouver Island University (VIU) Chemistry Professor is developing mass spectrometry technology that could help discover new treatment options for cancer. Dr. Kyle Duncan is building custom mass spectrometry imaging technology to help get a more accurate picture of... Read more


Headshot of Dr. Erik Krogh

From climate change to fish kills – environmental chemistry enabled by innovative research

December 1, 2022

VIU Chemistry Professor Dr. Erik Krogh receives NSERC Discovery Grant to continue groundbreaking research. Dr. Erik Krogh, a Vancouver Island University (VIU) Chemistry Professor, is expanding the frontiers of mass spectrometry to develop real-time measurements of emerging contaminants in real-world samples.   Access to clean air, water and food is critical to the quality of life in Canada, said... Read more


Trevor Michalchuk and Lily Eggert, wearing high visibility vests, while standing in front of the Mass Specmobile.

VIU researchers measure methane at Alberni Valley Landfill

August 17, 2022

Student researchers gain valuable hands-on experiences while helping to fight climate change. Methane is more potent than carbon dioxide and reducing or eliminating emissions is a critical step to help fight climate change.  Researchers at Vancouver Island University (VIU) are working with the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District to monitor the Alberni Valley Landfill to find methane hot spots.... Read more


Misha Zvekic stands in a garden at VIU's Nanaimo campus.

Microplastics Exposed to Sunlight Can Change their Behaviour in the Environment

March 1, 2022

VIU alum Misha Zvekic’s research on microplastics and the effects of exposure to light was recently published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Microplastics are everywhere – in the oceans, rivers and the air you breathe – and are being ingested by various animals and other organisms. And while microplastics are already problematic on their own, they can also absorb toxins and other harmful... Read more


Dr. Chris Gill stands in a forested area at VIU's Nanaimo campus.

VIU Researcher Developing Precise Chemical Tests Requiring Minutes Instead of Hours

February 23, 2022

Chemistry Professor Dr. Chris Gill receives a $240,000 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada grant to pursue research. For two decades, Dr. Chris Gill and his research team have been revolutionizing scientific methods using direct mass spectrometry – an analytical technique that is used to rapidly measure the chemical makeup of substances. Gill, Co-Director of Vancouver... Read more


Students and a professor at VIU hold models of molecules in their hands.

VIU Researcher Investigating Impact of Plastic Pollution on Deep-Sea Organisms

October 13, 2021

Chemistry professor Dr. Heather Wiebe is pursuing her research with the help of a $120,000 NSERC Discovery Grant. Plastic pollution is reaching the deepest depths of the ocean and the impact of these contaminants on marine life that live in these high-pressure environments is unknown. Dr. Heather Wiebe, a VIU Chemistry Professor, is investigating the ability of deep-sea organisms to metabolize... Read more


Sara Guzman stands in front of a building, wearing an orange sweater.

Alum of the Month: Sara Guzman

September 15, 2021

Sara Guzman has always been fascinated by tiny things you can’t see with the naked eye, from microbes to chemical reactions in cells. It’s the reason Guzman knew she wanted a science career. Her parents encouraged her to pursue higher education. Guzman, originally from Bogota, Colombia, decided to attend university abroad and selected Vancouver Island University (VIU). She graduated from VIU in... Read more


Five people stand in VIU's Health and Science Centre during a media conference.

BC Government announces support for VIU-developed drug checking technology

August 17, 2021

Vancouver Island University (VIU) is excited to share the news that the provincial government is providing $305,000 for HarmCheck – a cutting-edge drug-checking technology that was developed at VIU. It uses high-throughput paper spray mass spectrometry to provide rapid drug-checking and can be used on-site as a harm reduction method. HarmCheck is a collaboration between VIU and the Victoria-based... Read more