Dr. Miyoung Suh

Principal Investigator:
Nutrition and Neurological Diseases
Division of Neurodegenerative and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Principal Investigator:
Nutrition and Neurological Diseases
Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine

Professor
Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba

Registered Dietitian
College of Dietitians of Manitoba & Dietitians of Canada

Research Focus

Lipid metabolism is essential for the proper functioning of biochemical and physiological systems. Dr. Suh’s laboratory investigates the mechanisms behind normal and abnormal lipid metabolism in neural tissues, particularly the retina and brain. Although these organs are functionally distinct, they share a common feature: they are rich in unique lipids. The lab focuses on fatty acid-containing phospholipids and tissue-specific lipids in these organs to decode their roles in health and disease.

Nutrition and Deteriorating Retina Health

Nutrients may prevent or improve retinal diseases like diabetic retinopathy, macular dystrophy, and computer vision syndrome. Dr. Suh’s research has expanded to human studies, building on animal model research (Fat-1 mice, type-1 diabetic retinopathy rats, Elovl4-deficient mice, and neonatal piglets). She explores nutrient interventions, such as DHA, β-carotene-enriched formulations, lutein- and DHA-enriched eggs, and choline, to prevent or reduce retinal degeneration with age.

Maternal Nutrition and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

FASD is a preventable developmental disability caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy, affecting 400,000 Canadians and 3,000 infants annually. There are no treatments to reverse it. Dr. Suh’s research seeks maternal nutrition interventions during pregnancy and lactation to prevent or reduce FASD. Her preclinical study focuses on DHA, a crucial brain nutrient. Alcohol reduces DHA in the fetal brain, leading to inflammation, cell loss, and impaired neurogenesis. Dr. Suh hypothesizes that DHA supplementation during pregnancy may counteract these effects.

Smart Vertical Farm for Health

Dr. Suh partnered with a First Nations community in northern Manitoba to develop the Smart Vertical Farm for Health project. This computer-assisted indoor farm grows fresh, affordable vegetables, herbs, and fruits year-round. Pilot tests revealed that produce from the farm was more nutrient-dense than that from local grocery stores. Dr. Suh is now studying how this technology can improve health in Northern communities by growing functional plants enriched with anti-diabetic compounds, addressing high diabetes rates.

Why is this work important?

Our understanding of the fundamental roles of nutrition in specialized neural tissue function is still limited. Dr. Suh’s research aims to address this gap by investigating how specific nutrients influence neural tissues. The outcomes of this research could inform revisions to dietary guidelines, identifying the optimal types and ratios of nutrients that confer therapeutic benefits in various disease contexts, including visual disorders, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), and diabetes.

What techniques and equipment are used in this laboratory?

Electroretinography (ERG)
QuantifEye MPS II for Macular Pigment Optical Density
Gas chromatography; Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
Ultra-performance liquid chromatography
Molecular biology assays (RT-qPCR/microarray)
Biochemical assays (Metabolite biomarkers)
Histology
Specific diet formulations for feeding trials
Various pre-clinical animal models
Clinical trials

About Dr. Miyoung Suh

Dr. Miyoung Suh is a Professor in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences at the University of Manitoba and serves as a Principal Investigator in both the Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders and the Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine at the St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre. She is also the nutrition lead for the Canada-Israel International Fetal Alcohol Consortium, a global initiative focused on mitigating the impact of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder through perinatal nutrition strategies. Her ongoing research explores the critical roles of dietary lipids in the development and function of neural cells in the brain and retina, particularly under conditions of alcohol exposure, diabetes, and obesity. Additionally, she serves as a scientific health research liaison for the Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) in The Pas, Manitoba. Her recent collaborative with OCN on a project to grow functional vegetables using smart vertical farm technology holds transformative potential in combating chronic diseases, especially diabetes, which is prevalent in northern communities. Overall, her research lays the groundwork for optimizing nutrition and developing nutritional strategies that benefit both targeted clinical populations and the general public.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Miyoung Suh
Room R4052, 351 Tache Avenue
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
R2H 2A6
Tel: 204-235-3106 (Office)
Tel: 204-235-2573 (Lab)

2024 Excellence in Teaching Award in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba (nominee)
2023 Merit Award for Teaching and Research, University of Manitoba
2022 Minister of Science and ICT Award (Korea) at the 12th annual Canada-Korea Conference in Niagara Falls.
2022 Ronald Duhamel Innovation Fund Award, St. Boniface Hospital Foundation.
2021 AKCSE Women in Science and Engineers (WiSE) Award, The Association of Korean-Canadian Scientists and Engineers.
2019 Outstanding Teacher Award, Student-Teacher Recognition, Centre for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning, University of Manitoba
2018 Inaugural Excellence in Teaching Award in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba
2017 Scientist of the Year Award, The Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies
2017 Outstanding Mentorship of Graduate Students Award, Faculty of Graduate Studies (nominee)
2016 Outstanding Teacher Award, Student-Teacher Recognition, Centre for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning, University of Manitoba (2016)
2015 Merit Award for Service, University of Manitoba (2015)
2014 Centre on Aging Research Fellowship, University of Manitoba (2014)
2011 Best Members Award, Association of Korean-Canadian Scientists and Engineers, Canada
2010 Merit Award for the Combination Category of Teaching/Research/Service, University of Manitoba

Active grants:

NSERC-Discovery Horizons: $250,000 (2024-2029)
Production of functional vegetables for northern communities by harnessing smart vertical farm technology
Suh M (PI), Collaborators: Cha YJ, Zhang Q, Ross G (Opaskwayak Health Authority); Wejekoon C (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC))

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant (Ranked 1^st place): $566,100 (2023-2028)
Perinatal nutrition strategy with omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid to protect the brain in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Suh M (PI), Aliani M, Albensi B, & Hyo-Jick Choi (U. Alberta)

CIHR, NSERC & SSHRC, Healthy Cities Research Training Platform (HCRTP): Training grant
$4,950,000 (2021-2027)
Implementing smart cities interventions to build healthy cities (https://smart-training.ca/ )
Primary Applicant: Drs Ma (Nominated PA, U. Guelph), M Suh (U. Manitoba) and Dube (U. McGill)

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Co: $1,350,000 (PHASE II, 2021-2024)
Global leadership in reducing the impacts of FASD
Hick G (Nominated PA, Lead for molecular mechanisms); Suh M (Co-applicant, Lead for Nutrition); Fainsod A (Hebrew Univ)

Egg Farmers of Canada: $128,146 (2019-2022, extended to 2024 due to COVID period)
Egg as a strategy to maintain retina health in diabetes
Suh M (PI)

Active Internal Grants:

University Indigenous Research Program (UIRP): $24,675 (2023-2025)
A pilot study to examine the health benefits of a traditional diet and lifestyle in a northern Manitoba Indigenous community
Suh M (PI), Yhanova J, Aliani M

Univ of Manitoba- Research Grants program (URGP): $10,000 (2024-2025)
Understanding benign prostate hyperplasia in metabolic syndrome using Jcr rats
Suh M (PI)

Previous grants:

We would like to acknowledge the following funding agencies and industries

Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)-Project Grant (Co-PI)
Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP), Agriculture Manitoba
Mitacs Converge & Myera Nu-Agri-Nomics Group (PI)
Mitacs Accelerate Cluster & Function Four, Ltd. (PI)
Research Manitoba-Canada Israel International Fetal Alcohol Consortium (PI)
Manitoba, Innovation, Energy & Mines (PI)
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries I (Co-PI)
Manitoba Egg Farmers (PI)
Centre on Aging, UofM (PI)
Hemp Oil Canada (PI)
Agri-Food Research and Development Initiative (PI)
Manitoba Health Research Council (PI)
Manitoba Agricultural-Food and Rural Initiatives (PI)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (PI)
Manitoba Medical Services Foundation (PI)
University of Manitoba Research Grant Program (PI)
Advanced Foods & Materials Network-NCE (Co-PI)

Current team

Ruchira Nandasiri, Postdoctoral Fellow (CIHR-SMART Trainee; Selected for the McCall MacBain Postdoctoral Fellows Teaching and Leadership Program, McMaster Univ (Cohort 6))
Jaime Guénette, Postdoctoral Fellow
Chelsey Walchuk, RD, MSc, PhD Candidate (UMGF; CIHR-SMART Trainee)
Bradley Feltham, RD, MSc, PhD Candidate (CIHR-CGS-D for 3 years; UMGF; Research MB)
Breanne Semenko, RD, PhD student (CIHR-CGS-M; Research-MB; Prairie Improvement Network Scholarship; CIHR-SMART Trainee)
Shivani Tiwari, PhD student (GETS)
Joanna Candas, MSc student (CIHR-CGS-M; Alfred E Deacon Research Studentship)
Shanella Senadhiraja, MSc student (TD Bank Group Graduate Student Award Grant; GETS)
Chantal Perchotte, MSc student (CIHR-SMART Trainee)
Rashmi Siribaddana, MSc student (GETS)
Khuong Le, Technician (Part-time)
Jaspal Mudharh, Technician

Contact Dr. Suh

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