About Our Research

history

The MacDonald Lab was established in 2006, when Pat was recruited to the University of Alberta’s Department of Pharmacology and the Alberta Diabetes Institute (ADI) in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. His lab then became the first group in the ADI’s new building—the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation—upon its grand opening in 2007. Identifying a lack of access to human tissue for research, Pat went on to establish and direct the ADI IsletCore in 2010. Since its inception, the MacDonald Lab has provided the training for thirteen postdoctoral fellows, nine graduate students, and twenty-one undergraduate students.

When the MacDonald lab is not busy performing experiments and isolating islets, its members enjoy socializing and team-building activities. Some of their annual events include summer barbecues, birthday celebrations, Secret Santa exchanges, and holiday parties!

FACILITIES

The MacDonald Lab space encompasses the following facilities:

Human Islet Isolation Lab
Human Islet Deep Phenotyping Lab
Human Islet Cryopreservation and Biobanking Facility
MacDonald General Research Lab
Two electrophysiology rooms
Cell culture room
Cell imaging lab
Animal procedure room
Office space

As part of the Alberta Diabetes Institute, members also have access to several ADI Core facilities, including the Molecular Biology Core, the Histology Core, and the Cell Imaging Centre. Our research animals are maintained by the Health Sciences Laboratory Animal Services (HSLAS).