Donna Vine, PhD

Email

dvine@ualberta.ca

Phone

(780) 492-4393

Address

4-002H Li Ka Shing Centre For Research

8602 112 St NW

Edmonton AB

T6G 2E1

Research History and Achievements:

Dr. Donna Vine has been fortunate to train with several internationally recognized groups in pharmacology, lipid physiology, epidemiology, nutrition, lipidomic and biomarkers. This training has provided Dr. Vine with a broad knowledge base and the ability to incorporate and apply many perspectives into my research and teaching portfolio. More specifically, Dr. Vine has developed unique research expertise in the areas of dietary intervention, lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, bioavailability and intestinal permeability, and application of these techniques in understanding dyslipidaemia in chronic disease.  Dr. Vine's expertise includes novel technical and methodological approaches that extend from animal surgical procedures to clinical intervention research and assessment of postprandial lipid metabolism.  Dr. Vine's research activities have focused on the physiological assessment of intestinal transport of dietary lipids and other compounds, and the role intestinally derived lipoproteins play in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in diabetes, metabolic syndrome and PCOS.   

Dr. Vine strives for excellence in her research program and has high expectations of her trainees.  Dr. Vine has established an exceptional training environment that is inclusive, diverse and integrated with every trainee sharing a common goal:  to achieve the highest scientific standards in their research projects.  Dr. Vine's past HQP and current trainees have been of different sex and gender, and have come from diverse backgrounds (Senegal, India, Australia, Canada, Vietnam and China) with various religious, cultural and social experiences.  Dr. Vine has a multicultural and diverse laboratory.  Dr. Vine celebrates this with laboratory meetings that include pot lunches to bring favourite foods from the team member's homelands.  Dr. Vine's laboratory operates as an inclusive team where they work together and collaborate to achieve a common goal.  Dr. Vine's laboratory has weekly research progress group meetings and a ‘drop-in’ policy, in which trainees can meet Dr. Vine as often as needed (zoom if necessary).  Initially students are trained in each technique by Dr. Vine or a senior technician to ensure 100% competency in standard operating procedures and to maintain high quality research outputs. 

Dr. Vine has made significant contributions to the understanding of intestinal chylomicron (apoB48) and lipid (triglyceride and cholesterol) metabolism, and the contribution of apoB48-remnants and lipids to atherogenesis and subclinical CVD risk.  The intestinal absorption of lipids and transport via intestinal lipoproteins, chylomicrons, to the circulation forms a physiological pathway which contributes to whole body lipid metabolism and CVD risk.  In addition, Dr. Vine has established an NSERC Discovery research program (2009-2025) that has significantly contributed to the understanding of androgen regulation and lipid metabolism in normal and altered metabolic conditions such as metabolic syndrome and PCOS.

Dr. Vine has extensive experience in clinical and animal model studies to assess plasma triglycerides and apolipoproteins-B48 and apoB100-remnant lipoprotein metabolism in the metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes and PCOS.  Dr. Vine has ongoing collaborations with the Raine Cohort, Professor’s Beilin, Hart and Mori, at the Medical School University of Western Australia.  Dr. Vine has presented these findings at local, international and national scientific, knowledge user and community forums, including Androgen Excess & PCOS Society (AEPCOSS), Endocrinology Society, Canadian Society Endocrinology & Metabolism (CSEM), National Health & Medical Research Centre for Research Excellence in PCOS (Australia), PCOS Awareness Association (US) & PCOS Alliance (Australia).  

Dr. Vine has established a unique research program, PCOS Together, which is recognized in national and international scientific communities.  Dr. Vine has pioneered discovery of the role of fatty acids and the androgen receptor in regulating intestinal absorption and intestinal chylomicron metabolism via her basic mechanistic research program (NSERC Discovery (2009-2025)).  In Dr. Vine's clinical studies she has demonstrated early cardiovascular risk in adolescents and women with PCOS via the assessment of plasma triglyceride and chylomicron (apoB48 protein) metabolism.  These findings have been translated to clinical practice through local (primary care networks, citywide journal club in prevention of cardiovascular disease-Mazankowski Heart Research Institute, conferences), national (CSEM conferences, consultation with clinical cardiologists and endocrinologists) and international (conferences and international guidelines) communication of results.  In Dr. Vine's epidemiological studies she has confirmed these findings of increased triglyceride and apoB48 proteins in adolescents and women with PCOS.  Dr. Vine has also discovered that in Alberta, Canada, women with PCOS have two-fold the incidence of diabetes and four-fold the incidence of cardiovascular disease.  A major focus of Dr. Vine's PCOS Together research program is to improve the health care of women with PCOS through the discovery of interventions that are effective in reducing Diabetes and CVD in this population using the following approaches; epidemiological assessment of the problem; patient engagement in health care issues; basic translational research to understand mechanisms; clinical trials to develop effective and safe interventions; developing better health care practices in women with PCOS.  Striving for funding for this research program in PCOS has been challenging as the disease is often grouped with obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, despite being a unique endocrine disorder affecting 10% of adolescent girls and women. 

Dr. Vine was awarded CIHR Funding (2015-2018), Alberta Diabetes Institute (2015-2017) and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (2018-2021) funding to investigate the effects of fish oil (n-3 PUFA) and metformin on androgen and lipid metabolism in women with PCOS.  Dr. Vine was appointed to the Faculty of the Continuing Medical Education(2014-Current) for the AEPCOSS and served as a reviewer for the “International Evidence-based guidelines for the assessment and management of PCOS (2016-2018, 2022-2023), and serve on the national council of the CSEM (2018-Current).  These appointments have been based on her basic to clinical translational research expertise. Dr. Vine has been awarded Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (2020-2026) funding to investigate early markers and progression of cardiovascular disease in young women with PCOS, including apoB-remnant lipoproteins, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and cardiac function.

Most Significant Contributions:

The fundamental research contributions Dr. Vine has made through several key collaborations are highlighted below. 

1. Global and National Leadership in PCOS Research and Knowledge Translation.

• Recognized as a Global Leader by the ENDOCRINE Society and the Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (CSEM), Androgen Excess and PCOS Society in basic and clinical translational science in PCOS and cardiometabolic risk.
• Contribute to patient education and community outreach (on social media and website, https://pcos.together.ualberta.ca/).
• Contributes to local, national and international medical education for family physicians, primary care networks, CSEM and Androgen Excess and PCOS Society.
• Serves on Executive Committee and Conference Planning Committee for Diabetes Canada/CSEM annual conferences 2022/2023/2024.
• Chair of the ‘PCOS across the Lifespan’ Knowledge Transfer Activity for CSEM, Spring 2023.
• Contributed to review and update of the International Guidelines for diagnosis and management of PCOS in collaboration with CSEM 2018 and 2023.

2.  Establishment of PCOS Together research and community outreach program.

• PCOS Together, which highlights PCOS research and provides a health care toolbox and resources for PCOS.

3.  Significant research projects and publications in PCOS (Total Career=75)

1. Detection of subclinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cardiac dysfunction and impairment in apoB-lipoprotein, cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism in RAINE-menstruation in teenagers study population cohort, adolescents and young women with PCOS.
   • Vine DF, Wang F, Jetha M, Proctor S and Ball G. (2017) Impaired apoB-remnant lipoprotein and triglyceride metabolism in obese adolescents with PCOS. J Clin Endo. Metab;102:970-82.
   • Vine DF, Burrows S, Huang R-C, Beilin L, Hart R, Mori T, Proctor S. (2020) ApoB48-Lipoprotein Remnants Are Associated with Increased Plasma Triglycerides and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in a Cohort of Adolescents with and without PCOS. J Endo Soc., 4(8):bvaa061.
   • Vine DF, Proctor E, Weaver O, Maximova K, Ghosh M, Proctor S. (2021). A Pilot Trial: Fish Oil and Metformin Effects on ApoB-Remnants and Triglycerides in Women with PCOS. J Endo. Soc. 50(9): 1-12.
   • Navarese E, Vine DF, Proctor S, Grzelakowska K, Berti S, Kubika J and Raggi P. (2023). Independent Causal Effect of Remnant Cholesterol on Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Outcomes: a Mendelian randomization study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 43(9): e3873-e380.
   • Wu X, Wilke M, Raggi P, Becher H, Ghosh M, Cree-Green M, Vine DF. (2024). Atherogenic ApoB-Dyslipidemia, Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiac Dysfunction and Remodeling in High-Risk Young Women With and Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Frontiers in Endo. Submitted.
     
     
2. The First Canadian Epidemiological studies on health outcomes in PCOS.
   • Vine DF, Wang T, Bakal J and Ghosh M. (2023). Increased Prevalence of Health Outcomes Across the Lifespan in Those Affected by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: a Canadian Population Cohort Study.Can J Cardiol. Special Issue: Why Her Heart Matters: Evidence-Based Practice and Practice-Based Evidence. Dec 15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjco.2023.12.010
   • Alberta Tomorrow Project Cohort: PCOS and Atherogenic Dyslipidemia and CVD outcomes.
   • Alberta Health Services: Strategic Patient Orientated Research projects on validating PCOS and PCOS-like symptoms and relationship to health outcomes.
     
     
3. Highlighting Health and Health Care Inequity in PCOS in Canada.
   • Lalonde-Bester S, Malik M, Sidhu S, Ng K, Masoumi M, Ghosh M, Vine DF. (2024). Prevalence and Etiology of Eating Disorders in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Scoping Review. Advances in Nutrition. https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S2161-8313(24)00027-9
   • Sydora B, Wilke M, Chambers S, McPerhson M, Ghosh M and Vine DF. (2023). Challenges in diagnosis and health care in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Canada: a patient view to improve health care. BMC Women’s Health. 23: 569.
   • Wilke M, Ghosh M, Vine DF. (2022) Challenges in Health Care, Diet and Nutrition in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Current Developments in Nutrition; 6 (1): 880. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2475299123207180?via%3Dihub
     
     
4. Establishment of animal model of PCOS, Metabolic Syndrome and Dyslipidemia to explore role of insulin and androgens in PCOS and cardiometabolic risk.
   • Shi D , Dyck MK , Uwiera RR , Russell JC , Proctor SD , Vine DF. (2009). A unique rodent model of cardiometabolic risk associated with the metabolic syndrome and polycystic ovary syndrome. Endocrinology. 150(9): 4425-4436
   • Vine DF, Wang Y, Shi D, Proctor S. (2014) Insulin and testosterone are associated with elevated intestinal secretion of lipids and lipoproteins in a rodent model of the metabolic and polycystic ovary syndrome. J Diab. Metab.;5:391-399.
   • Diané A, Kupreeva M, Proctor SD, Pierce WD, Vine DF. (2015). Cardiometabolic and reproductive benefits of early dietary energy restriction and voluntary exercise in an obese PCOS-prone rodent model. Journal of Endocrinology. 226(3): 193-206.
   • Kupreeva M, Diane A, Watts R, Lehner R, Ghosh M, Proctor S, Vine DF. Effect of Metformin and Flutamide on Insulin, Lipogenic and Androgen-Estrogen Signalling and Cardiometabolic Risk in a PCOS-prone Rodent Model. Am. J Physiol: Endocrinol and Metab;316(1):E16-33.
   • Horkey M, Nelson R, Watts R, Lehner R, Vine DF. (2024). Cardiac function is altered in PCOS-prone rodents following testosterone treatment. J of Endocrinology, submitted.

• Dr. Vine's work in this area has shown that in both animal models and human disease conditions, including diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, the impairment of intestinal chylomicron metabolism leads to an accumulation of these particles in the circulation (See publication #; 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 26, 31, 35, 41, 53, 56, 60, 61, 62, 64, 67, 69, 75). 
• Dr. Vine has been instrumental in establishing ‘in-house’ standards for SDS-PAGE Western Blot methods to quantitate apoB-lipoproteins, both chylomicron levels (measured by detecting apolipoprotein-B48) and very low density and low-density lipoproteins (measured by detecting apolipoprotein-B100) in plasma in the fasted and fed (postprandial) state in humans and rodent models. (See publication #11, 13, 14, 34, 41, 53, 56, 60, 61, 62, 64, 75)

5.  Significant contributions to the intestinal absorption and kinetics of dietary oxidized cholesterol products, and contribution to cardiovascular disease risk. 

• Dr. Vine has been the first to provide evidence that dietary derived cholesterol oxidation products are rapidly absorbed by the intestine, are incorporated into intestinal chylomicrons and transported to the circulation.
• Dr. Vine has shown that once in the circulation, chylomicrons containing these oxidized sterols have impaired clearance, which appears to exacerbate the development of cardiovascular disease (See publications #; 2, 3, 4)

6. Contributions to the effect of dietary lipids, lipid-lowering drugs and nanoparticles on modulating intestinal transport and lipid metabolism pathways.

• Dr. Vine has shown using intestinal ‘Ussing’ diffusion techniques that dietary type and amount can influence both the histological integrity and the physiological active and passive transport processes and the permeability-barrier function of the intestine.
• In particular, Dr. Vine has shown that dietary fatty acids can modulate lipid transport processes, which impacts the bioavailability of pharmaceutical compounds and essential dietary nutrients (See publication #; 5, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 32, 38, 42, 47, 50, 64). 

7.  Contributions to techniques and studies that examine the arterial wall uptake of apoB-remnant lipoproteins in normal and disease conditions.

• This part of Dr. Vine's research has been in assisting with the development of novel surgical (in-situ perfusion) and analytical methods (con-focal microscopy) to determine the permeability of intestinal chylomicron-remnants into arterial vessels (See publication #; 6, 8, 74, 75).
• This work was done in collaboration with Dr John Mamo and Dr Spencer Proctor and has been cited numerous times. This research highlights the significant role cholesterol-rich chylomicron remnants play in delivering cholesterol to the arterial which leads to cardiovascular disease.   They have shown that the arterial wall effluxes chylomicron remnant-associated cholesterol at a reduced rate compared to low density lipoproteins (LDL), suggesting chylomicron remnants may be more atherogenic than LDL-cholesterol (See publication #; 6, 8, 22, 26, 31, 74, 75).

8.  Investigations into the effects of dietary fatty acids, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals on intestinal and postprandial lipid and lipoprotein metabolism.

For more information:

• Publications
• Current Series of Projects
• Invited Speaker Events
• Conference Proceedings
• ResearchGate
• Short Video Series
• In the News
• Awards & Scholarships

Teaching Contributions & Achievement:

Dr. Donna Vine has been developing courses and teaching at the University level since 1992 and she has accumulated significant instructional experience from different institutions, with her longest academic appointment being at the University of Alberta.  Dr. Vine's broad areas of teaching expertise are in the areas of Human Nutrition, Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Bioavailability, Chronic Disease and Research Methods in Nutritional Science and Dietetics.  Dr. Vine has contributed in a more specific capacity to the teaching programs that have included Antioxidants and Disease, Functional Foods/Bio-active Dietary components, Nutrition and Metabolism of Macro- and Micro-nutrients and Pharmaco-bioavailability and Nutrition in health and the prevention and treatment of chronic disease.  Dr. Vine has experience with designing and instructing large undergraduate 1st year and 2nd year classes (n=>110 students) and smaller advanced 4th year classes (n=20-40 students).  Dr. Vine also has developed hybrid course formats of on-line, in person and blended learning environments.  Dr. Vine was awarded a McCalla Professorship (2015-2017), and Faculty ALES Teaching Award (2016) for excellence in teaching as evaluated by her peers, undergraduate and graduate students.

Dr. Vine sets high standards for her undergraduate students with clear learning goals, outcomes, and competencies for each course.  Dr. Vine's major mandate for course instruction is to stay current, providing the most up to date research and guidelines in nutrition and health for each topic she teaches.  This requires dedication to updating and improving course materials every year for every course.  Dr. Vine believe students that complete her courses appreciate the learning environment and resources provided to enable them to have up-to-date knowledge and skills needed for a career in areas of nutrition, dietetics, public health, and research.    

Wet Laboratories and Demonstrations:

Dr. Vine has also had significant experience with the development, design and delivery of wet laboratories at the University level, with particular focus on bioassessment in nutrition and lipid metabolism.

Graduate Student and Technician Supervision:

Dr. Vine has been dedicated to the training of undergraduate, graduate students and HQP since the start of my post-doctoral training and academic appointments.  Dr. Vine provides an intense hands-on approach to supervising students in research projects, laboratory methods through to statistics training and thesis-manuscript completion. Dr. Vine teaches students to have academic and scientific integrity, attention to detail, thoroughness and consistency, and she always try to role model these traits. In Dr. Vine's research associate work at U Alberta (2003-2005), Assistant Lecturer at Curtin University (2000-2002), and in her postdoctoral fellowship (Victorian College of Pharmacy, 1999-2001) she also supervised and trained several undergraduate and postgraduate research project students. 

Dr. Vine's students receive mentorship and training from herself and a senior HQP.  Dr. Vine pairs students with a senior student, technician or research associate.  Dr. Vine currently co-supervisor two PhD students, Xiaoying (Eden) Wu and Niusha Taheri.  Dr. Vine currently supervise a research associate, a research assistant, an animal laboratory technician and administrative assistant in their work in her animal and clinical laboratories, and her PCOS Together research program.  Dr. Vine's undergraduate Dietetic and NUFS students enter the workforce in a wide range of areas including community nutrition, dietetics, food industry.  Dr. Vine is connected once they graduate through Linkedin (>300 graduates from our NUFS programs).  Dr. Vine's post-graduate, technical and research associates and HQP have gone on to work in pharmaceutical-food industry, academia and dietetics.

• Current & Former Team of Trainees & Highly Qualified Personnel