Urology research grant program call for proposals

Markham, ON – Improving patient care is the ultimate goal of a research grant program, designed to support Canadian scientific discovery and innovation in urology.

Researchers are invited to submit a proposal to the CUA Astellas Research Grant Program, a joint initiative of the Canadian Urological Association (CUA) and Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc. (Astellas).

This is the second year of the grant program, which supports peer-reviewed research and promotes excellence in urological research. Astellas has pledged $750,000 CND over a period of five years to support Canadian investigators in urology.

For the 2013 competition, the primary focus is to support research in functional urology, including overactive bladder (OAB), lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), pelvic floor disorders, voiding dysfunctions, and neurogenic bladder.  The secondary focus is to support other urology research areas such as urologic cancer and other community-based research.

Three research grants will be awarded (each with a maximum value of $50,000 CDN) based on scientific validity, integrity, clinical relevance, and feasibility. Grant recipients are expected to demonstrate improved understanding of the specific research area and/or directly contribute to improving patient care.

Dr. Blayne Welk, a 2012 grant recipient based at University of Western Ontario, says the funding has provided him with an exciting opportunity to pursue his research interests among patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

“I am sure the CUA Astellas grant’s commitment to support voiding dysfunction research will inspire new researchers with an interest in this area and build on existing high-quality Canadian research,” he says.

Dr. Ben Chew, also a 2012 grant recipient, strongly encourages other Canadian urology researchers to apply to the grant program. He says his laboratory at the University of British Columbia is most appreciative of this funding, adding that it “really relays the commitment that Astellas has to supporting urologists, research, and ultimately patients and their health.”

“With these funds, it will allow us to fund enough experiments to obtain important preliminary data and then apply for national funding agencies such as CIHR or NSERC for further funding,” says Chew, whose research is on the physiology of ureteral peristalsis and the effects of stone passage and ureteral stent insertion. “Without money from the CUA Astellas Research Grant, our research would not be able to expand.”

For more information about the CUA Astellas Research Grant, including eligibility criteria and the application process, please visit www.cua.org or www.astellas.ca. The deadline to submit a research proposal is January 13, 2013, at 5 p.m. EST.