$222M in health research grants awarded to 571 recipients

Calgary, AB – Prime Minister Paul Martin, accompanied by the Ujjal Dosanjh, minister of health and Dr Alan Bernstein, president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), have announced the recipients of 571 health research grants worth more than $222 million. The announcement was made at the University of Calgary.

“By enabling our researchers to stay at the cutting edge in their fields, we are strengthening our country’s position as a leader in building an innovative and cost-effective health care system,” said the Prime Minister. “Their work will contribute to strengthening the research and training environment for young Canadians in all regions of the country.”

The 571 research projects funded across Canada will be carried out over periods of one to five years and exemplify CIHR’s comprehensive, problem-based approach to funding health research. The funded research projects include the following:

– Dr Gerald Zamponi (University of Calgary) is conducting fundamental research in calcium channels. His work could lead to new treatments for a variety of neurological problems, including migraines;
– Dr Allison J McGeer (Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto) is developing rules to help physicians treat Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea;
– Dr Gustavo Turecki (Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University ) and his team are studying the risk factors related to suicide among Aboriginal communities;
– Dr Zdenka V Pausova (Centre Hospitalier de l’Universit de Montral) is examining the impact of prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoking;
– Dr Jitender Sareen (University of Manitoba) will examine the mental health consequences of peacekeeping for members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their need for mental health treatment.

“CIHR’s research grants support the very best ideas of outstanding investigators in universities and teaching hospitals across Canada,” said Dr. Bernstein. “CIHR is proud to be catalyzing both important health research and its translation into better health and evidence-based changes in Canada’s health care system.”