Second endowment supports research in chronic lung disease

Calgary, AB – The University of Calgary and GlaxoSmithKline have established a new professorship in inflammatory lung disease. Made possible by a $1 million endowment from GSK, the professorship will dedicate research efforts to advancing the understanding and treatment of respiratory illness.

“Key collaborations such as this enable us to attract and retain leading talent,” says Dr Dennis Salahub, vice-president research and international, University of Calgary. “With the number of people suffering from chronic respiratory disease on the rise in Canada, the professorship will enable us to continue to focus our innovation and expertise on leading edge research and education.”

Funding for the new GSK Professorship in Inflammatory Lung Disease comes from the GlaxoSmithKline Pathfinders Fund for Leaders in Canadian Health Science Research, an initiative that encourages health science research and innovation in Canadian universities. The partnership is the first of its kind between GSK and the University of Calgary.

The University of Calgary is currently in the early stages of recruitment for the new professorship. The specific research focus will be formalized upon selection of the appropriate candidate. It is anticipated that the selected candidate will strengthen the University of Calgary’s productive and influential group of scientists that are investigating airway disease and infections.