$13M funding for health-related research projects across Canada

Ottawa, ON – Researchers from 12 universities across the country are undertaking 31 new health-related research projects with a total of $13 million in federal funding. The funding comes from the Collaborative Health Research Projects (CHRP) program, which is an initiative of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The program supports new projects that involve partnerships between any field of the natural sciences or engineering and the health sciences with an impact on the health of Canadians.

“The CHRP program brings together the expertise of researchers in the natural sciences and engineering fields with medical researchers to find innovative solutions in key areas of health,” said Dr. Suzanne Fortier, president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. “The collaborators will be working on important, cross-disciplinary projects with a direct impact on the well-being of Canadians.”

The 12 universities were selected for funding following a peer-review competition. Each university will receive between $200,000 and $760,000 over three years. Among the projects funded by the CHRP program are a number of experimental treatments for cancers and cardiovascular diseases, developments for computer-assisted surgery, “smart” stents for wireless monitoring of vascular disease, a contact-lens-based drug delivery system for glaucoma treatment and the first completely automatic anaesthesia delivery system.

The recipients are as follows, listed by lead researcher name, department and institution, project title, co-applicants and collaborators, program, term, and funding awarded:

Buckeridge, David L; Epidemiology, Biostatistics, McGill University. Knowledge-based detection of hospital acquired infections, Baker, Christopher CJO; Forster, Alan A; Rose, Gregory G; Tamblyn, Robyn R. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $71,110 CIHR and $71,110 NSERC.

Cao, Xudong; Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Ottawa. Biodegradable hollow fiber channels to allow drug delivery for stimulation and propagation of endogenous stem cells for repair of neural injury. Griffith, May CM; Tsai, Eve EC. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $69,513 CIHR and $69,514 NSERC.

Chen, Pu; Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo. Amino acid pairing peptide mediated delivery of short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Min, Wei-Ping W-P. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $76,634 CIHR and $76,634 NSERC.

Cheyne, Douglas O; Medical Imaging, University of Toronto. Development of an MEG-compatible Articulography System for the Assessment of Brain Function and Oromotor Dynamics. Chau, Thomas TTK; Donner, Elizabeth EJ; Pang, Elizabeth W; Steele, Catriona C; Van Lieshout, Pascal HHM. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $39,500 CIHR, $64,500 NSERC, and $25,200 CIHR – INMHA.

Collins, Louis DL; Biomedical Engineering, McGill University. Computational and statistical tools for image-guided neurosurgery of brain tumours. Arbel, Tal T; Cooperstock, Jeremy JR; Del Maestro, Roland Fausto RF; Klein, Denise D; Olivier, Andre A; Peters, Terence TM; Petrecca, Kevin KP; Petrides, Michael M. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $104,386 CIHR and $104,386 NSERC.

Després, Philippe; Radiologie, radio-oncologie et médecine nucléaire, Université de Montréal. Development of an automated blood counter for quantitative molecular imaging applications. Hamel, Louis-André L-A; Martin, Jean-Pierre J-P; Rosa-Neto, Pedro P; Soucy, Jean-Paul J-P. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $36,500 CIHR and $36,500 NSERC.

Eizenman, Moshe M; Biomaterials and Biomedical Eng. University of Toronto. Objective assessment of visual acuity in pre-verbal subjects. Irving, Elizabeth EL; Leat, Susan Jennifer SJ; Westall, Carol C; Wong, Agnes AMF. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $63,560 CIHR and $63,560 NSERC.

Ellis, Randy RE; School of Computing, Queen’s University. Kinematics-based navigation for reconstructive hip surgery. Abolmaesumi, Purang P; Bryant, Timothy JT; Fichtinger, Gabor G; Pichora, David DR; Rudan, John JF; Taylor, Russell RH. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $49,645 CIHR and $49,645 NSERC.

Ghahary, Aziz A; Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia. Development and application of nanofibres releasing anti-fibrogenic factors for treating dermal fibrosis. Ko, Frank F. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $45,660 CIHR, $70,660 NSERC and $25, 000 CIHR – IMHA.

Goldenberg, Andrew Avi AA; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto. MRI-guided focal ablation of prostate cancerous tissue. Haider, Masoom MA; Kucharczyk, Walter W; Sussman, Marshall MS; Trachtenberg, John J. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $62,500 CIHR and $62,500 NSERC.

Grandbois, Michel; Pharmacologie, Université de Sherbrooke. Label-free monitoring of cellular signals by surface plasmon resonance. Charette, Paul PG; Gendron, Louis L. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $64,028 CIHR and $64,028 NSERC.

Hafeli, Urs UO; Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia. Microneedle-based painless drug monitoring system in interstitial fluid. Ensom, Mary MHH; Stoeber, Boris B. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $57,247 CIHR and $57,246 NSERC.

Hemmerling, Thomas TM; Anesthesia, McGill University. McSleepy – the first completley automatic anesthesia delivery system. Ansermino, Mark MJ; Dumont, Guy GAM; Mathieu, Pierre P. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $69,350 CIHR and $69,350 NSERC.

Jakeman, David DL; Chemistry, Dalhousie University. Structural, enzymatic and cellular mechanism of action studies on new jadomycins. Goralski, Kerry KB; McFarland, Sherri SA; Syvitski, Raymond RT. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $83,200 CIHR and $83,200 NSERC.

Kermode, Allison AR; Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University. Formulation and efficacy of a corn-derived phenylalanine ammonia-lyase for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU) and hyperphenylalaninemias. Clarke, Lorne LA; Murch, Susan SJ; Scaman, Christine CH; Sirrs, Sandra SM. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $90,050 CIHR and $90,050 NSERC.

Mongrain, Rosaire R; Mechanical Engineering, McGill University. Development of a biomechanical model of the aorta to support medical decision and prosthetic design. Cartier, Raymond RC; Leask, Richard RL; Pressacco, Josephine J. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $69,750 CIHR and $69,750 NSERC.

Nadeau, Jay JL; Biomedical Engineering, McGill University. Self-illuminating nanoparticles for melanoma therapy. Dimitrijevic, Nada N, Nann, Thomas T, Teodoro, Jose JG. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $72,875 CIHR and $72,875 NSERC.

Quinn, Thomas TM;Chemical Engineering, McGill University. New technologies and methods for growth of artificial cartilage and skin. Hinz, Boris B; Martineau, Paul P. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $66,500 CIHR and $66,500 NSERC.

Radisic, Milica M; Installment of Biomaterials and Biomedical Eng, University of Toronto. Tissue engineered patches for the repair of cardiovascular congenital malformations. Li, Ren-Ke RK. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $69,767 CIHR and $67,768 NSERC.

Rousseau, Guy G; Pharmacologie, Université de Montréal. Intervention innovatrice complémentaire à l’angioplastie pour réduire la taille de l’infarctus du myocarde. Charron, Thierry T; Leblanc, Robert RL. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $59,750 CIHR and $59,750 NSERC.

Salcudean, Septimiu (Tim) SE; Electrical and Computer. Engineering, University of British Columbia. Image guidance for radical protatecomy. Abolmaesumi, Purang P; Chang, Silvia SD; Goldenberg, Sheldon SL; Kozlowski, Piotr P; Nguan, Christopher CYC; Rohling, Robert RN; Sinkus, Ralph R. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $54,409 CIHR and $54,410 NSERC.

Schriemer, David DC; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary. Next generation anti-mitotics for treatment-refractory cancer. Bathe, Oliver O; Hall, Dennis DG; Narendran, Aru A; Tuszynski, Jacek (Jack) JA. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $78,750 CIHR and $78,75
0 NSERC.

Sheardown, Heather HD; Chemical Engineering, McMaster University. Silicone hydrogel contact lens based delivery system for glaucoma treatment. Gorbet, Maud M; Jones, Lyndon LW; West-Mays, Judith JA. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $28,750 CIHR and $28,750 NSERC.

Shin, Jumi JA, Chemistry, University of Toronto. Minimalist hybrid proteins: A novel platform for cancer drug discovery. Chan, Warren WCW; Penn, Linda L. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $126,000 CIHR and $126,000 NSERC.

Shmuel, Amir A; Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University. Modeling and validating the effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation on cortical excitability: implications for post-stroke recovery and depression. Comeau, Roch R; Daskalakis, Zafiris Z; Koski, Lisa LM; Lesage, Frédéric F; Pike, Bruce GB. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $67,446 CIHR and $67,446 NSERC.

Simmons, Craig CA; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto. Microfluidic drug screening in complex vascular microenvironments. Bendeck, Michelle MP; Rocheleau, Jonathan JV; Wheeler, Aaron AR. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $76,578 CIHR and $76,578 NSERC.

Stewart, James, ARK; School of Computing, Queen’s University. New methods for articular cartilage repair through computer-assisted surgery. Bardana, Davide DD; Bryant, Timothy JT; Deluzio, Kevin KJ; Fenton, Paul PV; Rudan, John JF; Waldman, Stephen SD. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $22,550 CIHR, $47,550 NSERC and $25,000 CIHR – IMHA.

Takahata, Kenichi K; Electrical and Comp. Engineering, University of British Columbia. Smart stents for wireless monitoring of vascular disease. Gagnon, Joel J; Hsiang, York YN; Kizhakkedathu, Jayachandran JN; Mirabbasi, Shahriar SA; Wong, William WK. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $100,495 NSERC and $100,496 CIHR – ICRH

Thibault, Pierre P; Chimie, Université de Montréal. Control of newly synthesized histone deacetylation and its implications for the clinical use of HDAC inhibitors. Verreault, Alain AC. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $69,818 CIHR and $69,817 NSERC.

Wilson, Brian BC; Medical Biophysics PMH/OCI, University of Toronto, Ontario Cancer Institute. Response monitoring and control of prostate focal laser thermal therapy with hybrid trans-rectal NIR optical tomography and 3D ultrasound. Fenster, Aaron A; Trachtenberg, John J; Weersink, Robert RA. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $85,550 CIHR and $85,550 NSERC.

Zhu, Julian JXX; Chimie, Université de Montréal. New polymer composites based on natural compounds for dental applications. Fortin, Daniel D; Lerouge, Sophie S. Group, 3 Yrs – Installment 1: $50,300 CIHR, $75,300 NSERC and $25,000 CIHR – IMHA.