Fetal alcohol research grants awarded

Toronto, ON – The second annual round of grants awarded for research, prevention and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) has been announced by Dr Gideon Koren, director of Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children’s Motherisk Program on behalf of the Canadian Foundation on Fetal Alcohol Research (CFFAR).

The recipients of this round of grants were selected after a peer-review of applications. The 2009 grant recipients are:

–  Dr Bhushan Kapur, PhD, University of Toronto, for the research project entitled “Placental transfer of formic acid in the presence and absence of folic acid”

–  Dr Katherine Malisza, PhD, University of Winnipeg. Her research project is entitled “Neuroimaging Cognitive in Children with ARND & ADHD”.

–  Dr Ronald Reusch, PhD, Simon Fraser University. His work is entitled “An examination of the abilities, risks and needs of adolescents & young adults with FASD in the criminal justice system”.

“The Canadian Foundation on Fetal Alcohol Research is happy to once again support the work of talented investigators such as Dr Kapur, Dr Malisza and Dr Reusch. Their focus and dedication to furthering the knowledge of the bio-medical, psychological and social aspects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is of critical value to the development of tools to treat and prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder,” said Dr. Koren, CFFAR’s director of research.

Created in September 2007 through a 5-year $1 million commitment by the Brewers Association of Canada (BAC), the CFFAR is an independent, non-profit foundation created to promote interest and fund research related to the short and long-term bio-medical, psychological and social effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and the prevention of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.