Alberta Innovates- Health Solutions

(Edmonton, March 22, 2004)... The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) today announced $22 million in personnel awards offered to 40 health and medical researchers in Alberta. Over the past five years, AHFMR has invested more than $240 million in health research in Alberta. With the new awards, to be implemented July 1, 2004, AHFMR will be funding in excess of 600 researchers and researchers in training at the provinces three main universities. AHFMR funding provides salaries, equipment, laboratory start-up, and other support for top health researchers in our province.

At the University of Alberta, awardees include Dr. Sita Gourishankar who is a practicing physician researcher - specializing in kidney transplantation. At the University of Calgary, awardees include Dr. John Wallace who is carrying out research into pain and inflammation in the intestines. And at the University of Lethbridge, Dr. Jeffrey Kleim, a returning awardee, is investigating therapies that could capitalize on how areas in the brain adapt in order to develop improved therapies to aid recovery for stroke patients.

"The AHFMR investment in health research continues to build strength on strength. Alberta's profile as a major centre for health research is a direct result of AHFMR's role in attracting and retaining world-class researchers to our province," says Dr. Matthew Spence, President and CEO of AHFMR. "AHFMR's investment in health research is directly linked to the improvement of the health of Albertans and people around the world."

AHFMR senior personnel awards are awarded to researchers in annual competitions and applications are peer-reviewed by scientists from around the world. Researchers must meet the highest international standards of excellence in order to be funded.

AHFMR operates on a portion of the investment earnings from an endowment established by the Government of Alberta in 1980 for the support of health research. It has given out over $750 million to support health research at the province's three main universities.

2004 Awards list

• AHFMR's 2004 senior personnel awards have been offered to 40 researchers working in a variety of areas at the University of Alberta and University of Calgary. The awards are held over 5 years, beginning July 1, 2004.
• This year's competition includes successful applicants from a number of different University faculties including, Medicine, Science, Agriculture and Forestry, and Rehabilitation Medicine.
• With the implementation of these awards, AHFMR will have contributed well over $750 million to the medical research community in Alberta.
• The 2004 awards include 27 offers to researchers who have received previous Heritage support.
• At the University of Calgary, Dr. John Wallace is investigating pain and inflammation specifically in the intestine. Dr. Wallace's research is attempting to better understand the causes and treatments for these conditions. Other 2004 awardees at the University of Calgary include Dr. Alastair Buchan who researches stroke; Dr. Derrick Rancourt is investigating genetics to address causes and effects of human diseases; and Dr. Ian Lo is a physician researcher specializing in orthopaedic surgery.
• Awardees at the University of Alberta include Dr. Sita Gourishankar, a kidney specialist, who investigates the causes of kidney transplant failure, including rejection and how to better detect such conditions earlier so treatment can occur sooner. Dr. Nicholas Coupland who studies the brain to better understand and treat depression; and Dr. Noreen Willows from the faculty of Agriculture and Forestry who will investigate obesity in Cree children.
• At the University of Lethbridge, Heritage researcher Dr. Jeff Kleim is identifying therapies that could capitalize on how areas in the brain adapt in order to develop improved therapies to aid recovery for patients suffering from a stroke.
• Heritage investigators have earned international acclaim for their pioneering work in areas such as: heart attack therapy, islet transplantation for diabetics, nerve regeneration, the cell biology of cancer, drugs for viral infections, electrical therapy for paralysed people, vaccines, and better understanding and treatment of arthritis.
• Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) currently provides funding for over 600 researchers and researchers in training at the Province's three main universities. The foundation supports a community of researchers who generate knowledge that improves the health and quality of life of Albertans and people throughout the world. AHFMR's commitment is to fund health research based on international standards of excellence and carried out by new and established investigators and researchers in training. For more information, visit www.ahfmr.ab.ca