AHFMR News
AHFMR announces $20 million invested in innovative research teams
One team undertaking prevention and treatment of preterm birth
(Edmonton, AB) Tuesday, January 15, 2008... Alberta has the highest rate of premature birth in the country, a condition associated with more than 75% of infant death and long-term disability. Dr. David Olson and Dr. Suzanne Tough lead a team of 20 researchers who hope to find ways to prevent and treat preterm birth.
The Preterm Birth and Healthy Outcomes team is one of four teams who were successful in the first Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) Interdisciplinary Team Grants competition. This multimillion dollar initiative provides opportunities for collaborative teams of researchers from different research disciplines and institutions to address important research questions or health problems in areas of priority for Alberta.
"This program represents a bold, new way of supporting research," says AHFMR interim president and CEO Dr. Jacques Magnan. "The varied disciplines of the investigators on these teams will allow them to address issues from all angles-the basic science behind the problem, the problem's effects across a population, all the way to real solutions to be used in the clinic, and policy recommendations to be implemented by decision makers.'The Interdisciplinary Team Grants program was made possible, in part, by the Alberta government's addition of $500 million to the AHFMR endowment. That injection allowed AHFMR to increase its basic support for health research while also initiating new and pioneering programs such as the interdisciplinary team grants. Alberta Health and Wellness is also contributing more than $15 million over the next 5 years to the support of the program.
"AHFMR's Interdisciplinary Grants program brings together some of the brightest and best minds in medical research, fostering Alberta's leading-edge knowledge-based economy and the vast economic opportunities that affords" said Dave Hancock, Health and Wellness Minister. "The value added to the health system from new knowledge in such research areas as child health and vaccine development will have an immediate benefit to Albertans and to people across the country and around the world."
Please call Kathleen Thurber, AHFMR Communications, at (780) 423-5727 for further information.
Backgrounder
The AHFMR Interdisciplinary Team Grants program
The purpose of the program is to catalyze existing provincial strengths in a given area of research into a position of international stature, or to build capacity and strength in a promising area deemed to be of particular importance in Alberta. The teams have to be based in Alberta although collaborators from outside of Alberta who make substantial intellectual contributions to the research program may be listed as team members. Several of the successful teams include team members from other provinces, and one includes a team member from the Netherlands.
Other funding agencies provide team grants in various forms but the broad, interdisciplinary aspect of the AHFMR program is unique as is the requirement for teams to plan for a way to move their research findings into the health system. The program is driven by the priority health needs of Albertans and is intended to directly benefit Albertans. Each AHFMR Interdisciplinary Team Grant is valued at $1 million per year for five years. The grants can be renewed once.
Successful teams in the 2007 AHFMR Interdisciplinary Team Grants competition:
The Preterm Birth and Healthy Outcomes team
Team leaders
Dr. David Olson
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
University of Alberta
Dr. Suzanne Tough
Departments of Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
University of Calgary/Alberta Children's Hospital/Calgary Health Region
Team members
University of Alberta: Larry Guilbert; Shoo Lee; Joyce Magill-Evans; B.F. Mitchell; Christine Newburn-Cook; Martin Somerville
University of Calgary: Karen Benzies; Donna Slater; Stephen Wood; Wendy Yee
University of Lethbridge: Gerlinde Metz
Calgary Health Region: Shirley Leew; Debbie McNeil
Calgary Laboratory Services: Andrew Lyon
Institute of Health Economics, Edmonton: Donald Schopflocher
University of Toronto: Alan Bocking; Stephen Lye; Craig Pennell
Project description
Alberta has the highest rate of preterm births in Canada-a condition associated with developmental disorders, respiratory issues, learning difficulties, and behavioural problems. This 20-person research team with members from the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary, the University of Lethbridge, the University of Toronto, the Institute of Health Economics, Calgary Laboratory Services, and the Calgary Health Region provides expertise in some 13 different disciplines. The team will investigate ways to better predict preterm birth, and develop and test ways of preventing and addressing the problem.
The Impact of Maternal Nutrient Status during Pregnancy on Maternal Mental Health and Child Development
Team leaders
Dr. Bonnie Kaplan
Departments of Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
University of Calgary
Dr. Catherine Field
Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences
University of Alberta
Dr. Deborah Dewey
Departments of Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
University of Calgary
Team members
University of Alberta: Rhonda Bell; Anna Farmer; Laki Goonewardene; Donna Manca; Linda McCarger
University of Calgary: Francois Bernier; Marja Cantell; Michael Eliasziw; Libbe Kooistra; Maeve O'Beirne; Steven Simpson; Nalini Singhal
University of Tilburg (The Netherlands): Victor Pop
Project description
Nutrients are essential for brain growth and development and for good physical and mental health. Yet nutrient deficiencies are extremely common even in the populations of westernized countries. Pregnancy magnifies the impact of these poor diets when a woman's nutrient needs increase and the fetus depletes maternal reserves. This team of 16 researchers from the University of Calgary, the University of Alberta, and the University of Tilburg (Netherlands) wants to find out to what extent a woman's diet affects her mental health, her ability to nurture her infant, as well as the actual growth and development of her baby. This knowledge will result in recommendations for new health policies to improve maternal and infant health.
Improving Health Care Access and Sustainability with Microfluidic Platforms
Team leader
Dr. Linda Pilarski
Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry,
University of Alberta
Team members
University of Alberta: Jason Acker; Christopher Backhouse; Jutta Preiksaitis; Tony Reiman; Andrew Belch; John Mackey; Michael Mehta
University of Calgary: Nizar Bahlis; Edna Einsiedel
Canadian Blood Services: Gregory Denomme
National Institute of Nanotechnology: Lorraine Sheremeta
Project description
This team of 12 researchers from the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary, the Alberta Cancer Board, the National Institute of Nanotechnology, and Canadian Blood Services aims to develop a microfluidic platform (a "lab on a chip”) that can carry out many different types of health and disease-related tests. Such a system could allow greater access to important medical tests, decrease healthcare costs, and allow tests to be conducted even in remote locations with few resources.
The AHFMR Interdisciplinary Team in Vaccine Design and Implementation
Team leaders
Dr. Anthony Schryvers
Departments of Microbiology & Infectious Diseases and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine
University of Calgary
Dr. Lorne Babiuk
Vice-President Research
University of Alberta
Dr. James Kellner
Departments of Paediatrics and Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine
University of Calgary
Team members
University of Alberta: Phillip Jacobs; Joanne Lemieux.
University of Calgary: Christian Jacob; Derrick Rancourt; Margaret Russell; David Schriemer.
University of Saskatchewan: Andrew Potter.
University of Toronto: Scott Gray-Owen.
Project description
Certain bacteria in the respiratory tracts of children can lead to diseases such as meningitis, pneumonia, and ear infections. These bacteria are responsible for more than half of the world's deaths in children under five, and cause the most common bacterial infections in children in developed nations. This team of 11 researchers from the University of Calgary, the University of Alberta, the University of Saskatchewan, and the University of Toronto will approach this problem from many different perspectives. The team will study how the bacteria evolve within the human population and design vaccine products capable of providing protection against different strains and species. They will work with public health agencies to make sure that the vaccines meet their health care needs and also evaluate the effects of different vaccine formulations.
For more information please call Kathleen Thurber at (780) 429-6895
The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research currently provides funding for more than 600 researchers and researchers-in-training at the province's three main universities. 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. Total AHFMR funding for more than a quarter of a century is in excess of $950 million. For more information, visit www.ahfmr.ab.ca