Western positions itself among world leaders in bone and joint research
With millions of Canadians suffering from pain and reduced mobility, and hundreds of millions more around the world, Western University announced today a bold investment that will position it as a global leader in bone and joint research. The new Western Cluster of Research Excellence in Musculoskeletal Health is expected to drive high-impact interdisciplinary research with the goal of providing life-long mobility.
The university is investing $5 million to support a team of all-star researchers from across five faculties to provide them with additional personnel, resources and infrastructure to attract, retain and mentor future leaders.
The cluster, which includes 70 researchers from the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Robarts Research Institute and the Faculties of Health Sciences, Engineering, Science and Social Science, will study conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, trauma, and work, sport and exercise-related injuries.
Discoveries will lead to new preventive, rehabilitative, medical and surgical therapies, diagnostic techniques, and medical and assistive devices. The Cluster will emphasize innovative health care policies, economic efficiency and the development and transfer of intellectual property to private sector partners, with the goal of developing local industries.
“Our team is motivated by the tremendous impact on quality of life and major economic burden associated with musculoskeletal conditions,” said Schulich Medicine & Dentistry professor David Holdsworth who is the Director of the new Western Cluster of Research Excellence in Musculoskeletal Health. “Being recognized as a research cluster at Western provides a tremendous boost to our ability to expand our research, enhance our training program and attract the best and brightest from around the world.”
As part of the Cluster initiative, Western is also strategically investing additional funds in the recruitment of up to three Western Research Chairs.
“We’re interested in helping our researchers answer big questions, which almost always occur at the intersection of disciplines,” said Western Provost Janice Deakin. “The Musculoskeletal Health team has an established track record of collaboration that demonstrates a capacity for commercializing innovative ideas in the marketplace. These ideas have the potential to produce social and economic benefits on a local, national and international scale.”
This new investment is in line with Western’s strategic plan Achieving Excellence on the World Stage, which commits to creating a world-class research and scholarship culture where innovation, knowledge creation, translation and mobilization can thrive.
For researcher profiles and a video on the new cluster, click here.
