Researchers from Schulich Medicine & Dentistry receive more than $23.5 million in grants from CIHR

Four Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry researchers received grants totalling $9.9 million over seven years from the inaugural Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Foundation Grant. Each is studying factors which may lead to improved health outcomes for people living with osteoarthritis, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

The CIHR Foundation Grant is designed to contribute to a sustainable foundation of health research leaders by providing long-term support for the pursuit of innovative, high-impact programs of research.

Of more than 1,600 applications received by CIHR, 150 applications were successful in receiving funding, four of those from Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Robarts Research Institute:

  • Frank Beier, PhD, professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, and Canada Research Chair in Musculoskeletal Research, received more than $3 million for his research into the molecular pathways behind osteoarthritis.
  • Dr. Robert Hegele, professor, Departments of Medicine, and Biochemistry at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, Jacob J. Wolfe Distinguished Medical Research Chair in Human Gene Function, and scientist at Robarts, received more than $2.3 million for his research into understanding the genomic factors behind cardiovascular disease, strokes and diabetes.
  • Terry Peters, PhD, professor, Departments of Medical Biophysics, and Medical Imaging at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, and scientist at Robarts, received more than $2.2 million for research to develop a program for image-guided, minimally invasive surgery and therapy.
  • Dr. J. Geoffrey Pickering, professor, Departments of Medical Biophysics, and Biochemistry at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, and scientist at Robarts, received more than $2.1 million to investigate the mechanisms related to vascular aging, repair and regeneration.

An additional 19 researchers have received CIHR Open Operating Grants of more than $13.6 million. Researchers include Dr. Julio Martinez-Trujillo, PhD, for research into mapping the circuits of the brain related to attention, which may impact diseases such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism and schizophrenia; Steven Kerfoot, PhD, who is researching the role of B cells in multiple sclerosis; and Aaron Fenster, PhD, who is developing a magnetic resonance imaging-guided laser thermal therapy approach to target tumours in patients with prostate cancer.

CIHR Open Operating Grants were awarded to:

  • Dr. Samuel Asfaha, for his research into inflammation-associated cancer in the gut ($712,790 over five years)
  • Nathalie G. Berube, PhD, received two grants, one for research into gene mutations in children which may cause central nervous system disorders, such as autism and intellectual disabilities, and the second for her research into the function of the ATRX intellectual disability gene. ($863,576 and $901,609 over five years, respectively)
  • Peter Chidiac, PhD, for research into the ATP molecule which may lead to treatments for osteoporosis ($325,023 over three years)
  • Brian Corneil, PhD, for his research into the potential of studying oculomotor systems to develop early diagnosis of development and neurodegenerative disorders ($739,381 over five years)
  • Rodney DeKoter, PhD, for his research into B cell leukemia and B cell lymphoma ($690,720 over five years)
  • Qingping Feng, PhD, for his research into understanding cardiac arrhythmia and developing new treatments ($677,721 over five years)
  • Aaron Fenster, PhD, for his research into developing an MRI-guided laser thermal therapy approach to target tumours in patients with prostate cancer ($419,820 over three years)
  • Lauren Flynn, PhD, for her research into an engineered fat tissue substitute for use in plastic and reconstructive surgery ($682,393 over five years)
  • Steven Kerfoot, PhD, for his research into the role of B cells in multiple sclerosis ($726,200 over five years)
  • Dr. Graham John W. King, for his research into the assessment of minimally-invasive implants for the elbow and shoulder ($242,575 over four years)
  • Stephen G. Lomber, PhD, for his research into auditory cortical function following cochlear implantation ($1,051,895 over five years)
  • Dr. Julio C. Martinez-Trujillo, for his research into mapping circuits of the brain related to attention, which may impact diseases such as ADHD, autism, and schizophrenia ($981,319 over five years)
  • John K. McCormick, PhD, for his research into understanding the biology of streptococcal toxins called superantigens which are responsible for many human diseases, including upper respiratory tract infections ($847,700 over five years)
  • Joseph S. Mymryk, PhD, for his research into the mechanisms by which the human papillomavirus contributes to cancer ($573,249 over five years)
  • Dr. Anthony C. Nichols, for his research into new treatments for head and neck cancers ($515,090 over five years)
  • Caroline Schild-Poulter, PhD, for her research into the RANBPM protein and its connection to cancer development ($711,895 over five years)
  • Kevin J. Shoemaker, PhD, for his research into outcomes for heart disease patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation ($848,326 over four years)
  • Dr. Walter L. Siqueira, for his research into salivary peptides and their impact on dental cavities ($614,880 over five years)
  • Xiufen Zheng, PhD, for her research into the use of GDF15 protein in patients with heart transplants ($480,865 over five years)