By Вen Li
Three U of C researchers received more than $5 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to fund interdisciplinary training and research in health and disease on June 10, 2002.
"This investment helps the next generation of leaders in the field of health research and as a result, will strengthen Canada’s position in the biotechnology industry as the second largest in the world," said federal Minister of Health Anne McLellan in a press release Monday. "The end result will be the creation of new knowledge, treatments and ultimately a stronger health care system."
Dr. Paul Kubes from the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine received $1.578 million of the funding.
"We’re trying to understand how white blood cells in the body get to a site, do damage and cause inflammation," said Kubes. "For example, eosinophils get into the lung and contribute to asthma while neutrophils can cause other lung injuries leading to death."
Kubes will use his share of the funding to lead a comprehensive study of inflammation and immunopathogenesis, and to educate some clinician-scientists in the process.
"The funding allows us to hire new trainees and conduct more effective interdisciplinary training," said Kubes. "It gives us a bit of liberty in terms of training people in numerous labs so that they become well-versed in both clinical and molecular issues relating to disease."
Approximately twenty different program investigators at the U of C, including doctors in intensive care, those studying asthma, hepatitis, the gastrointestinal tract and immunology will have a chance to collaborate as a result of the funding.
Kubes said the focus on interdisciplinary training is also important for other reasons.
"These types of interdisciplinary programs have been successful for many years in the United States in generating clinician-scientists," said Kubes. "We’re running out of doctors and scientists. These types of programs will be very important in training future doctors and scientists."
Other recipients include Dr. James C. Cross from the Faculty of Medicine who received $1.694 million and will study genetics, child development and health. Dr. Ronald F. Zernicke from Kinesology received $1.8 million and will establish a provincial training program in bone and joint health and Dr. Paul W. Armstrong from the University of Alberta received $1.559 million for heart research and training in collaboration with researchers at the U of C.
The $88 million in CIHR funding will support a total of 51 interdisciplinary research projects across Canada, including 20 biotechnology projects worth nearly $34 million.