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A CIHR funded study led by Dr. Pierre Haddad at the University of Montreal suggests that Indigenous knowledge may be of benefit in treating diabetes. The study shows that several plant extracts used for centuries medicinally by Cree elders in northern Quebec can relieve a number of symptoms that are typical of diabetes such as frequent urination to increased thrist. Although more research is required, scientific evidence of these traditional cures could one day be used to help reduce the burden of diabetes in Aboriginal communities. National Post, December 4, 2006.
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Autism, or more appropriately autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), affects an estimated six of every 1,000 Canadian children. In an opinion piece, CIHR president Dr. Alan Bernstein explains the critical role of science in solving the riddle of autism and calls for a comprehensive national research agenda to support those who have a stake in ASD. Acknowledging that research alone will not solve the challenge of autism, Dr. Bernstein stresses the importance of the future advice of the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.
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To curb the flu, limit flights
Dr. John Brownstein suggests that airline flight volumes be limited to buy critical time during a flu pandemic. The CIHR-funded researcher from Children's Hospital Boston published results of a study on the spread of influenza through air travel in the September 12th issue of the online journal Public Library of Science.
CIHR's Dr. John Frank and Erica Di Ruggiero co-author a CMAJ article on the new National Collaborating Centres for Public Health
As part of the federal government's commitment to renew and strengthen public health across Canada, six national Collaborating Centres (NCCs) for Public Health have been established. CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health's Dr. John Frank, Scientific Director and Erica Di Ruggiero, Associate Director, co-authored, with colleagues at the Public Health Agency of Canada, an article recently published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The article is about the NCCs importance in providing health professionals with evidenced-based knowledge and best practices. Dr. Frank chairs the national Advisory Council for the NCC program.
August 31, 2006
Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of CIHR, is pleased to congratulate all 77 new appointments to the Order of Canada, this country's highest honour for lifetime achievement. In particular, he congratulates the following ten CIHR-affiliated recipients for their well-deserved promotion or induction into the Order of Canada: Dr. David Naylor, Dr. Bernard Dickens, Dr. Mary Seeman, Dr. Endel Tulving, Dr. John Dirks, Dr. Donald Meeks, Dr. Janice Gross Stein, Dr. Brett Finlay, Dr. Ann Macauley, Dr. Sheila Weatherill, Dr. David Dolphin, and Dr. Stanley Zlotkin. All Canadians have benefited from their sustained leadership contributions to Canada's health care system.
The new appointments were announced by Governor General Michaëlle Jean on July 24, 2006. Established in 1967, the Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement and service in various fields of endeavour. The three levels of membership --companion, officer and member -- honour people whose accomplishments vary in degree and scope. Any Canadian can be nominated with the exception of federal and provincial politicians and judges who cannot be appointed while holding office. Non-Canadians can be considered for honorary appointments.
The nomination process for induction into The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame is officially underway. Any two individuals are invited to nominate a Canadian citizen who has made either a single meritorious contribution or achieved a lifetime of outstanding accomplishments in the health sciences. The deadline for nominations is December 15, 2006. For more information about the nomination process, visit the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Web site or call 519-488-2003.
A team of CIHR-supported researchers have discovered a gene mutation responsible for a common form of dementia in persons under 65. The mutation, found in the progranulin gene, causes an inherited form of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), according to findings made by Drs. Ian Mackenzie and Howard Feldman, both of whom are affiliated with the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. The team hadn't expected to find these mutations and the discovery now opens the door to possible treatment for FTD. The findings were published online in the July 17, 2006 edition of Nature.
The Gairdner Foundation has awarded the 2006 Wightman Award to CIHR-funded researcher Dr. Allan R. Ronald OC for helping establish infectious diseases as a clinical specialty in Canada and for his contribution to HIV/AIDS research in Africa. Prior to retiring in 2002, Dr. Ronald led a distinguished career as a professor and medical researcher at the University of Manitoba. He has also served on various boards and councils including the International Society of Infectious Diseases (as president), the American College of Physicians, and the Medical Research Council. The Wightman Award recognizes a Canadian who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in medicine and medical science. The award ceremony will be held in Toronto on October 26, 2006.
Drs. Rajotte and Spence honoured with Alberta Order of Excellence
Two leaders of the Albertan health research community will be invested into the Alberta Order of Excellence later this year. Dr. Ray Rajotte, a CIHR-funded researcher from the University of Alberta, will be recognized for his pioneer research on diabetes and as a member of the research team who developed the Edmonton Protocol, a breakthrough diabetes treatment. Dr. Matthew Spence, President and CEO of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, will be honoured for his work as a medical clinician, researcher and administrator, and for his important role in building Alberta's health research capacity. Dr. Spence co-chaired an important CIHR working group on partnership in 2001 and is a member of the President's International Advisory Committee. The induction ceremony will be held in Edmonton on October 19th, 2006.
CIHR-funded researcher Dr. James Coulton along with Dr. Peter Pawelek from McGill University and their team have identified the processes by which bacteria access essential nutrients such as iron. The researchers arrived at this result after successfully producing the first known 3-D structure of a protein complex involved in bacterial iron uptake. The discovery, which is featured in the June 2nd edition of Science, could lead to the development of better drugs to combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
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Congratulations to the Globe's Top 40 under 40 in the Canadian health research and science communities!
Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of CIHR, would like to congratulate the following members of Canadian health research and science communities who have been recognized as the top 40 under 40 'leaders' of 2005 by the Globe and Mail. They include:
(Globe and Mail, May 2, 2006, Section T)
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HIV-infection rate down in India
An international study, partly funded by CIHR, reports a one-third decline in HIV infection rates among young women attending peer-based education programs in India's southern and northern states. The study, which is featured in the March 30 edition of The Lancet and which is the largest study of prenatal clinic attendees, suggests that condom use and awareness programs do help in the fight against the AIDS epidemic.
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CIHR-Funded Study Shows that Income Level Does Not Influence Obstetric Procedures Among Canadian Women
A new study funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), led by Dr. K.S. Joseph from Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre, shows that socioeconomic status does not have a significant impact on access to labor induction and cesarean delivery in Canada.
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