December edition, 2005
In this issue:
New gene therapy could help premature babies breathe easier
CIHR-supported research
CIHR releases research results on hospital wait times
CIHR has released research reports on wait times for cancer treatment, joint replacement and sight restoration - three of the five priority areas established by First Ministers in September 2004. "This research will help inform the development of evidence-based benchmarks and identify key gaps where further research is needed in order to establish new benchmarks or to modify existing benchmarks as new evidence emerges," said CIHR President Dr. Alan Bernstein.
Patients and caregivers surveyed on end-of-life care
Canadians dying of a terminal illness say they are not satisfied with the level of care they are receiving, according to a new cross-Canada survey of 440 patients and 160 family caregivers. Led by Dr. Daren Heyland with a team of medical researchers from across Canada, the study found that on a 26 point scale, satisfaction rated at only 4.6 -- the study was published in the fall issue of Journal of Palliative Care. Another study of Dr. Heyland shows that trust in the treating physician, avoidance of unnecessary life support, effective communication, continuity of care, and life completion are the most important elements of end-of-life care for seriously ill hospitalized patients and their family members. The study - What Matters the Most in End-of-Life Care: Perceptions of Seriously Ill Patients and their Family Members - will be published later this month in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Improved diagnosis for fetal alcohol syndrome
A simple test that measures eye movement may help to identify children born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and ultimately lead to improved treatment for the condition, say Queen's University researchers. The research was funded by CIHR.
New gene therapy could help premature babies breathe easier
The University of Alberta has pioneered a new gene therapy that could one day help premature babies breath easier. Preemies are at risk of having undeveloped lungs. "If we can't prevent (this condition), we've started to think about how we might repair it," says Dr. Bernard Thébaud, a CIHR-supported researcher and clinician-scientist who led the U of A team.
Genetic cause of speech defect discovered by international team
The discovery of a genetic abnormality in a nine-year-old boy from Alberta could help researchers to eventually treat speech defects. Using the latest genetic screening methods, a team of Canadian and international researchers found that the boy carries additional copies of about 27 genes on chromosome 7. The discovery could help isolate genes important for the development of language. The study, supported by CIHR and other organizations, was published in a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Infectious diseases
New vaccines may spell end for Ebola and other deadly viruses
CIHR-funded researchers Drs. Heinz Feldmann and Steven Jones and their international colleagues have developed a vaccine that shows tremendous promise in defeating the Ebola, Marburg and Lassa infections in monkeys. This discovery could translate into effective treatment for humans - and spell relief for healthcare workers on the frontline.
Protein discovery could help treat E. coli infections
A discovery by Queen's University researchers of a previously unknown protein associated with E. coli could lead to more effective treatment of infections caused by this deadly bacterium. "This discovery opens the door for studying the function of heme iron in this strain of E. coli, and may lead to an understanding of how to therapeutically isolate the protein to keep the bacteria from thriving," says Dr. Zongchao Jia, the lead researcher on the CIHR-funded study.
Clinical trials
Phase II trials begin for new asthma drug
Montreal-based Topigen Pharmaceuticals Inc. is launching a Phase II clinical trial of ASM8 in patients with allergic asthma. The drug is delivered directly to the lungs where it blocks the expression of specific genes, providing many advantages over current asthma medications. The company was founded in 2000 by Dr. Paolo Renzi, a CIHR-funded researcher at Université de Montréal. Another CIHR-supported researcher, Dr. Paul O'Byrne at McMaster University, will lead the Phase II trial.
Funding & Awards
Canada's top health researchers recognized
Canada's top health researchers were recognized November 22 at the fourth Canadian Health Research Awards. These awards are among the Canadian health research community's highest honours and are given every year to Canada's foremost health researchers. The following individuals and organizations were among those recognized:
In the Pipeline
The Manitoba town with no poverty
Did Dauphin, Manitoba really experience long-term benefits from a social experiment in the 1970s? CIHR-funded researcher Dr. Evelyn Forget from the University of Manitoba is studying the immediate and long-term health effects of an experiment that, during 1974-1977, saw every family in Dauphin receive a guaranteed annual income.
Looking at new ways to kill bacteria
Structural biologist Dr. Stephen Evans is researching a new way to kill bacteria by focusing on enzymes that synthesize large molecules from sugar. "Bacteria and humans use different sorts of sugars as building blocks," the University of Victoria researcher explains. "By studying how to inhibit the bacterial enzymes that use these sugars we can develop new antibiotics to kill bacteria without harming people."
Study examines mental health of Aboriginal youth in Toronto
Are Aboriginal children and adolescents living in Toronto more vulnerable to mental health disorders than non-Aboriginal youth? Dr. Violet Kaspar at Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, is examining how the two groups differ in terms of mental health symptoms and disorders. Of particular interest is the psychiatric risk associated with exposure to adverse events and experiences, including trauma, discrimination and family/school stress.
International News
CIHR to help fund joint research with less-developed countries
Canada has launched a $10-million competition to support collaborative research between Canadian researchers and their peers in low and middle-income countries. The grants are part of a collaborative new health program developed by the Global Health Research Initiative, a partnership among CIHR, the Canadian International Development Agency, Health Canada and the International Development Research Centre.
Upcoming Events
Nov. 28-29, 2005: Strategic Grants Meeting, CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
Delta Montreal
Several CIHR-supported researchers are part of a global effort to fight this deadly disease. They include:
Dec. 3-4, 2005: Consensus Conference on Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases
Bank of Montreal Conference Facility, Toronto
A Research Forum on Lupus, Scleroderma, Sjögren's Syndrome, Myositis and Vasculitis. Opening speech by Dr. Bhagirath Singh, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity. CIHR has invested more than $7 million in health research related to lupus over the past five years.
For more information on any of the above story leads, please contact:
Marie-France Poirier
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Phone: (613) 941-4563
Cell: (613) 447-4794
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
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