| For immediate release -- |
2005-05 |
CALGARY (March 14, 2005) - Prime Minister Paul Martin, accompanied by the Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, Minister of Health and Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), announced today the recipients of 571 health research grants worth more than $222 million. The Prime Minister made the announcement at the University of Calgary, where leading health research is being supported by the Government of Canada.
"By enabling our researchers to stay at the cutting edge in their fields, we are strengthening our country's position as a leader in building an innovative and cost-effective health care system," said the Prime Minister. "Their work will contribute to strengthening the research and training environment for young Canadians in all regions of the country."
"The knowledge gained through these grants will continue to fuel our progress as individuals and as a nation," added Minister Dosanjh. "This funding allows researchers to build the knowledge we need to maintain our reputation throughout the world as an exceptional place to live, work and learn. I congratulate these researchers and wish them well in carrying out their projects."
The 571 research projects funded across Canada will be carried out over periods of one to five years and exemplify CIHR's comprehensive, problem-based approach to funding health research. The funded research projects include the following:
"CIHR's research grants support the very best ideas of outstanding investigators in universities and teaching hospitals across Canada," said Dr. Bernstein. "CIHR is proud to be catalyzing both important health research and its translation into better health and evidence-based changes in Canada's health care system."
Out of the 571 research projects announced, 58 will be conducted in the Province of Alberta at the University of Calgary, the University of Alberta and the University of Lethbridge . Minister Dosanjh highlighted four Alberta researchers whose work exemplifies CIHR's comprehensive, problem-based approach to funding health research. They are:
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 9,000 researchers and research teams in every province of Canada.
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Attachments
Grant Allocations - National
Grant Allocations - Alberta
Highlighted Projects Backgrounder
Further information:
Janet Weichel, CIHR, Communications, (613) 941-4563
Adèle Blanchard, Office of Minister Dosanjh, (613) 957-0200
Disclaimer: The number of new projects announced today represents CIHR funding decisions as of March 8, 2005, based on Governing Council approvals for competitions held in the Fall of 2004. These numbers will change over time as, for example, budgets and conditions for approved projects are finalized.
