August 5, 2005 - Issue Eight
:: New CFRI Stationery For those wanting to further promote the institute and its new name to colleagues and friends, the Communications Department also has magnets featuring the Child & Family Research Institute’s mission, vision and values – contact Nathalie if you’d like one or many. |
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| :: Research Reporting Hot Off the Press |
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Grants & Awards Features Sandra Dunn Awarded Breast Cancer Research Grants Dr. Sandra Dunn, investigator with the institute’s Oncology Research Program, recently received word of being awarded two grants from the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance (CBCRA). The CBCRA is the primary funder of breast cancer research in Canada. The two three-year awards are worth more than $720,000. A CIHR Multi-User Equipment Grant (worth approximately $600,000) on which she is a co-applicant also received funding notification the same day. Dr. Dunn’s project “YB-1 is essential for the growth of advanced stage breast cancer” received a CBCRA Individual Operating Grant. YB-1 is a transcription factor that is phosphorylated by AKT, a cell signalling molecule that is widely expressed in many cancers but is not expressed in normal breast tissue. The AKT pathway is involved in tumour formation and makes cancer cells resistant to traditional chemotherapy and radiation. Dr. Dunn’s research is looking at whether cancer cells are dependent upon YB-1, and she will knock out its expression using small interfering RNA (siRNA), a relatively new technology. Future research could involve screening for small molecule inhibitors targeted specifically at YB-1. Dr. Dunn is also looking for predictive markers, and whether YB-1 has value in determining response to chemotherapy. Such information could allow for more accurate dosages for chemotherapy, thereby minimizing damaging side effects, which is particularly important when treating pediatric cancers. The second grant is a CBCRA Translation Acceleration Grant, funded jointly by the CBCRA and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). These grants were a one-time targeted competition open to multidisciplinary teams of recognized breast cancer experts. The overall project, involving five researchers and funded more than $3.2 million, is titled “IGF and insulin signalling pathways in breast cancer.” Dr. Dunn’s component project is “Integrating expression proteomics to profile the Akt pathway.” This project is linked to her recent research on the role of IGF in activating AKT, published in Oncogene, April 2005. Dr. Dunn is also one of nine investigators named on a CIHR Multi-User Equipment Grant for the project “In cell analyzer 1000: An integrated and automated digital microscopy unit for the development and analysis of cell-based arrays.” The $600,000 piece of equipment will be housed at BC Cancer Agency, and will allow researchers to look at cellular response to chemotherapy and other treatments in real time. It is also a high-density screening platform, allowing for screening of small molecule inhibitors, and has the capability of analyzing 386 samples at a time. Dr. Catherine Pallen, also with the institute’s Oncology Research Program, is one of the grant’s co-applicants.Some key funding programs and deadlines that may be of interest of members of the CFRI community: • CIHR • Operating Grants: September 15 • New Investigator: September 15 • Research Resources: October 15 • MSFHR • Research Unit Grants: September 30 • Career Awards: November 30 • NSERC • Equipment Grants: October 1 • Idea to Innovation (I2I) Program: October 3 • Discovery Grants: November 1 • SSHRC • Research Development Initiatives: October 7 • Standard Research Grants: October 15 For more a more complete list of upcoming deadlines, or information about these programs as well as other funding opportunities, visit the Research Support/ Funding Opportunities section of our website, or contact the institute’s Research Development Office. CFI and CIHR Announce New Clinical Research Collaboration The Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) are joining forces to support clinical research across the spectrum from translational research to clinical trials and observational studies. Their plan is to issue a joint call for proposals in November 2005 for National/Regional Clinical Research Initiatives, focusing on: Clinical Research Centres: For nationally networked centres, housing a broad range of equipment, tools and techniques, and bringing together researchers and skilled technical personnel to conduct innovative clinical research across the continuum of care. Support would be provided for the costs of physical infrastructure through the CFI’s Research Hospital Fund, and the CIHR would provide long-term operating costs, associated research training, and salary support for mentor clinician-researchers. Clinical Research Platforms: These would include clinical trials methods centres and informatics and statistical cores, technology cores for high-throughput biological analyses, biobanks, and data repositories. The platforms would offer services on a regional/ national basis. Support would be provided for the operating costs and physical infrastructure.Back to Top |
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| :: Laboratory for Functional Genomics Complete
PHOTOS: Laboratory for Functional Genomics |
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The Child & Family Research Institute is pleased to announce the recipients of its Postdoctoral Fellowships and Graduate Studentships. The institute makes available a number of scholarships to incoming trainees on a competitive basis each year. This funding is intended to give promising trainees the start they need in their research careers. Following their tenure, these scholarship holders have an impressive record of quickly garnering external support. Postdoctoral Fellows: Dr. Leslie Ian Grad Dr. Mohammad Azharul Karim Rumi Graduate Studentships: Braydon Burgess In-Sun Hong Tyler Hickey Joyce Wu Elizabeth Novak Veronica Schiarti |
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The institute’s Summer Student Program wrapped up with a Poster Day in the Chieng Atrium, July 28. 52 students participated in this year’s program, and 42 presented posters. Poster Da is an opportunity for summer students to show off what they've learned and to get valuable feedback from mentors and peers. CFRI postdoctoral fellows and faculty judge posters, and prizes are awarded for the best posters in both clinical and basic science categories. Congratulations to the winners in each category: Basic Sciences Category First place Kate Potter (Supervisor: Dr. Bruce Verchere) Second place Aaron Wong (Supervisor: Dr. Jan Dutz) Third place Lee-Anna Burgess (Supervisor: Dr. David Speert) Honourable Mention Peter Sudmant (Supervisor: Dr. Wyeth Wasserman) Daniel Yokom (Supervisor: Dr. Sandra Dunn) Clinical Sciences CategoryFirst place Anthony Chau (Supervisor: Dr. Mark Ansermino) Second place Diana Murray (Supervisor: Dr. Mark Ansermino) Third place Claire Emily Young (Supervisor: Dr. George Sandor) Honourable Mention Lindsay Cohen (Supervisor: Dr. Stuart Turvey) Carolyn Saunders (Supervisor: Dr. Eileen Hutton) Henry Tran (Supervisor: Dr. Mark Ansermino) Joanne Yeung (Supervisor: Dr. Derek Human) Each summer, CFRI welcomes undergraduate and medical students from UBC and abroad into our increasingly popular summer student program. Along with the chance to work closely with investigators and full time trainees, summer students also take part in a full program of activities for two mornings each week.
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The institute’s Laboratory for Functional Genomics (LFG) facility is now complete. The LFG is the largest core facility within the Child & Family Research Institute and will play an important role in leading edge research involving transgenic mice. Construction of the $8.26 million facility was possible through awards from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, BC Knowledge Development Fund, and UBC to Dr. Elizabeth Simpson, investigator with the institute's Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics (CMMT). Contributions also came from the CFRI and CMMT.
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Dr. Rusung Tan, CFRI’s head of Immunology, and Associate Professor and Microbiologist, UBC & C&W, made a presentation titled “Immunity for Life” at the July meeting of the CFRI Board of Directors. Board members approved the year-end financial statements for the fiscal year 2004/05 and were updated on: the CFRI expansion; the renovation of the Mental Health Building; recruitment for Leadership Chairs in Child Development, Genetics/CMMT and Neurocognitive Disability (SFU); the Affiliation Agreement currently being drafted with Simon Fraser University; and recent changes to the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Research Hospital Fund competitions. Allison Rintoul, Director Research & Education Services, updated the Board on the membership application process: 116 completed applications have been received; 27 applications are awaiting further information and she estimates 69 applications are outstanding. The Board confirmed the date of its Annual General Meeting as September 19, 2005. |
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:: Legal Issues Taskforce Looks at Clinical Trials Over the last few months the CFRI Board of Directors Sub-Committee - Legal Issues Task Force, chaired by Helen Low, Vice Chair of the Board, held a number of meetings to examine how clinical trials have been handled at the CFRI to date, and to assess appropriate processes for the future, taking into account future growth of the institute, legal impacts of clinical trials, and legal costs to run these trials. Specific topics that were discussed include risks and the status of the investigator. Representatives from the Board, UBC, as well as staff at the CFRI who handle clinical trial agreements attended. As a result of these meetings, several documents and templates have been developed. It is hoped that once approved, these templates will assist in clarifying some of the recurring issues in clinical trial agreement negotiations and addressing common issues that are faced by the local research community. For more information, Joanna Ho, Research Legal Counsel, CFRI at jlho@cw.bc.ca, or Anita Chiu, Director of Finance, at achiu@cw.bc.ca |
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The Child & Family Research Institute congratulates Dr. Shoo Lee, head of the CFRI Centre for Health Innovation & Improvement, who has decided to take on new challenges in Edmonton, where he will become Director of a new research centre (as yet unnamed) that will bring together all the health services researchers at the University of Alberta. The new centre is a partnership between the University of Alberta, Capital Health and Alberta Health and Wellness, and has a mandate to conduct health research and work with Capital Health and the Alberta government to improve the health care system. Dr. Lee has played a major leadership role in the creation of the Centre for Health Innovation & Improvement, where he’s been the Director since 1999. He has developed innovative approaches to comprehensive improvement in health care including leadership in establishment of the Canadian Neonatal Network and the support of other groups interested in developing similar national approaches to health services research. In addition to his research and clinical work in neonatology, Dr. Lee has played an important role in the development of international health initiatives, particularly in China. While Dr. Lee will be moving to Edmonton effective September 1, 2005 he will continue to work with us here in Vancouver through his role as Director of the Canadian Neonatal Network and other collaborative activities he has underway. He will also continue to participate in the BC Children's Centre for International Child Health - China Partnership. CFRI will immediately establish a search committee to recruit a new Director of the Centre for Health Innovation & Improvement. This will follow a review of CHII already scheduled for October and will be a national and international search. In the immediate interim Dr. Stuart MacLeod will assume leadership of the Centre effective September 1 or until a new interim Director has been named. We wish Dr. Lee all the best in his new position and look forward to both his continued success and our ongoing collaboration. An appropriate celebration of Shoo’s contributions will be scheduled in the fall of 2005. |
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