November 17, 2005 - Issue Eleven
:: Recent Recruit: Sylvia Stoeckler-Ipsiroglu Dr. Stoeckler-Ipsiroglu’s experience has shown her that while biochemical diseases can affect many organs, the brain and nervous system are affected most of the time – clinical manifestations include developmental delay, mental retardation and epilepsy. Several years ago, Dr. Stoeckler-Ipsiroglu was the first scientist to describe the clinical and biochemical manifestations and the treatment for cerebral creatine deficiency syndrome, a rare disorder that affects the brain’s ability to transport creatine. Creatine is an amino acid made in the body by the liver and kidneys, and categorized as a nutritional supplement. A few other creatine diseases have been discovered since. Newborn screening programs, such as those at BC Children’s, can identify many of the more common biochemical diseases before clinical manifestations appear, when irreversible damage may have already been done. However, currently no labs in Canada or the United States test for creatine diseases. Dr. Stoeckler-Ipsiroglu would like to see the labs here become reference labs for creatine disorders. Dr. Stoeckler-Ipsiroglu says she’s looking forward to collaborating with a number of CFRI investigators on various projects. She plans to do both clinical and basic research, and is currently working to create an animal model to investigate the effects of ketone bodies and related substances in protecting the brain. She’s also dedicated to understanding how socio-economic and cultural factors affect treatment success, given that many treatments for biochemical diseases include strict diet monitoring. |
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| :: Candidate Visits - Program Head, Oncology Research 12:00 – 2:00 p.m., Monday, Nov. 28 "The TOR Pathway in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Cancer" Dr. Peter Houghton LSAC Chair of Pharmacology Department of Molecular Pharmacology St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Memphis, Tennessee 12:00 – 2:00 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 1 "Chromosomal Translocations in Rhabdomyosarcoma: From Clinical Markers to Oncogenic Pathways" Dr. Frederic Barr Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine University of Pennsylvania Medical School Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Both events will include a lunch followed by the presentation, and will be held in Room 2108, CFRI, 950 W. 28th Ave. |
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"The Score" Screens at Science World
As part of its Gene Scene Series, Genome BC will be showing a special screening of “The Score,” a movie about scientific discovery and its dramatic implications, at Vancouver’s Science World on November 23 from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. The movie was made possible through an innovative collaboration by Dr. Michael Hayden and Electric Company Theatre. Listed as one of the Top 10 Films shown at this year’s Vancouver Film Festival, “The Score” tells the story of a genetic scientist and her laboratory team as they battle for a breakthrough discovery amidst fierce competition to isolate the gene for Huntington Disease, a disorder that has already affected the young scientist’s family and could very well threaten her own career and life. Inspired by the growing curiosity brought on by the Human Genome Project, Dr. Michael Hayden of the CFRI’s Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics (CMMT) contacted Electric Company Theatre with the idea for an informative yet creative production that would raise public awareness on Huntington disease and genetic-based science. Dr. Hayden offered the theatre team unrestricted access to his CMMT lab and students in order to obtain a realistic sense of the laboratory experience. The result was the Electric Company producing an artistically told tale involving the moral and ethical issues surrounding HD and genetics, as well as the often furious rivalry for firsts between labs. Dr. Hayden’s foresight for public interest and creative collaboration proved to be astoundingly astute as the performance achieved critical acclaim, first on the stage and then the big screen. The continuous blend of drama, humour, music and dance does nothing short of entertain for the 83 minutes of the film; but more importantly, “The Score” fosters a new communication link between the scientific community and the general public, stimulating public awareness and discussion around genetics research and Huntington Disease. Stay tuned for the release of “The Score” on CBC in January 2006! In the meantime, you can see the free public screening of the film at Vancouver’s Science World on Nov. 23. For further details please visit the Genome BC website at http://www.genomebc.ca/GBCEvents/gs_van2.asp. |
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| :: MSFHR Requests Feedback on Networking Program The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) is requesting feedback on the draft of the proposed objectives, procedures and timelines for Phase II of its Networking Program. Based on feedback from BC’s health research community during the Forward Planning process, MSFHR proposes to expand its Networking Program (Phase II) to support the development of provincial health research platform technologies/methodologies. The development of provincial strategies for developing and maintaining these essential cross-cutting infrastructure supports has been identified as a critical next step for enhancing BC’s health research productivity and ability to link with, participate and lead in national and international research agendas.
For the purposes of this program, the key defining factor for a platform is that it is an essential technology/methodology underpinning that will support a broad range of research applications across institutions and research teams to increase BC’s international competitiveness. The intent is to support one provincial plan (development and implementation) per platform; MSFHR has allocated sufficient funding to support the planning and phased implementation of up to nine provincial platforms. A draft of the proposed objectives, procedures and timelines for Phase II of the Networking Program is posted on the MSFHR website for review and feedback from the BC health research community. The draft reflects revisions from reviews by the MSFHR Research Advisory Council and by an MSFHR advisory committee composed of BC senior health research leaders.
Please note that the deadline for receipt of comments is November 23, 2005. This will enable MSFHR to compile and bring forward any additional input when the program is presented to its Board of Directors for approval on November 25, 2005. Please address your comments to info@msfhr.org. |
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:: Mini Med Success Brings Larger than Life Research to Wide Audience The final session of the CFRI’s Fall 2005 Mini Med School wraps up Wednesday, November 23 with Interactive Mini Labs and presentations by keynote speakers Geoff Hammond, CFRI Scientific Director and Sue Carruthers, President & CEO, BC Children's Hospital Foundation. The Fall 2005 Mini Med School series put a twist on the formula that has proven successful for the previous five Mini Med Schools. Billed as “The Best of Mini Med School,” this unique seminar series provided CFRI a chance to market to a larger, more diverse audience. Instead of focusing on one specific health issue, as past sessions have done, this series highlighted the best topics from the past five sessions. The purpose of this, explains Kim Tomasson from CFRI’s Research Education Program, “is to introduce the concept of Mini Med School to a wider audience.” It also allowed people who have attended past sessions to hear the latest developments on a particular topic. With each lecture, Mini Med School VI attracted new people, generated more interest from outside and within the medical community and cemented its “anything but mini” reputation. The opportunity to sign up for all of the lectures or to attend individual ones, resulted in a varied audience for each – evenly split between those who have attended every lecture and those who have chosen to attend just one. Strong media exposure, including a segment on “Your Health with Dr. Rhonda Low” on the CTV evening news, also increased awareness and brought Mini Med School to the attention of a wider audience. For more information on the Mini Med School series, including previous curricula, please visit Mini Med at the CFRI’s Training Centre website. |
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:: On the Move Peter von Dadelszen Appointed CHII Interim Director Dr. Peter von Dadelszen has been appointed Interim Director for the Centre for Healthcare Innovation & Improvement (CHII), effective immediately. Dr. Patti Janssen has agreed to accept a role as Assistant Director of the Centre. Dr. Shoo Lee, who had been Director of CHII since 1999, recently moved to Edmonton to become Director of a new research centre (as yet unnamed) that will bring together all the health services researchers at the University of Alberta. Dr. von Dadelszen will work with CFRI Executive Director Dr. Stuart MacLeod and Dr. Janssen to develop a short-term plan for CHII. External reviewers conducted a thorough review of CHII in late October; a finalized report will likely be available early December and will be presented to the CFRI Board of Directors at its January meeting. The institute will also be establishing a search committee, headed by Dr. MacLeod, to recruit a new Director of CHII. The committee will define the expectations of a new director and will manage the search. The institute is currently consulting with key stakeholders regarding search committee membership; the search committee will be announced by December 15. Poul Sorenson Moves to BC Cancer Site Dr. Poul Sorenson, scientist with the CFRI Oncology Research Program, and past Head of the program, is moving his lab to the BC Cancer Agency site on West 10th Avenue. The move will strengthen ties between the BC Cancer Agency and CFRI, and provide Dr. Sorensen with expanded space for his lab. Dr. Sorensen remains an investigator with CFRI, and continues to hold Johal Endowed Chair in Pediatric Oncology, Basic and Translational Research, University of BC. |
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:: CIHR Ups Communication with E-newsletter The Canadian Institutes of Health Research recently distributed its first CIHR E-Alert: News for Researchers. The newsletter is sent via email, and will highlight issues relevant to researchers, including funding and other opportunities. To subscribe, click on the green box, “Subscribe to CIHR’s News for Researchers” on the CIHR website at http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/26626.html for the English newsletter, or http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/f/26626.html for the French newsletter. |
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CFRI extends a warm welcome to Dr. Sylvia Stoeckler-Ipsiroglu, who has been appointed the new Head of the Division of Biochemical Diseases at BC Children’s Hospital. Dr. Stoeckler-Ipsiroglu arrived from Vienna, Austria in May of this year. Her research projects focus on the effects of biochemical diseases on the brain, and development of treatment strategies to prevent brain impairment or improve brain development. In particular, she’s interested in the neuroprotective effects of ketones (substances produced when the body breaks down fat for energy) in brains that have been depleted of glucose as a result of a biochemical disease. Many biochemical diseases result in lack of glucose, which in turn damages the brain.
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Sue Carruthers Receives International Philanthropy Award CFRI extends congratulations to Sue Carruthers, President and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, who has been awarded the prestigious Si Seymour Award by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP). The international award is the highest honour in the field of healthcare philanthropy and Ms. Carruthers is only the second Canadian to receive the award, which was instituted in 1970. It is presented annually to a professional who has shown outstanding leadership and fostered and promoted exemplary standards of excellence for volunteerism and philanthropic support. The AHP’s members represent more than 1900 of the largest healthcare facilities in the US, Canada and abroad. In just over two years since Carruthers joined the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, which provides CFRI with the majority of its operating funding, the Foundation has increased its annual revenue by 30 per cent and received the single largest individual gift in its history. Also, more Foundation staff have received their professional CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) designations than at any other charitable organization in the province. |
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CFRI Dinner and Dance a Good Time for All A good time was had by the 110 people who attended the CFRI annual dinner and dance on November 5. The event, held at the Arbutus Club, featured a fabulous dinner and a lively evening of dancing. Door prizes included a set of skis, boots and bindings, gift certificates for dinner, a one-night stay at the Sheraton Wall Centre, a spa session, and a gift certificate for kayaking. Thanks to all who attended and made the evening such a fun affair, and a special thanks to the staff members who planned and organized the event. |
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