• Advancing Technology Innovation through Discovery: A new partnership between the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Genome Canada

July 20, 2010

• Government of Canada Announces Alliance to Spearhead Global Fight Against HIV

July 14, 2010

• Foreign students living with host families exposed to major health risks
  
  A CIHR-funded study shows that foreign students who come to Canada and stay with host families to attend high school are more likely to be smoking and using cocaine when compared to Canadian-born counterparts or immigrant teens living with their parents. The key findings also reveal a much higher rate of sexual abuse among foreign girls living with host families: 23 per cent of these girls compared to 9 per cent of immigrant or Canadian-born girls. Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, the study co-author, holds a CIHR Applied Public Health Chair in Youth Health. The results appear in the May/June issue of the Canadian Journal of Public Health.
  
  
• Report released on Métis Health Status and Healthcare Utilization in Manitoba
  
  This collaborative study, funded in part by CIHR and involving Manitoba Health, MCHP and the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) examines the health of the Métis population of Manitoba with indicators such as physical illness, hospital services, educational success, and the use of social services. There are some good findings and some that are troubling.

July 8, 2010

• Minister Goodyear announces research funding to improve health of Canadians

July 6, 2010

• Announcement of the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program

June 30, 2010

• First-in-Canada Virtual Health Library Established
  
  CIHR, in partnership with the Canadian Health Libraries Association, is proud to announce the development of the Canadian Virtual Health Library (CVHL). CIHR will provide $800,000 over three years to give Canadian health professionals easy access to current, authoritative information and expert support from the network of libraries contributing to CVHL. The result will be a tailored, rapid response to health professionals' requirements for evidence-based information to support patient care decisions, health promotion and public health programming.

June 28, 2010

• "Clumsy" children at greater risk of being overweight or obese
   
  A CIHR-funded study sheds new light on developmental coordination disorder. The McMaster study followed 1,979 students from 75 schools in Ontario over a two-year period from Grade 4 to the end of Grade 6. Dr. John Cairney, an associate professor at McMaster University, led a team of investigators to discover that children with possible developmental coordination disorder were three times more likely to be overweight than children developing typically, and the risk for obesity increased over time.
   
• CIHR at 10: Challenges Met, Challenges to Come

June 23, 2010

• CIHR Celebrates its 10th Anniversary on the Hill

June 17, 2010

• Male desire to be strong and protect family key to preventing suicides
  
  A new CIHR-funded study shows that masculine ideals of strength coupled with strong family ties can help men combat depression and overcome thoughts of suicide. The study authors, Drs. John Oliffe and John Ogrodniczuk from the University of British Columbia, analyzed qualitative data from interviews with 38 men between 24 and 50 years of age living in Vancouver and Prince George. The participants were self-identified or were formally diagnosed with depression. The findings, which reveal that men can best counter suicidal thoughts by connecting with others - namely intimate partners and family - to regain some stability and to secure emotional support from others, will be published in the forthcoming issue of the Social Science and Medicine journal.
  
  
• Study finds body checking triples risk of injury in pee wee hockey
   
  A University of Calgary study funded in part by CIHR has sparked discussion over whether body checking should be allowed in youth hockey. The study, led by Dr. Carolyn Emery, showed that body checking more than triples the risk of injury and concussion among pee wee hockey players (aged 11-12 years). Dr. Emery and her team followed pee wee hockey teams in Alberta, which permits body checking at this level, and Quebec, where body checking is not permitted until the bantam level (13-14 years). In one season, a total of 241 injuries (71 concussions) were reported in Alberta compared to 91 injuries (23 concussions) in Quebec.
  The results were recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and shared with hockey organizations in Canada.

June 9, 2010

• New Autism Genes Discovered
  
  On June 9, 2010, the Autism Genome Project (AGP), an international autism genetics research consortium co-funded by CIHR and other international councils, announced new autism genetic discoveries from the second phase of a collaborative study. The findings show that individuals with autism tend to carry more submicroscopic insertions and deletions called copy number variants (CNV) in their genome than controls. Some of these CNVs appeared to be inherited, while others are found only in affected offspring and not in their parents. These genetic findings help us understand more about the underlying biology of autism, which could lead to the development of novel treatments. The AGP study results, which appear in the journal Nature, are based on analysis of data collected from 1,000 individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 1,300 without ASD.

June 7, 2010

• Message from the Minister of Health on the 10th Anniversary of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

May 26, 2010

• Who's Canada's next top brain researcher?
  
  High school students from across Canada will participate in the third annual CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee on May 29, 2010, at McMaster University in Hamilton. The students will compete for the right to boast having the "best brain" in Canada. The participants, all winners of their regional competitions, will be tested on their knowledge of neuroscience and their skills at patient diagnosis and neuroanatomy. Topics cover memory, sleep, intelligence, emotion, perception, stress, aging, brain-imaging, neurology, neurotransmitters, genetics, and brain disease. The winners will receive trophies and scholarship awards of $1,500, $1,000, and $500. The first-place winner will represent Canada at the International Brain Bee on August 12-15, 2010, in San Diego.

May 20, 2010

• Fido can teach us a few tricks...
  
  CIHR-funded study published in the latest edition of Anthrozoös finds that as pet owners learn about their pet's diabetes, they apply what they learn to their own health - and vice-versa. The study was done by Dr. Melanie Rock from the Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions and the University of Calgary.

May 17, 2010

• New Government of Canada Investment Attracts Top Minds to Canadian Universities
  
  On May 17, 2010, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry announced the 19 inaugural recipients of the prestigious Canada Excellence Research Chairs at a welcoming ceremony held at the University of Toronto. Six of these 19 world-renowned researchers will establish leading-edge research programs in the health and related life science and technologies at universities in Canada.

May 13, 2010

• Government of Canada announces the 2010 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholars
  
  On May 13, 2010, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, officially announced the 2010 recipients of Canada's most prestigious scholarship for doctoral students - the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. This year's 174 Vanier scholars come from across Canada and from around the world, with some of the most talented doctoral students from the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa choosing Canadian universities for the next stage of their studies. Of this number, CIHR is supporting 59 scholars who will pursue doctoral studies in the health sciences.

May 7, 2010

• A New Explanation for Blues in Early Postpartum
  
  Researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto have discovered that levels of a brain protein called monoamine oxidase A in women four to six days after delivery were 43% greater as compared to women not recently pregnant. The findings were strongest on day five, the day when postpartum blues is usually the most severe. Dr. Jeffrey Meyer, principal investigator of this research, provides better understanding of the biology of postpartum depression, which affects 13% of mothers and can have a devastating impact of their health. This study was partly funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

May 3, 2010

• Launch of the Grand Challenges Canada global health initiative
  
  On May 3, 2010, Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty announced the launch of Grand Challenges Canada, an innovative initiative that will identify global health challenges, fund researchers and support the implementation and commercialization of the solutions that emerge. The Government of Canada is committing over $225 million over five years through the Development Innovation Fund, announced in the 2008 federal budget. The Development Innovation Fund will be delivered by Grand Challenges Canada working with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and other global health organizations to find sustainable long-term solutions to the most pressing health challenges. The launch was held at MaRS Centre Auditorium in Toronto.

April 26, 2010

• Biological link between stress, anxiety and depression
  
  Scientists have discovered the biological link between stress, anxiety and depression. By identifying the connecting mechanism in the brain, this high impact research shows exactly how stress and anxiety can lead to depression. The study also reveals a small molecule inhibitor, which may provide a new and better way to treat anxiety, depression and other related disorders. The research, led by Dr. Stephen Ferguson of Robarts Research Institute at the University of Western Ontario, was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Hymie Anisman at Carleton University, and funded through CIHR. The findings are published online in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

March 29, 2010

• Tool to improve reporting of financial conflicts of interest in clinical research
  
  A CIHR-funded team led by Dr. Paula Rochon, of the Women's College Research Institute, has developed the Financial Conflicts of Interest Checklist that aims to minimize financial conflicts in clinical research. Before the development of this checklist, investigators were often required to submit many different conflict of interest reports to stakeholders at different stages of their research. Researchers can now create a single checklist so that stakeholders are able to receive common information. The user-friendly PDF document is designed for clinical research studies, but it may be adapted for other types of studies as well.

March 25, 2010

• New understanding of protein's role in brain
  
  A CIHR-funded study shows that an altered protein, 4E-BP2, plays a key role in memory processes. A modification to this protein, which controls the cellular protein-synthesis machinery, seems to affect nerve cell communication and could be part of the processes underlying memory. A team of researchers headed by Dr. Nahum Sonenberg of McGill's Department of Biochemistry and Goodman Cancer Centre made this discovery. The journal Molecular Cell published the new findings on March 25, 2010.

March 24, 2010

• CIHR-funded discovery changes the recommended standard of care for children with rare brain tumour
  
  Thanks to new research funded in part by CIHR and led by The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, young patients suffering from choroid plexus carcinoma, a rare form of paediatric brain cancer, could be spared aggressive radiation therapy. The research identified a specific genetic mutation, the presence of which can determine prognosis. In the study, patients who did not possess this mutation had better outcomes than those who did, even without radiation treatment. This suggests children can be treated with chemotherapy and surgery, and avoid the side-effects associated with radiation. This study may also provide insight into the treatment of other cancers.

March 12, 2010

• Kids get arthritis too
  
  A recent national survey, sponsored by The Arthritis Society, revealed that the vast majority of Canadians do not know about juvenile arthritis, a condition that affects 1 in 1000 children in Canada. In this condition, a child's immune system malfunctions and attacks tissues in the body. It causes inflammation of the joints, turning simple everyday tasks, like tying your shoes, into painful challenges. Canadian researchers are working to help children with juvenile arthritis. For example, Dr. Alan Rosenberg at the University of Saskatchewan is part of a national team of researchers that is working on identifying the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the onset and progression of juvenile arthritis. By helping predict the outcomes of this condition more accurately, this work will improve the care of children with juvenile arthritis. This research is being supported by CIHR, The Arthritis Society and the Canadian Arthritis Network. To learn more about juvenile arthritis, visit The Arthritis Society website.

February 22, 2010

• CIHR at American Association for the Advancement of Science international conference on the environment
  
  CIHR representatives attended the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) which took place in San Diego, CA, February 18-22. The AAAS is an international, not-for-profit organization whose objective is to advance science by bringing together scientists and communicators from throughout the world. This year's themes were biodiversity and climate change. At a breakfast for journalists, Dr. Nancy Edwards, Scientific Director of the Institute of Population and Public Health, discussed the subject of the environment and health.

February 16, 2010

• $5 million grant to study the impact of contaminants on reproductive health

  The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is currently funding two teams of researchers from the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) to study the impact of environmental contaminants on reproductive health. The first group will focus on brominated flame retardants, a type of contaminant found in most consumer products, whereas the second group will study phthalates, a pollutant contained in cosmetics and soft plastics. A better understanding of the impact of these environmental contaminants on human reproductive health will lead to more informed policies and legislation governing their use.

February 15, 2010

• The discovery of cells present in muscle tissues may give hope to people with muscular dystrophy

  Researchers funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), under the direction of Dr. Fabio Rossi of the University of British Columbia, have recently identified a new type of cells inside muscle tissues. These cells, known as fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs), produce a signal that coordinates tissue regeneration and then disappear once regeneration is complete. In people suffering from chronic muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy, however, the FAPs remain active and continue to produce the regeneration signal, resulting in fibrosis. This discovery will enable researchers to improve their understanding of the role of FAPs and better control them through drugs. The findings are published in the February issue of Nature Cell Biology.

February 11, 2010

• B.C. study says residential school survivors could pass health risks

  For the first time ever, research has revealed a statistical connection between residential schools and infectious disease rates. New findings from a University of British Columbia study on at-risk Aboriginal young people in British Columbia point to alarming patterns of historical trauma, injection drug use and Hepatitis C (HCV) infection. The findings were released by the Cedar Project-a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)-funded longitudinal study that monitors HIV and HCV among Aboriginal young people who use drugs in British Columbia.

February 10, 2010

• Be your own Olympian! CIHR celebrates Vancouver 2010
  
  
• Communication breakdown: nerve cells and Parkinson's disease
  
  A CIHR-funded study from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, at McGill University has discovered a link between Parkinson's disease and defects in the ability of nerve cells to communicate. By studying defects in certain genes and proteins of patients with inherited forms of Parkinson's, researchers are learning about the molecular processes involved in the death of some neurons, which characterizes Parkinson's. The study, whose principal author is Dr. Edward Fon, provides new insight into the causes of Parkinson's disease, and could lead to new therapeutic strategies. It was published in the journal Molecular Cell, and was also selected as Editor's choice in the journal Science.

February 8, 2010

• Speech problems in people with Parkinson's disease might be a cause of their social isolation
  
  CIHR-funded researchers under the direction of Dr Mark Pell of McGill University have established a connection between social isolation of people with Parkinson's disease and their difficulty in expressing themselves. In the researchers' study, two groups of elderly adults - one with Parkinson's disease, the other without - described visual scenes aloud while their voices were recorded. When people who were unaware of the speakers' state of health then listened to these recordings, they perceived the speakers with Parkinson's as less interested, less involved, less happy, and less friendly than the others. The results of this study establish a correlation between communication problems due to Parkinson's and social isolation due to the limited number of interactions between people with Parkinson's and their environments. This study thus opens another avenue by which health professionals can address the emotional and psychological support to provide to people with Parkinson's. The study's findings have been published in the January 2010 issue of the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.

February 5, 2010

• Certain cells in the eye could cause loss of sight
  
  CIHR-funded researchers working with Frédéric Lebrun-Julien, a PhD student at the University of Montreal, have discovered that certain cells in the eye, known as glial cells, can cause blindness if they are activated. Glial cells normally protect neurons in the retina and brain. However, if they are triggered by an unusual molecule, called proNGF, glial cells will destroy these neurons. Researchers are currently working to determine whether glial cell activation can be prevented. Significant clinical benefits may result from this discovery, especially among persons suffering from eye diseases such as glaucoma. The findings have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

January 25, 2010

• National workshop on sodium reduction
  
  CIHR hosted a national workshop on developing a research agenda to support sodium reduction in Canada.
  
  
• CIHR Research Chair co-authors book on cannabis use
  
  Dr. Benedikt Fischer, CIHR/PHAC Research Chair in Applied Public Health at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., has co-written a book on controlling cannabis use. Cannabis Policy: Moving beyond Stalemate will guide policymakers on effective regulation of cannabis use. The book reviews the health and psychological hazards of cannabis use, while evaluating the effectiveness of current legal measures for controlling the drug. It also assesses alternative options for control. The book was published by Oxford University Press. Dr. Fischer's contribution to the book was funded in part by CIHR.

January 22, 2010

• CIHR-funded researchers receive double honours
  
  Two CIHR-funded researchers, Drs. Michael Meaney and Gustavo Turecki, have been named Radio-Canada's Scientists of the year 2009. Their work also made Québec Science magazine's list of the top 10 discoveries of 2009. Both men are researchers at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute and professors in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University in Montréal. They are being honoured for their discovery of biological mechanisms through which life experiences can change the expression of certain genes responsible for the human stress response. More specifically, they have discovered that mistreatment experienced during childhood could cause lasting changes in the activity of these genes. Their discovery was published in March 2009 in the prestigious journal Nature Neuroscience. The study was co-financed by CIHR and the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

January 8, 2010

• New predictor for bone cancer prognosis in adolescents and young adults
  
  CIHR-supported researchers led by Dr. David Malkin at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto have recently discovered a new indicator that can help doctors predict how patients with bone cancer may respond to treatment. Researchers found a genetic mutation associated with poorer outcomes for patients with osteosarcoma, which most commonly affects adolescents and young adults. Every year, there are about 300 new cases of osteosarcoma in Canada. The mutation can help doctors decide how aggressively they need to treat specific cases. The study is published in the current issue of Cancer Research.

January 4, 2010

• Remembering fallen Canadian health reporter Michelle Lang 1975-2009
  
  
• Dementia rates projected to double in 30 years
  
  A new report from the Alzheimer Society of Canada predicts that by 2038, one new case of dementia will be diagnosed every two minutes, compared to one every five minutes in 2008. Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society indicates that if nothing changes by 2038, dementia will cost the Canadian healthcare system $872 billion over this 30-year period. The report outlines the urgent need for action against dementia and proposes a series of interventions that could help minimize the impact of the disease. The proposed tactics include: increasing the investment in dementia research, developing a national strategy; educating Canadians about risk reductions and early diagnosis; and providing support to people living with dementia, their caregivers and their families. The report was sponsored in part by CIHR.