Western researchers receive more than $23.5 million in grants from CIHR

Four Western University researchers received grants totalling $9.9 million over seven years from the inaugural Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Foundation Grant. Each is studying factors which may lead to improved health outcomes for people living with osteoarthritis, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

The CIHR Foundation Grant is designed to contribute to a sustainable foundation of health research leaders by providing long-term support for the pursuit of innovative, high-impact programs of research.

Of more than 1,600 applications received by CIHR, 150 applications were successful in receiving funding, four of those from Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Robarts Research Institute:

•    Frank Beier, PhD, professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, and Canada Research Chair in Musculoskeletal Research, received more than $3 million for his research into the molecular pathways behind osteoarthritis.

•    Dr. Robert Hegele, professor, Departments of Medicine, and Biochemistry at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, Jacob J. Wolfe Distinguished Medical Research Chair in Human Gene Function, and scientist at Robarts, received more than $2.3 million for his research into understanding the genomic factors behind cardiovascular disease, strokes and diabetes.

•    Terry Peters, PhD, professor, Departments of Medical Biophysics, and Medical Imaging at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, and scientist at Robarts, received more than $2.2 million for research to develop a program for image-guided, minimally invasive surgery and therapy.

•    Dr. J. Geoffrey Pickering, PhD, professor, Departments of Medical Biophysics, and Biochemistry at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, and scientist at Robarts, received more than $2.1 million to investigate the mechanisms related to vascular aging, repair and regeneration.

An additional 19 researchers have received CIHR Open Operating Grants of more than $13.6 million. Researchers include Dr. Julio Martinez-Trujillo, for research into mapping the circuits of the brain related to attention, which may impact diseases such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism and schizophrenia; Steven Kerfoot, PhD, who is researching the role of B cells in multiple sclerosis; and Aaron Fenster, PhD, who is developing a magnetic resonance imaging-guided laser thermal therapy approach to target tumours in patients with prostate cancer.

For the full list of grant recipients from Schulich Medicine & Dentistry and Robarts, click here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Tristan Joseph, Media Relations Officer, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, t. 519.661.2111 ext. 80387, c. 519.777.1573, tristan.joseph@schulich.uwo.ca

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The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University is one of Canada’s preeminent medical and dental schools. Established in 1881, it was one of the founding schools of Western University and is known for being the birthplace of family medicine in Canada. For more than 130 years, the School has demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence and a passion for scientific discovery.