Province of Ontario awards IBBME researchers funding

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Province of Ontario awards IBBME researchers funding

Research Infrastructure, Research Excellence and Early Research Awards announced

August 2, 2011

The Province of Ontario's Ministry of Research and Innovation announced awards under its Research Excellence, Research Infrastructure and Early Researcher programs on July 25. Several IBBME faculty, including Director Paul Santerre, were recipients.

Research Excellence Program

Paul Santerre (Director, IBBME): Treatment of vascular disease using tri-segmented fluorinated polymers as pharmaceutical delivery materials for interventional cardiovascular devices

Placed into the narrowed artery, the biocompatible device slowly releases a drug, inducing vascular repair to keep the artery open. This is expected to eliminate the need for repeat procedures and improve patients’ quality of life.

Shana Kelly (Cross appointment, IBBME): Detecting prostate cancer at its earliest stages
using nano-enabled devices for disease prevention and control

Dr. Shana Kelley is developing a revolutionary device to detect prostate cancer at its earliest stages. This innovation will help save lives and further strengthen Ontario’s reputation as a leader in cancer research.

Research Infrastructure Awards

Alison McGuigan (Cross appointment, IBBME): Tissue Morphogenesis Engineering

Dr. Alison McGuigan is engineering artificial tissues to treat people with organ failure. This regenerative medicine approach could eliminate the need for organ transplants and reduce the health care burden on the province.

Gregory Borschel (Cross appointment, IBBME): Nerve Research Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto

Peripheral nerve injury often causes permanent limb damage even when it is treated quickly. Dr. Gregory Borschel is using tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to repair damaged nerves. His research is unique in Ontario and will provide the basis for developing and commercializing new products and therapies.

Boris Hinz (Cross appointment, IBBME): Controlling the Fibrogenic Activity of Myofibroblasts as a Crucial Step in Successful Tissue Repair and Regeneration

Myofibroblasts are important cells in tissue repair and regeneration, but when they grow uncontrollably, they lead to organ fibrosis which, in turn, leads to death. Dr. Boris Hinz is studying myofibroblasts in order to understand the factors that drive fibrosis and develop more effective treatments for it.

Global Leadership Round In Genomics And Life Sciences

Shaf Keshavjee (Cross appointment, IBBME) and Dr Mingyao Liu: Molecular and Genomic Diagnostics to Improve Outcomes in Lung Transplantation

Dr. Shaf Keshavjee and Dr. Mingyao Liu are leading a team of scientist-clinicians who are working to develop diagnostic tools to predict post-transplant lung function and rejection after transplantation. These tools will improve transplant success rates and help assure Ontario’s continued global leadership in the field of lung transplantation.

U of T researchers were awarded $25 million in total. For the full story, please click here .

University of Toronto Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

Province of Ontario awards IBBME researchers funding