Researchers' projects target premature births, industrial waste, arthritis
and health risks of teen sex
(Montreal, November 10, 2005) – Jean-C. Lapierre,
minister of transport and political minister for Québec, today
announced an investment of $102.2 million for 126 Canada Research Chairs.
Lapierre made the announcement on behalf of David L. Emerson, minister
of industry and minister responsible for the Canada Research Chairs Program.
“Canada has made itself home to some of the best research minds
in the world, and the payoffs, now and for the future, are direct,”
said Lapierre. “From improving the odds for premature babies to
supporting Canada’s international environmental commitments to protecting
the health of adolescents, these chairholders are making Canada a better
place to live and a stronger, more innovative, more competitive player
in the world knowledge economy.”
Sylvain
Chemtob, Canada Research Chair in Perinatology at the Université
de Montréal, is an internationally known researcher now embarking
on his second five-year term.
"Holding a Canada Research Chair," said Chemtob, "goes
far beyond the financial benefit. Being a chairholder brings recognition
that enables us to get involved in higher-profile research projects globally
and at home, and to advance our work as well as that of others."
In fact, Chemtob is making important discoveries related to premature
births—a growing problem in Canada—and their consequences.
During his first term as a chairholder, he did seminal investigations
into the eye diseases many “preemies” suffer from, as well
as developing a new medication to prevent premature births. Though not
yet on the market, this drug has already generated tremendous enthusiasm
in the obstetrics community.
The funds announced today will support 126 Canada Research Chairs: 43
of them renewals—like Chemtob—and 83 of them new. In every
case, chairholders’ research aims to enrich our knowledge and improve
the quality of life, in Canada and around the world.
Janet
Ronsky, Canada Research Chair in Biomedical Engineering at the University
of Calgary, has also been renewed. She applies her expertise to link improper
movement with degenerative joint diseases. Her work is already paying
off with new diagnostic tools for osteoarthritis—a bone disease
that affects more than 60 per cent of elderly Canadians.
At Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Aicheng
Chen is the new Canada Research Chair in Green Chemistry and Materials
Science. Dr. Chen’s work in the design and electrochemical study
of nanomaterials targets processes critical to the mining and pulp and
paper industries. The aim: improving production and reducing environmental
impact.
Lucia
F. O’Sullivan will hold the new Canada Research Chair in Adolescent
Sexual Health Behaviour at the University of New Brunswick. O’Sullivan’s
in-depth, longitudinal study of rural and urban youth will help us understand
why teens engage in risky sexual behaviour and how to protect them from
date rape, unwanted pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases.
Today's investment also includes $10.4 million from the Canada
Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to fund essential research infrastructure,
ranging from a research lab to study human genetics to technology to support
research into indigenous languages, learning and knowledge.
“This announcement will further strengthen Canada's reputation
as a world-class destination of choice for researchers,” said Eliot
Phillipson, president and CEO of the CFI. “The synergy created by
the Chairs Program and the CFI infrastructure component is helping advance
knowledge in many areas that are of strategic importance to Canada and
will also contribute to strengthening the research and training environment
for young Canadians in all regions of the country.”
List
of recipients November 2005 (pdf document 78KB)
CFI infrastructure
contributions
List
of all Chairholders to date (pdf document 163 KB)
Héloïse Perron
Canada Research Chairs
(613) 996-8373
Cell: (613) 371-3783
heloise.perron@chairs.gc.ca
