Supports Ground Breaking Research on Sarcoma Cancer
June 17, 2014 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Institutes of Health Research
The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, marked Canada’s Sarcoma Cancer Awareness Week, June 16 to 22, 2014 by visiting with researchers, clinicians, sarcoma cancer patients, and survivors at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI). The Minister was joined by Diana Arajs, Founder and Chair of the Sarcoma Cancer Foundation of Canada (SCFC), Dr. Jane Aubin, Vice-President, Research and Knowledge Translation, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Dr. Duncan Stewart, Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director of OHRI, and Dr. Shailendra Verma, a medical oncologist and sarcoma expert at The Ottawa Hospital.
As part of the visit, the Minister announced funding of $1.2M from CIHR to support a five-year research project that will be led by scientists at OHRI on aveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a type of sarcoma that affects children and adolescents, and most often occurs in the arms, legs and torso. The main cause is the production of a new gene, which results from DNA damage in the cell and acts to create cancer cells. The scientists will carry out a genomic analysis of tumour stem cells, which will provide information to guide the development of innovative new strategies to treat this childhood cancer. The project is an example of the outstanding work being carried out by health researchers across the country with the support of the Government of Canada.
Michael Bolkenius
Office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose
Minister of Health
613-957-0200
David Coulombe
Media Relations
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
613-941-4563
mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Jennifer Runza
Sarcoma Cancer Foundation of Canada
416-319-0014
jennifer.runza@gmail.com
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,200 health researchers and trainees across Canada.
