INMD Newsletter - November 2009
- Message from Dr. Phil Sherman, INMD Scientific Director
- INMD partners on Alternative Radiopharmaceuticals for Medical Imaging
- More INMD Strategic Planning Summits
- INMD Café Scientifique
- Other CIHR News
- Feedback on the INMD Newsletter
- Contact INMD
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Message from Dr. Phil Sherman, INMD Scientific Director
The INMD Institute Advisory Board (IAB) met in Winnipeg, November 5-7. I would like to express my gratitude to the University of Manitoba for hosting our meeting, with special thanks to Dr. Peter Cattini, the CIHR University delegate, and Ms. Nancy Klos, Associate Director of Research Grants, for their tremendous help. The meeting commenced with a "Meet and Greet" at the Health Sciences campus. One of the highlights of this event, for me, was the opportunity to meet Dr. Henry Friesen, (pictured on right, with Stephanie Atkinson, IAB member and Phil Sherman, left). For those newer to CIHR, Dr. Friesen is a distinguished clinician scientist and former President of the Medical Research Council of Canada, credited with driving the creation of the CIHR.
The IAB was privileged to hear two interesting scientific lectures as part of the meeting agenda. Dr. Peter Jones provided a presentation about the work he and his colleagues are doing at the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals. Dr. Charles Bernstein spoke about his research using the Manitoba Health data base to advance knowledge in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Both speakers provided compelling presentations reflecting the diversity of excellent research undertaken at the University of Manitoba.
This was a critical meeting for the INMD, as the main objective was to develop an updated five-year Strategic Plan for the Institute. Led by an expert facilitator, Brian Rush, the IAB carefully considered all the information gathered at our Strategic Planning summits. I was impressed with the professionalism and collegiality of the IAB members, and grateful to them for their commitment in ensuring that the new Strategic Priorities reflect the input and diversity of our many stakeholders.
I encourage you to take the time to complete a web-based survey to obtain your feedback related to these new DRAFT INMD Strategic Priorities. I would like to know what you think of the new priorities before I present them to the Scientific Council of CIHR.
Responses are due by November 27, 2009. After we review and consider the feedback from the survey, I will present the draft Strategic Priorities to CIHR's Scientific Council and CIHR President Alain Beaudet. Once approved, the 2010-2014 INMD Strategic Plan will be formally released in early 2010. Stay tuned!
INMD partners with NSERC and other CIHR Institutes to Fund Research on Alternative Radiopharmaceuticals for Medical Imaging
INMD is co-funding Dr. John F Valliant from McMaster University in Hamilton. Dr Valliant's project is entitled "The formulation and clinical testing of I-123 odohippuran as an alternative to 99mTc MAG3 for assessment of renal function in patients with kidney disease".
Technetium-99m has an important role in the diagnosis and assessment of kidney diseases. Alternatives for 99mTc have a high priority in nephrology and urology because of the current limited availability of alternate tests and radiopharmaceuticals. This funding opportunity demonstrates how CIHR can deliver quickly on the research enterprise related to pressing issues affecting Canadians, and we will strive to do this more frequently in the future to address immediate health care concerns.
More INMD Strategic Planning Summits
Canadian Lipoprotein Conference; Windsor, October 2009
Canadian Society of Endocrinology & Metabolism Annual Conference; Montreal, October 2009
A Canadian Obesity Network (CON) event at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, October 2009
(from right, Arya Sharma, Scientific Director CON, P. Sherman, Guy Saint-Jacques, Deputy Ambassador)
INMD Café Scientifique
There was an enthusiastic response to the INMD Café Scientifique, Stranger in the Mirror: Is it time to change the way we view eating disorders? held on November 10th as part of the Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival in Toronto. The evening started with the screening of a short film by Sophie Shoukens, Alice or Life in Black and White. The film provided a backdrop for the discussion that followed which was moderated by Dr. David Goldbloom, Vice-Chair, Mental Health Commission of Canada and Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto. Presentations followed by three panelists: Dr. Allan Kaplan, Senior Clinician/Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Loretta Anne Rogers Chair in Eating Disorders, UHN, Professor of Psychiatry University of Toronto, Anne Elliott Program Director, 
Sheena's Place, and Dr. Gail McVey, Health Systems Scientist, Director, Ontario Community Outreach Program for Eating Disorders, Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto. After these brief presentations there was an interactive discussion with the audience. There were many thought-provoking questions from the audience, and great chemistry between the moderator and the panelists. INMD wishes to thank our partners, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and Workman Arts, as well as our skilled moderator and panelists.
Other CIHR News
CIHR Primary Care Summit
"Patient-Oriented Primary Care – Scaling Up Innovation"
January 18-19, 2010
Toronto ON
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