INMD Newsletter - December 2009

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Dr. Phil Sherman, SDMessage from the Scientific Director

It appears that 2009 is ending with a flurry of activity at INMD! Our team is busy putting the finishing touches on the updated INMD five-year Strategic Plan that I will present to my colleagues at CIHR Scientific Council this month. In addition, we are planning a Workshop that will be part of a CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR) Primary Care Summit in January (see page 2). We are also co-leading a workshop with the CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH), "Developing a Research Agenda to Support Sodium Reduction in Canada" that will take place in the New Year.

In the midst of all of this activity, I wish to pause and reflect on 2009. It has been a great privilege and honour to serve as the INMD Scientific Director over the past year. I have learned much about CIHR as a whole, both from operational and governance perspectives. Recently, I was given the opportunity to attend a meeting of the CIHR Governing Council as an observer. This was a genuine learning experience for me and provided a broad perspective of the directions and leadership of our health research organization. The mandate of INMD is expansive, and it has been a pleasure to meet and interact with our many constituents at Scientific Conferences, Summits, and many other events that have occurred this past year. I am consistently impressed by the excellence of research undertaken by Canadian investigators, and excited by the science that falls in the domain of the INMD.

There are many people that I wish to thank for their support and encouragement provided over the past year. In particular, I am grateful to colleagues at CIHR Scientific Council for sharing their wisdom and experience, and to members of the INMD Institute Advisory Board who ensured a smooth transition in leadership at INMD, and worked enthusiastically to develop new strategic priorities for our Institute. I also want to thank all of the investigators and stakeholders who took the time to contribute to the new INMD Strategic Plan by attending one of our Strategic Planning Summits, or by responding to a survey.

Lastly, I want to thank the INMD team, located both in the Ottawa and Toronto offices, for their hard work, effort and enthusiasm over the past year!

Best wishes to you and your family for a happy and healthy holiday season.

Phil Sherman
SD, INMD

INMD Diabetes Workshop at the CIHR Primary Care Summit:
"Patient-Oriented Primary Care - Scaling Up Innovation"
January 18-19, 2010 in Toronto

INMD is pleased to partner with the CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR) to host a workshop titled "Diabetes Care: A Model for Other Chronic Diseases" at the CIHR Primary Care Summit. Dr. Jeff Johnson from the University of Alberta, Dr. Stewart Harris from the University of Western Ontario, and Ms. Marcia Frank from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto will explore lessons learned in managing diabetes and related co-morbidities that make it an applicable model for other chronic diseases in the primary health care setting. The continuum of care, developmental and transitional issues across the lifespan, and issues affecting people with vulnerabilities will be considered and discussed in this workshop.

The CIHR Primary Care Summit will bring together researchers, health professionals, administrators, and policy makers as a catalyst for new collaborations and innovative thinking in primary care research. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Dr. Pierre Chartrand, PhDWhy Wait Until the Last Minute to Submit Your Grant?

Pierre Chartrand, Ph.D.
CIHR Chief Scientific Officer and Vice-President, Research

Recently, some investigators had challenges in submitting grants electronically to the CIHR ResearchNet. We are truly sorry for the problems these researchers are facing and will do all we can to ensure that the various issues are addressed and corrected in the future. CIHR is committed to providing optimal service to the research community. Part of the issue is that researchers submit grants and call CIHR on the last day of the submission deadline, which results in an overwhelming of the current capacity. Approximately half of all applications are submitted to CIHR in the last half-day prior to the competition deadline.

You can help us to avoid such a situation in the future. If at all possible, why not work to submit your grant sooner than the deadline date? By doing so, if you have problems with the electronic submission, you can call the CIHR program delivery staff earlier, and they will be available to help you navigate the system and ensure that your grant application is completed properly.

CIHR Increasing Support for Post Doctoral Training

CIHR plans to develop new programs to support Post Doctoral students, and new investigators entering the CIHR system. CIHR will strive to help new researchers to become competitive at an international level. CIHR President, Dr. Alain Beaudet says, "the first task is to distinguish the different training required for doctoral and post-doctoral students and craft a program that meets the needs of those in the final stage of preparing for a career in health research".

INMD will keep you informed about new funding opportunities for Post Doctoral training as they become available.

Dr. Stanley ZlotkinSamuel J. Fomon Nutrition Award to Dr. Stan Zlotkin

The team at INMD would like to congratulate Dr. Stan Zlotkin who has been awarded the American Academy of Paediatrics Committee on Nutrition's 2009 Samuel J. Fomon Nutrition Award in recognition of his outstanding achievements in research relating to the nutrition of infants and children. Dr. Zlotkin is a Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto and a nutrition specialist at the Hospital For Sick Children.

 

Other CIHR News

Researcher News

CIHR Primary Care Summit
"Patient-Oriented Primary Care - Scaling Up Innovation"
January 18-19, 2010
Toronto, Ontario
Hilton Hotel

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