2010 Notices
December 8, 2010
2nd edition of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2) released
The Presidents of the federal research agencies (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) are pleased to announce the release of the 2nd edition of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans, or "TCPS 2."
November 30, 2010
Government of Canada celebrates the Canada Research Chairs Program
The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, has announced that the Government of Canada has made a major investment in the Canada Research Chairs Program, enabling Canada to strengthen its position as a world leader in university research and development. At a conference to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the program, the Minister announced an investment of $275.6 million to fund 310 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs at 53 Canadian universities.
October 26, 2010
CIHR supports important Alzheimer's disease research initiative
CIHR has committed $1.5 million to support the research objectives of the National Institutes of Health's Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), which has just been renewed for an additional five years. The main goal of this public-private partnership is to gain knowledge into the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease, and ultimately improve treatment and drug development. The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health announced the renewal of the ADNI on October 21, 2010.
October 5, 2010
Access to Research Results: Guiding Principles
Making research results as widely available and accessible as possible is an essential part of advancing scholarship, promoting intellectual inquiry and critical analysis, and applying knowledge to ensure that practical solutions are found to challenges facing Canadians. These principles will guide the agencies in promoting access to research results.
September 21, 2010
CIHR supports major pan-Canadian study on patient safety in home care
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research is pleased to be a partner in funding a major pan-Canadian study on patient safety in home care, which was announced today by the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. "We need to ensure that Canadians have access to safe, high-quality home care services," said Dr. Colleen M. Flood, Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Health Services and Policy Research. "This study will provide much-needed evidence for decision makers on the safety risks facing home care clients and will also offer practical solutions to make home care safer for all Canadians. My colleagues and I at CIHR are proud to support this important effort to improve patient safety in Canada."
Home care is an increasingly important part of Canada's health care landscape. The majority of home care clients are elderly patients with chronic health conditions such as arthritis, heart disease and respiratory conditions. Until now, the safety of Canadians being cared for in their homes has not been studied rigorously. This groundbreaking study will provide essential information for decision makers seeking to understand and improve patient safety in home care. The study is supported by the CIHR Institutes of Health Services and Policy Research, Aging, Circulatory and Respiratory Health, and Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis, in collaboration with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation and The Change Foundation.
September 16, 2010
The Terry Fox Foundation announces $14.8-million national investment in cancer research through new partnership with CIHR
The Terry Fox Foundation (TFF) in partnership with The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) today announced a national investment in cancer research totaling $14.8 million that will lead to new and innovative treatments for cancer patients.
The funding is being allocated to institutions and researchers in Ontario ($9.7 million), Quebec ($2 million) and British Columbia ($3.1 million). This is the first time since their new partnership that TFF and CIHR have made a joint announcement. The announcement was made at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre this morning and coincides with the 30th Anniversary of the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope.
July 23, 2010
July 20, 2010
Government of Canada Announces Alliance to Spearhead Global Fight Against HIV
July 8, 2010
Minister Goodyear announces research funding to improve health of Canadians
July 6, 2010
Announcement of the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program
June 30, 2010
First-in-Canada Virtual Health Library Established
CIHR, in partnership with the Canadian Health Libraries Association, is proud to announce the development of the Canadian Virtual Health Library (CVHL). CIHR will provide $800,000 over three years to give Canadian health professionals easy access to current, authoritative information and expert support from the network of libraries contributing to CVHL. The result will be a tailored, rapid response to health professionals' requirements for evidence-based information to support patient care decisions, health promotion and public health programming.
June 28, 2010
CIHR at 10: Challenges Met, Challenges to Come
June 23, 2010
CIHR Celebrates its 10th Anniversary on the Hill
June 7, 2010
May 26, 2010
Who's Canada's next top brain researcher?
High school students from across Canada will participate in the third annual CIHR Canadian National Brain Bee on May 29, 2010, at McMaster University in Hamilton. The students will compete for the right to boast having the "best brain" in Canada. The participants, all winners of their regional competitions, will be tested on their knowledge of neuroscience and their skills at patient diagnosis and neuroanatomy. Topics cover memory, sleep, intelligence, emotion, perception, stress, aging, brain-imaging, neurology, neurotransmitters, genetics, and brain disease. The winners will receive trophies and scholarship awards of $1,500, $1,000, and $500. The first-place winner will represent Canada at the International Brain Bee on August 12-15, 2010, in San Diego.
May 17, 2010
New Government of Canada Investment Attracts Top Minds to Canadian Universities
On May 17, 2010, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry announced the 19 inaugural recipients of the prestigious Canada Excellence Research Chairs at a welcoming ceremony held at the University of Toronto. Six of these 19 world-renowned researchers will establish leading-edge research programs in the health and related life science and technologies at universities in Canada.
May 13, 2010
Government of Canada announces the 2010 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholars
On May 13, 2010, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, officially announced the 2010 recipients of Canada's most prestigious scholarship for doctoral students - the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship. This year's 174 Vanier scholars come from across Canada and from around the world, with some of the most talented doctoral students from the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa choosing Canadian universities for the next stage of their studies. Of this number, CIHR is supporting 59 scholars who will pursue doctoral studies in the health sciences.
May 3, 2010
Launch of the Grand Challenges Canada global health initiative
On May 3, 2010, Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty announced the launch of Grand Challenges Canada, an innovative initiative that will identify global health challenges, fund researchers and support the implementation and commercialization of the solutions that emerge. The Government of Canada is committing over $225 million over five years through the Development Innovation Fund, announced in the 2008 federal budget. The Development Innovation Fund will be delivered by Grand Challenges Canada working with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and other global health organizations to find sustainable long-term solutions to the most pressing health challenges. The launch was held at MaRS Centre Auditorium in Toronto.
March 29, 2010
Tool to improve reporting of financial conflicts of interest in clinical research
A CIHR-funded team led by Dr. Paula Rochon, of the Women's College Research Institute, has developed the Financial Conflicts of Interest Checklist that aims to minimize financial conflicts in clinical research. Before the development of this checklist, investigators were often required to submit many different conflict of interest reports to stakeholders at different stages of their research. Researchers can now create a single checklist so that stakeholders are able to receive common information. The user-friendly PDF document is designed for clinical research studies, but it may be adapted for other types of studies as well.
February 22, 2010
CIHR at American Association for the Advancement of Science international conference on the environment
CIHR representatives attended the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) which took place in San Diego, CA, February 18-22. The AAAS is an international, not-for-profit organization whose objective is to advance science by bringing together scientists and communicators from throughout the world. This year's themes were biodiversity and climate change. At a breakfast for journalists, Dr. Nancy Edwards, Scientific Director of the Institute of Population and Public Health, discussed the subject of the environment and health.
February 16, 2010
$5 million grant to study the impact of contaminants on reproductive health
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is currently funding two teams of researchers from the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) to study the impact of environmental contaminants on reproductive health. The first group will focus on brominated flame retardants, a type of contaminant found in most consumer products, whereas the second group will study phthalates, a pollutant contained in cosmetics and soft plastics. A better understanding of the impact of these environmental contaminants on human reproductive health will lead to more informed policies and legislation governing their use.
February 10, 2010
Be your own Olympian! CIHR celebrates Vancouver 2010
January 25, 2010
National workshop on sodium reduction
CIHR hosted a national workshop on developing a research agenda to support sodium reduction in Canada.
CIHR Research Chair co-authors book on cannabis use
Dr. Benedikt Fischer, CIHR/PHAC Research Chair in Applied Public Health at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., has co-written a book on controlling cannabis use. Cannabis Policy: Moving beyond Stalemate will guide policymakers on effective regulation of cannabis use. The book reviews the health and psychological hazards of cannabis use, while evaluating the effectiveness of current legal measures for controlling the drug. It also assesses alternative options for control. The book was published by Oxford University Press. Dr. Fischer's contribution to the book was funded in part by CIHR.
January 22, 2010
CIHR-funded researchers receive double honours
Two CIHR-funded researchers, Drs. Michael Meaney and Gustavo Turecki, have been named Radio-Canada's Scientists of the year 2009. Their work also made Québec Science magazine's list of the top 10 discoveries of 2009. Both men are researchers at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute and professors in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University in Montréal. They are being honoured for their discovery of biological mechanisms through which life experiences can change the expression of certain genes responsible for the human stress response. More specifically, they have discovered that mistreatment experienced during childhood could cause lasting changes in the activity of these genes. Their discovery was published in March 2009 in the prestigious journal Nature Neuroscience. The study was co-financed by CIHR and the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
January 4, 2010
Dementia rates projected to double in 30 years
A new report from the Alzheimer Society of Canada predicts that by 2038, one new case of dementia will be diagnosed every two minutes, compared to one every five minutes in 2008. Rising Tide: The Impact of Dementia on Canadian Society indicates that if nothing changes by 2038, dementia will cost the Canadian healthcare system $872 billion over this 30-year period. The report outlines the urgent need for action against dementia and proposes a series of interventions that could help minimize the impact of the disease. The proposed tactics include: increasing the investment in dementia research, developing a national strategy; educating Canadians about risk reductions and early diagnosis; and providing support to people living with dementia, their caregivers and their families. The report was sponsored in part by CIHR.
