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Energize and enhance

Federal government celebrates investment for health-related research

Research

By Jeff Green

Innovative research that’s helping address health-care challenges and improving health outcomes for Canadians was front and centre on March 12 as the federal government celebrated a nearly $3.7-million investment for Memorial-led studies.

Seamus O’Regan, minister, Indigenous Services, was on the St. John’s campus to highlight the Project Grant: Fall 2018 competition results from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

From left are Dr. Neil Bose, Seamus O’Regan, Dr. Len Zedel, Dr. Sheila Garland, Dr. Matthew Parsons, Dr. Graham Fraser, Dr. Bruno Stuyvers, Dr. Qi Yuan, Dr. Margaret Steele and Nick Whalen.
From left are Dr. Neil Bose, Seamus O’Regan, Dr. Len Zedel, Dr. Sheila Garland, Dr. Matthew Parsons, Dr. Graham Fraser, Dr. Bruno Stuyvers, Dr. Qi Yuan, Dr. Margaret Steele and Nick Whalen.
Photo: Jennifer Armstrong/HSIMS

He was joined by Nick Whalen, member of Parliament, St. John’s East, as they met with grant recipients to celebrate their achievements and to learn more about their research projects.

The federal investment will help enrich critical health-related studies led by six faculty members.

The researchers are listed below.

“From their research into Alzheimer’s disease to type 2 diabetes and heart attacks, researchers at Memorial University of Newfoundland are shedding new light on health issues that have touched the lives of so many in this province, and across the country,” Minister O’Regan said in a CIHR news release.

Minister Seamus O’Regan met with Dr. Sheila Garland during the event on March 12.
Minister Seamus O’Regan met with Dr. Sheila Garland during the event on March 12.
Photo: Jennifer Armstrong/HSIMS

“On behalf of the minister of Health, Ginette Petitpas-Taylor, and our entire government, I thank all the researchers for their hard work and dedication and congratulate them on receiving this new funding.”

President Gary Kachanoski acknowledged the federal government for its important investment.

“Through the innovative work led by our teams of multidisciplinary researchers, Memorial University is addressing health-care challenges directly affecting our communities and improving health outcomes for all Canadians,” he noted. “I thank our federal government for its continued commitment as Memorial builds specialized research capacity.”

From left are Dr. Qi Yuan, Seamus O’Regan and Nick Whalen during a tour of Dr. Quan’s lab.
From left are Dr. Qi Yuan, Seamus O’Regan and Nick Whalen during a tour of Dr. Quan’s lab.
Photo: Jennifer Armstrong/HSIMS

CIHR is Canada’s federal funding agency for health research.

Composed of 13 institutes, it collaborates with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve the health of Canadians and strengthen this country’s health-care system.

Abhinaba Ghosh, right, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Medicine spoke with Minister O’Regan on March 12.
Abhinaba Ghosh, right, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Medicine speaks with Minister O’Regan about his research.
Photo: Jennifer Armstrong/HSIMS

“Health research has the power to help us tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing us as a society, and Canadians should be proud of the incredible work being done from coast to coast to coast,” said Michael J. Strong, president, CIHR.

“As a researcher myself, I can say that the work is rarely glamorous — but it is always worthwhile, and I am excited to watch these CIHR-funded projects unfold.”


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