Minister Fortier highlights funding for 495 health research grants in Quebec
DATELINE: MONTREAL March 3
The Honourable Michael M. Fortier, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, highlighted today, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, the recipients from across the province of Quebec of 495 health research grants worth more than $125 million. The funding is for a wide range of projects, including projects in the areas of mental health, hospital-acquired infections, cancer, heart health and wait times.
Minister Fortier was accompanied by Dr. Pierre Chartrand, Acting President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and Dr. Arthur Porter, Director General and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre.
"One of the priorities of Government of Canada is to help Canadians maintain and improve their health, and help them better prevent and manage diseases and ailments," said Minister Fortier. "Through CIHR, our government is ensuring that important research can be conducted on various health issues that continue to affect Canadians."
The funding highlighted today is part of a larger package worth $377.5 million for 1604 projects across Canada announced on December 17, 2007. All these projects underwent a rigorous peer-review process before being approved, and they exemplify CIHR's comprehensive, problem-based approach to funding excellence in health research. The funded research projects will be carried out over periods of one to five years and include the following projects:
- Dr Marcel Behr (Research Institute, McGill University Health Centre)
investigates the defence mechanisms against emerging pathogens that
have international impact.
- Dr. Lise Gauvin (Université de Montréal) will investigate ways to
transform urban neighbourhoods and promote healthy lifestyles.
- Dr. Éric Dewailly and the Nasivvik Centre (Université Laval) are
investigating the complex factors determining population health in the
areas of food, water, and traditional medicines with the active
participation of Inuit communities in the Canadian North.
"Through the Government's S&T Strategy, we will translate today's
investments in health research and innovation into the products and services
of tomorrow. To do this, we must keep generating knowledge, supporting
talented researchers, and fostering entrepreneurial partnerships," said
Dr. Chartrand. "We believe that CIHR's commitment to supporting health
research will lead to job creation, economic growth and a higher quality of
life."
"An operating grant from the CIHR represents much more than a means of
funding your research; it is a badge of honour that a committee of your
scientific peers has judged your proposed science to be excellent", says
Dr M. Behr, an investigator in the Infection and immunity axis of the Research
Institute of the MUHC.
"The Research Institute of the MUHC is an essential component of our
mission as a university healthcare centre. We are therefore thankful for
organizations such as the CIHR, whose critical funding supports our
researchers' work, and ultimately assists us in providing patients with better
treatments and health outcomes," adds Dr Arthur T. Porter, MUHC Director
General and CEO, and member of the CIHR's Governing Council.
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of
Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new
scientific knowledge and to catalyze its translation into improved
health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened
Canadian health-care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides
leadership and support to more than 11,000 health researchers and
trainees across Canada.
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CONTACT:about CIHR and this announcement: www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca; Laryssa Waler, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Tony Clement, (613) 957-0200; David Coulombe, CIHR Media Relations, (613) 941-4563, Cell: (613) 808-7526; Isabelle Kling, MUHC Media relations, (514) 934 1934 ext 36419