(Clockwise from top left) UHN Drs. Mark Cattral, David Jaffray, Herbert Gaisano, Benjamin Neel, Geoff Fernie and Shaf Keshavjee are the principal investigators of projects which on Friday received funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. (Photos: UHN)
UHN has been awarded $8.82 million to enhance research infrastructure as part of a national announcement made Friday by the Honourable Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology).
The funding for five UHN projects comes from $333 million provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through its Innovation Fund program—a competitive award that supports research facilities and equipment deemed essential for positioning Canada as a world leader in innovative research.
"In today's highly competitive research environment, the nation's researchers need access to the best tools and facilities that will make them stand out," says Gilles Patry, President and CEO of CFI.
The awards to UHN are to help build and enhance the following state-of-the-art facilities and capabilities:
- iDAPT DriverLab (to advance the design of safer vehicles for older and at-risk drivers; led by Dr. Geoff Fernie)
- Centre for Islet Research and Therapeutics (to advance regenerative therapeutics for diabetes; led by Drs. Herbert Gaisano and Mark Cattral)
- Image-guided Discovery Laboratory (to advance integrated systems-level imaging, quantitative imaging, image-guided interventions and dynamic, feedback-driven medicine; led by Dr. David Jaffray)
- Proteomics, structural biology and optical microimaging capabilities for multi-dimensional tumour phenotype analysis (to advance customized cancer therapies; led by Dr. Benjamin Neel)
- Organ Repair Laboratory (to improve the quality and increase the availability of donor lungs and livers; led by Dr. Shaf Keshavjee)
"CFI investments will further strengthen the innovation ecosystem that exists at UHN—one that combines world-class patient care with cutting-edge resources and training across the full spectrum of research," says Dr. Christopher Paige, the Vice President of Research at UHN.
