Sunnybrook Management Commentary and Analysis 2014/15

The best young minds
The fourth annual Sunnybrook Research
Prize competition was held, highlighting
the work of nine undergraduates from
universities across Canada. At 18 entries,
the event was the most competitive ever.
The competition recognizes excellence
in undergraduate research in physical
sciences and engineering, and promotes
careers in biomedical research. The
two winning projects this year featured
a technology using functional electrical
stimulation to increase trunk muscle
stability in individuals with spinal cord
injuries, and another on the search for
a biomarker to diagnose Alzheimer’s
disease earlier, using magnetic resonance
imaging.
Terry Fox Foundation supports SRI
Sunnybrook researchers were awarded
a new investment of $2 million over three
years from the Terry Fox Foundation
to support research in quantitative
ultrasound and magnetic resonance
imaging to better tailor cancer therapy.
The award is part of a larger research
investment from the Terry Fox Foundation
to support projects nationally to potentially
revolutionize care for patients with hardto-treat
or advanced cancers through
more personalized approaches. Dr.
Gregory Czarnota and Dr. Greg Stanisz,
senior scientists at SRI, in collaboration
with Dr. Michel Kolios at Ryerson
University, are using ultrasound and
MRI for treatment monitoring.
Securing research investment from CIHR
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research
(CIHR) awarded six SRI scientists with
operating grants in its March 2014
competition, for a total of $4.2 million
over the next five years. Dr. Isabelle Aubert,
Dr. Stuart Foster, Dr. Benjamin Goldstein,
Dr. Mario Masellis, Dr. Richard Swartz
and Dr. Hannah Wunsch (together with
co-investigators Dr. Robert Fowler and
Dr. Damon Scales) were successful. The
projects span the Hurvitz Brain Sciences
Program, the Odette Cancer Centre and
the Trauma Program.
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