Backgrounder
October 28, 2009
Research Projects Funded in Toronto
Today, through the Ontario Research Fund–Research Infrastructure program, Ontario is investing more than $112 million in Toronto research institutions to support 64 research projects and more than 1,000 researchers.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Transforming lives: neuroIMAGENE, the convergence of genetics and brain imaging in mental health and addictions
Improving diagnosis and treatment of mental illness
Lead Researcher: Pollock, Bruce
Provincial Funding: $2,806,899
Researchers Affected: 25
Mental illnesses and addictions are among the most difficult conditions to diagnose and treat. At a new facility at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Dr. Bruce Pollock is integrating genetic and imaging approaches to the understanding of mental illness. His goal is to tip the balance away from the risks of trial-and-error diagnosis and toward safer and more effective care. It’s research that could truly transform the lives of the nearly one million Canadians who suffer from a serious mental illness.
Mount Sinai Hospital
The CMHD: an Integrated and Regional Platform for Improving the Modeling of Human Disease
Using models to develop treatments for human diseases
Lead Researcher: Adamson, S. Lee
Provincial Funding: $6,523,359
Researchers Affected: 30
Dr. Adamson is leading a multi-institution effort to design and analyze new models of disease. What she and her colleagues learn will be applied to preclinical and drug discovery efforts to treat diseases in humans.
To date, Dr. Adamson has received $390,545 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
A clinical phenotyping and computational facility for the study of complex disease
Exploring the role of environmental and genetic factors in disease
Lead Researcher: Knight, Julia Alexandra
Provincial Funding: $442,951
Researchers Affected: 21
In the last 20 years breast cancer mortality rates have been reduced by 25 per cent thanks to breakthroughs in early detection and treatment. But more than 100 Canadian women still die from the disease every single week. It’s a figure that’s unacceptable to Dr. Julia Knight. By understanding the lifestyle and genetic factors that impact on the risk of developing breast cancer, the University of Toronto researcher hopes to help prevent the disease from happening in the first place. A new phenotyping facility at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute will help to accelerate her research, as well as similar work being conducted by her colleagues into cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Quantitative Cell Biology and Proteomics
Exploring how cells communicate
Lead Researcher: Pawson, Anthony J
Provincial Funding: $11,542,412
Researchers Affected: 28
Scientists know that cell signaling is part of a complex system of communication that governs basic cellular activities and coordinates cell actions. They also know that errors in cellular information processing are responsible for diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Just how these errors occur is a question that intrigues University of Toronto systems biologist Dr. Anthony Pawson. He’s leading a team of researchers who are exploring how cellular networks operate in normal and diseased cells. It’s research that will lead to the development of more effective therapies – and stimulate Ontario’s biotech sector, particularly in the areas of instrumentation and software.
For discovering how human cells communicate and change when affected by disease, Dr. Pawson is also a 2008 Premier’s Innovation Award recipient. To date, Dr. Pawson has received 6,907,225 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Ryerson University
EDGE: Experiential Design and Gaming Environment
Designing the next generation of digital games
Lead Researcher: Androutsos, Dimitrios
Provincial Funding: $424,538
Researchers Affected: 26
The worldwide digital gaming market is more than $45 billion and is growing at a rate of more than 11 per cent a year. Dr. Dimitrios Androutsos and a team of researchers from Ryerson University are focused on helping Ontario grow its share of that market. This unique research will provide important insights into technology design, application development, content creation and social/business analyses in the urban environment – information that will help Ontario-based gaming companies design the next generation of digital games.
To date, Dr. Androutsos has received $61,867 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Institute for Research in Stress, Health and Intervention
Developing ways to manage stress
Lead Researcher: Atkinson, Leslie
Provincial Funding: $418,512
Researchers Affected: 23
Stress. It’s been linked to almost every human disease, physical and psychological. It also impacts on our ability to work productively and enjoy life. And it’s reaching epidemic proportions, with half of all Canadian workers reporting they feel stressed, one-third saying they’re burned out or depressed, and one in 10 reporting high absenteeism due to emotional, physical or mental fatigue. At the new Institute for Research in Stress, Health and Intervention, Dr. Leslie Atkinson is looking at the subjective, psycho-physiological, neural, and cognitive-behavioural aspects of stress, with the goal of designing effective interventions that will save industry and the health-care system billions of dollars a year.
WindTech R&D: Expansion of the Laboratory for Electric Drive Application and Research (LEDAR) to Advance Wind Technology
Advancing wind power
Lead Researcher: Wu, Bin
Provincial Funding: $729,771
Researchers Affected: 25
Abundant and free, wind is a renewable source of clean energy. While Ontario’s wind energy capacity has expanded significantly in the last decade, a number of technical challenges must be overcome before we can exploit its full potential. At Ryerson University, Dr. Bin Wu and a team of researchers are working on improving wind generators and power converters – key wind turbine components. Their advancements will enhance turbine efficiency and reliability; ensure safe integration into the power grid, and help the province – and the world – meet its renewable energy goals.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Communication and imaging infrastructure for the Canadian Atherosclerosis Imaging Network (CAIN)
Advancing the treatment of vascular disease
Lead Researcher: Moody, Alan
Provincial Funding: $4,548,919
Researchers Affected: 30
Vascular diseases are the number one killer of Canadians, yet there are still gaps in our understanding of how they develop. Filling in those gaps is the goal of the new Canadian Atherosclerosis Imaging Network. The national network combines the imaging expertise of five leading Canadian centres, three of which are in Ontario – Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Ottawa Heart Institute and Robarts Research Institute – all focused on developing innovative imaging technologies that will accelerate new diagnostics and treatments for vascular disease. Their research also aims to uncover new strategies for the prevention of the disease.
An Integrated Breast Cancer Research Biomatrix
Advancing breast cancer treatment
Lead Researcher: Yaffe, Martin J.
Provincial Funding: $737,246
Researchers Affected: 28
Sunnybrook Hospital has one of the largest breast cancer programs in North America and it produces an enormous amount of clinical material, including medical images, diagnostic tests, reports, tissue specimens, treatment information, and outcomes. Led by Dr. Martin Yaffe, researchers are organizing the material with the goal of developing new insights into what causes breast cancer and how it progresses. It’s research that will lead to earlier diagnosis and more individualized and cost-effective treatments, for a disease that remains the most common form of cancer among women.
To date, Dr. Yaffe has received $100,000 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
The Hospital for Sick Children
Disruptive Technologies in Paediatric and Foetal Intervention
Developing tools for paediatric surgery
Lead Researcher: Kim, Peter
Provincial Funding: $2,200,000
Researchers Affected: 20
Children’s medical needs are quite different from those of adults, yet in the past, paediatric surgical techniques have been largely “handed down” technology developed for adults. At the Hospital for Sick Children’s Research Institute in Toronto, Dr. Peter Kim and his colleagues are developing advanced imaging systems, highly dexterous tools and virtual simulations specifically for foetal and paediatric surgery. Given that more than half of all medical errors in surgery are associated with either inappropriate or improper use of technology, their work promises to improve and save young lives.
To date, Dr. Kim has received $3,395,000 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Integrated Genomics for Health Research – Phase II
Realizing the promise of genomics
Lead Researcher: Scherer, Stephen W.
Provincial Funding: $4,276,707
Researchers Affected: 30
The Centre for Applied Genomics at the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute is one of the leading human genome centres in the world, and molecular geneticist Dr. Stephen Scherer is determined it will maintain that position. His team has already discovered numerous disease susceptibility genes, and made major contributions to understanding the genetics of Autism. Now, they’re looking at how DNA sequence variations can cause disease, and developing algorithms to analyze DNA variation. Their goal? To transform the promise of genomics into improved health.
For his groundbreaking work in molecular genetics and for discovering disease susceptibility of genes, Dr. Scherer is also a 2008 Premier’s Innovation Award recipient. To date, Dr. Scherer has received $1,604,459 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
University Health Network
Robotic Positioning for Image-guided Surgery and Radiation Therapy
Improving radiation treatment
Lead Researcher: Jaffray, David A
Provincial Funding: $5,558,902
Researchers Affected: 26
Radiation therapy is a common tool in the fight against cancer. In fact, it’s used in fifty per cent of all cancer cases. At the University Health Network, Dr. David Jaffray is leading a team of investigators who are developing new 3D imaging systems that allow physicians to see the exact location of cancerous tissues in real time. It’s an advancement that will improve survival rates and quality of life for the hundreds of thousands of Ontarians with cancer. It will also help Ontario maintain its leadership role in imaging techniques.
To date, Dr. Jaffray has received $1,210,389 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
The Ontario Regional Center for Cell and Vector Production (CCVP)
Exploring the healing potential of cell/gene therapy
Lead Researcher: Keating, Armand
Provincial Funding: $7,377,525
Researchers Affected: 29
Cell and gene therapies are both innovative approaches to healing. Cell therapy is aimed at replacing, repairing, or enhancing the function of damaged tissues/organs by administering cells that have been altered outside the body. Gene therapy approaches disease treatment by modifying the expression of an individual’s genes or correcting abnormal genes. Led by the University Health Network’s Dr. Armand Keating, a new Ontario Regional Center for Cell and Vector Production will bring together the province’s leading scientists to create a hub of cell/gene therapy research, with the goal of accelerating discoveries that will realize new and effective treatments for a variety of diseases.
NanoMed Fab: A nanofabrication centre for personalized medicine
Advancing personalized medicine
Lead Researcher: Zheng, Gang
Provincial Funding: $2,486,515
Researchers Affected: 24
Scientists worldwide are racing to make targeted nanoparticles and use them to diagnose and treat life-threatening diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease. At the new NanoMed Fab lab at the University Health Network, Dr. Gang Zheng is leading a team of scientists who are using emerging concepts in nanotechnology, molecular engineering and medicine to design targeted nanoparticles. Their work will lead to earlier identification of life threatening diseases and more targeted treatments for them—and keep Ontario at the leading edge of a multi-billion dollar industry.
The University of Toronto
The Canadian Aerosol Research Network (CARN): Climate, Air Quality and Health in 2020
Improving air quality through aerosol research
Lead Researcher: Abbatt, Jonathan
Provincial Funding: $3,589,907
Researchers Affected: 27
Aerosols are tiny particles suspended in the air. They occur naturally, from volcanoes, dust storms and forest fires, and from human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels. Scientists still have a lot to learn about aerosols and how they affect human health and the environment, questions that will be tackled by the new Canadian Aerosol Research Network. Led by the University of Toronto’s Dr. Jonathan Abbatt, the network unites the collective expertise of Canadian researchers from science, engineering, public health, and medicine. What they learn will help to inform sound public policy over the next decade.
Deciphering Cellular Networks in Health and Disease Using Automated Genetics and Cell Biology
Mapping how genes interact
Lead Researcher: Andrews, Brenda
Provincial Funding: $2,342,442
Researchers Affected: 16
How do genes interact to produce normal and diseased cells? It’s a question that continues to challenge researchers. At the University of Toronto, Dr. Brenda Andrews is leading a team of scientists who are developing the next generation of tools that will help to answer that question. Using custom high throughput pinning robots and an imaging system, the scientists aim to generate the first map of how genes interact to determine complex traits. Their “cell map” will help us understand how to use the information in our genomes to treat diseases and to design more effective drugs.
To date, Dr. Andrews has received $3,000,000 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Memory Organization in the Human Brain
Developing better treatments for memory disorders
Lead Researcher: Barense, Morgan
Provincial Funding: $100,000
Researchers Affected: 30
Memory disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s already affect an estimated 450,000 Canadians, a number that’s expected to increase dramatically as our population ages. At the University of Toronto, Dr. Morgan Barense is using a number of state-of-the-art techniques to investigate how memory functions are organized within the brain, and how they deteriorate following brain damage or disease. Dr. Barense’s work could lead to earlier and better treatments, improving patients’ quality of life while reducing the related costs placed on our health care system.
Increasing Understanding of Trace Metal and Metal Isotopes in the Environment
New insights to improve assessment of environmental contaminants
Lead Researcher: Bergquist, Bridget A.
Provincial Funding: $440,000
Researchers Affected: 1
Canadians are increasingly concerned about the impact that contamination caused by human activities has on individual and ecosystem health. Dr. Bridget Bergquist’s research focuses on two areas: gaining new insights to increase the accuracy of assessing and monitoring dangerous environmental contaminants (e.g., mercury, lead); and, increasing understanding of trace metals, most importantly, iron in the marine environment. Her research findings will have both environmental and economic impacts. In addition to supporting environmental policy making, the findings will assist in effective fisheries management and decision-making related to protecting the Great Lakes and local small lakes in Ontario — important natural and economic resources . These findings will be shared at the national and international levels.
Center for Neurobiology of Stress
Accelerating treatments for stress-induced brain damage
Lead Researcher: Brown, Ian R.
Provincial Funding: $2,105,735
Researchers Affected: 19
The older we get, the greater our risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and cerebrovascular disorders such as stroke. These diseases devastate their victims and place an enormous strain on their families and the health care system. The need to develop effective treatments is urgent. At the Center for Neurobiology of Stress at the University of Toronto Scarborough, Dr. Ian Brown and a team of investigators are identifying pathways within the brain that can be activated by new therapeutic agents, to prevent stress-induced brain damage that causes these diseases.
Optical Spectroscopy: Unique Tools Providing Key Insights and Novel Devices
Advancing our understanding of the properties of magnetic materials
Lead Researcher: Burch, Kenneth
Provincial Funding: $340,000
Researchers Affected: 6
Discovering the exotic properties of magnetic materials is the goal of research being conducted by Dr. Kenneth Burch at the University of Toronto. At a new, one-of-a-kind lab, Dr. Burch is using a variety of optical techniques to explore their possibilities. These materials offer promising breakthroughs in the areas of renewable power production and increased energy efficiency – areas of great importance to Ontario and Ontario-based energy companies.
MHC-Independent Innate Immune Recognition by Natural Killer Cells
Developing new therapies for cancer treatment, infectious disease control and organ transplantation
Lead Researcher: Carlyle, James
Provincial Funding: $99,911
Researchers Affected: 1
Innate immune lymphocytes, also called natural killer cells, can detect and destroy cancer cells, cells infected with bacteria and viruses and other target cells. Understanding how they work is fundamental to understanding and manipulating immunity to cancer and infectious disease, as well as transplantation biology and autoimmunity. At a new state-of-the-art cellular and molecular bio-technology lab, University of Toronto researcher Dr. James Carlyle is aiming to uncover important new insights into these killer cells – insights that will lead to improved clinical therapies.
To date, Dr. Carlyle has received $140,000 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 for Guiding Therapy
Expanding on the capabilities and applications of MRI
Lead Researcher: Cunningham, Charles
Provincial Funding: $208,697
Researchers Affected: 1
While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proven to be an important tool for guiding medical treatments – physicians use it to plan interventions and assess responses to therapy – the current technology has its limitations. University of Toronto researcher Dr. Charles Cunningham is working to expand MRI’s capabilities and applications. He’s specifically focused on developing MRI methodology that enables an understanding of the metabolic changes associated with heart-muscle damage and the tissue’s response to therapy. The work will lead first to the development and testing of improved therapies for heart disease, and later to other diseases that involve metabolic changes.
BioZone: A Bioengineering Research Facility for Energy, Environmental and Economic Sustainability
Developing solutions for pressing environmental and energy problems
Lead Researcher: Edwards, Elizabeth A.
Provincial Funding: $2,533,654
Researchers Affected: 25
Developing state-of-the-art biotechnological approaches for sustainable energy and environmental protection is the goal of BioZone, a unique research centre at the University of Toronto. Led by Dr. Elizabeth Edwards, BioZone unites scientists, engineers and policy experts in the increasingly urgent quest to develop solutions for generating clean energy and restoring and preserving clean water, clear air and clean soil. In the process, BioZone will establish Ontario as a leader in environmental biotechnology.
To date, Dr. Edwards has received $218,144 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Increasing the Safety and Stability of Offshore Drilling Equipment
Increasing understanding of how marine conditions affect risers
Lead Researcher: Ekmekci, Alis
Provincial Funding: $150,000
Researchers Affected: 12
Risers are used in offshore drilling to connect ocean floor wellheads to drilling platforms. Should a riser fail due to the effects of water flow, waves and/or vibrations, there would be a drastic reduction or end to extraction, massive environmental pollution, and endangerment of life and fisheries. Despite their importance, confidence in riser systems and knowledge about how to improve them is weak. In a world-class facility, unique in Ontario, Dr. Alis Ekmekci’s internationally competitive research program will focus on increasing understanding of how marine conditions affect risers. The research outcomes will have a major impact on the development of new technologies to eliminate or reduce the failure risks of riser systems in future offshore activities. This will enable environmentally safe and economically secure offshore oil and gas production, resulting in immense economic and social benefits.
Centre for Collaborative Interactive Digital Media
Shaping the future of digital media
Lead Researcher: Fiume, Eugene
Provincial Funding: $2,400,000
Researchers Affected: 32
Digital media has transformed the way we live by transforming how we communicate in virtually every aspect of our lives, including education, entertainment, culture, design, science, engineering, manufacturing, and health care. Ontario has been at the forefront of digital media research from its outset and the University of Toronto’s Dr. Eugene Fiume is determined to see that we continue to be at the leading edge. He’s heading a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, game developers, animators and artists who are combining their expertise to define new directions for digital media and new kinds of interactive digital communication.
Infrastructure for a Behavioural Pharmacology Laboratory Specializing In Mental Health and Addictions
Developing better treatments for mental health and addiction illnesses
Lead Researcher: Fletcher, Paul
Provincial Funding: $123,638
Researchers Affected: 20
Of the 10 leading causes of disability in Canada, five are mental health and addiction illnesses: depression, alcohol use disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive compulsive disorder. It’s estimated that fewer than half those suffering from these illnesses reach out for care and of those, only half receive effective treatment. At the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, behavioural pharmacologist Dr. Paul Fletcher is focused on understanding the neurobiological causes of psychiatric disorders and addiction, with the ultimate goal of developing new and more effective treatments.
Understanding How Genetic Mutations Combine to Produce Disease
New insights to predict diseases susceptibility
Lead Researcher: Fraser, Andrew
Provincial Funding: $394,796
Researchers Affected: 1
How mutations combine to produce disease is a major question in medical genetics, and the key to personalized medicine. In an internationally unique centre, Dr. Andrew Fraser and his group will systematically map out the interactions between genes in flies and worms. The research will produce new insights into the basic rules for these interactions and predicting disease susceptibility. Five areas will benefit from this research: gaining key insights into complex genetic disease, advancing methods related to RNAi (a technique critical to genetics research), establishing an internationally unique centre, training highly qualified personnel who can contribute to Canada’s future economic vitality, and establishing international scientific links.
The Ecology and Evolution of Mutualism: Infrastructure For Field And Laboratory Research
Understanding how cooperative behaviour impacts on ecosystems
Lead Researcher: Frederickson, Megan
Provincial Funding: $109,600
Researchers Affected: 8
How did cooperative behaviour, or mutualism, evolve? Science magazine has called it one of the 25 big questions facing science over the next quarter century. It’s also the question that University of Toronto researcher Dr. Megan Frederickson is keen to help answer by combining molecular, chemical and experimental approaches. Mutualisms are integral parts of all ecosystems, from the human body to the Amazon rainforests, and Dr. Frederickson’s work will lead to a better understanding of the environment, and how land managers can conserve natural resources and protect biodiversity.
BioBehavioural Addictions and Concurrent Disorders Research Laboratory (BACDRL) at CAMH
Gaining insight into the role of addiction in mental illness
Lead Researcher: George, Tony
Provincial Funding: $98,596
Researchers Affected: 10
Dr. Tony George is a University of Toronto scientist who is well known in the international research community for his cutting-edge work in the field of addiction and mental illness. At a new human clinical research lab at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Dr. George is focused on understanding the elements that influence mental illness and addiction. His work offers hope to the millions of people worldwide who suffer from concurrent addiction and mental health disorders.
Developing the New Scientific Branch of Earthomics
Establishing a new discipline
Lead Researcher: Grasselli, Giovanni
Provincial Funding: $165,000
Researchers Affected: 25
Traditional research approaches limit advancing our knowledge and understanding of the Earth’s crust to find solutions to energy and environmental issues. A new laboratory will make it possible for Dr. Giovanni Grasselli to take an innovative approach to holistically studying the Earth’s system at the level of individual grains. It will build the foundation for a new scientific branch, Earthomics, with the potential to produce the same wave of vibrant innovation in Earth Science and Engineering as the advent of Genomics did in Medical Science. The results will directly benefit Ontario’s natural resources, energy and materials science sectors. Benefits include better natural risk quantification and managing (e.g. landslides), reducing the risks associated with oil, gas and ore extraction, and gaining a better understanding of materials used in construction (e.g., concrete).
A Multi-Site, Integrated National Technology Platform for Mapping Protein Interaction Networks in Health and Disease
Uncovering how proteins interact in health and disease
Lead Researcher: Greenblatt, Jack
Provincial Funding: $5,173,778
Researchers Affected: 54
Researchers have identified thousands of interactions within cells. But joining them up in networks and figuring out how they work in a changing environment still poses a big challenge. It’s one researchers at the University of Toronto, Mount Sinai Hospital, and the University of Ottawa are tackling. Led by Dr. Jack Greenblatt, the researcher’s work has broad implications, ranging from improved understanding of stem cells to more effective development of disease biomarkers and personalized medicines.
Proteomic Tools For the Analysis of Chaperone Interaction
Developing new approaches for preventing or curing “misfolding” diseases
Lead Researcher: Houry, Walid
Provincial Funding: $139,260
Researchers Affected: 12
Research being done by Dr. Walid Houry at the University of Toronto may bring scientists a step closer to developing new approaches for preventing or curing diseases like Alzheimer’s, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and cancer. These conditions are caused by something called protein misfolding. What happens during protein folding – and what can go wrong – is the focus of Dr. Houry’s research, and major drug companies are watching his work with interest.
Diet, the Digestive Trace and Disease: the 3D Centre
Creating new guidelines for healthier diets
Lead Researcher: Jenkins, David JA
Provincial Funding: $5,437,276
Researchers Affected: 36
If you are what you eat then diet could play a major role in preventing chronic disease. University of Toronto researcher Dr. David Jenkins is convinced it does. The creator of the Glycemic Index – a tool that ranks foods on a high-to-low scale depending on the level of sugar they produce in the blood – established that food ranked low on the index may prevent some diseases. His team of clinical investigators in partnership with a team of basic scientists led by Dr. Gaisano are directing a new research centre (the 3D Centre) at the University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital to determine the precise cellular mechanisms by which processed foods (with high glycemic index) can cause or increase the risk of developing major health problems like vascular disease, diabetes, fatty liver or cancer. The goal of this team of scientists is to identify precisely what and how specific dietary strategies can prevent and treat chronic diseases.
Molecular Imaging Approaches to Cognition
Developing treatments for learning and memory disorders
Lead Researcher: Josselyn, Sheena
Provincial Funding: $239,085
Researchers Affected: 2
Thanks to research being done at the University of Toronto, there is hope on the horizon for the 30 million North Americans who suffer from some type of hereditary or acquired learning or memory disorder. World renowned for their ground-breaking research into the neurobiology of memory, Drs. Sheena Josselyn and Paul Frankland are investigating how the brain normally encodes, stores, and retrieves information. The goal is to apply their findings to developing treatments for these devastating disorders.
To date, Dr. Josselyn has received $140,000 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
High Field NMR Studies of Protein Molecules in Health and Disease
Gaining insight into how living systems grow and develop
Lead Researcher: Kay, Lewis E
Provincial Funding: $4,595,843
Researchers Affected: 22
What role proteins play in gene function is a question that continues to challenge scientists. They know it’s important to understand these proteins, but it’s been difficult because they’re folded in complex ways that elude traditional scientific instruments. At the University of Toronto, Dr. Lewis Key is using advanced new – and very powerful – nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers to study complex proteins. What he learns will provide important new insights into how living systems grow and develop, and lead to major breakthroughs in how we protect these systems from illness.
Targeting Anti-Cancer Drugs More Precisely within Cells
Producing more effective cancer treatment therapies
Lead Researcher: Kelley, Shana
Provincial Funding: $200,000
Researchers Affected: 7
There is a need for new drugs with minimal side effects to fight cancer, the leading cause of death in Ontario. Being able to target drugs to structures within cells that perform specific functions has the potential to produce more effective cancer treatment therapies. Dr. Shana Kelley will synthesize and study new synthetic compounds and how they travel within a cell. The research benefits will include developing new cancer treatments, training interdisciplinary scientists, stimulating industrial partnerships with drug development companies, and new collaborations that will strengthen Ontario’s scientific community.
Aegean Material Culture Laboratory
Looking to the past to help shape the future of industry
Lead Researcher: Knappett, Carl
Provincial Funding: $92,234
Researchers Affected: 10
What do our material possessions tell us about our culture and how it has evolved? What do they tell us about where it’s going? Those are questions that intrigue University of Toronto researcher Dr. Carl Knappett. His field is material culture – the study of the meaning of objects – and his specific interest is the Aegean Bronze Age. It was then, 5,000 years ago, that civilizations first began far-flung trade. Dr. Knappett believes that by looking at how and why the Aegeans invented and innovated, we can learn more about our own process of innovation – to the benefit of today’s industry.
Centre for Spectroscopic Investigation of Complex Organic Molecules and Polymers
Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance to advance chemistry research
Lead Researcher: Lautens, M.
Provincial Funding: $2,588,764
Researchers Affected: 24
At a new research centre at the University of Toronto, scientists tackling emerging problems in chemistry, biology, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and polymers have a suite of powerful new Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers to help them. Twenty chemistry research groups are using the NMR spectrometers to develop tools to produce the next generation of medicinal agents, understand the molecular basis of biological events that lead to disease, design advanced materials for biomedical and high-tech applications, and understand the impact of chemical agents in our environment.
Understanding and Decreasing the Environmental Impact of Transportation Activities (Especially in Aviation)
Investigating flow control techniques to reduce transport costs
Lead Researcher: Lavoie, Philippe
Provincial Funding: $149,832
Researchers Affected: 3
Several international organizations (e.g., Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe) have identified the need for flow control, a technology used to change how fluids (such as air or water) flow over immersed objects (e.g. cars or plane), as key to reducing the environmental impact and running costs of transport industries, such as aviation. Dr. Lavoie and his team will investigate flow control techniques that can be used by transportation sectors to reduce the overall drag, structural vibration and noise emissions from their vehicles. By identifying ways to reduce fuel consumption, the findings will have significant economic and environmental benefits for transportation sectors, and will help Canadian companies in these sectors to maintain and build their competitive advantage, while reducing their burden on the environment.
The Role of Bacterial Programmed Cell Death in Biofilm Infections
Investigating microbial self-destruction as a stategy for treating biofilm infections
Lead Researcher: Levesque, Celine
Provincial Funding: $106,847
Researchers Affected: 25
Biofilms are colonies of living, reproducing microorganisms and they’re everywhere – from the plaque that forms on our teeth to the slimy substance that covers river rocks. Biofilms are responsible for a number of serious conditions, including cystic fibrosis and middle ear infections. They’re spreading rapidly and are resistant to antibiotics and the human immune system, which makes them a major medical challenge. At the University of Toronto, Dr. Celine Levesque is investigating microbial self-destruction as an anti-biofilm strategy. The goal is to develop treatments for something that threatens to return us to an era when infections were untreatable.
Addressing Pregnancy-Related Conditions that Affect Fetal, Neonatal and Maternal Health
New diagnostics for pregnancy-related conditions
Lead Researcher: Lye, Stephen
Provincial Funding: $376,693
Researchers Affected: 5
Complications of pregnancy have significant medical, social and economic burdens in Ontario. Through cell, biochemical and behavioural studies, Dr. Stephen Lye will undertake new investigations into the underlying factors related to pregnancy complications that result in death and illness in mothers and babies. He will use the findings to develop new diagnostics of, and treatments for, pregnancy-related conditions that affect some of the most vulnerable members of our society. For example, a diagnostic test to prevent preterm labour would improve targeted patient care and have significant commercial potential (likely over $60 million per year in international sales and up to $20 million of savings in Ontario health care costs). The findings may also have implications for targeted treatment of hormone resistant prostate cancer.
To date, Dr. Lye has received $10,000 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Advanced Laboratory for Fluorinated and Other New Substances in the Environment
Designing safe fluorinated compounds
Lead Researcher: Mabury, Scott A.
Provincial Funding: $712,000
Researchers Affected: 8
Fluorinated organic compounds are used in all kinds of industrial and consumer products we encounter everyday. They have many advantages: they’re solid, can be shaped and processed and they’re water repellent and resistant to aggressive chemicals. The problem is when they degrade they cause widespread environmental contamination and health hazards that have yet to be fully determined. University of Toronto environmental chemist Dr. Scott Mabury is heading a team of scientists who are using mass spectrometry to identify new fluorinated pollutants and determine how they cause pollution. Their goal is to design fluorinated compounds that provide the properties people want – without polluting the environment.
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5th Generation Electron Beam Line: “Molecular Movie Studio”
Making the molecular movie
Lead Researcher: Miller, R. J. Dwayne
Provincial Funding: $120,000
Researchers Affected: 20
One of today’s greatest research challenges is to watch chemistry at the atomic level — as it happens. How can we actually watch atoms move with the required spatial and time resolution to meet this quest? In what will be a unique and globally unparalleled research facility (a “molecular movie studio”) that will make Ontario home to the world leading effort in this field, Dr. R.J. Dwayne Miller will use a new source of ultrabright electrons to ping off atoms to effectively light up the atomic motions. The research will focus on understanding the structure-function relationship of biological systems, long-recognized as important to solving biological problems. It is expected that the research findings will lead to significant advances in targeted drug strategies. There will also be increased understanding of the primary processes that control chemistry and biological functions — knowledge that Ontario scientists will be able to transfer to practical applications.
To date, Dr. Miller has received $8,398,756 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Molecular Imaging Facility: From Single Proteins to Atomically-Resolved Structural Dynamics
Using movies of atoms to advance drug discovery
Lead Researcher: Miller, R. J. Dwayne
Provincial Funding: $1,002,090
Researchers Affected: 6
Dr. Dwayne Miller is a movie maker of sorts, though they’re not the kind you read about in the entertainment section of the newspaper. The University of Toronto researcher makes “movies” of chemistry and biology, specifically, atoms moving in real time. Instead of a camera, he uses a next-generation electron gun to effectively ping off atoms as they move to light up their motions. Dr. Miller’s groundbreaking work has important implications for many sectors, including health care, where his research is expected to reveal how biological molecules work at the atomic level and lead to significant advances in drug target strategies
To date, Dr. Miller has received $8,398,756 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Advanced Thermal Spray Process Diagnostics and Coating Characterization Facilities
Enhancing energy use
Lead Researcher: Mostaghimi, Javad
Provincial Funding: $1,602,731
Researchers Affected: 18
Conserving energy and developing renewable energy technologies are two of the greatest challenges facing governments today. They’re ones that interest University of Toronto researcher Dr. Javad Mostaghimi. He’s working on new thermal-spray coating technology aimed at developing highly efficient heat recovery systems and heat exchangers. His research will not only advance Ontario’s effort to conserve and produce energy, it will help to keep the province at the forefront of clean energy technology.
To date, Dr. Mostaghimi has received $397,956 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Laboratory for the Study of Polarity Proteins in Breast Cancer
Developing an alternative treatment for breast cancer
Lead Researcher: Muthuswamy, Senthil
Provincial Funding: $399,973
Researchers Affected: 35
While treatment for breast cancer has improved dramatically in recent years, strategies are mostly aimed at controlling malignancies, an approach that helps extend a patient’s lifespan, but doesn’t present a ‘cure’. At a new laboratory at the University of Toronto, renowned breast cancer researcher Dr. Senthil Muthuswamy is focused on preventing the growth of precancerous lesions before they become malignant tumours. It’s a novel approach that could lead to a new and effective treatment for breast cancer.
Systems Biology Facility for Metabolomics of Plant Hormone
Increasing plant biomass to expand clean energy production
Lead Researcher: Nambara, Eiji
Provincial Funding: $330,000
Researchers Affected: 4
Increasing plant biomass is the goal of research being done at the University of Toronto by Dr. Eiji Nambara. To accomplish it, Dr. Nambara aims to modify the metabolism of plant hormones, through a novel research program based on a systems biology approach. His work will lead to increased energy production, which will not only help to meet rising world demand, but keep Ontario’s biofuel industry at the forefront of clean energy technology.
Combating Drug Resistant Bacteria
Searching for new anti-infective strategies
Lead Researcher: Navarre, William W.
Provincial Funding: $131,929
Researchers Affected: 10
Multi-drug resistant bacteria present a severe and costly threat to the regional health care system. Dr. William Navarre’s laboratory focuses on the role of a bacterial factor (H-NS) in turning on and off the genes that are necessary for bacteria to cause disease and resist antibiotics. He will launch a world-class research program that applies cutting-edge technologies to the analysis of bacterial genetic material and organism functioning. His findings could result in successful new anti-infective strategies and new antibiotic targets — saving lives, lowering the costs associated with increased hospitalizations, and providing new therapeutics at lower cost to Ontarians.
Expanding Yeast Genome-Wide Chemogenomic Screens to Human
Identifying protein “targets” to accelerate drug discovery
Lead Researcher: Nislow, Corey
Provincial Funding: $148,000
Researchers Affected: 6
While there’s been remarkable progress made in the discovery of new medicines in the 88 years since the establishment of the Food and Drug Act in Canada, the process of drug discovery and approval is slow and expensive. That’s because scientists still don’t know the functions of a large number of human proteins, which are what keep us alive. University of Toronto researcher Dr. Corey Nislow is using recently developed genomics tools to identify protein “targets” with the goal of accelerating drug discovery. In the process, he’ll give Ontario’s biotech sector an important competitive advantage.
Developing Methods to Manipulate T Cell Responses to Achieve More Effective Cancer Treatment
Harnessing the immune system’s power to fight cancer
Lead Researcher: Ohashi, Pamela
Provincial Funding: $418,684
Researchers Affected: 21
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, every week an average of 1,144 Ontarians are diagnosed with cancer and 517 deaths occur — numbers that highlight the need for new treatments for this devastating disease. By gaining a greater understanding of how T cells search out and destroy specific agents that cause disease, Dr. Pamela Ohashi aims to develop new approaches to harness the immune system’s power and direct it against tumours. Her research is expected to provide the first immunotherapy for patients in Canada with advanced stage IV metastic melanoma (a form of skin cancer), with highly promising potential for disease regression and even remission, and excellent new opportunities for commercialization. The research will help Ontario and Canada continue in an international leadership role in innovative new cancer therapies.
Molecular Anthropology and Primatology Laboratory for the Study of Evolution
Improving captive breeding programs
Lead Researcher: Parga, J. A.
Provincial Funding: $70,000
Researchers Affected: 8
At a unique laboratory at the University of Toronto Scarborough, Dr. Joyce Parga is using state-of-the-art molecular equipment and techniques to study primate genetics and behaviour, with the goal of advancing sexual selection theory. It’s research that will help to ensure the success of captive breeding programs and keep endangered species from disappearing.
Centre for Industrial Application for Microcellular Plastics
Developing new plastics with enhanced properties
Lead Researcher: Park, Chul B.
Provincial Funding: $3,334,310
Researchers Affected: 10
We use plastics in countless ways every day, but as the cost of manufacturing conventional plastics rises, the plastics industry is looking at ways of making them cheaper to produce – and lighter, stronger and longer-lasting at the same time. One answer is microcellular plastics. These plastics are characterized by extremely small cell size and high cell density, which enhances their properties while reducing their cost. But realizing their potential requires development of new manufacturing methods. That’s the focus of research being done at the University of Toronto by Dr. Chul B. Park. His work will help to give Ontario’s plastics industry an important advantage in the development of innovative new products.
To date, Dr. Park has received $2,850,892 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Analysis of Disease-Related Signalling Events In Cell Networks
Developing effective targeted drug treatments for several diseases
Lead Researcher: Pawson, Tony
Provincial Funding: $379,330
Researchers Affected: 6
Attacking single molecular targets in complex diseases like cancer has limitations. A desirable approach is to target the larger cell signaling network itself. Dr. Tony Pawson is a world leader in signal transduction – the way in which cells control each other’s behaviour through chemical signals. He will build on his ground-breaking work of the past two decades to directly analyze the disease-related signaling events that he and his team have discovered. The knowledge gained will contribute to the development of more effective targeted drug treatments for many diseases and disorders (e.g., cancer, neurological, cardiovascular), benefiting patients and Ontario’s health care system. There will also be an expanded ability to provide training in advanced cellular imaging techniques. Wise investments in the technology should provide significant economic benefits.
For his groundbreaking work in the fields of cell biology, biochemistry and genetics, Dr. Pawson is also a 2007 Premier’s Innovation Award recipient. To date, Dr. Pawson has received $6,907,225 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
A Two-Photon Microscope for Quantitative Live Cell Imaging and Integration with Microfluidic Platforms
Developing new treatments for diabetes
Lead Researcher: Rocheleau, Jonathan
Provincial Funding: $334,999
Researchers Affected: 10
Ontario has been a pioneer in the field of diabetes research since 1921, when Drs. Banting and Best discovered insulin at their lab at the University of Toronto. Fast forward nearly 90 years, and another innovative University of Toronto researcher hopes to make a major contribution to the treatment of diabetes. Dr. Jonathan Rocheleau is combining live cell imaging with microfluidic technology to learn more about the basic mechanisms of diabetes, which will lead to the development of new treatments for the fast-growing epidemic.
Ontario Initiative in Personalized Stem Cell Medicine
Advancing personalized medicine
Lead Researcher: Rossant, Janet
Provincial Funding: $9,932,011
Researchers Affected: 31
The global market for stem cell therapies is estimated to reach $20 billion by 2010. University of Toronto scientist Dr. Janet Rossant is leading a team of top stem cell researchers who are focused on bringing personalized stem cell medicine from the lab to the clinic by using Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cell technology (using skin cells to make stem cells). Their work will keep Ontario at the forefront of stem cell research and its application in the treatment of degenerative diseases and traumatic injury – and give Ontario’s biotech sector a huge competitive advantage in a field that’s exploding.
Systems Analysis Of Thermosensation in E. coli and C. Elegans
Using C. elegans to study sensory perception of thermal stimuli
Lead Researcher: Ryu, William
Provincial Funding: $300,000
Researchers Affected: 3
Are the pathways involved in temperature measurement and processing also involved in cellular-based disease? It’s a question that may well be answered thanks to research being done at the University of Toronto by Dr. William Ryu. Recently recruited from Princeton University, Dr. Ryu combines elements of physics, biology and engineering to design new instrumentation and computation methods to study thermosensation (the sensory perception of thermal stimuli) in C. elegans. It’s a model organism often used to research fundamental biology questions, because it shares many basic cellular/molecular structures and biological characteristics with more advanced organisms.
Centre for Microfluidic Systems in Chemistry and Biology
Revolutionizing cardiovascular treatment
Lead Researcher: Sefton, Michael V
Provincial Funding: $3,749,954
Researchers Affected: 21
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Ontario. New therapies for its prevention and treatment are urgently needed, given its growing cost to our health-care system. The University of Toronto’s Centre for Microfluidic Systems in Chemistry and Biology is developing powerful miniaturized chemical and cell biological laboratories – labs-on-a-chip – that aim to revolutionize cardiovascular drug development. It’s research that will not only impact the way cardiovascular disease is treated in future, it will stimulate Ontario’s biotech sector.
To date, Dr. Sefton has received $6,476,182 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
High Throughput Screening Resource for the Isolation of Phage-Displayed Antibodies and Peptide Ligands
Developing antibodies to diagnose and treat serious diseases
Lead Researcher: Sidhu, Sachdev
Provincial Funding: $298,240
Researchers Affected: 1
Sachdev Sidhu is a library designer. His libraries are made up of synthetic antibodies that can be used to track and modulate signaling proteins, the ones that can cause autoimmune, cardiovascular and infectious diseases, cancer and inflammation. With the worldwide market for diagnostic and therapeutic antibodies expected to reach $26 billion by 2010, the University of Toronto scientist’s work will give Ontario a critical edge in a field many consider the medicine of the future.
Archaeological Spatial and Architectural Laboratory
Looking to ancient civilizations for answers to critical building issues today
Lead Researcher: Swenson, Edward
Provincial Funding: $74,302
Researchers Affected: 8
The intersection of religion, politics, and the built environment is a key interest of University of Toronto researcher Dr. Edward Swenson. Using sophisticated Geographic Information Systems and mapping technologies to interpret prehistoric urban settlements, he will investigate how constructed space shaped the everyday experiences, economic strategies, and ritual traditions of ancient city dwellers. The research aims to shed light on critical issues that affect us today, including city planning, urban living, and ecological conservation.
Studying Interactions between Immune System Cells and the Bacteria that Cause Intestinal Illness and Disease
Looking for new treatments for bacterial infections
Lead Researcher: Terebiznik, Mauricio R
Provincial Funding: $186,121
Researchers Affected: 5
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) affect the quality of life of 170,000 Canadians, and it’s estimated that Canada has one of the highest IBD incidences in the world . Dr. Mauricio Terebiznik will perform unique, pioneering studies on the interaction of important cellular components (called dendetrics or “DCs”) of the immune system and bacteria in the intestinal tract that cause illnesses implicated with IBD. The research findings will help identify new, more effective treatments to counter bacterial infections. They will also have an impact on increasing understanding of the causes/origins and eventual cure of currently incurable inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.
Carbon-11 Synthesis Module
Working toward new treatments for serious mental disorders
Lead Researcher: Vasdev, Neil
Provincial Funding: $101,366
Researchers Affected: 15
Of the 10 leading causes of disability worldwide, five are mental disorders: bipolar disorder, unipolar depression, alcoholism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorders. These disorders cause suffering for patients and their families, result in billions of dollars in lost productivity, and put a massive burden on our health care system. At the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Dr. Neil Vasdev is developing novel carbon-11 PET radiopharmaceuticals to probe the underlying mechanisms of these psychiatric, illnesses with the goal of developing new treatments.
To date, Dr. Vasdev has received $140,000 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Understanding Plant Genome Diversity and Evolution to Protect Ontario’s Biodiversity and Improve Its Crops
Controlling invasive plants that threaten biodiversity
Lead Researcher: Wright, Stephen
Provincial Funding: $254,000
Researchers Affected: 7
Ontario’s biotechnology industry is moving rapidly towards genomic approaches to improving crops and treating crop disease. Conducting research that will exceed international standards and is unprecedented in scope, Dr. Stephen Wright will study plant genome diversity and evolution. The research will enable important insights into conserving endangered species, controlling invasive plants that are threatening biodiversity in Ontario and improving crops, especially in the Brassicaceae family of plants (e.g., mustard, cabbage, broccoli, turnip, cresses). It will also increase the biotechnology sector’s genomics and bioinformatics expertise, contributing significantly to its growth.
To date, Dr. Wright has received $372,734 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Increasing Understanding of Ruptures Due to Earthquakes and Structural Collapses
Generating new insights into how materials respond to dynamic fractures
Lead Researcher: Xia, Kaiwen
Provincial Funding: $150,000
Researchers Affected: 5
Dynamic fractures (ruptures) can occur spontaneously (e.g., an earthquake, a bridge collapse) or be initiated (e.g., rock blasting in mining). Dr. Kaiwen Xia’s nationally unique facility will be able to conduct high speed monitoring of dynamic fractures, generating new insights into how materials respond and fail. This will provide better information for the mining industry in creating blasting designs, for government policy making related to earthquakes and earth vibrations, and for firms working on structural designs.
Centre for Microsatellite Science and Technology Development and Low-Cost Space Research
Advancing miniature satellite technology
Lead Researcher: Zee, Robert E
Provincial Funding: $4,008,198
Researchers Affected: 20
When most Canadians think of Canada and space, they think of the Canadarm. Not Dr. Robert Zee. He thinks of satellites – miniature ones, and lots of them. Dr. Zee heads the Space Flight Lab at the University of Toronto, which has been developing and manufacturing miniature satellites for more than a decade, and doing it on a shoestring. Now Dr. Zee and his team are taking the technology to the next level by developing new and smaller instruments and advanced satellite technologies. Their work will allow Ontario researchers to execute their own small missions into space and maintain our aerospace industry’s edge in a growing field.
To date, Dr. Zee has received $343,519 in funding from the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
The Ontario Innovation Agenda
Research taking place in Toronto’s universities and hospitals is an example of Ontario leading the world in the quest for knowledge and discovery. Support for this kind of work is part of Ontario’s Innovation Agenda, the province’s $3.2-billion strategy to make innovation a driving force of Ontario’s economy. By targeting investments toward areas where Ontario already is, or is poised to become a global leader, and by building on our greatest strength – the talent and ingenuity of our people – Ontario is harnessing innovation to ensure ours is one of the winning economies of the 21st century.
Support from the Ontario Research Fund–Research Infrastructure program
Part of Ontario’s Innovation Agenda, the Ontario Research Fund (ORF) is key to the province’s plan to move world-class research from the lab to the global marketplace. The role of the ORF is to help ensure that Ontario researchers have the tools they need to lead the world, or lead international collaborations, in their respective fields.
See also:
- News Release: Stem Cell Research Bringing Jobs And Innovation To Ontario
- Backgrounder: Advancing World-leading Stem Cell Research In Ontario
