November 7, 2006

GTA WINS 33 EARLY RESEARCHER AWARDS

Under the Early Researcher Award (ERA) program, the Ontario government is investing $51 million over five years in the next generation of researchers. In this second round of the program, more than $14 million will be awarded to leading early career researchers working in 10 communities across the province. In the Greater Toronto Area, 33 researchers at nine institutions received the awards for research in a wide range of fields.

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Mount Sinai Hospital

Dr. Mei Zhen

Presynaptic Active Zone Development in C. elegans
Synapses in the brain are junctions where cells of the nervous system communicate with each other. Current research has found important connections between synapse formation and mental health. To gain insight into cognitive development and the onset of mental illness, Dr. Mei Zhen of Mount Sinai Hospital will use an Early Researcher Award to investigate the development of the synapse in the central nervous system. Using the roundworm, C. Elegans, as a model, Dr. Zhen aims to identify mechanisms that regulate the development and differentiation of synapses. The goal is a breakthrough in understanding brain development, the synapse and, ultimately the onset and treatment of mental illness. Dr. Zhen received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Toronto.

Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute

Dr. Daniel Durocher

Understanding Chromosome End Biology and Pathology

In human cells, the ends of chromosomes act as a protective cap, a cap that is eroded over time with each cell division as the cell ages. At Mount Sinai Hospital, Dr. Daniel Durocher leads a project that will use genomic tools to understand how these chromosome ends are capped in normal, aging and cancerous cells. The team's goal is to discover genes that act to either strengthen or weaken the chromosome end cap. Discovery of these genes will help in the design of novel therapies to fight cancer. Dr. Durocher received his Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine from McGill University, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Toronto.

St. Michael's Hospital

Dr. Nancy Baxter

Treatment and Survivorship in Young Adults with Cancer

Although young adults aged 20-44, represent about 10% of all cancer patients in Canada, there is a lack of research aimed at understanding survivorship in this group. Dr. Nancy Baxter and a team at St. Michael's Hospital will use existing cancer registry and administrative data to identify young adults with cancer. Comparing these patients to a group without cancer, they will determine the effects of treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation on the risks of developing further cancers and infertility. They will also examine patient compliance rates with surveillance and screening. Dr. Baxter received her Ph.D. in Clinical Epidemiology and M.D. from the University of Toronto. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Surgery and, Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation at the University of Toronto.

Sunnybrook and Women's College

Dr. Jonathan P. Rast

A Simple Model for Gene Discovery in the Context of Immune Responses: The Role of Toll-like Receptors and the Origins of Jawed Vertebrate Adaptive Immunity

More knowledge about the human immune system would help in the development of new drug therapies and treatments for illnesses such as leukemia and autoimmune diseases. Dr. Jonathan P. Rast at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre will use an Early Researcher Award to monitor immune responses in sea urchin larvae. The sea urchin larva is an ideal model for this type of work because it is uncomplicated and is relatively closely related to vertebrates. Dr. Rast and his research team will investigate the counterparts of genes in the human immune system. The results of this work are expected to provide important new information for the next generation of drugs to fight infectious diseases. Dr. Rast received his Ph.D. for work on Immunology/Molecular Genetics from the University of South Florida, studied animal development as a postdoctoral fellow at Caltech and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto

University Health Network

Dr. Aaron D. Schimmer

Targeting XIAP for the Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute leukemia is an aggressive malignancy that strikes individuals at all ages. In adults, most subtypes of acute leukemia have a 2-year survival of less than 35%. Therefore, new therapies to improve outcomes and overcome chemoresistance are required. Dr. Aaron Schimmer and his research team at the University Health Network's Ontario Cancer Institute will use an Early Researcher Award to investigate new therapies to improve this survival rate. They will study the over-expression of the X-linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein (XIAP), which is associated with chemoresistance in patients with acute myeloid protein (AML). Dr. Schimmer's research will investigate agents that inhibit XIAP which could be used in treatment of the disease. Dr. Schimmer received his M.D and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Vuk Stambolic

Towards Rational Administration of Rapamycin Compounds: Development of a Prognostic Test Based on the Rheb Signal Transducer

One of the most promising classes of anti-cancer treatments is rapamycin and its related compounds, which are currently used in clinical trials. Rapamycin and its related compounds are showing significant promise in therapy for many human tumours, including solid tumours of the breast, prostate, uterus, lung and pancreas. However, the diagnostic tests necessary to screen patients and predict their responses to these compounds do not exist. Dr. Vuk Stambolic will lead his team at the Ontario Cancer Institute in developing a test to predict how sensitive individual tumours are to these compounds. The results could lead to improved treatment for many cancer patients within the next five years. Dr. Stambolic received his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto.

University of Toronto

Dr. Darrell Desveaux

Structural Proteomics of Bacterial Virulence

Diseases are a continuous threat to plants and can have devastating effects on agricultural crop production. Dr. Darrell Desveaux and his research team at the University of Toronto will use an Early Researcher Award to explore the molecular details of the plant immune system, particularly how plants resist bacterial infection. Designing efficient disease control mechanisms requires a thorough understanding of pathogen virulence mechanisms and how the host responds to attempted infection. Many bacterial pathogens use type III secretion systems to infect and cause disease in hundreds of plant species. Dr. Desveaux's work will lead to an understanding of these secretion systems and ways to control plant disease and reduce the use of pesticides that can harm the environment. Dr. Desveaux received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Montreal, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Belinda Chang

The Molecular Evolutionary Basis of Night Vision

How did we develop the ability to see at night? Research led by Dr. Belinda Chang at the University of Toronto will recreate the evolutionary innovation in vertebrates of rod photoreceptors that can operate with greatly increased photosensitivity. The project will use bioinformatic methods to better understand the molecular basis of the differences between day and night vision. The insight gained into the mechanisms of vision will help address a wide range of defects and degenerative eye diseases. The research will also serve as a model system for the study of G-protein coupled receptors, which are involved in a wide range of disorders from cancer to substance abuse. Dr. Chang received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, and Cell & Systems Biology at the University of Toronto.

Professor Rene E. Harrison

Microtubule proteins in Macrophages and Osteoclasts

Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. Some scientists believe drug-resistant tuberculosis is a growing threat in Canada. Salmonella and other microbial pathogens are also a major health problem. Ten per cent of Canadian patients infected with salmonella develop arthritis as a complication. Professor Rene Harrison and her team at the University of Toronto will study the two most destructive cell types in animals: macrophages, which are crucial front-line cells in the body's defense against infection and osteoclasts, which cause bone degeneration in diseases such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers. Professor Harrison's research will help to develop treatments for infectious diseases and bone disorders. Professor Harrison received her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell and Systems Biology and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto.

Professor Hans-Arno Jacobsen

Establishing New Methods For Reliable and Secure Business Process Execution in Distributed Environments

Today's enterprises need to securely manage and coordinate the many business processes they conduct through computer systems and the Internet. Business processes commonly comprise many tasks and systems running on different types of computers that are widely distributed, often around the world. For example, a manager of an international retail chain may wish to monitor key performance indicators across retail stores and initiate the transfer of inventory from one country to another according to changing demand. Professor Hans-Arno Jacobsen and his research team at the University of Toronto develop middleware that allows for better scalability to improve the secure and robust business process coordination, business process management, business activity monitoring, workload management, and job scheduling. Professor Jacobsen received his Ph.D. in Information Systems from Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, and is currently a faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto. He holds the Bell University Laboratories Chair in Software Engineering.

Dr. Anthony Hanley

Understanding the Causes of Type 2 Diabetes in High Risk Groups and Populations

The global epidemic of adult-onset (Type 2) diabetes has extra relevance in Canada, where Aboriginal Canadians and other groups, including those of Hispanic, African and South Asian origin, are at especially high risk. Dr. Anthony Hanley and his team at the University of Toronto will investigate the causes and associated complications of diabetes in these populations, focusing on the early stages in the natural history of the disease. The study will identify the factors related to diabetes in these populations, providing valuable information that will be used in treatment and prevention programs. Dr. Hanley received his Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Ray Jayawardhana

Exploring the Origins of Stars, Brown Dwarfs and Planets

Dr. Jayawardhana received his PhD in Astronomy from Harvard University and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto. He uses many of the world's largest telescopes to investigate the origins and diversity of planetary systems as well as the formation of stars and brown dwarfs, a new class of objects that bridge the gap between stars and planets. His team's discoveries have been featured several times in print and electronic media around the world, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC and CBC. Dr. Jayawardhana is also an award-winning science writer and a popular speaker to scientific audiences and to the public.

Dr. Nazir Kherani

Nano-Silicon Photovoltaics-Solar Electricity

Scientists are searching for solutions to the global demand for an environmentally friendly, economically viable, clean source of sustainable energy. Solar energy is the largest potential source of energy for the planet. It dwarfs all other sources combined. Experts believe that by 2020, solar power could deliver electricity to more than one billion people, and by 2040 it could supply more than one fifth of global electricity needs. The biggest challenge in taking solar electricity or photovoltaics mainstream is its cost per watt. Professor Nazir Kherani and his team at the University of Toronto are focused on developing technologies that will significantly reduce the cost of solar energy. Their research is based on a patented thin film deposition process and innovative solar cell topology which are amenable to large scale manufacturing. Dr. Kherani received his Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Associate Professor in the Departments of Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto.

Professor Nikolaos Koudas

Large Scale Information Sharing in a Network World

Professor Nikolaos Koudas of the University of Toronto will use an Early Researcher Award to drastically change the way people search for and locate information. The key research objectives involve the development of new search technology and novel algorithms that aid in performing searches over diverse types of data sources. This new technology can significantly enhance the current keyword-based interface of current search engines. Professor Koudas received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Young-June Kim

Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Novel Complex Materials

Dr. Young-June Kim of the University of Toronto will use an Early Researcher Award to study electronic and magnetic properties of complex materials such as high temperature superconductors, using state of the art instruments. This research will shed light on how electrons interact among themselves, which in turn could lead to an understanding of advanced materials that could be used in the future development of technology. Dr. Kim received his Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Harvard University, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics from the University of Toronto.

Dr. Jennifer Gommerman

Spatial Coordination of Immune Responses within the Lymph Node Organs

Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world, and there are no satisfactory treatments for this chronic and debilitating disease. Dr. Jennifer Gommerman and a team at the University of Toronto will test a new hypothesis for treating autoimmune diseases, using experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a rodent model of multiple sclerosis. The team has developed technology to observe immune responses in real time, and will use it to determine which aspects of the lymph node environment must be manipulated to treat autoimmune diseases. Dr. Gommerman received her Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Immunology at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Roman Rafikov

Origin of Planets

The discovery of extrasolar planets, or planets outside Earth's solar system, has motivated scientists to understand their origins. Dr. Roman Rafikov at the University of Toronto's Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics will use high performance computers to investigate the formation of terrestrial planets, planets that resemble the Earth, such as Mercury, Venus and Mars, as well as "gas giants" such as Jupiter. Dr. Rafikov's research will produce software that can be used by other groups studying planetary studies. The results are expected to significantly improve our understanding of how planets form and will have immediate industrial application by contributing to the development of information and communications technologies. Dr. Rafikov received his Ph.D. in Astrophyics from Princeton University, and is currently a Professor at the University of Toronto's Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophyics.

Dr. Katreena Scott

Reducing Rates of Violence Within Canadian Families

Family violence is a serious problem in Canada. At the University of Toronto, Dr. Katreena Scott and a team of researchers aim to reduce rates of violence within Canadian families through prevention. A variety of research and intervention methods will be developed for children, families, educators and professionals. Research areas include intervention with abusive fathers, assessment of child maltreatment, and intervention with intimate partner violence. Dr. Katreena Scott received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Western Ontario, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Esteban J. Parra

Exploring the Relationship Between Pigmentation and Vitamin D Levels in Individuals of Diverse Ancestry Living in the Greater Toronto Area

Synthesized through the skin by the action of ultraviolet rays, vitamin D plays a critical role in bone and cell growth and immune function. A lack of vitamin D has been linked to diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and hypertension. Recent studies have indicated that the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in Canada is surprisingly high (25% to 39% in the winter months), but these studies have failed to sample a large subset of the Canadian population. Dr. Esteban J. Parra and his colleagues at the University of Toronto will evaluate the relationship between skin pigmentation and vitamin D levels in the diverse population of the Greater Toronto Area. This study will determine the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in individuals of diverse ancestry and will assist in determining the need for vitamin D supplementation to compensate for the relative lack of sunshine experienced by Canadians. Dr. Parra received his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto at Mississauga.

Dr. Craig A. Simmons

Rational Mechanobiological-Based Design of Tissue Engineered Heart Valves

Cardiac valve disorders are among the most frequent causes of heart disease. Treatment usually involves surgical replacement of the diseased valve with either a mechanical or bioprosthetic valve. The limitations of these valves have sparked interest in creating living replacement valves that mimic healthy valves. Dr. Craig A. Simmons and a team at the University of Toronto will establish the definition of a "healthy valve cell" and test various biomaterials for their ability to direct adult stem cells to become valve cells. The work will establish design criteria for the next generation of functional tissue engineered valves. Dr. Simmons received his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, and Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto.

Dr. André J. Simpson

Novel Molecular Approaches to Assess Cumulative and Sub-lethal Toxicity in the Environment

Human beings have contributed to the contamination of land and water. Some contaminants in the environment found at low levels, may not be toxic alone. However, in combination with other elements, they can be deadly to plants, animals or people. Assessing this is difficult and time-consuming. To help speed up the evaluation process, Dr. André J. Simpson of the University of Toronto will investigate how living organisms change in response to their surroundings. His research will develop tools that can quickly and reliably determine if contaminated areas are safe for life. The results could prevent outbreaks of chronic illness, as well as reduce the need for expensive, unnecessary clean-ups. Dr. Simpson received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Birmingham, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Physical and Environmental Sciences, and Chemistry at the University of Toronto.

Dr. John R. Stinchcombe

Ecological Genomics of Flowering Time

The agriculture and forestry sectors are a significant source of employment in Ontario. Progress in both sectors is dependent on basic plant biology and a knowledge of the genetic qualities of various plant species. Dr. John R. Stinchcombe leads a team at the University of Toronto that will determine whether plant populations maximize reproduction by flowering at an appropriate time. The team will use a variety of statistical, ecological and genomic approaches to confirm whether these patterns can be predicted from the functionality of the genes that affect reproduction. The research has the potential to uncover numerous genetic traits beneficial to agriculture and forestry management. Dr. Stinchcombe received his Ph.D. in Evolutionary Genetics from Duke University, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Yu Sun

MEMS-Assisted Micro and Nanomanipulation of Biological Cells and Nanomaterials

Autonomous manipulation of micro-nanometer-sized objects is essential in both biological/engineering research and for the eventual commercial success of many micro-nanoscaled technologies. Dr. Yu Sun and his team will use an Early Researcher Award to pioneer a MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) assisted micro and nanorobotic approach to autonomously manipulate and characterize biological cells, and develop nanomanipulation methods for precisely, efficiently manipulating nanoscaled materials to construct new generations of nano-devices. This research, promising important impacts on both biological and engineering fronts, will enable high-throughput genetic research and result in a novel nanomanufacturing paradigm that will improve nanomanufacturing processes for instrumentation and nanoelectronics. Dr. Sun received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Wei Yu

Fundamental Limits and Cross-layer Optimization in Wireless Cooperative Networks

Dr. Wei Yu from the University of Toronto will use an Early Researcher Award to uncover the fundamental limits of cooperative communication for wireless networks. The use of these cooperative techniques has the potential to significantly increase the amount of data that can be transmitted in the network, as well as increase network reliability and provide significant improvements in quality-of-service for the end user. Dr. Yu received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, and is currently an Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Zhaolei Zhang

Discovery of Functional RNA Transcripts in the Human Genome

Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) are very important molecules, many of which are thought to play a role in cancer and other genetic disorders. Dr. Zhaolei Zhang and his research team at the University of Toronto will use an Early Researcher Award to identify a list of RNAs specific to humans that have previously been overlooked. Many human disorders are known to be associated with certain regions in the human genome, but no protein-coding genes have been found in those regions. Dr. Zhang's hypothesis is that these regions actually produce RNAs instead of proteins. Identifying these RNAs will help researchers to understand the origins of these disorders and open the door to new treatments. Dr. Zhang received his Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of California at Berkeley, and conducted post-doctoral research at Yale University. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Banting and Best Department of Medical Research at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Sheila McIlraith

Automating Software Composition and Customization: Towards a Next-Generation Web

Advances in information and communications technology mean that organizations can automate their workflow within and outside their companies. But advances in software have not kept pace, costing businesses billions of dollars a year. To be competitive, businesses need to automate the ability to "interoperate", or exchange information and services, with their business partners and customers. Dr. Sheila McIlraith and her research team at the University of Toronto will develop ways to describe software programs so that one organization's software applications can understand what another company's software applications do and how to use them. Dr. McIlraith's team will also develop techniques for automatically composing and customizing disparate software applications to provide new functionality. The results of Dr. McIlraith's research could revolutionize the way individuals use the web as well, for example when booking a vacation. Dr. McIlraith received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto.

Ryerson University

Dr. Krishna Kumar

Design, Dynamics and Control of Miniature Satellites

Miniature satellites weighing less than one kilogram offer exciting possibilities for scientific research and discoveries in a number of fields. At Ryerson University, Dr. Krishna Kumar and a team of researchers will study the dynamics and control aspects of miniature satellites to further their design and development. The work will include the development of micro-electromechanical systems and nanotechnologies for systems engineering, flight control, and mission analysis. The program could lead to new systems design and Canadian missions using these low cost research tools. Dr. Kumar received his Ph.D. in Aerospace from the Indian Institute of Technology and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Ryerson University.

York University

Dr. Denise Henriques

Examining the Role of Sensory Information in Shaping and Guiding Movements

One of the brain's main tasks is using sensory information to control movement. Neurological disorders caused by stroke, tumours, injury and degenerative disease result in sensorimotor malfunction. Sensory and motor functions are usually studied separately, but Dr. Denise Henriques and her colleagues at York University are taking a new approach. Their research will analyze how sensorimotor systems operate as integrated wholes, and may provide a new approach to neurological assessment, therapy and rehabilitation. The work also has applications for improving virtual reality devices, control panels, and other user interfaces. Dr. Henriques received her Ph.D. in Psychology from York University, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University.

Dr. Stephen Wright

Plant Population and Evolutionary Genomics

There is a long-standing debate on whether demographics or genetics play a greater role in causing some plant species to become extinct. Dr. Stephen I. Wright at York University will use an Early Researcher Award to look at the interaction between demography and genetics in plant evolution. Dr. Wright and his research team will investigate how plant populations evolve and adapt at the molecular level. This genome research could lead to improvement in important Canadian crops like canola, swede and turnip. The results are also expected to produce important tools for the management of endangered species and provide other valuable information for use in agriculture, health and environmental protection. Dr. Wright received his Ph.D. in Population Genomics from the University of Edinburgh, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at York University.

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Dr. Fang Liu

Uncoupling the D1-D2 Receptor Interaction: In Search for the Novel Therapeutic Target for Antipsychotics

Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic and debilitating mental disorder that occurs in one out of every 100 people. Symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and cognitive dysfunction. Current anti-psychotic drugs block D2 dopamine receptors in the brain to alleviate some symptoms, but also negatively affect the D1 dopamine receptors, which are coupled to the D2 receptors. Dr. Fang Liu at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is leading a team which aims to create a peptide to uncouple the D1 and D2 receptors. This will enhance the positive pharmacological effects of the anti-psychotics, without their adverse side effects. Dr. Liu received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.

The Hospital for Sick Children

Dr. Lillian Sung

Genetic Variation and Risk of Infection in Children with Primary Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Children with cancer also face the serious risk of infection. Ten percent of children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will die from infection. The ability to predict those patients who are at high risk of infection would help health care workers to prevent it. Since genetic factors affect susceptibility to infection, Dr. Lillian Sung and her colleagues at The Hospital for Sick Children will conduct a national study to measure genetic variation. The data will be used to predict the likelihood of serious infections in young cancer patients and improve their rate of survival. Dr. Sung received her Ph.D. in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Toronto and M.D. from the University of Ottawa, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Agnes Wong

An Investigation of Abnormal Vision and Eye Movements in Infants Born with Crossed Eyes

Crossed eyes in infancy is one of the most prevalent eye problems among children. Since we know very little about the parts of the brain that are affected in this condition, it is not yet curable. Dr. Agnes Wong leads a team at the Hospital for Sick Children seeking the answers to two questions: 1) Which parts of the brain are responsible for the abnormal following eye movements typically found in crossed eyes? 2) How do the visual and eye movement systems interact to facilitate stereovision? The results will have important implications for the treatment or cure of a condition that affects one of every 100-500 children. Dr. Wong received her M.D. from McGill University and her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Associate Professor in Ophthalmology & Vision Sciences, Neurology, and Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Paul William Frankland

The Role of TGF-ß in Alzheimer's Disease and Aging

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, degenerative disease associated with aging that produces symptoms such as memory loss and dementia. In Ontario thousands of people suffer from AD, resulting in lost productivity for both patients and caregivers. Dr. Paul William Frankland at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children will use an Early Researcher Award to study the role that the TGF-β signalling pathway plays in Alzheimer's disease. TGFs are regulatory molecules that stimulate or inhibit cell growth. Dr. Frankland and his research team will use mouse models to examine whether TGF-β1-based treatments will help improve mental function. This research could lead to new treatments for memory loss due to AD or normal aging. Dr. Frankland received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Toronto, and is currently a Scientist in the Department of Integrative Biology at the Hospital for Sick Children.