IMHA On The Move – September 2012

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A Message From the Interim Scientific Director

As the summer comes to an end, IMHA ramps up for another busy year, starting with Arthritis Awareness Month. There are many forms of arthritis that affect Canadians of all ages. This September, we want to acknowledge the dedicated researchers, patients, advocates and organizations working to advance arthritis research and public awareness. IMHA continues to partner with the arthritis community to reduce the impact of arthritis on our population.  

The Arthritis Research Centre of Canada (ARC) is an organization committed to doing leading research and finding answers for people living with arthritis. ARC is also taking steps to ensure their research is shared with the people who need it, people living with arthritis. In order to achieve this goal, they are releasing their second series of web videos which highlight some of the research being done at the Centre.

As a Network Centre of Excellence (NCE), the Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN) has been funding and facilitating arthritis research for over a decade. IMHA is pleased to announce that we are partnering with CAN on an initiative that will lead to the publication of a book of stories highlighting the success and impact of research in arthritis, skin, oral health, MSK rehab, bone and skeletal muscle. The call for submissions is now posted on the IMHA website, we encourage our entire community to submit their stories and to tell us how you made a difference.    

On September 12-13, 2012, IMHA will attend the China-Canada Joint Health Research Initiative Workshop in Montreal.  Among the many researchers who will be presenting is IMHA Advisory Board member Dr. Alain Moreau, of Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre.  Dr. Moreau will be presenting on: Genomics of pediatric scoliosis (GPS): from innovative diagnostic/prognostic assays to personalized medicine. We are delighted to have one of our IAB members presenting at this workshop; personalized medicine (PM) is of interest to IMHA and we are investing in the PM Roadmap Signature Initiative.

September also marks the start for three new Institute Advisory Board (IAB) members: Drs. Debora Matthews, Marc D. Grynpas, and Rashmi Kothary. As we welcome these new members to our board we also say goodbye to three IAB members who have reached the end of their terms: Drs. Lucie Germain, Earl Bogoch and Klaus Wrogemann. Thank you for all of your brilliance, hard work and dedication!

And finally, as you may be aware, the first funding opportunity of the Inflammation in Chronic Disease Signature Initiative was launched this summer: Health Challenges in Chronic Inflammation Initiative (TeamGrant). We encourage you to share this opportunity with your colleagues and networks. 

Sincerely,
Phillip Gardiner PhD, Interim Scientific Director
Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis

Funding Opportunities

For information on current funding opportunities, please visit IMHA's Funding Opportunities.

Operating Grant: Population Health Intervention Research (Fall 2012 Competition)
Application deadline: September 14, 2012.

Operating Grant: Fall 2012 Priority Announcement (Specific Research Areas)
Application deadline: September 17, 2012.

NEW – please make sure that on the optional task of "apply to funding pools/priority announcements" in ResearchNet, you select this opportunity from the drop-down menu.

Travel Awards - Institute Community Support (Fall 2012 Competition)
Application deadline: September 21, 2012.

2012 CIHR/CMAJ Top Achievements in Health Research Awards: Call for applications
CIHR is currently accepting applications to the CIHR/Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) top Achievements in Health Research Awards competition. Through this award, CIHR and the CMAJ recognize important contributions and say thank you for the work done.

Dr. Cyril Frank, whose team won a 2010 Top Achievement Award for their research on the adoption of a new model of care for hip and knee replacement, stated that this award is one of their Faculty's proud achievements, and has provided national recognition to their work.  The deadline for submissions is September 28, 2012. 

The application deadline for the following funding opportunities is October 1, 2012.

The application deadline for the following funding opportunities is October 15, 2012.

Catalyst Grant: eHealth Innovations
Application deadline: October 16, 2012.

Team Grant – Health Challenges in Chronic Inflammation Initiative
Application deadline: November 15, 2012.

Partnerships for Health System Improvement: 2012-2013   
An additional $6M in funding is available through the Partnerships for Health System Improvement (PHSI) program as part of the Fostering Innovation in Health Care initiative. You can find out more about the Fostering Innovation in Healthcare initiative on their website.

Webinars will be held: Wednesday September 12th from 10-11am (French) and 12-1pm (English) to provide an overview of the PHSI program, offer tips for submitting a strong application, and provide more information about the Fostering Innovation in Health Care Initiative.

Master's Award: Winter 2013 Priority Announcement
Application deadline: February 2, 2013.

CIHR releases the "What CIHR Heard: Analysis of Feedback on the Design Discussion Document"

It has been five months since the release of the Design Discussion Document which presented the proposed changes to the CIHR Open Suite of Programs and Peer Review Process. The following summarizes a few key messages from "What CIHR Heard: Analysis of Feedback on the Design Discussion Document".

To fulfil its mandate, CIHR is implementing its five-year strategic plan, Health Research Roadmap. This plan includes the reform of CIHR's Suite of Open Programs, as well as its peer review process. These reforms are necessary because the current system is not sustainable. Researchers and institutions have told us that programs are overly complex, too much valuable time is spent writing and applying for multiple grants to support their research, and peer reviewers are over-burdened. Recommendations made by the International Review Panel also support the need for the reforms.

Overall, CIHR is pleased with the quality and the quantity of the feedback that was received during the consultation period. The research community and stakeholders provided many thoughtful, frank and candid comments, as well as constructive suggestions. CIHR is publishing a summary of the feedback received from the community (including survey results) to communicate that CIHR has heard the concerns and will take steps to address them; the summary also illustrates that there are varying perspectives that exist within the research community. All steps in the reform process thus far have been completed in discussion with our stakeholders and this process will continue as the design is further refined and implemented.

CIHR is committed to ensuring that the transition to a new Suite of Open Programs occurs with minimum disruption. A final design announcement and transition plan will be released to the research community in the fall.  To allow time to prepare, applicants and reviewers will be provided with at least one year from the time of the announcement of changes set for the fall 2012 to the first competition launch.

Additional information and resources can be found on the Proposed Changes to CIHR's Open Suite of Programs and Enhancements to the Peer Review Process webpage.

Arthritis Awareness Month
Finding Answers with The Arthritis Research Centre of Canada

The Arthritis Research Centre of Canada (ARC) is committed to doing leading research and finding answers for people living with arthritis. ARC is also taking steps to ensure their research is shared with the people who need it -- people living with arthritis.

In order to achieve this goal, they are releasing their second series of web videos. The videos feature ARC research scientists discussing their findings in lay language. They are an informative way for people to learn about the latest arthritis research and what it might mean for them.

These videos follow the success of the video series ARC released last year with the support of CIHR's Institute Community Support Program. ARC's Executive Director, Shauneen Kellner, explains why they have continued to invest in this method of knowledge translation:

"We had such a positive response to the last series we decided to continue with additional studies. This medium allows us to share our findings with those who will benefit from it most, extending our reach by broadcasting online and in social media. It also gives the public an idea of what our researchers do and why it is so important."

This September, in honour of Arthritis Awareness month, ARC has released the following 6 new videos:

The Impact of Arthritis on Moms
Dr. Catherine Backman, Research Scientist with the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, studied the obstacles that mothers with arthritis face, including fatigue, financial challenges and the lack of appropriate services.

Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Weight
Dr. Jan Dutz, Research Scientist with the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada explains the relationship between obesity and psoriasis, obesity and psoriatic arthritis and the importance of maintaining a healthy weight.

Systemic Auto-Immune Rheumatic Diseases - SARDs
Dr. Antonio Avina-Zubieta, Research Scientist with the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, explains that because each Systemic Auto-Immune Rheumatic Diseases (SARD) disease is rare, studying them together provides a better understanding of the risks and complications associated and can improve the lives of people with SARDs.

Pharmacists Can Help Identify Osteoarthritis
Pharmacoeconomist Dr. Carlo Marra with the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada explains that pharmacists can identify people with knee OA early on in the disease while it is still mild and treatable.

Aboriginal Peoples and Arthritis Self-Management
Learn how the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada is working with Aboriginal communities to create an arthritis self-management program to provide coping skills and improve the quality of life for those with arthritis.

Hip Replacements – Surgical Techniques Compared
Dr. Nelson Greidanus, Research Scientist with the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, studied hip surgery patients who received either a new technique using a smaller incision or the standard surgical technique.

On the Move
The Arthritis Research Centre of Canada is very pleased to announce that they are moving to a new location. The new office is located at 5591 No. 3 Road in Richmond B C. This beautiful new space has been generously donated by the Milan and Maureen Ilich Foundation and the Grand Opening celebration will take place on September 18, 2012.

Arthritis Resources for Consumers

Arthritis Broadcast Network
Led by Arthritis Consumer Experts and the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, the Arthritis Broadcast Network (ABN) is a multi-media platform for the arthritis community to share news, information and stories about living well with arthritis. Updated every day, the Arthritis Broadcast Network features:

  • Arthritis News: Anytime, Anywhere
  • Life: Living your best life with arthritis
  • Arthritis Intel: Helping you detect, treat and manage arthritis
  • A Team: Partnering with your healthcare team
  • Women: Exploring women's arthritis issues and needs

It is a "go-to" source of arthritis news, education, and inspirational lifestyle stories for consumers and healthcare professionals alike.

The Joint Health Website
The JointHealth website run by The Arthritis Consumer Experts provides up-to-date research-based arthritis information and education in easy-to-understand language. You will find the latest information about all aspects of the most common types of arthritis—causes, prevention, medications and other treatments, protection of joint health, access to health care, and much more.

The Arthritis Newsletter
Written by patients/consumers, the Arthritis Newsletter highlights research news, tips for living with arthritis, consumer stories, and much more.

Has your research had an impact?
Tell us how you made a difference.

Be part of the first publication to celebrate excellence and impact in Canadian musculoskeletal health research.

The Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA) of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN) are pleased to announce a call for submissions celebrating the impact of health research in arthritis, skin, oral health, MSK rehab, bone and skeletal muscle.

Knowledge translation is of critical importance to health research, as it has become clear that the creation of new knowledge often does not, on its own, lead to widespread implementation or impacts on health. This new publication will allow researchers working in Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis to share their stories of success with practitioners, government and the public.

We are seeking original submissions of stories which highlight excellence in research through scientific discovery, knowledge translation, partnership, or commercialization. Stories from the biomedical domain, clinical research, as well as health services and population health, are encouraged.

Don't miss the opportunity to have your story featured in this important publication which will be shared with policy makers, the health care community and the public.

Help us convey the importance and impact of musculoskeletal health research and knowledge translation being done in Canada!

Abstracts are due October 5, 2012 and structured impact stories of 850-1000 words are due by November 5, 2012. Please see online for submission details online. We strongly encourage you to contact us should you have any questions regarding the submission process - email Emily.neff@utoronto.ca. 

Upcoming Events

For information on upcoming Cafés, please visit the CIHR Café Scientifique website.

Your Skin Matters
The Canadian Skin Patient Alliance (CSPA) is planning to hold its first-ever Canadian Skin Patient Conference, at the Toronto Downtown Marriott Eaton Centre Hotel, October 12 to 14, 2012. The conference, which is planned "for patients, by patients", will provide skin patients with access to the latest information and research results, time with their affiliate groups, and opportunities to get to know other skin patients and how they cope. They are targeting to have 350 people attend and there will be keynote speakers as well as numerous break-out sessions on a variety of skin conditions and information on taking care of your skin.

Meeting IAB Members

Dr. Debora Matthews
Dr. Matthews is a Professor in the Department of Dental Clinical Sciences at Dalhousie University and a Research Associate of the Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre.

Dr. Marc D. Grynpas
Dr. Marc Grynpas is a professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and in the Institute for Biomaterial and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto. He is also a Senior Scientist at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital and the Director of the Bone and Mineral Research Group at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Rashmi Kothary
Dr. Kothary is an Associate Director and Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. He holds the University Health Research Chair in Neuromuscular Disorders and is a Professor at the University of Ottawa.

Meetings of Interest

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Annual General Meeting
October 10-13, 2012
Regina, SK

Canadian Skin Patient Conference
October 12-14, 2012
Toronto, ON

ASBMR 2012 Annual Scientific Meeting
October 12-15, 2012
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Contact Us

CIHR - Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
Department of Molecular Genetics
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
The Banting Institute
100 College St., Room 207B
Toronto, ON, M5G 1L5
Tel: 416-946-7243
Email: imha.iala.cihr.irsc@utoronto.ca

 

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