INMD Connections - March 2013

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Message from Philip Sherman, INMD Scientific Director

Evaluating the success of targeted research funding

Measuring the impact of health research programs is an important issue for all funding agencies, including CIHR. Evaluating the outcomes of targeted research funding enables us to report to our community and stakeholders on the impact CIHR funding has had on fostering the research careers of young scientists and on generating new knowledge. It also helps inform decision-making in future strategic priority initiatives.

INMD has supported training of the next generation of researchers by co-funding research training in our mandate area with medical professional societies, voluntary health organizations, and partners in industry. We have targeted funds to increase research capacity in the areas of obesity, nephrology [Clin Invest Med 2010; 33(6): E356-67], and gastroenterology.

At the 2013 Canadian Digestive Disease Week (CDDW) held in Victoria, British Columbia earlier this month, INMD presented a poster describing an evaluation which was undertaken recently, together with the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG), assessing the outcomes of a joint research funding partnership program supported by CIHR, The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC), and industry.

Between 2000 and 2008, 131 fellowships, seven career transition awards, and 22 operating grants were supported through this partnership program [Can J Gastroenterol 2013;27(Suppl A):125A].

In a survey of these grant and award recipients, 76% of 147 respondents (representing a 92% response rate) reported that they are still working in a research-related capacity. Research outputs included 545 articles, 130 reviews, 33 book chapters, and 11 patents. A bibliometric study indicated that both the impact (average relative impact factor - ARIF) and the citation frequency (average relative citations - ARC) of publications resulting from this program funding were higher than the Canadian and worldwide averages in the discipline.

Based on this evaluation, the partnership between CIHR and partners with a common interest and vision has had a positive impact on increasing and maintaining research capacity, and in creating new knowledge in gastroenterology that is relevant to the health and well-being of Canadians.

Philip M. Sherman, MD, FRCPC

Researcher Profile

Gilaad Kaplan, MD MPH
University of Calgary
Recipient of the 2013 Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Young Investigator Award

Dr. Gil Kaplan is a gastroenterologist and epidemiologist with clinical and research interests in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). He graduated with a Masters of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health and completed an IBD Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Kaplan joined the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary as a clinician scientist in 2007 and was promoted to rank of Associate Professor in 2012. He is a CIHR New Investigator and an Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions Population Health Investigator. The overarching themes of his research program are to study the environmental determinants (e.g., pollutants) associated with the different phenotypes of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the delivery of care to IBD patients through health service and outcomes research. Dr. Kaplan has over 60 peer-reviewed publications in journals, such as Gastroenterology and the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) and has received multiple consecutive operating grants from CIHR. He is the Director of the Environmental Health Research Group in the Institute of Public Health at the University of Calgary. Dr. Kaplan is an executive member of the Alberta IBD Consortium, which is a multi-disciplinary team that is studying gene-environment-microbial interactions in a province-wide cohort of IBD patients and he recently received the 2013 Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Young Investigator Award.

Collaborative Health Research Program

Are you are part of an interdisciplinary research team of natural sciences or engineering and health researchers? If you are, then consider the merits of applying for a Collaborative Health Research Projects (CHRP) grant!

CHRP is a joint program between CIHR and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). CHRP provides funding for innovative interdisciplinary research projects involving collaborations between the natural sciences or engineering community together with the health sciences community. Projects must include a knowledge user organization from the private, public or voluntary sectors that has the potential to make use of the research results outside of the research setting. The knowledge user must be committed to participate in the project and provide an in-kind contribution. CHRP projects must also provide training opportunities for highly qualified personnel in collaborative environments.

For the upcoming 2013 competition, a base budget of $20.1 million is available. Additional funds may be available from partners in targeted research areas. CHRP grants can be held for up to three years and there is no yearly maximum funding amount.

The letter of intent (LOI) deadline is May 15, 2013. Those successful at the LOI stage will be invited to submit a full application due October 1, 2013. Funding for successful projects will begin April 1, 2014. For more information, visit the CHRP webpage or email Krissy Davidge or CHRP.

American Society for Nutrition

Come visit us at the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) Opening Night University Mixer and Membership Reception on April 20, 2013 from 8:00-10:00 PM. This networking event kicks off the start of ASN’s Scientific Sessions. For more information visit the ASN website.

3rd National Obesity Summit

Registration is now open for the 3rd National Obesity Summit, presented by the Canadian Obesity Network - Réseau Canadien en Obésité (CON-RCO) on May 1-4, 2013 in Vancouver, B.C. INMD is sponsoring keynote speaker, Dr. William H. Dietz, former Director of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity in the Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the US CDC. INMD is also hosting an interactive Knowledge Translation workshop featuring CIHR-funded researchers who will share their research related to Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment. For details, visit the CON website.

ILSI North America Future Leader Awards - Call for Nominations

The International Life Sciences Institute North American Branch (ILSI N.A.) is a public, non-profit scientific foundation. ILSI N.A. strives to foster the career development of outstanding new scientists, and is soliciting nominations of individuals to be considered to receive its 2014 Future Leader Awards. The two-year grant ($15,000 US per year) is targeted towards research in the areas of experimental nutrition, nutrition and food safety, or nutrition and food science. The deadline for nominations is Friday, June 21, 2013. For information contact Courtney Kelly or visit the ILSI North America website.

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INMD welcomes researchers, partners and other stakeholders to share news stories that relate to areas of our mandate. If you have interesting research results or developments, are organizing a conference or workshop, or wish to report on a past event, we would like to feature them in our newsletter or other communication materials.

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