"These grant awards reflect the growing breadth of York's exceptional health research community -- from genetics, cancer and vision research, to health policy research," said Suzanne MacDonald, Associate Vice-President Research.

The projects chosen for CIHR grants cover a wide variety of research initiatives:

• Profs. Liane Ginsburg and You-Ta Chuang will receive $261,705 in funding over three years for studies in health services and policy research. Their multi-level project is designed to identify the factors which influence learning from preventable adverse events and near misses in acute care hospitals.

Prof. Philip Johnson will receive $308,607 over three years for his biochemistry project, the structural investigation into RNA-protein complexes and RNA-binding proteins.
 

Prof. Chun Peng will receive $227,304 over three years for cancer research. The object of her research project is to examine nodal signaling pathways in ovarian cancer cells.

Prof. Michael Scheid will receive $286,842 over three years to continue his cancer research specialty – the study of novel mechanisms to regulate the PDK1 protein and the phosphorylation of substrates.

Prof. Lauren Sergio will receive $546,900 over five years for vision research. The purpose of her project is to study the stages of visuomotor transformation in human and non-human primates.

 "The federal government's investments into health research are a key contributor to Canada's knowledge base and to our quality of life," said MacDonald. "Through these CIHR grants, our health researchers are able to contribute significantly to both scientific and public policy scholarship across a full range of disciplines."

CIHR is Canada's premier federal agency for health research. Its goal is to excel in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, and in the creation of more effective health services and products and a strengthened health care system.

York University is the leading interdisciplinary teaching and research university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city.  The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 180,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 10 faculties and 21 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries.  This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges.

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For more information, or to arrange an interview, the media should contact:

Jeff Ball, Media Relations, York University, 416-736-2100, x22086 / jball@yorku.ca