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2009-08-04

2009-08-04


AllerGen and partners award $153,850 for Research Fellowships that promote allergic and immune disease research

For Immediate Release 2009-08-04

Hamilton, ON (August 4, 2009) –

 

 

 

 

 

AllerGen NCE Inc., the Allergy, Genes and Environment Network (AllerGen), a national research network, is pleased to announce $153,850 in student fellowship support of which AllerGen has provided $76,925 for research that reduces the morbidity, mortality and socio-economic burden of allergic and related immune diseases and has been matched by partner organizations to support Canadian students.

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"These students were selected on the basis of the relevance of their research proposal to AllerGen’s mission and vision and their significant potential to accelerate social and economic impact through application of research results to real world problems and challenges faced by partner organizations, sectors of the Canadian economy and/or society," says Dr. Chris Mody, Chair of the Advanced Education Training and Opportunities Advisory Committee (AETOAC).

These awards are aligned with AllerGen’s three research thrusts and are of strategic importance to the generation of new knowledge with potential for social and economic impact in the areas of:

From 2009-2012, AllerGen will continue to provide innovative training initiatives and programs to leverage existing academic resources and ensure national training capacity in allergic and immune disease," Denburg added. Gene-Environment Interactions, Diagnostics and Therapeutics and Public Health and Ethics, Policy and Society.

In addition, AllerGen supports research into work-related asthma, aboriginal allergy and asthma, mind-body interactions and allergic disease, food labelling and development of therapeutics through clinical trials.

AllerGen’s networked approach to research unites more than 170 researchers, 250 highly qualified personnel and involves more than 100 partners in Canada, United States of America, Europe, Australia and the United Kingdom.

AllerGen is funded through the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence program. The Networks of Centres of Excellence Canada is a joint initiative of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Industry Canada.

AllerGen Fellowship Awards 2009

(Note that, in addition, these AllerGen awards are matched 1:1 by partner organization, which doubles the total value of each award)

Dalhousie University

Mechanisms and regulations of IgE-dependent mast cell activation in allergy

Trainee: S. Carrigan

$18,375

Supervisor: T. Lin

 

McMaster University

The contribution of distinct immunological pathways leading to peanut induced

anaphylaxis (PIA)

Trainee: K. Arias

$5,000

Supervisor: M. Jordana

 

University of Alberta

The Metabolomic analysis of respiratory virus infection in an asthma Model via

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy

Trainee: C. Skappak

$8,925

Supervisor: D. Adamko

 

University of British Columbia

Epigenetic profiling of bronchial epithelial cells

Trainee: C. Taplin

$8,925

Supervisor: P. Paré

 

University of Chicoutimi

Gene-Gene Interaction for CX3CR1 in asthma

Trainee: MH. Lambert

$8,925

Supervisor: C. Laprise

 

University of Guelph

Prophylaxis of food allergy by defined bacterial component pre-treatments in a

neonatal swine model of allergy

Trainee: J. Schmied

$8,925

Supervisor: B. Wilkie

 

University of Toronto

The longitudinal impact of environmental exposures on the development of

childhood atopy

Trainee: E. Simons

$8,925

Supervisor: T. To, Co-Supervisor: S. Dell

 

Queen’s University

Assessing the regulatory capacity of dendritic cells as a marker of atopy in cord blood

Trainee: K. Fraser

$8,925

Supervisor: A. Ellis

 

 

 

 

Earlier this year, AllerGen invited proposals for the Canadian Allergy and Immune Diseases Advanced Training Initiative (CAIDATI) awards which are intended to contribute to a significant increase in Canada’s research capacity in allergy, asthma and related immune/inflammatory processes and disease through joint funding of new fellowships in partnership with other programmes across Canada.

After expert peer review by AllerGen’s Advanced Education and Opportunities Advisory Committee (AETOAC), outstanding students from 8 academic institutions across Canada have been selected for funding.

The students awarded AllerGen matching funding are located at:

  1. Dalhousie University - $18,375
  2. McMaster University - $5,000
  3. Queen’s University - $8,925
  4. University of Alberta - $8,925
  5. University of British Columbia - $8,925
  6. University of Chicoutimi - $8,925
  7. University of Guelph - $8,925
  8. University of Toronto - $8,925

Scientific Director and CEO, Judah A. Denburg, MD, FRCP(C) says "The superior calibre of the trainees receiving these CAIDATI Awards will help position Canada at the forefront of allergic disease research.