PRESIDENT AND CEO
ACADEMIC SCHOLARLY LEADERSHIP REPORT
TO THE BOARD AND COMMUNITY
JULY 2013
1.0
MEDICAL RESEARCH UPDATE
BACKGROUND
The Lawson Health Research Institute (Lawson) is the research institute of London Health
Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's Health Care, London. As one of the largest hospital-based
research institutes in Canada, this institute is committed to furthering scientific knowledge to
advance health care around the world.
Within the Institute, a "bench to bedside" approach to medical research is encouraged. This
means, LHSC and St. Joseph’s researchers focus their efforts on the development of new
knowledge that can be applied directly to patient care within the hospitals. Through
collaboration and the sharing of their discoveries, Lawson researchers make a difference in
patients' lives every day.
Lawson was established in 2000 through the merger of the Lawson Research Institute (LRI),
London Health Sciences Centre Research Inc. (LHSCRI) and the Children's Health Research
Institute (CHRI). Lawson has over 1200 principal investigators, technicians, support staff and
trainees and currently has more than 200 worldwide business and industry partners such as
Bayer, Eli Lilly, GE Medical, Merck Frost Canada, Pfizer and Medtronic.
Lawson currently has more than $65-million CDN funding per year in peer reviewed and industry
sponsored contract research funding and develop more than 900 peer reviewed original
publications per year.
NEWS- LAWSON RESEARCH
The strategic retreat held May 31st identified three over-arching objective areas with an
emphasis on collaborative, innovative research that will impact care within research program
priorities. Roll-out plans are being developed through Lawson’s Research Executive. Lawson
Finance is now working towards the development of costing implications of these initiatives to
bring forward a high-level 5 year budget. This will facilitate targeted and focused investment,
and alignment to LHSC, St. Joseph’s and Western strategic objectives.
Funding:
Lawson has been successful in attracting funding for a range of research projects in recent
months (Appendix 1). These funds illustrate the depth and breadth of the Lawson initiatives
underway and the varied funding agencies that are supporting Lawson scientists and
researchers.
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External Initiatives:
The Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario (CAHO) has responded to the recent report of the
Research Hospital Resourcing Task Force (Fuelling the Innovation Engine). The report highlighted
that in the current fiscal climate, funding for health research is increasingly uncertain and
complex. Hospital-based research entities are supporting a significant proportion of risk as a
result of growing resource gaps and instability. To implement the recommendations outlined in
their report, six task forces have been created:
Research Hospital Resourcing Coordination Task Force
Research Financials Task Force
Resourcing Opportunities Task Force
Infrastructure Collaborations Task Force
Clinical Trials Task Force
Research Metrics Task Force
Lawson leaders are engaged in this work and will be key contributors in defining strategies to
address the challenges presented.
Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Strategy for Patient-Orientated Research (SPOR) is
a collaboration network of patients, health professionals, decision makers, health researchers
and their partners from across Canada. Their primary objective is to generate evidence and
innovations that advance practice and policy changes leading to transformative and
measureable improvements in patient health, health care and efficiency and effectiveness of
service delivery. The focus of the Ontario SPOR Support Unit and funded activities are detailed in
Appendix 2.
LAWSON IN THE NEWS:
Dr. Raymond Kao was the recipient of the first Chair in Military Critical Care Research in Canada,
awarded in an open ceremony on January 31st. The Chair is named after Group Captain G.
Edward Hall, known in London for his service as Western University’s Dean of Medicine and
longest serving president. While Dr. Kao’s research findings have been used to help stabilize
wounded soldiers in battle, it has also been of importance in operating rooms in Canada when
dealing with traumatic injuries. Dr. Kao is the senior critical care advisor to the Surgeon General
Brigadier-General of the Canadian Armed Forces, a critical care physician at LHSC and a
Lawson researcher.
Coverage: London Community News, Metro News, AM1290, Western News
A study by Dr. Rita Suri shows more frequent dialysis may increase the risk of complications where
the blood leaves and re-enters the body. Conventional dialysis is administered three times per
week, but recently there has been a trend toward more frequent dialysis. While greater
frequency can provide patients with improved health and quality of life, according to Dr. Suri,
patients undergoing more frequent dialysis are 76% more likely to experience complications at
the access site. The study is published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrologists
(JASN).
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Coverage: The London Free Press
New research from Richard Kim shows the effects of a common breast cancer treatment can
be reduced by as much as 30% during Canadian winters. The lack of vitamin D exposure over
the cold months impacts the body’s ability to metabolize tamoxifen, the drug. The study,
published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, suggests physicians should take a
personalized approach to prescriptions to ensure patients receive the optimal dose of the drug.
Media Coverage: CTV London, Metro News
On April 25th, Cheryl Forchuk hosted the “Youth Matters in London Conference,” at Youth
Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) downtown London. Now in its fourth year, the study is working to
develop effective options in helping homeless youth by examining who chooses which
treatment (housing first, treatment first, or simultaneous attention to both) and why, and then
examining their outcomes. Attempts are being made to implement youth preference service
selection and results are ongoing. Efforts are also being complimented by peer support
programs, and a rent gift program supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph, which sends gifts of $50
to the landlords of the clients who are in the most desperate need of help.
Coverage: CTV London
Tecfidera is a new drug for patients with multiple sclerosis recently approved by Health Canada.
The drug is showing promise for patients, helping to reduce relapses, reduce disease activities,
and delay the progression of the disease. Marcelo Kremenchutzky, director of the Multiple
Sclerosis Clinic, led the clinical trials for the drug in London and was featured in a news story on
the drug on CTV London.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
Lawson recently hosted three Café Scientifiques, generously sponsored by CIHR (Canadian
Institutes of Health Research):
“Understanding Addictions” - On April 17th, Lawson investigators addressed addiction in today's
society and the complex factors that influence this disease. The event – which sold out in just
one week – was moderated by Dr. Cheryl Forchuk, and featured talks by Drs. Elizabeth Osuch
and Rick Csiernik.
“Chronic Diseases: Are they an effect of the environment or your genetic destiny?”
On April 11th, Lawson researchers Cheril Clarson, Jason Gilliland, and David Hill discussed the
complex interactions between genetics and environment that contribute to chronic diseases.
The session was moderated by Victor Han.
Lawson’s First Café Scientifique: High School Edition
On February 26th, Lawson hosted the first ever Café Scientifique in a high school. The inaugural
event, organized in conjunction with the Partners in Experiential Learning Program (PEL), was
held at Mother Theresa Secondary School. Forty students from grade 9-12 attended, including
PEL students placed in Lawson labs, co-operative education students, and others with an avid
interested in pursuing science at the post-secondary level. The session was focused on cancer
research. Jim Koropatnick and Harry Prapavessis spoke on factors impacting disease
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development, focusing on diet and exercise respectively. The event was very successful, with an
active discussion period after the presentations.
Stem Cell Public Forum: “Your Child’s Health: Do Stem Cells Really Offer a Miracle Cure?”
On April 29th Children’s Health Research Institute (CHRI), Children’s Health Foundation (CHF),
Lawson, and the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry hosted a public forum discussing, “Your
Child’s Health: Do Stem Cells Really Offer a Miracle Cure?” This event featured talks by
internationally renowned leaders in the fields of stem cell ethics and research. Following the
forum, a panel of local stem cell researchers explored the success stories and potential
limitations for the clinical application of stem cell research.
Stem Cell Symposia: “Stem Cell Therapies: Ready for Prime Time?”
Children's Health Research (CHRI), Children's Health Foundation (CHF), Lawson, and the Schulich
School of Medicine & Dentistry hosted a half-day symposium on April 29th at Victoria Hospital.
Entitled, “Stem Cell Therapies: Ready for Prime Time?” this event featured keynote presentations
by internationally renowned leaders in the fields of stem cell clinical trials and ethics with local
stem cell biologists.
LAWSON RECOGNITIONS
Please find attached in Appendix 3 some of the outstanding contributions of the Lawson
researchers in their respective fields.
WORLDiscoveries 2013 Annual Report, “The Edge Effect”, acknowledges the joint efforts of
Lawson, Western and Robarts’ respective business development offices over the last 1 and 5
year periods. WORLDiscoveries (WD) is now one of the leading business development offices in
Canada, routinely ranking in the top 5 nationwide across every material commercialization
measure and annually generating one of the highest commercial returns per research dollar
invested anywhere in the country. A number of Lawson researchers are featured in the report:
o Dr. Chris Schlachta – WD helped develop the commercialization plan that turned Dr.
Schlachta’s $3.2M 2012 ORF operating grant into $9.6M in funds from industry partners
through to 2016. These funds will support his Research & Development and simulation-based
training for laparoscopic and computer-assisted surgery at CSTAR.
o Dr. Claire Temple – With WD and TechAlliance support, Dr. Temple and Colin Henderson
have developed a kit to do fast frozen sections for use in MOHS micrographic surgery to
effectively cure basal cell skin cancer. Their apparatus, known as a CryoCaddy, significantly
reduces lab time and produces fast frozen sections with unprecedented accuracy.
CryoCaddy can cut operating room times by 22%, a significant cost and resource savings.
o Dr. Femida Gwadry-Sridhar – has worked with WD and TechAlliance since 2010 to
commercialize Pulse InfoFrame, Inc., a spin-off company in the business of developing
private health care analytics. Pulse InfoFrame offers a secure, web-based, database-driven
clinical management platform that provides data management and integration systems
targeted to the unique data requirements of medical specialist.
o Dr. Ting Lee – continues to develop new imaging applications in perfusion and CT
scanning. A Lawson and Robarts scientist, Dr. Lee is leading a multi-site Phase IIII clinical
research study that compares the standard
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NURSING & ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARLY PRACTICE
SUMMARY OF ACADEMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS
APRIL 2012 – MAY 2013
As an academic health sciences centre, LHSC has three related missions including:
Providing patients with timely access to advanced care,
Educating and training the next generation of health care professionals, and
Conducting leading-edge research and making it available to clinicians, administrators,
policy makers and the public.
Academic/Scholarly leadership in which the integration of patient care, education, and
research uniquely defines LHSC and differentiates it from other health care organizations,
enables access to world-class care, well-educated health care professionals, and state-of-theart research. This mandate positions LHSC as an innovation engine capable of accelerating the
translation of new knowledge into leading practices. The integration of education, research
and patient care at LHSC provides an enriching environment where students can learn and
apply knowledge from the classroom to the bedside.
Supporting the academic mission of LHSC through Nursing and Allied Health Professional
Scholarly Practice initiatives is critical to ensuring that access to a range of specialized health
services, education for the next generation of health providers, and generation and
dissemination of new scientific knowledge and innovation is sustained. Linked below is a
comprehensive inventory of academic accomplishments through the Nursing and Allied Health
Professional Scholarly Practice portfolio which contribute to the academic mission of LHSC
and improve patient care.
A summary chart of activity is provided below.
Publications
Research In Progress
Presentations
Education
Summary of Academic Accomplishments
April 2012 – May 2013
31 (peer & editorial reviewed journals)
44 (projects)
86 (regional, provincial & international)
89 (internal & external initiatives)
To read the detail for the academic accomplishments please click (here) for Appendix 4.
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3.0 HEALTHCARE REGIONAL NEWS
Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario (CAHO) Annual Report
The Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario (CAHO) is the non-profit association of Ontario’s
24 academic hospitals and their research institutes. CAHO provides a focal point for strategic
initiatives on behalf of their member hospitals of which LHSC is a member.
Please find below the link to the 2012/13 Annual Report.
http://www.caho-hospitals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/CAH-103-AR2013_Web.pdf
Respectfully submitted,
Bonnie Adamson
APPENDIX 1-- FUNDING –
Lawson and three partner organizations have been awarded $7 million to support production of
non-reactor based medical imaging isotopes. The project is funded by Natural Resources
Canada (NRCan) through the Isotope Technology Acceleration Program (ITAP). Michael
Kovacs, Director of the Lawson Cyclotron & PET Radiochemistry Facility, will lead the project on
behalf of Lawson.
Michael Borrie was awarded $97,932 from the St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation – Fiona
Monckton Fund in support of Lewy Body Disease and Dementia Research. This funding will
support his project entitled, “Lewy body spectrum disorders: A pharmacogenomics study of
cholinesterase inhibitors investigating cognitive benefit, motor worsening, and brain imaging.”
Robert Teasell has received $190,000 from Alternate Funding Plan Southwestern Ontario for his
project entitled, “AFT Innovation Proposal: Rehabilitation Knowledge to Action Project (REKAP) 2
in Neurorehabilitation.”
Lisa Van Bussel has received $50,000 from the Academic Medical Organization of Southwestern
Ontario (AMOSO) AFP AHSC Innovation Grant for her project entitled, “Evaluation of an
automated fall detection and monitoring system.”
Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Leading Edge Fund and New Initiatives Fund recently
awarded London researchers with over $7M in funding. Two Lawson investigators were
successful:
• Dr. Ting Yim-Lee received $961,524 to develop low x-ray dose CT scanning methods for
studying the vascular system. The technology could lead to better treatments for cardiovascular
disease and cancer.
• Dr. Blain Chronik’s team received $705,911 to establish a comprehensive testing and
development facility that supports industry and academic efforts to develop medical devices
and technologies (pacemakers, vascular stents, artificial joints) compatible with MRI systems.
Cheryl Forchuk received $70,290 from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
(HRSDC) for her project entitled, “An assessment and evaluation of London CAReS: Facilitating
service through collaborative best practices.” This funding will support research into a new
strategy for managing those members of the London community experiencing the complex,
often interrelated, issues of homelessness, mental illness, addiction, and poverty.
A team of London-based researchers, including Drs. Ian Chin-Yee, Cyrus Hsia, and Anargyros
Xenocostas, have been awarded a $200,000 Innovation Grant from the Canadian Cancer
Society. This grant will allow them to develop a specialized tool — a small gold-plated chip
layered with sensors — that will be able to detect the activity of cell molecules called protein
kinases that are often involved in cancer growth.
Seven Lawson Scientists have received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research
(CIHR):
• Dr. Frank Beier has received $742,325 over 5 years for his project entitled, “Rac1 in skeletal
development and homeostasis”
• Dr. Dean Betts has received $100,000 over 1 year for his project entitled, “Extra-telomeric
functions of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) isoforms”
• Dr. Elizabeth Finger has received $293,408 over 4 years for her project entitled, “The impact of
emotional mimicry and oxytocin on frontotemporal dementia”
• Dr. Amit Garg has received $352,097 over 6 years for his project entitledt, “Safety and
Outcomes of Accepting Hypertensive Individuals as Living Kidney Donors.”
• Dr. David Holdsworth has received $649,806 over 5 years for his project entitled, “Real-time
microscopy during high-frequency mechanostimulation of living cells”
• Dr. Wei-Ping Min has received $313,349 over 3 years for his project entitled, “The role of IDO1 vs
IDO2 on tumour immune evasion and immune therapy”
• Dr. Shawn Whitehead has received $598,500 over 5 years for his projected entitled, “Post-Stroke
Brain Deterioration: Role of Abeta and Neuroinflammation”
Jim Koropatnick received $55,095 from Ontario Centres of Excellence for his project entitled, "In
Vivo Testing of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapeutics."
Anthony Nichols received $222,700 over three years from the Canadian Cancer Society Quality
of Life fall competition for his project entitled: “A Phase II randomized trial examining quality of
life following treatment for early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx:
radiotherapy vs. trans-oral robotic surgery (ORATOR)”.
Dr. Chris Pin – is the recipient of an NSERC RTI Grant in the 2013-14 competition for his proposal
entitled “High Resolution Imaging Suite for Analysis of Development”. The award is for $98,956.
Sanjay Mehta has received $363,752 over three years from the Heart and Stroke Foundation for
his project, “Mechanisms of Microvascular Endothelial Cell Apoptosis in Sepsis.”
Overview of The Canadian Strategy on Patient Oriented Research (SPOR)
Appendix 2
4
5
Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit
Vision: The Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit will link up research and implementation strengths across province to produce positive impacts for patients, researchers, policy makers, health system administrators, firms and health care providers within a five year time frame.
The province has an investment strategy for SPOR SUPPORT funds that will bring together and build on key strengths in order to:
1. Address key challenges that adversely affect patient care, in particular bridging between the silos in the Ontario health system
2. Foster high quality research that addresses the priority health needs of patients in Ontario
3. Identify and address the population health aspects of problems that are usually seen primarily in clinical terms, e.g., through large intervention studies designed to change practice and promote health behaviours 4. Enhance research by exploiting the globally recognized linked health data platform at ICES and making provincial data sets, and the capacity to use them, available to all clinical health service and population health researchers in Ontario and, in some cases, nationally (e.g., through SPOR Networks).
Funded Activities:
– Services and resources to enhance and support high quality high impact patient‐oriented research and implementation across the province
– One time funding for select initiatives that are well poised to be implemented with positive results for patients (Ontario Stroke Network‐led demonstration project for first 2.5 years, next demonstration project(s) selected through collaborative governance structure).
6
7
Elements of the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit†
Consultation/
Rsrch
Services
Capacity Building
Real World
Clinical
Trials
KT &
Implementati
on
Main SPOR SUPPORT Core Function(s)
Methods
Support &
Development
SPOR SUPPORT Contributions
Data
platform &
Services
Organization/Centre/
Team
Coordinating Centre (TBD)
One window for researchers, policy makers, patients, funders, and
providers to access SPOR supports and services, reporting on SPOR
SUPPORT unit performance measures, Chair operational
management meetings, cross-UNIT coordination
ICES Data Platform and Services
(D. Henry)
Expanded and enhanced data platform, new data services division
Clinical Trials Ontario (S. Marlin)
Streamlined approach to multi-centre clinical trials in Ontario
Ontario Brain Institute (D. Stuss)
Brain-CODE database, KTE and patient engagement in brain
research
Ottawa Methods Centre
(J. Grimshaw and D. Fergusson)
Methodological services and methods development
Women’s Health KTE
(P. Rochon)
Women’s health knowledge translation and exchange and
community-based women’s health research
Y
Y
Y
Primary Care Network
(M. Stewart)
Primary care reform with an emphasis on integration/coordination of
care
Y*
Y
Y*
Health System Performance
Research Network (W. Wodchis)
Measurement and analysis to identify better ways to organize and
manage the health system
Y*
Y
Y*
Drug Policy and Research
Network (M. Mamdani)
Independent scientific evidence and analyses to support drug policy
Y*
Y
Y*
Evidence and Values (J. Lavis and
J. Hurley)
Economic and policy analysis of health system performance, methods
and tools for integrating evidence and values into decision-making
Y*
Y
Y*
Population Health Research
Institute
(In discussion)
Child Health SUPPORT
(M. Osmond and C. Macarthur)
Integrated paediatric research supports including biostatistical design
and analysis, and clinical research facilitation/education
Demonstration Project
Stroke improvement initiatives and data linking/analysis to achieve
provincial targets for access to care and hospitalization rates
†See Appendix for more detail on each element and the impacts under SPOR
Y
Y
Y
Y*
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y*
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
8
Figure 2: Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit Coordination and Governance
Note: will discuss with CIHR best opportunity to integrate CIHR representation
Steering Committee
Chair identified from within members including, for example, MOHLTC,
MRI, CC Lead, CAHO, COU, Patient Representative(s), Provider
Representative(s), Industry Representative(s), others
Scientific Operational Management Team
Advisory Committee
Chaired by Lead for Coordinating Centre (CC),
representatives from each of the 11 other groups plus the
MOHLTC, MRI, and the demonstration project lead
Chair identified from within members including,
for example, HQO, PHO, IDEAS, COFM,
IHPME, OICR, Patient Advocacy/Safety, Disease
Charities, Industry, others
Twelve Elements of OSSU
CC
Demonstration
Project(s)
Working
Groups
(e.g., on capacity building
to support transformation)
APPENDIX 3—LAWSON RECOGNITIONS–
Dr. Paul Adams has been nominated for Fellowship through the Distinction of the Royal College
of Physicians of Ireland. Admission to Honorary Fellowship is the highest honour the College can
bestow. This honour is reserved for world leaders in medical science and exceptional
contributors to the welfare of our communities both nationally and internationally. These
nominees are distinguished in their field and value an association with the College.
Dr. Vladimir Hachinski has received the Order of Ontario, the provinces’ highest honour. Dr.
Hachinski is a world-renowned neurologist and one of the foremost authorities in the field of
stroke and dementia and Alzheimer research. His discoveries have changed thinking,
approaches and treatments to the benefit of millions. The appointees to the Order of Ontario
were chosen for their contributions to the arts, law, science, medicine, history, politics,
philanthropy and the environment.
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals awarded The following Lawson Scientists will receive
the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals:
• Dr. William Clark
• Dr. Vladimir Hachinski
• Dr. Mary Jenkins
• Dr. Mandor Jog
• Dr. Raymond Kao
• Dr. Vivian McAlister
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee honours significant contributions and achievements by
Canadians to their country.
Dr. Roberto Hernandez-Alejandro has been recognized as the Researcher of the Month by
Canadians for Health Research (CHR). This honour is in recognition of a surgical first in liver
cancer - associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS). This
two-part technique is targeted to patients with advanced liver cancer and a poor prognosis.
First, it removes the tumours from the left side of the liver, and then diverts all of blood there to
promote rapid healing and growth. By the time surgery begins on the right half, the left half has
regained enough health and function to compensate and support recovery.
Jerry Battista and Jake Van Dyk have received the Editor In Chief Award of Excellence from the
American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). The award is in recognition of their
article, “Medical physics staffing for radiation oncology: a decade of experience in Ontario,
Canada," published in a 2012 issue of the Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics (JACMP).
The award will be recognized at the AAPM Awards & Honors Ceremony in August 2013.
Jake Van Dyk has also been selected as one of 50 medical physicists, "who have made an
outstanding contribution to the advancement of medical physics over the last 50 years,” by the
International Organization of Medical Physics (IOMP). Jake will be honored at IOMP’s annual
meeting in September 2013.
Dr. Frank Prato has been awarded the D’Arsonval Award 2013 from the Bioelectromagnetics
Society (BEMS). This award is to recognize outstanding achievement in research in
bioelectromagnetics, and will be presented at the BioEM2013 annual meeting in Thessaloniki,
Greece in June.
Dr. Gregor Reid is in the running for Grand Challenges Canada’s Rising Stars in Global Health
Competition. As part of the competition, applicants are asked to post a video proposal for the
public to consider and vote on. Dr. Reid’s proposed project will use locally sourced probiotic
food to reduce levels of potent environmental toxins. His video application is available for
consideration here: http://bit.ly/17fu8et
Robert Teasell was asked to join the Center for Stroke Recovery (CSR), a multi-disciplinary, multisite research centre. CSR scientists are associated with leading research institutions across North
America, and are encouraged to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams to gain new insights into
how people recover from stroke, and how to enhance the process.