New Lung Research Funding for Saskatchewan
There’s no question that research is our greatest defense against lung disease, as well as our greatest tool to save lives. The innovative, cutting-edge research that takes place right here in Saskatchewan has been a mainstay of the Lung Association’s mission.
That is why The Lung Association is extremely pleased to work with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to provide three new awards to promote lung health research exclusively in Saskatchewan. “CIHR’s research priority areas and mandates align with those of The Lung Association and the respiratory needs of our residents,” states Dr. Brian Graham, Lung Association of Saskatchewan CEO.
The first is a New Investigator Salary Award in Pediatric Respirology. The amount of the award is $60,000 per year for five years for a total of $300,000. Applications for this award are due no later than September 15, 2010 and the start date is July 1, 2011.
The Lung Association has been working hard to raise the awareness of the need for a pediatric respirologist. Last year, the Lung Association commissioned a review of lung health services in the province which indicated that a minimum of three children’s lung health specialists are required. Currently there are none in our province, although a pediatric respirologist from Alberta conducts a monthly clinic in Saskatoon.
This new funding will help attract a new pediatric respirologist to Saskatchewan.
The second award is a Research Fellowship in lung health in the amount of $55,000 per year for three years for a total of $165,000. The potential research areas are: pediatric respirology, respiratory health of First Nations and Métis persons, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), asthma, sleep apnea and public health policy.
The third award is for a Master’s program in COPD in the amount of $17,500 for a one-year term.
“The Lung Association is excited about this new funding,” says Dr. Graham. “We are especially pleased to be able to make this commitment to improve the lung health of our children thanks to the support of CIHR and generous donations from people across the province,” he adds.
"CIHR is proud to support research into lung problems among children," says Dr. Lori West, Interim Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health. "It is crucial for CIHR to help researchers find new treatments for the thousands of Canadian children who develop lung diseases each year."
Established in 1911, The Lung Association is Saskatchewan’s oldest health charity. You have come to know and trust The Lung Association as the premier source of lung health information for our province. All of our quality educational materials, programs, services, and treatment guidelines are based on current, evidence-based research. You will find The Lung Association active in communities across Saskatchewan conducting programs on asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), tobacco and sleep apnea. The Lung Association also provides training for health professionals, delivers health education in schools, facilitates patient support groups, and lobbies for clean air.
For the past 10 years, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has supported better health and health care for Canadians. As the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency, CIHR enables the creation of evidence-based knowledge and its transformation into improved treatments, prevention and diagnoses, new products and services, and a stronger, patient-oriented health-care system. Composed of 13 internationally recognized Institutes, CIHR supports more than 13,600 health researchers and trainees across Canada: www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca
