Major NSERC Training Grant Awarded to Lakehead University
Dr. Alla Reznik, professor in Lakehead
University's Department of Physics, TBRRI scientist and Canada Research Chair
in the Physics of Molecular Imaging, discusses the NSERC CREATE grant announced Monday, Sept. 17, 2012.
(Sept.
17, 2012 " Thunder Bay, ON)
Lakehead
University has received a $1,647,075 grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council (NSERC) to train highly qualified personnel in medical
imaging.
The
funding has been awarded through NSERC's Collaborative Research and Training
Experience Program (CREATE). The purpose
of the program is to support the training of highly qualified students and
postdoctoral fellows from Canada and abroad through the development of
innovative training programs that:
- Encourage collaborative and integrative approaches, and address significant scientific challenges associated with Canada's research priorities; and
- Facilitate the
transition of new researchers from trainees to productive employees in the
Canadian workforce.
The
CREATE funding will allow Lakehead University, in partnership with the Thunder Bay
Regional Research Institute (TBRRI), the Universities of Saskatchewan and Waterloo
and other organizations to offer collaborative training that consolidates
medical imaging-related science and engineering research into a unified program
covering medical imaging techniques and technologies.
"What
makes our program unique is the extended collaboration with Canadian companies,
such as start-ups, large and medium-sized companies that specialize in development
and fabrication of medical imaging devices and technologies. This will allow
trainees to learn how to bring promising technology to the point where it can
fulfill its innovation potential," says Dr. Alla Reznik, professor in Lakehead
University's Department of Physics, TBRRI scientist and Canada Research Chair
in the Physics of Molecular Imaging.
"Trainees
will also work with scientists from the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences
Centre to understand how new technology can positively affect human health,"
Dr. Reznik adds.
The
grant will train approximately 21 master's degree students, 12 doctoral
students, seven undergraduate summer students and five post-doctoral fellows
over six years. The training initiative
also has strong partner support. XLV
Diagnostics is providing financial support to the project, while Tornado Medical
Systems, ANRAD Corporation, Teledyne DALSA, Intivac, Philips Medical Systems, Weinberg
Medical Imaging and MEAglow Inc. are either providing internship opportunities
for students or are supporting research projects that are part of the CREATE
initiative.
"A
collaborative and innovative approach is the key to training the next
generation of researchers and specialists in health-related sciences and
technologies," says Dr. Rui Wang, Lakehead University Vice-President (Research,
Economic Development & Innovation).
"Lakehead
University is proud of Dr. Reznik and her team for developing this training
program and we are also thankful to NSERC and our industry partners for the
CREATE grant support," Dr. Wang says.
Michael
Wood, CEO of TBRRI, adds, "We are very grateful for these resources, which will
go a long way to develop an excellent training program to attract promising
graduate students and prepare them for a career in the exciting field of
medical imaging."
Lakehead
University's grant co-applicants are Drs. John Rowlands, Department of Physics,
Aicheng Chen, Canada Research Chair in Material and Environmental Chemistry, Department
of Chemistry, Mitchell Albert, Lakehead
University - TBRRI Research Chair in Molecular Imaging and Advanced Diagnostics,Department of Chemistry and TBRRI, and Laura Curiel, Department of
Electrical Engineering and TBRRI scientist. Other grant co-applicants include Drs.
Karim Sallaudin Karim, University of Waterloo; Arsen R. Hajian, University of
Waterloo; and Safa O. Kasap, University of Saskatchewan.
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Media: For more information,
please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807)
343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.
Lakehead University
Lakehead is a comprehensive university with a reputation for a multidisciplinary teaching approach that emphasizes collaborative learning and independent critical thinking. More than 8,700 students and 1,850 faculty and staff learn and work at campuses located in Orillia, and Thunder Bay, Ontario, which is home to the west campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Lakehead University promotes innovative research that supports local and regional socio-economic needs. In Orillia, development continues on building a campus that meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards.