The Hospital for Sick Children | learning | News

Doctors can influence when parents wean children from bottle study finds

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 24:00:00 EDT

Prolonged bottle-feeding is linked to tooth decay, obesity and iron deficiency, and once children turn two, they don’t want to give it up

TORONTO - Family doctors and paediatricians can influence when parents wean their children from the bottle, thereby helping to reduce tooth decay, obesity and iron deficiency, according to a new study by researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

Impact of HPV infection of the airway measured for the first time

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – For the first time, the scope and devastating impact of the human papilloma virus (HPV) infection of the airway in children has been measured, according to a new population study from the University of Toronto and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

SickKids President & CEO Appointed to the Order of Canada

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto - The Board of Trustees and Senior Management Team at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto are delighted that Mary Jo Haddad, President & CEO of SickKids has been appointed a Member of the Order of Canada. The announcement was made earlier today by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada.

New Chief Financial Officer joining SickKids

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 24:00:00 EDT

Denise Arsenault will be joining SickKids as Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President, Finance, effective July 12, 2010. Arsenault will replace Angela Holtham, who is retiring after eight years at the Hospital.

New genetic findings expected to accelerate autism testing and development of treatments

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 24:00:00 EDT

Results of International Autism Genome Project - Phase 2 are unveiled

TORONTO – Canadian and international scientists have uncovered key changes in DNA in individuals with autism. The Phase 2 results of the multinational Autism Genome Project Consortium published in the June 9 advance online edition of Nature, substantiate the importance of genes as susceptibility factors in autism spectrum disorders.

Remembering Dr. Robert Salter

Tue, 11 May 2010 24:00:00 EDT

Dr. Robert Bruce Salter, world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon, researcher, professor, humanitarian and “medical giant” whose pioneering work has impacted millions of people around the world, died May 10 at the age of 85. Dr. Salter was born in Stratford, Ontario on December 15, 1924.

SickKids invited kids of all ages to a “Science Rendezvous”

Mon, 10 May 2010 24:00:00 EDT

Going through obstacle courses, tying intricate knots and checking out bugs – this may sound like a regular day at summer camp, but it was actually an interactive science fair, SickKids-style!

New Kid on the Block

Tue, 04 May 2010 24:00:00 EDT

SickKids announces the most ambitious capital redevelopment plan in its 135-year history

Toronto – The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) today announced the details of the $400 million, 21-storey, 750,000 square foot Research & Learning Tower to be built at the corner of Bay and Elm Streets; bringing together the 2,000 scientists and staff of SickKids Research Institute. The Tower is slated to be completed by 2013. Designed by Diamond and Schmitt Architects Inc. with HDR Inc., the world-class facility will achieve LEED® Gold Certification – setting the standard for energy efficiency and sustainable infrastructure in Toronto’s Discovery District. The construction contract to build the Tower was awarded to Ellis Don Corporation.

SickKids celebrates Earth Day

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 24:00:00 EDT

It's easy being green. Just ask Rana Alhegagi, 9, a patient at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). She was the lucky child chosen to take part in a tree-planting ceremony to commemorate Earth Day's 40th Anniversary earlier this afternoon. "Going green is fun," says Alhegagi. "I've never planted a tree before. I'm so excited."

SickKids exhibit gives voice to youth from Toronto’s at-risk neighbourhoods

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 24:00:00 EDT

My Dream project highlights students’ needs and aspirations

TORONTO –

SickKids signs historic partnership to develop state-of-the-art children’s hospital in Qatar

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO –The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has partnered with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Qatar to advise on the creation of a brand new, state-of-the-art children’s hospital in the Middle East.

AboutKidsHealth receives $4.5 million from the Government of Canada

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 24:00:00 EST

At a special ceremony earlier today, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced the Government of Canada would contribute $4.5 million over three years to AboutKidsHealth.

The Sweet Side of Pain Management

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 24:00:00 EST

Just a drop or two of sugar water (sucrose) really does go a long way in reducing pain in infants, who are exposed to pricks and pokes and more during their hospital stay. That’s according to researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Using sucrose is the most frequently studied non-drug approach to managing pain in infants and now SickKids researchers have compiled the most comprehensive analysis of the data yet. The study is in published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 1.

Fold up the genetic “roadmap”: SickKids researchers unveil “GPS” to navigate human genome

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Exploring the vast landscape of the human genome has been crucial in the understanding of human diseases. Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and an international research team have made a major scientific advancement in the study of the genome. The researchers have developed the most comprehensive map yet of genetic variation. The study is published in the Oct. 7 advance online edition of Nature.

SickKids takes learning to a higher level with launch of Learning Institute

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Medical science is evolving at an exponential rate, while clinicians are treating more and more patients with complex conditions that require the expertise and management of multiple health-care providers. Top professionals are constantly learning and refining their skills in order to stay abreast of the latest developments.

SickKids scientists discover a potential treatment for a previously untreatable bone cancer

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – While recent advancements in cancer research have led to longer survival rates, there are still some cancers that are not responsive to existing treatments. Chondrosarcoma, a rare bone cancer that develops in the bone cartilage, is one of the cancers that is not effectively treated with chemotherapy. Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto have found a novel approach to treating this disease.

Battling the bulge?

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 24:00:00 EDT

SickKids scientists find the immune system weighs heavily in reducing the health risks of obesity and Type 2 diabetes

Do you want to spit for science?

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 24:00:00 EDT

SickKids researchers invite kids to be part of a massive science project – by spitting in a tube at the Ontario Science Centre

SickKids part of $6.4 million research grant

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 24:00:00 EDT

SickKids researcher, Dr. Philip Sherman, is part of a major $6.4 million grant from Ontario Research Fund announced June 23 by the Ministry of Research and Innovation.

Sherman, SickKids Senior Scientist, Cell Biology, at the Research Institute and Staff Gastroenterologist, is part of a collaborative project that aims to treat debilitating diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by developing new biological materials that can repair and regenerate damaged tissues. Sherman is also a Professor of Paediatrics, Microbiology and Dentistry at the University of Toronto, a Canada Research Chair in Gastrointestinal Disease and a Scientific Director with the Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes at CIHR.

The project, led by Dr. Michael Sefton of the University of Toronto, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, is titled Therapeutic biomaterials for regenerative medicine. The total SickKids’ budget for this project is $2.9 million.

The research, a partnership with Toronto-based company Rimon Therapeutics Ltd., is based on using “therapeutic polymers” called Theramers™ which have biological activity and can be used to repair and regenerate diseased tissues without the use of cells, drugs or soluble factors. Such materials, regulated as devices, have potentially a shorter time to market than devices with cells or drugs.

The grant is part of the provincial government’s investment of $42 million to support the work of 15 Toronto-based research projects and more than 100 researchers. It is part of the government’s $94 million province-wide investment to support 31 world-class research projects and more than 300 researchers in seven communities across Ontario.

The research grant from Ontario Research Fund also supports SickKids’ researchers working with the Ontario Pre-Clinical Imaging Consortium project led by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. The collaborators for this project are Dr. Mark Henkelman, Director, Mouse Imaging Centre, and Senior Scientist, Physiology & Experimental Medicine with the Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics (TCP), and also Professor, Medical Biophysics and Medical Imaging at University of Toronto; and Dr. John Sled, Scientist, Physiology & Experimental Medicine at the Research Institute, and Assistant Professor, Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto. The total SickKids’ budget for this project is $1.5 million.

To read more about the announcement please visit the Ministry of Research and Innovation website.

SickKids doctors to address the UN this week

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Doctors coordinate an international network to reduce the adverse effects of Sickle Cell Disease around the world

The United Nations has declared this Friday, June 19, 2009 the first-ever Sickle Cell Anaemia Awareness Day, and two leading physicians from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) will mark the occasion by speaking to international leaders about recent initiatives to reduce the effects of sickle cell disease (also known as sickle cell anaemia) around the world.

SickKids receives over $6.4 million dollars in CFI funding to support leading researchers

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Dr. Janet Rossant, Chief of Research at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto, welcomed the $6,476,707 investment announced today by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). This funding will advance two innovative projects led by SickKids scientists.

Motherisk broadens international scope and delivers safety messages to more pregnant moms worldwide

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 24:00:00 EDT

The Motherisk Program’s mission is simple: to safely treat the mother without hurting the baby. Based at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the program is widely recognized as the pre-eminent international centre for the study of the safety or risk of medications during pregancy and breastfeeding. The program also offers a call centre for parents to obtain advice and address any concerns related to these exposures.

International research team identifies autoinflammatory syndrome

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 24:00:00 EDT

A team of international researchers, including doctors at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), has identified an autoinflammatory disorder of the bone and skin. Autoinflammatory diseases are made up of a group of genetic disorders that can cause recurrent and persistent inflammation lesions that can affect the skin, joints, bones, eyes, the GI tract and the nervous system, including hearing.

Cancer stem cell studies could open the door to personalized, targeted treatments for brain cancers

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers develop new technique that maintains cancer stem cell “purity,” provide insight into targeting cells for future therapies

(Toronto) – Scientists in Toronto and in the United Kingdom have developed a new technique to efficiently grow cancer stem cells in the lab. This finding not only provides insight into how malignant brain tumours are formed, it is also a significant step forward in the quest to develop individualized therapy for patients with brain cancer. The research will be published in the June 4th advance online edition of the journal Cell Stem Cell.

SickKids president elected chair of Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Mary Jo Haddad, President and CEO, SickKids, has been elected chair of the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario (CAHO). Haddad will lead CAHO for a two-year term, effective immediately. The announcement was made at the CAHO annual meeting on May 29.

HOT TOPIC - Researchers find children under five living in poor neighbourhoods have the greatest chance of being killed in a homicide

Thu, 28 May 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Children under five living in Canada’s poorest urban neighbourhoods have the highest risk of death by homicide, according to a new study. A team of researchers from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Bloorview Kids Rehab and Statistics Canada investigated the relationship between homicides and socioeconomic status in children under the age of 15. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that children in poorer neighbourhoods have three times the risk of homicide as children in high-income neighbourhoods, with children under five at the highest risk.

Lee appointed to steering committee of Chinese research centre

Thu, 28 May 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Dr. Shoo Lee, Head, Division of Neonatology, Women's Auxiliary Chair in Neonatology, has been appointed to the steering committee of a major Chinese research centre, a position that will see him advise the institution on its future direction and strategy.

"Junk" drives tumour growth

Tue, 26 May 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Novel cancer gene accelerates or stops tumour growth depending on amount of "junk" in cell

(Toronto) - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found a gene that plays a crucial role in the development of rhabdomyosarcoma – the most common childhood sarcoma (soft tissue cancer). The gene is called integrin-linked kinase (ILK) and is unique in that it can act as both a tumour suppressor and a tumour promoter. The study is published in the June issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

First in Canada: baby has heart procedure while inside her mother’s womb and is now doing fine

Fri, 08 May 2009 24:00:00 EDT

(Toronto) – In a Canadian first, doctors at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Mount Sinai Hospital successfully performed a lifesaving heart intervention on a baby in utero. A team of doctors, including Dr. Edgar Jaeggi, Head of the Fetal Cardiac Program at SickKids, Dr. Greg Ryan, Head of the Fetal Medicine Unit at Mount Sinai and Dr. Lee Benson, Director of the Cardiac Diagnostic and Interventional Unit at SickKids, expanded the baby’s aortic valve using a balloon catheter inserted through the mother’s abdomen while the baby was still in her womb to reverse the baby’s heart failure before birth. This allowed the baby to remain safely in utero for a crucial extra month.

Michael Taylor one of Canada's top 40 under 40

Wed, 06 May 2009 24:00:00 EDT

SickKids' Dr. Michael Taylor, Neurosurgeon, Neurosurgery; Principal Investigator, Brain Tumour Research Centre; and Scientist, Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, has been named one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40.

Canadian kids don't get enough Vitamin D

Mon, 04 May 2009 24:00:00 EDT

SickKids study finds one third of urban Canadian toddlers have deficiency

Stem cells are going green to study autism

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Scientists have developed a new technique to quickly identify stem cells with the goal of fast-tracking medical advancements

Morning sickness may lead to brighter kids

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 24:00:00 EDT

(Toronto) - For many expectant mothers, that queasy feeling is one of the hardest parts of pregnancy. But new research reveals that mom’s nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP), commonly known as morning sickness, may actually result in a smarter baby.

SickKids scientists muscle in on cause of muscular dystrophy

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 24:00:00 EDT

An international group of researchers led by scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Research Institute has found the gene that causes a form of muscular dystrophy. The study is published in the April 17 issue of Cell.

SickKids’ Corporate Ventures office licenses peptide discovered by Research Institute scientists to treat chronic pain

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 24:00:00 EDT

A new pharmaceutical technology licensed in February by the Corporate Ventures office at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) may help treat neuropathic and inflammatory pain in children and adults, but without the serious side effects that can accompany currently available treatments.

Pregnant women shouldn’t fear taking antidepressant drugs

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers have found taking antidepressants during pregnancy does not increase the chance of birth defects

(Toronto) – Taking an antidepressant during pregnancy has become a difficult and complicated process, mostly because of the conflicting information regarding safety. Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children’s (SickKids) Motherisk Program studied the link between antidepressants and birth defects. The research will be published in the April edition of The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

Scientists uncover a new one-two punch combination that knocks out infection

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers find a new role oxidants play in fighting bacteria

TORONTO – For many years, we have heard about the harmful effects of oxidants (compounds that are highly reactive). They have been labelled as “bad” molecules because they are often associated with radiation exposure and the damage of cellular parts such as DNA and proteins. But not all oxidants are “bad”.

SickKids scientists selectively erase fear memories and gain insight into how the memory works

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – It may sound like something out of a science fiction movie – but bad memories can be erased in mice and this finding sheds light into how memories are normally encoded and stored in the brain. In a study published in the March 13 issue of the journal Science, researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have established a link between specific neurons and a given memory.

Genetic research narrows in on cause of childhood brain cancer

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 24:00:00 EST

Researchers hope the discovery of multiple genetic mutations leads to improved cancer treatments

TORONTO – Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have discovered a family of eight genes that are mutated in patients with medulloblastoma – the most common childhood brain cancer. The research is published in the March 8 online edition of Nature Genetics.

HOT TOPIC - Heavy drinking during pregnancy could lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 24:00:00 EST

Mothers who drink heavily during pregnancy put their children at risk of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), a cognitive and developmental disorder with long-term effects. New research started at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) documents the lifetime costs to Canada of the estimated 4,000 children born with FASD every year. The study is the first to estimate the cost of FASD to the Canadian economy.

Sugar water: The sweet solution for pain relief in babies that lasts

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Something as simple as a diaper change after a blood test can be painful for infants. But according to a new study, an ingredient found in your kitchen cupboard –ordinary sugar – could be the answer.

New insight into MS – Researchers shed light on an underlying cause of damage to the nerve coating

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 24:00:00 EST

A team of scientists has found changes in the amount, or charge, of a protein may cause the breakdown of myelin – the protective casing that surrounds nerve fibres – in MS patients. The study is published in the advance online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

Lunatic and Manic Proteins Sweeten Immune Cells

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 24:00:00 EST

SickKids researchers have discovered a molecular interaction that controls the development of immune cells in the spleen

Toronto - The spleen is a little talked about organ that has a big job. It helps clear away bacteria and other infections that get into the blood. All the blood is filtered through the spleen, where there are special immune cells called Marginal Zone (MZ) B cells. These MZ B cells help get rid of bacteria. Dr. Cynthia Guidos, SickKids Senior Scientist and Professor in Immunology at the University of Toronto and Dr. Sean Egan, Senior Scientist and Associate Professor in Medical Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Toronto, found an important molecular interaction that controls the development of the MZ B cells. Their findings are published today in the on-line edition of Immunity and will be published in the Feb 20 print issue.

SickKids researchers solve a universal lab test mystery

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 24:00:00 EST

It is a phenomenon that has boggled molecular scientists for decades … the protein size puzzle. It has to do with a lab test called SDS-PAGE, arguably the world’s most commonly used biochemical lab method. The procedure is used to identify and study proteins. But while it is widely used, it often doesn’t give correct readings for certain types of proteins and scientists have been at a loss to explain why.

Repatriated Canadian scientist leads an international study on the discovery of the first gene linked to the most common form of epilepsy

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 24:00:00 EST

Lisa Strug a Scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Assistant Professor, Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, was the lead author of a paper
published today in the online issue of the European Journal of Human Genetics, in advance of the print edition.

Researchers identify potential new weapon in battle against HIV infection

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 24:00:00 EST

(Toronto) - Researchers have discovered a potentially important new resistance factor in the battle against HIV: blood types. An international team of researchers from Canadian Blood Services, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Lund University in Sweden have discovered that certain blood types are more predisposed to contracting HIV, while others are more effective at fending it off.

SickKids’ health information website, AboutKidsHealth.ca becomes a national source for child health information

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – AboutKidsHealth.ca, a child health information website created by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), is providing resources to centres across Canada to ensure that Canadian parents have easy access to reliable child health information. Through partnerships with Sympatico / MSN, IWK Health Centre and other hospitals, child health news from AboutKidsHealth.ca will reach more Canadian families than ever before.

SickKids hosts joint symposium with Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto – Advancing its partnership with the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (SIBCB), one of China 's leading life science research institutes, SickKids hosted the first in a series of international symposia. On October 20 th TheToronto-Shanghai Joint Symposium on Stem Cell and Systems Biology , organized in collaboration with the Department of Molecular Genetics and the Terrence Donnelly Center for Cellular & Biomolecular Research at the University of Toronto, featured presentations by six SIBCB scientists including Dr. Naihe Jing, Acting Director of SIBCB, and six Toronto researchers including Dr. Freda Miller and Dr. Steve Scherer from SickKids.

New understanding of the aging brain

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Variations of the gene that protects the brain as it ages may also indicate a susceptibility for Alzheimer's.

A team of researchers led by scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has discovered that the mammalian gene, p73 is essential for protecting the brain through the normal aging process. The findings suggest that reduced levels of p73 may increase a person's likelihood of developing Alzheimer's or another neurodegenerative disorder. Their findings are published in the September 2008 issue of Neuron .

Seeing eye to eye with…the fly? SickKids scientists confirm common ancestry of the eyes in humans and flies

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto - Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have established that despite our many differences, the genes that control the development of eyes in humans and flies are remarkably similar. This research, published in the September 9, 2008 issue of the journal Current Biology, suggests that the eyes of invertebrates (such as fruit flies) and vertebrates (such as humans) have a common ancestry.

SickKids scientists uncover the key to controlling how stem cells develop

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto – Canadian researchers are one step closer to controlling human embryonic stem cell differentiation thanks to the work of scientists Dr. Cheryle Séguin and Dr. Janet Rossant of the Developmental and Stem Cell Biology program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

SickKids scientists demonstrate link between DNA copy number changes and cancer risk

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Discovery may lead to the early identification of individuals who are predisposed to developing cancer

Next generation of scientists in training at SickKids

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Last year, third-year science student Stephanie Taillefer's summer job was filing medical records in a dark, windowless basement in Barrie . “It was mind-numbing work,” she says, “and it gave me paper cuts.”

SickKids Scientist Dr. Lisa Robinson nationally recognized as a mentor of tomorrow’s researchers

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto – SickKids Scientist and Staff Physician Dr. Lisa Robinson received today the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Synapse Award. This award recognizes her outreach and guidance to youth and her contribution to the next generation of health scientists.

The Synapse award, worth $5000, is all the more special because the awardees are selected by the CIHR Youth Outreach Advisory Board – the very youth that have been inspired by the actions of these scientists. Robinson was nominated for her ongoing efforts to mentor youth through the Kids Science program that she founded and runs at The Hospital for Sick Children. The Kids Science program is designed to reach out to ‘at risk' youth and those who might not have exposure to science and technology opportunities in their communities. Through school visits from researchers, lab visits at SickKids, an annual event at SickKids - the Science Extravaganza - and youth mentoring, Robinson and her team provide youth with an opportunity to learn, experience research first-hand and consider the many academic opportunities and career options that are available in the world of science.

"When it comes to mentorship, Lisa Robinson is a leader for all of us here at SickKids," says Dr. Janet Rossant, Chief of Research. "Through the Kids Science program, Lisa inspires young people to consider a brighter future that is full of career possibilities in science and health research. And she reminds all researchers that, while it is important to succeed in our respective career paths, it is equally important to help young people follow in our footsteps."

The CIHR Synapse initiative is a program designed to bring together health researchers and young students across Canada. Synapse is a popular program in the science community with more than 4,000 CIHR-funded health researchers already signed up to become CIHR Synapse mentors. The program works to connect high school students with these mentors, to give them hands-on training experience that will help create the next generation of Canadian health researchers.

Breakthrough at SickKids: How cancer stem cells ‘hide’ in tumours

Fri, 23 May 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto - A group of investigators at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) published a paper in the May 2008 issue of the journal, Stem Cells, which documents the role of hypoxia –low oxygen content – on the growth of cancer cells. Dr. Bikul Das, a research fellow in the Division of Pathology at SickKids under the primary supervision of Dr. Herman Yeger, and co-supervision of Dr. Ernest Cutz, at SickKids in collaboration with Drs. David Malkin, Gideon Koren, Sylvain Baruchel also of SickKids and, and Dr. Rika Tsuchida, a former SickKids research fellow, who is now at University of Tokyo, have demonstrated that cancer stem cells appear to hide in the low oxygen areas of the tumour and in effect, avoid the lethal effects of drug and radiation therapies. This discovery explains in part why cancers may at times recur, even after having initially responded to treatment.

SickKids researchers provide new information to improve treatment of complications of pneumonia in children

Wed, 14 May 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto – Drs. Eyal Cohen, Michael Weinstein of the Department of Paediatrics and the Paediatric Outcomes Research Team at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), and Dr. David N. Fisman a scientist in the Child Health Evaluative Sciences program at SickKids Research Institute published this month in the prestigious journal Pediatrics , a compelling analysis of the various treatment strategies for paediatric empyema, a complication of pneumonia where pus is collected in the airways. This condition is increasing in incidence throughout the developed world.

Scientists develops new model for determining optimal antibiotic use for treatment of community acquired pneumonia

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 24:00:00 EDT

A group of Toronto scientists including Dr. David N Fisman, a scientist in the Child Health Evaluative Sciences program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), have developed a theoretical model to guide the best use of antibiotics for treating infectious diseases. This model estimates the risk of a bad outcome (such as death), based on the use of antibiotics to which resistance may be emerging. The model can also take into account various risk probabilities of the infectious agent as well as the age and health of patients. Fisman and team tested this model using the best available data on pneumonia and antibiotic resistance in Canada , the US and Europe . The model was built because current guidelines for antibiotic use do not consider the size of changes in risk for patients when certain antibiotics are used despite the presence of resistance in bacteria. This research is published online and in the April 15 th issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

SickKids Scientists discover potential therapeutic agent for cancer

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 24:00:00 EST

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (Sickkids) have made an important research discovery which may influence the way that chemotherapy is delivered in certain types of cancer. The discovery is highlighted in a research paper, entitled “ Inhibition of Multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1) by AdamantylGb3, a globotriaosylceramide analog ”, published in today's issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC).

Scientists discover a genetic combination that may worsen pulmonary disease in paediatric CF patients; Finding could pave the way for future clinical trials and genetic tests

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the University of British Columbia (UBC), the University of Toronto (UofT) and Université de Montréal (UdeM) have identified key genetic factors influencing the severity of lung disease in paediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Their research is reported this month in The Journal of Clinical Investigation .

Canadian scientists find frequent structural changes of chromosomes in autism

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 24:00:00 EST

Copy number alterations of genes contribute to autism in seven per cent of cases

Cell biologists find clues to chronic bacterial infection

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – The January 17, 2008 issue of the prestigious journal, Nature, includes an article by researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), University of Toronto and Harvard Medical School that documents new knowledge about one chronic bacterial infection and suggests a pattern for others.

SickKids scientists discover new method to track an important lipid in the cell

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 24:00:00 EST

Toronto - An important cellular membrane lipid, phosphatidylserine (PS), through its negative charge, is responsible for regulating the surface charge of cellular membranes, a biophysical entity that can impact the function of many signaling proteins in the cell. Up until now, the distribution of this lipid within the cell was poorly understood, due to the lack of available experimental tools. By creating a novel biosensor that can recognize this lipid specifically, the precise localization of PS in the cell has been revealed. This discovery, published tomorrow in the journal Science , opens new paths in the study of this lipid in the cell.

SickKids scientists discover one of the genetic variations responsible for kidney failure in diabetics

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 24:00:00 EST

Toronto - Following a two-year genetic association study, scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have discovered that variations in the gene SOD1 are linked to the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy (kidney failure). This research is reported in the January issue of the journal Diabetes.