The Hospital for Sick Children | research | News

3D model of cellular “pump” may hold clues to developing new treatments for diseases

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have developed a new three-dimensional model of the physical structure of Vacuolar-type ATPase (V-ATPase). V-ATPase is a molecular complex that uses energy from a chemical called ATP to control the acidity within parts of the cell. Understanding the structure of V-ATPase provides a better understanding of how it works in normal cells, and also provides insights into how it can be controlled in cells affected by disease. The study is published in the February 2010 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Worms may hold key to better cancer treatment, SickKids study finds

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 24:00:00 EST

Researchers discover gene that influences cellular response to radiation

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have made a surprising discovery about how cells respond to radiation. New research on the kri-1 gene in worms indicates that radiation-induced cell death is not solely controlled within the affected cell, as previously thought. It appears that signals sent from neighbouring cells are required to instruct damaged cells to destroy themselves. The discovery is published in a recent issue of Current Biology.

SickKids researcher awarded $3.5 M from the Ministry of Research and Innovation to study chronic pain

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 24:00:00 EST

Funding will support research into development of more effective therapies

TORONTO – Dr. Michael Salter, a researcher at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), has been awarded a Research Excellence Grant from the Ministry of Research and Innovation’s Ontario Research Fund (ORF) to study chronic pain. The grant, totalling $3.5 million over five years, will support lead investigator Salter and his team to study pain pathways and potentially develop innovative new drugs to prevent and treat chronic pain.

SickKids receives $10 million in funding to support medical research and the development of KidsArm

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 24:00:00 EST

Read the backgrounder.

International study finds novel SickKids-developed technique reduces the size of heart attacks by up to 50 per cent

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 24:00:00 EST

SickKids scientists discover a genetic clue for Type 1 diabetes

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 24:00:00 EST

New genetic loci may provide insights into blood glucose control in people with diabetes

A new discovery is providing important insight into how genes may influence a patient’s ability to regulate blood glucose. Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have identified four regions in the human genome that correlate with glucose control in patients with Type 1 diabetes. This discovery is published in the February 2010 issue of Diabetes.

One in three Ontarians at risk of being diagnosed with asthma

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO, February 15, 2010 – New research from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), and Sunnybrook Heath Sciences Centre has found that one in three Ontarians are at risk of being diagnosed with asthma during their lifetimes.

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.

Norman Rosenblum to receive Maureen Andrew Mentor Award

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 24:00:00 EST

Dr. Norman Rosenblum, Senior Scientist, Developmental & Stem Cell Biology, SickKids Research Institute, Staff Nephrologist, SickKids, and Professor, Associate Dean, Physician Scientist Training, departments of Paediatrics, Physiology and Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, is the recipient of the 2010 Maureen Andrew Mentor Award. The award acknowledges individuals who serve as exemplary mentors for trainees and junior faculty working in child health research.

SickKids scientist takes on television of Olympic proportions

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 24:00:00 EST

By Heather Irwin

A familiar face to some in the The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) community will soon be familiar to millions of viewers tuning in to the Winter Olympics beginning Feb. 12.

Dr. Steven Schwartz appointed the inaugural holder of The Norine Rose Chair in Cardiovascular Sciences

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 24:00:00 EST

Dr. Steven Schwartz, Head of the Division of Cardiac Critical Care Medicine and Senior Associate Scientist, Physiology & Experimental Medicine, has been appointed the inaugural holder of The Norine Rose Chair in Cardiovascular Sciences. The formal announcement was made today at a special ceremony.

SickKids researchers find powerful predictor of bone cancer prognosis

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have discovered a powerful new tool that can help predict the prognosis for patients with bone cancer and help doctors more accurately determine how aggressively they need to treat specific patients. They found that the presence of a specific type of genetic mutation found in the tumours results in poorer outcomes for patients with osteosarcoma – the most common bone cancer in children and adolescents. The study is published in the current issue of Cancer Research.

Motherisk study reveals “non-alcoholic” or “low-alcohol drinks” may contain more alcohol than labels claim

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Pregnant women should be cautious when it comes to drinking non-alcoholic or low-alcoholic beverages, says a new study which warns alcohol content labels may be misleading.

SickKids closes $200 million offering to fund construction of Research Tower

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) announced today that it has completed its previously announced offering of $200 million Series A Senior Unsecured Debentures. The 5.217% 40-year debentures will mature on December 16, 2049.

Wood chips or sand: Which makes for a safer playground landing?

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and York University have found that using granite sand as playground surfacing reduced the risk of arm fractures, compared to frequently-used wood-chip surfaces. The study is published this week in the open-access journal PLoS Medicine. Falls on a playground may go with the territory, but many children’s spills and tumbles off playground equipment can lead to emergency room visits and hospital stays. And just how badly a child is hurt not only depends on how far they fall, but also on the type of surface they land on.

SickKids-led international study identifies important piece of puzzling brain tumour

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 24:00:00 EST

An international team of scientists have made an important breakthrough in describing a rare type of brain tumour that currently delivers a grim prognosis to the young children stricken by it.

Women in Cell Biology honour Janet Rossant, SickKids Chief of Research

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 24:00:00 EST

Dr. Janet Rossant, Chief of Research at SickKids and Senior Scientist in the Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, SickKids Research Institute, is the recipient of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), Women in Cell Biology Senior Career Recognition Award for 2009. The Senior Award is given to a woman or man in a later career stage (generally full professor or equivalent) whose outstanding scientific achievements are coupled with a long-standing record of support for women in science and by mentorship of both men and women in scientific careers.

SickKids launches offering to fund construction of Research Tower

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) announced today that it intends to issue approximately $200 million of Series A Senior Unsecured Debentures. The offering will be made by way of a private placement, pursuant to certain exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws of the provinces of Canada, and is expected to be completed prior to December 31, 2009.

SickKids scientists scratch below the surface and identify a stem cell for the lower layer of the skin

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – The skin is known for its ability to regenerate, because the cells in the skin are constantly turning over. This “healing property” has attracted much attention from scientists wanting to know what makes the skin repair itself. Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) are now a step closer to understanding its regenerative power. The scientists are the first to identify a stem cell for the dermis or the second layer of the skin. The study is published in the December 4 issue of Cell Stem Cell.

Dr. Paul Babyn to hold Ontasian Chair in Paediatric Diagnostic Imaging

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 24:00:00 EST

Dr. Paul Babyn, Radiologist-in-Chief, SickKids, has been selected as the Inaugural Chair of the Ontasian Chair in Paediatric Diagnostic Imaging.

Dr. Babyn, who is also an associate professor with the Department of Medical Imaging at University of Toronto, has been on staff at SickKids since 1988. Dr. Babyn has published more than 150 publications to date and is involved in a variety of funded research projects. He has an active role in resident and fellow teaching and is a member of the Radiological Society of North America, Canadian Association of Radiology and the Society of Pediatric Radiology. Dr. Babyn’s main research interests lie in the areas of musculoskeletal radiology and cross-sectional imaging, and health-care informatics.

A chair is an academic honour bestowed on scientists and clinicians to recognize achievements in their field of study or potential to contribute to an area of study. The impressive number of chairs awarded to members of SickKids reflects the excellence and high caliber of the Research Institute’s scientists, clinicians and faculty.

Learn more about the many scientific and academic chairs at SickKids.

Research Institute Scientific Retreat 2009: Not retreating but moving forward in Research

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 24:00:00 EST

On November 27, 865 SickKids Research Institute staff and trainees gathered at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for the Annual Research Institute Scientific Retreat. This year’s retreat featured 194 scientific posters by trainees and platform presentations by researchers that focused on three themes: personalized medicine, stem cells and regenerative medicine and development of new technologies to improve clinical care.

“These important areas are likely to have major impact on the health care system in the next few years and we are lucky to have scientists from SickKids who are at the forefront of advances and who can address the likely future impact,” said SickKids Chief of Research Dr. Janet Rossant.

The Aser Rothstein keynote speaker Dr. Michael Hayden, Killam Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia, Canada Research Chair in Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine and Director of the Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics in Vancouver, followed the flow of the day focusing on genetic research and personalized medicine.

In his presentation entitled Global Adventures in Genetics: from Genes to Therapy, Hayden discussed his work with patients suffering from rare disorders. In studying the genetics behind these disorders, he works to find therapies that could be of use to the greater population. He argued that while we have a long way to go before many applications of personalized therapeutics become an everyday reality, predictive testing is one example which is helping today in early detection and treatment.

Hayden applauded SickKids for its leadership in pharmacogenomics and distinguished the culture of collaboration between researchers and clinicians at SickKids and with their external colleagues as crucial to advancements in health outcomes.

Hayden concluded by speaking directly to research trainees and fellows, “Have the courage and self-confidence to immerse yourselves in questions that matter. Although many of you are separated by language and culture you are united in changing the lives of children and changing medicine for the population.”

The retreat is also a time to honour those who have excelled in the past year. The Citizenship Award recognizes an individual Research Institute staff member who consistently goes "above and beyond" expectations in carrying out their work in the Institute. This year’s honoree, Paul Taylor, is “one of those people who has quietly had a big impact on the Research Institute,” said Dr. John Rubinstein who presented the award. Taylor is a Senior Proteomics Specialist in Molecular Structure & Function and Manager of the Advanced Protein Technology Centre who has conducted seminars, started clubs and written journals to ensure the understanding of mass spectrometry across the board.

The Exceptional Trainee Awards were also presented. Each program acknowledges one trainee for extra efforts to improve research and/or the lives of their colleagues.

Cell Biology – Ian Watson
Child Health & Evaluative Sciences – Dr. Ivan Diamond
Development & Stem Cell Biology – Dr. Akitsu Hotta
Genetics & Genome Biology – Adam Durbin
Molecular Structure & Function – Dr. James Wasmuth
Neurosciences & Mental Health – Dr. Yin Chan
Physiology & Experimental Medicine – David Douda

SickKids researchers play key role in largest gene study of childhood IBD

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 24:00:00 EST

By Beata Rydyger

SickKids scientists recipients of Canadian Cancer Society Awards

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 24:00:00 EST

On Nov. 16, Dr. Lillian Sung, Scientist in Child Health Evaluative Sciences and Dr. Michael D. Taylor, Scientist in the Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, will both be awarded the Canadian Cancer Society Awards of Excellence in Cancer Research.

“My research is focused on supportive cancer treatment for children with cancer,” says Sung. “I am working on trying to better understand, prevent and treat invasive infections that children undergoing chemotherapy treatment often experience.”

Rossant leads Ontario Stem Cell research team thanks to $10 million boost from Ontario government

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 24:00:00 EST

Dr. Janet Rossant, Chief of Research and Senior Scientist in the Developmental & Stem Cell Biology program at SickKids and University Professor in the Departments of Molecular Genetics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Toronto joined Ontario’s Minister of Research and Innovation, the Honourable John Milloy on October 28 as he announced $10 million in funding for the Ontario Initiative in Personalized Stem Cell Medicine. This initiative, led by Rossant, is a joint project involving 30 leading stem cell researchers and six institutes of research across Ontario.

Focused on the advancement of stem cell research and the generation of new innovations in the production of embryonic-like stem cells, the Ontario Initiative in Personalized Stem Cell Medicine is poised to lead in the development of personalized medicine and cutting-edge health care products.

SickKids Exceptional Trainee becomes certified ABMM Diplomate

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Dr. Kaede Ota has been certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM). ABMM certification is the highest credential that a doctoral-level clinical microbiologist can earn in the United States and a rare accomplishment for a Canadian clinician.

Prestigious international rheumatology awards for Laxer and Yeung

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Dr. Ron Laxer and Dr. Rae Yeung have returned from the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting with two of the most prestigious awards in rheumatology, rarely awarded to paediatricians and rarely to Canadians.

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.

Ouch! That hurts!

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 24:00:00 EDT

Childhood vaccinations don’t have to be painful, say SickKids researchers

TORONTO – Most people associate childhood vaccinations with pain, but new Canadian research shows this doesn’t have to be the case.

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.

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.

SickKids Corporate Ventures office licenses new compound that may treat lysosomal storage and neurological disorders

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 24:00:00 EDT

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has licensed its rights to a new compound to Neuraltus Pharmaceuticals in order to further research and development, and move the technology into clinical trials. The compound, which was developed in collaboration with Neuraltus, may be useful in treating certain lysosomal storage disorders and neurological disorders.

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.

Researchers at SickKids identify a protein critical for memory and learning

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Researchers from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have made a breakthrough discovery that may eventually change the way physicians approach treatment of learning and memory defects in children and adults. Their findings are published in the current issue of PLoS Biology.

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.

Unusually High Rates of Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 24:00:00 EST

The magnitude of the rate of resistance to quinolone antibiotics in Ontario is unusually high by any threshold reported in North America.

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 scientist Dr. Teresa To receives Eminent Scientist of the Year Award

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 24:00:00 EST

(Toronto) - Dr. Teresa To, Senior Scientist and Head of the Child Health Evaluative Sciences program at SickKids Research Institute, has been selected to receive the Eminent Scientist of the Year Award 2008 in the field of Pediatrics and Community Health Research, by the International Research Promotion Council (IRPC). Her award is announced in the December issue of Recent Advances and Research Updates , a journal published by IRPC.

SickKids researchers discover the effectiveness of aerobic exercise in children with Fibromyalgia

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 24:00:00 EST

Toronto – Bring on the winter sports and get children active this season because a new study proves once again the benefits of physical activity for children. According to a team of researchers from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Bloorview Kids Rehab, moderate-intensity exercise can significantly improve the health and quality of life of children with Fibromyalgia (FM). This research is reported in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

SickKids led study of mutant gene in fruit flies provides insight into learning and memory deficits

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Learning and memory are key attributes of higher organisms. While many genes have already been linked to these functions, the precise molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these processes have not always been understood. A recent international study led by Dr. Gabrielle Boulianne, Senior Scientist in the Developmental & Stem Cell Biology program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto and Canada Research Chair in Molecular and Developmental Neurobiology, examines a Drosophila (fruit fly) gene that impacts extended memory and also plays a critical role in disrupting associative learning.

Researchers discover a novel therapy for chronic pain by blocking an intracellular protein interaction in the central nervous system

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto have developed a novel peptide for treating pain by blocking an intracellular protein interaction in the central nervous system. This research is reported online on November 16 in the journal Nature Medicine.

Wong receives chair in vision neuroscience

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 24:00:00 EST

Funds provided by SickKids Board of Trustees member

Researchers determine that longer surgical wait times negatively affect infants with inguinal hernias

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 24:00:00 EST

Longer wait times for infant inguinal hernia surgery is associated with more Emergency Department visits and higher complication rates, according to a team of researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). This research is reported in the November 3 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

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.

McInnes to head The American Society of Human Genetics

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto – SickKids scientist Dr. Roderick McInnes has been elected president of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG). A Senior Scientist in the Developmental & Stem Cell Biology program at SickKids and a University Professor and Professor of Molecular Genetics and Paediatrics at the University of Toronto , Dr. McInnes has served on the ASHG Board of Directors from 2005-2007. He will begin his term January 1, 2010 after serving as president-elect in 2009.

Sherman appointed CIHR Scientific Director

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto – SickKids Senior Scientist and Staff Grastroenterologist Dr. Philip Sherman has been appointed incoming Scientific Director of the Canadian Institute's of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (CIHR-INMD) . The appointment announced today by CIHR President Dr. Alain Beaudet and CIHR Governing Council is effective January 1, 2009.

Scientists develop cost effective strategy to address safe drinking water in Bangladesh

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 24:00:00 EDT

(Toronto) – The drinking water of Bangladesh , known to be contaminated with toxic agents can be addressed, according to an international team of volunteer researchers, led by a scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Following years of study of the contaminants in the water, the team has d eveloped a practical strategy to ensure its safety. Their findings are published online ahead of print in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives .

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.

Henkelman receives NCIC's cancer research award

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Dr. Mark Henkelman has been awarded a National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) Award of Excellence in Cancer Research. He is the 2008 recipient of the Robert L. Nobel prize in recognition of his achievements in cancer research

ERA supports SickKids safety scientist

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 24:00:00 EDT

A demanding schedule may be part of the job for health-care professionals, yet the number of hours on duty can affect performance and become a factor in the delivery of care.

SickKids scientist confirms the risks of codeine use and breastfeeding

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto – Using pain treatments which contain codeine may be risky for some breastfeeding mothers, according to research published this week by researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). Dr. Gideon Koren, Senior Scientist in the Child Health Evaluative Sciences program at SickKids Research Institute, Director of Motherisk, Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto, and Richard and Jean Ivey Chair in Molecular Toxicology in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario, published research in the journal, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics which suggests that the codeine used in some pain relief drugs can actually have harmful and even fatal results for infants when ingested by some breastfeeding mothers.

SickKids receives over $91 million in CFI funding to support research infrastructure

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) will receive $91,119,176 in funding for research infrastructure under the Canada Foundation for Innovation's (CFI) Large-Scale Institutional Endeavours (LSIE) component of the Research Hospital Fund (RHF) , announced today by Dr. Eliot Phillipson, President and CEO, CFI, and Dr. Colin Carrie, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry.
“CFI's investment is a testament to the government's commitment to science and technology innovation at SickKids,” says Mary Jo Haddad, President and CEO, SickKids. “This investment will allow our researchers to work together at one location where their combined expertise will lead to discoveries and innovative treatments that will improve not only the health of children but will have a real impact on the health of adults and future generations to come.”

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.”

Malkin to receive Men of Distinction award

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto – Dr. David Malkin, associate chief of research (clinical), senior staff oncologist, senior scientist, and co-director of the Cancer Genetics Program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and professor of paediatrics at the University of Toronto has been selected as a recipient of the 2008 Men of Distinction Award from the Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF). This annual award is given in recognition of excellence and outstanding humanitarian achievement. Recipients are selected by a tribute committee based on their ongoing commitments to the wellbeing of the community.

A spoonful of sugar makes the ‘pain go away’

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 24:00:00 EDT

SickKids researchers confirm sugar as an effective painkiller for newborns

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.

New research warrants caution when applying common therapy to children with severe, traumatic brain injury

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 24:00:00 EDT

( Toronto ) – An international team of researchers from 17 centres led by a scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has discovered that the common practice of cooling paediatric patients after traumatic brain injury does not improve the neurological outcome of patients and may actually increase mortality. Their research is reported in the June issue of The New England Journal of Medicine .

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 celebrated at Innovation Awards Dinner

Wed, 14 May 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto – Three SickKids researchers were presented with Ontario Research Commercialization Program (ORCP) BioDiscovery Toronto awards at a dinner held at MaRS Discovery District on May 14. Drs. Jayne Danska, Deborah O'Connor, and Walid Farhat were each awarded $50,000 to pursue commercial development and prototyping of their intellectual property.

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.

SickKids Chief of Research elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 24:00:00 EDT

SickKids Chief of Research, and Senior Scientist, Dr. Janet Rossant has been elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) (http://www.national-academies.org/ ). Announced in an April 29 th media release from the NAS, Rossant was among 72 new members and one of only 18 foreign associates elected to the Academy this year.

SickKids scientist receives Ontario Premier’s Summit Award

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto – Stephen Scherer, senior scientist at SickKids Research Institute and director of The Centre for Applied Genomics, received the highly coveted Premier's Summit Award last evening at an awards gala hosted by Premier Dalton McGuinty. SickKids President and CEO Mary Jo Haddad had the honour of presenting the prestigious award to Dr. Scherer. The award was created by the Government of Ontario to provide support to outstanding medical research leaders in Ontario .

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.

Use of antidepressant drug paroxetine in early pregnancy does not increase risk of cardiovascular birth defects

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – No association has been found between the use of the antidepressant paroxetine in the first trimester of pregnancy and an increased risk of heart defects in exposed infants according to a study conducted by researchers at The Motherisk Program of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), and the University of Toronto. Their findings are published online today in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Researchers determine traditional treatment for simple bone cysts to be superior to newly adopted method

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 24:00:00 EDT

An international team of researchers, led by Dr. James Wright of The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids), has found that the traditional treatment of steroid injections provides superior healing for children with simple bone cysts compared with injections of bone marrow, a more recent method of treatment adopted by the orthopaedic community. This research is reported in the April 1 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.

International partnership to produce “gold standard” gene copy reference of the human genome

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 24:00:00 EDT

Wellcome Trust grant expands the Toronto Database

Infectious disease risk increases as a result of climate change

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 24:00:00 EDT

SickKids researchers anticipate increases in infectious disease in Canada

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 .

Cancer Research Excellence at SickKids

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 24:00:00 EST

Toronto – With a capacity crowd gathered in the SickKids Main Auditorium, the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) honoured SickKids researchers Dr. Peter Dirks and Dr. Mark Greenberg for excellence in cancer research. Dr. Mr. Michael Wosnik, Executive Director of NCIC and Mr. Peter Goodhand, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society Ontario Division awarded Greenberg with the Dr. O. Harold Warwick Prize, sponsored by the Canadian Cancer Society . Named for the pioneering researcher, the prize is given annually to a scientist whose research has had a major impact on cancer control in Canada . Greenberg's efforts have led to remarkable improvements in survival and long-term outcomes for childhood leukemia, brain tumours and solid tumour cancer care delivery. He has made many contributions to public health policy in this area. Greenberg is senior staff oncologist and professor of Paediatrics and Surgery at the University of Toronto.

Commentary on Cystic Fibrosis research finding emphasizes the need for complimentary scientific approaches to solve complex disease problems

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 24:00:00 EST

Toronto – Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have provided an important commentary on a research finding published in the January 25th edition of the scientific journal Chemistry and Biology . The commentary by Dr. Charles Deber, a Senior Scientist in the SickKid Research Institute's Molecular Structure & Function program, provides perspective and reflections on the results of a research study by Pissarra et al., focusing on the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). The commentary is co-authored by Dr. Joanne Cheung and Dr. Arianna Rath, both post-doctoral research fellows in Dr. Deber's laboratory.

Substance use and pregnancy: Fact or fiction?

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 24:00:00 EST

New Health Canada-sponsored resource helps healthcare professionals advise mothers

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.

Human Genetic Variation” named breakthrough of the year by the journal Science

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 24:00:00 EST

On December 21, the international journal Science announced the breakthrough of the year - the important steps taken by researchers in 2007 to see how genomes differ among individuals and the implications of this variation for deciphering the genetics of complex diseases and personal traits. One of the leading research stories in this area was the publication of the first individual genome sequence of an individual, Dr. J. Craig Venter, decoded by the Craig Venter Institute, along with collaborators at SickKids and the University of California, San Diego related article. »»

Latest Round of Canada Research Chairs announced

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 24:00:00 EST

Strategic investments in research promote innovation

Researchers find that quick injections for babies are less painful

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Infants cry less when they receive immunization shots quickly than they do if the shots are administered slowly, a study by researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) shows. The research team recommends that the fast injection technique be used for routine intramuscular immunizations from now on. This research is reported in the December issue of the Archives of Childhood Diseases.

SickKids researchers find link between iron-deficiency anemia and stroke in young children

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have found that previously healthy toddlers who have a stroke are 10 times more likely to have iron-deficiency anemia than otherwise healthy children of this age group. The study also showed that children with iron-deficiency anemia accounted for more than half of all stroke cases in children without an underlying medical illness, which indicates that iron-deficiency anemia is a significant risk factor for stroke in otherwise healthy toddlers. This research is reported in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.

A New Understanding of the Role of Proteins in Accurate Cell Division

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at SickKids have discovered the role that the mammalian protein Sept 2 plays in cell division, an important breakthrough since failures in the process can lead to cancer. These findings are published in the November 2007 issue of Developmental Cell.

New Territory Mapped in Stem Cell Transplantation

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Transplant research has taken another step forward at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) where scientists have discovered a gene with properties that allow for the successful engraftment of stem cells from human bone marrow into mice. Researchers hope further studies will lead to the development of a therapy so more children with blood diseases can receive bone marrow transplantation.

New study to test oral insulin in the prevention of diabetes

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) are leading the Canadian component of a multinational clinical study aimed at preventing or delaying type 1 diabetes. The Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet study will examine whether taking insulin orally can prevent or delay diabetes in people who are at risk for the disease.

Researchers use skin-derived stem cells to repair spinal cord injuries

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of British Columbia (UBC) have used skin-derived stem cells to repair spinal cord injuries in rats. This research was made possible with the support of a $1.5-million NeuroScience Canada Brain Repair ProgramTM team grant that enabled scientists from across Canada to work together and fast track their research. This research is reported in the September 5, 2007 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

Researchers find that despite evidence of efficacy, topical anesthetics are not commonly used for routine immunization

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 24:00:00 EDT

( TORONTO ) – Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found that even though topical anesthetics have been shown to reduce pain during routine immunizations, they are not widely used by paediatricians. This research is reported in the September 4 issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Childhood immunizations are traumatic for children, their families, health care workers, and society at large. Beyond the acute injection and post-injection pain, repeated immunizations lead to pre-procedural anxiety and hypersensitivity to future painful procedures. In its most extreme form it can lead to avoidance of medical care because of “blood-injection-injury phobia.” The stress upon parents is also profound, leading some parents to become noncompliant with vaccine administration, which in turn contributes to the risk of resurgence of vaccine-preventable disease.

The trauma of having a painful needle experience can last a lifetime. Studies have shown that most needle phobias develop between the age of 4 and 6 and about 10 per cent of the population is needle phobic. More than 50 per cent of school aged children are afraid of needles

Topical anesthetics such EMLA cream (lidocaine-prilocaine) and Ametop gel (amethocaine) have been proven to be highly effective at reducing injection pain, however SickKids researchers found in a survey of physicians and parents that they were rarely used as part of their vaccination pain management strategy. Oral analgesics such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Advil (ibuprofen), however, were used more commonly to manage pain.

The researchers found these results surprising, because scientific evidence consistently supports topical local anesthetics for injection pain but such evidence is equivocal for the use of oral analgesics, which were used more frequently to manage injection and post-injection pain.

“Topical anesthetics do not prevent all pain, but they do reduce it, by about half” said Dr. Anna Taddio, the study's lead author and principal investigator, an adjunct scientist in Child Health Evaluative Sciences at the SickKids Research Institute and pharmacist, and an associate professor of Pharmacy at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto. "There is an expectation that topical anesthetics make injections pain free. Since they do not, people have not adopted their use.”

Taddio noted that topical anesthetics take about 30-60 minutes to become effective which some paediatricians sited time as a barrier to use. Parents, on the other hand, reported that they were unfamiliar with topical local anesthetics, but had been informed about oral analgesics.

“The good news is that if doctors endorse the use of topical anesthetics, like they endorse the use of oral analgesics, patients would be more inclined to use them,” added Taddio.

Other researchers involved in this study were Jennifer Manley, Leah Potash and Moshe Ipp from SickKids, Michael Sgro of St. Michael's Hospital and Vibhuti Shah of Mt. Sinai Hospital.

This research was funded by the Canadian Pain Society, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and SickKids Foundation.

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada's most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children's health in the country. As innovators in child health, SickKids improves the health of children by integrating care, research and teaching. Our mission is to provide the best in complex and specialized care by creating scientific and clinical advancements, sharing our knowledge and expertise and championing the development of an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system. For more information, please visit www.sickkids.ca. SickKids is committed to healthier children for a better world.

First individual human diploid human genome published by international research group

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 24:00:00 EDT

( TORONTO ) - Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), along with collaborators at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), have published a genome sequence of an individual, J. Craig Venter, PhD, that covers both of his chromosome pairs (or diploid genome), one set being inherited from each of his parents.

Two other versions of the human genome currently exist—one published in 2001 by Dr. Venter and colleagues at privately-funded Celera Genomics, and another at the same time by a consortium of government and foundation-funded researchers. These genomes were not of any single individual, but rather were a mosaic of DNA sequences from various donors. In the case of Celera it was a consensus assembly from five individuals, while the publicly-funded version was based on patching together sequences from over 100 anonymous human sources. Both versions greatly underestimated human genetic diversity.

This new genome represents the first time a true diploid genome from one individual—Dr. Venter, has been published. The research is available in September issue of the open assess public journal, PLoS Biology.

Researchers at the JCVI have been sequencing this version of Dr. Venter's genome since 2003. Building on reanalyzed data from Dr. Venter's genome that constituted 60 per cent of the previously published Celera genome, the team had the goal of constructing a definitive reference human genome based on one individual.

The Toronto group, led by Stephen Scherer, PhD, senior scientist in Genetics & Genome Biology at SickKids and professor of Molecular and Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto , assisted in decoding the genetic variants found in Dr. Venter's DNA sequence, as well as in the clinical genetic studies. In particular, they catalogued the copy number variation (CNV) regions, a new form of genetic variation that Scherer's team co-discovered with Charles Lee, PhD at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School , in 2004.

From the combined data of more than 20 billion base pairs of DNA, the international team assembled the majority of Dr. Venter's genetic blueprint. Since this genome assembly uniquely catalogues the contributions of each of the parental chromosomes, for the first time the total amount of variation existing between the two could be determined. Surprisingly, a higher than expected amount of genetic variation was found.

“Each time we peer deeper into the human genome we uncover more valuable insight into our intricate biology,” said Dr. Venter. “With this publication we have shown that human to human variation is more than five fold greater than earlier estimates proving that we are in fact more unique at the individual genetic level than we knew about before.” He added, “It is clear however that we are still at the earliest stages of discovery about ourselves and only with continued sequencing of more individual genomes will we be able to garner a full understanding of how our genes influence our lives.”

Within the human genome there are several different kinds of DNA variants. The most studied type is single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs and some 3.2 million were found in Dr. Venter's genome. This is a typical number expected to be found in any other human genome but at least 1.2 million of these SNPs had not been described before.

The team also found an abundance of other important variants. In fact, hundreds of thousands of CNV or smaller CNV-like variants were discovered. While the SNP events outnumbered the non-SNP variants, the latter class involved a larger portion (74 per cent) of the variable component of Dr. Venter's genome. The combined data suggests that human-to-human variation is much greater than the 0.1 per cent difference found in earlier genome sequencing experiments. The new estimate reveals that genomes between individuals have at least 0.5 per cent total genetic variation (or are 99.5 per cent similar).

According to Samuel Levy, PhD, lead author and senior scientist at JCVI, “The ability to use unbiased, high throughput, sequencing methods coupled with advanced computational analytic methods, enables us to characterize more comprehensively the wide variety of individual genetic variation. This offers us an unprecedented opportunity to study the prevalence and impact of these DNA variants on traits and diseases in human populations.”

Another important feature that is made possible by having an individual, diploid genome is the ability to generate more informed haplotype assemblies. Haplotypes are groups of linked variations along the chromosomes. Other studies have generated many common haplotypes, however, these are based on averages of large ethnogeographic populations rather than individuals. Individual haplotypes enable scientists to study rare or 'private' variants that might explain and help predict traits and diseases in that particular person—allowing an individualized approach in genomic applications.

“In the future it will be possible to know the parental origin of DNA that contributes, either alone or in combination, to various traits or disease,” said Dr. Scherer. “This landmark study discovered that in an individual genome upwards of 44 per cent of genes were variable in sequence, a number that geneticists have wondered about for 50 years.”

“With this type of knowledge now in hand, the stage is set for an era of personalized medicine where genome sequence information becomes a critical reference to assist with health-related decisions.” concluded Scherer.

This research was funded by J. Craig Venter Institute, Genome Canada/Ontario Genomics Institute, the McLaughlin Centre for Molecular Medicine, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Institute for Advance Research and SickKids Foundation.

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada's most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children's health in the country. As innovators in child health, SickKids improves the health of children by integrating care, research and teaching. Our mission is to provide the best in complex and specialized care by creating scientific and clinical advancements, sharing our knowledge and expertise and championing the development of an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system. For more information, please visit www.sickkids.ca. SickKids is committed to healthier children for a better world.

Researchers find that lithium can promote better bone healing

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found a molecular pathway that plays a critical role in bone healing and have found that the drug lithium can improve the healing process. This research is reported in the July 31 issue of PLoS Medicine.

Researchers find gene associated with ulcerative colitis

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh have identified a previously unsuspected gene found to be associated with ulcerative colitis. This research is reported in the July 5 issue of Current Biology.

Brace provides more efficient and effective treatment for low-risk ankle fractures

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 24:00:00 EDT

Children with low-risk ankle fractures recover faster when treated with a removable brace rather than the traditional cast. A study at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), published in the June issue of the journal Pediatrics, challenging the current practice of routine casting and the necessity for orthopedic care, has found the brace provides earlier recovery of physical function. Additionally, the brace is associated with greater patient and family satisfaction and is also less costly.

Study finds corticosteroids offer effective treatment for "Strawberry Marks"

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found that corticosteroids administered orally can effectively stop the growth and even reduce the size of congenital benign skin lesions in infants. These lesions—dense, usually elevated masses of dilated blood vessels called hemangiomas—are the most common benign tumours of infancy, occurring in about ten per cent of children by one year of age. Sometimes called “Strawberry Marks,” they are seen more frequently in girls, premature infants and twins.

New Ashoka fellow, Dr. Stan Zlotkin

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 24:00:00 EDT

(June 26) Dr. Stanley Zlotkin, head of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and senior scientist at the Research Institute, was recently elected an international fellow of Ashoka, a global association that identifies and supports the world’s leading social entrepreneurs. Three others were elected as well: Dr. Gilles Julien, a pediatrician from Quebec, Sidney Ribaux of Montreal and Jessica Clogg of British Columbia. The four were honoured at a special ceremony on June 6 for their innovative solutions to social problems.

SickKids spin-off will seek new treatments for diabetes

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 24:00:00 EDT

Approach anything but complacent

Canada Foundation for Innovation recognizes leading researchers at SickKids

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 24:00:00 EDT

Public Affairs
The Hospital for Sick Children

Ciruna appointed Canada Research Chair

Fri, 25 May 2007 24:00:00 EDT

The May 23rd national announcement of new Canada Research Chairs puts the spotlight on SickKids Scientist Brian Ciruna, who was appointed Canada Research Chair in Developmental Genetics and Cell Biology. Dr. Ciruna's research is furthering our understanding of the mechanisms of early development. His research team uses zebrafish--a fish that children might use to neutralize their aquariums--to gain insight into how aberrations in cell signaling contribute to congenital malformations and diseases such as Spina Bifida.

Rossant awarded 2007 March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology

Mon, 07 May 2007 24:00:00 EDT

Dr. Jennifer L. Howse (March of Dimes President), Dr. Anne McLaren, Dr. Janet Rossant and Elizabeth Roosevelt Johnston (March of Dimes board member)

Dr. Janet Rossant, Chief of Research at The Hospital for Sick Children was presented with 2007 March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology along with Dr. Anne McLaren of Cambridge University on Monday, May 7, 2007. This award was given to them by the US-based March of Dimes Foundation during the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, which was held in Toronto for the first time. This was also the first time the March of Dimes Prize was shared by two women, and brings to the total number of women who have received this honour to four.

Ontario announces over $11 million provincial match for innovative SickKids centres

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 24:00:00 EDT

Two new centres at The Hospital for Sick Children will receive more than $11 million in support from the Ontario Research Fund (ORF) Research Infrastructure Program, announced today by Deputy Premier George Smitherman, on behalf of Premier and Minister of Research and Innovation Dalton McGuinty. A key component of the province's Research and Commercialization Strategy, the fund aims to keep Ontario's researchers at the leading-edge in priority economic sectors. The Research Infrastructure Program supports new infrastructure through matching funds towards projects that have been awarded grants from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Together with federal funding, the centres have received more than $22 million in government support.

Scientists find that neural stem cell formation may be a factor in abnormal brain development

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Taking an innovative approach to the investigation of genetic syndromes causing learning disabilities and mental retardation, researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Harvard Medical School have found that neural stem cell development during embryogenesis may have a direct effect on abnormal brain development. This research is reported in the April 19 issue of Neuron.

Researchers find that neurons compete to become part of memory networks in the brain

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Columbia University, UCLA, Harvard Medical School and University of California, Irvine have found that there is competition between brain cells during memory formation and that the expression of a particular protein is involved in the success of a brain cell becoming part of a given memory. This research is reported in the April 20 issue of Science.

Researchers find paediatric clinical trials published in general medical journals less frequently

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 24:00:00 EDT

Clinical researchers at SickKids have found that there is a dramatic lack of peer-reviewed publications on paediatric clinical trials. This research is published in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.

Chemicals that regulate neurotransmitter signaling in neurons can also prevent neural stem cell proliferation

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 24:00:00 EDT

Using drugs as probes to interrogate the mechanisms of neural stem cell growth, researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children and Mt. Sinai Hospital have found some surprising facts about how these cells are wired that have important implications for understanding human brain diseases, drug action in the human brain and brain cancer. A number of neuromodulator drugs currently in clinical use for brain disorders have been thought to mainly regulate mature nerve cell circuits in the brain. But chemical screens reveal that these also play a role in regulating the regenerative capabilities of neural stem cells--a potentially important therapeutic target for neurological diseases--and they also show activity against brain tumour stem cells in culture.

Researchers develop new mouse model to better understand neuroblastoma metastasis

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers at SickKids have found that expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 makes neuroblastoma more aggressive and more metastatic in a mouse model. This link between tumour metastasis and the expression of chemokine receptors, like CXCR4, will allow researchers to develop new treatments for neuroblastoma. This research is reported in the January issue of the journal Neoplasia.

SickKids researchers find prenatal multivitamins reduces risk of childhood cancers

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found that taking prenatal multivitamins fortified with folic acid can reduce the risk of three common childhood cancers: leukemia, brain tumours and neuroblastoma. This research was published online on February 21, 2007, in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

Canadian scientists lead international autism genome discoveries

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 24:00:00 EST

Autism-causing genes linked to a special group of neurons

SickKids researchers discover predictive marker for early onset cancer in some cancer-prone families

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found that the rate of shortening of the ends of chromosomes in the white blood cells in people with Li-Fraumeni syndrome can predict the time of the onset of tumour development. This research is reported in the February 15 issue of the journal Cancer Research.

One step closer to understanding the cause of cystic fibrosis

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at SickKids have discovered some of the underlying causes of cystic fibrosis at the molecular level. Deletion of a single amino acid, the most common cause of cystic fibrosis, results in the defect of the cystic fibrosis protein maturation and manifests in cystic fibrosis. These findings are reported in the January issue of Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

Discovery of a critical role for sensory nerves in diabetes opens door to new treatment strategies

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the University of Calgary and The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine have found that diabetes is controlled by abnormalities in the sensory nociceptor (pain-related) nerve endings in the pancreatic islet cells that produce insulin. This discovery, a breakthrough that has long been the elusive goal of diabetes research, has led to new treatment strategies for diabetes, achieving reversal of the disease without severe, toxic immunosuppression. This research is reported in the December 15 issue of the journal Cell.

SickKids scientists named Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Research Scholars

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 24:00:00 EST

SickKids scientists Dr. Freda Miller and Dr. Michael Salter have been named international research scholars by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and will receive five-year awards totaling nearly $500,000.

SickKids receives over $11 million in CFI Funding

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) will receive over $11 million in funding for infrastructure through the Canada Foundation for Innovations’ (CFI) inaugural New Initiatives Fund (NIF) and Leading Edge Fund (LEF) programs, announced today. Funding for these projects is part of a major $422,343,180 investment by the CFI to support 86 projects at 35 institutions across the country.

Researchers redefine understanding of variation in the human genome

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A consortium of scientists led by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI), Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS), Affymetrix Corporation, and the University of Tokyo has created the first map of DNA and gene copy number variation in the human genome. This new resource, which provides critical information for understanding human evolution and disease, was published as a compendium of four scientific manuscripts released November 23 in Nature, Nature Genetics and Genome Research.

Researchers determine that a balance of amino acids determines whether a protein will become elastomeric or amyloid; may have implications for treatment of tissue-degenerative diseases

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children have found that specific combinations of the amino acids proline and glycine are responsible for proteins developing into either elastomeric or amyloid fibrils. This research is reported today in the November 15 issue of the journal Structure.

SickKids researchers show that stem cells found in adult skin can be transplanted and function in mouse models of disease

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO — Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Calgary have found that stem cells derived from adult skin can create neural cell types that can be transplanted into and function in mouse models of disease. This research is reported in the June 14, 2006 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

Researchers identify potential prognostic marker for preeclampsia

Sun, 04 Jun 2006 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO — Researchers at Harvard Medical School and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found a protein that contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, a common problem during pregnancy. This research was reported in the June 4, 2006 online advance issue of the journal Nature Medicine.

Researchers determine that the prognosis for some paediatric brain tumours is correlated with expression of the protein telomerase

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 24:00:00 EDT

A team of researchers from SickKids has identified a new prognostic marker for two types of paediatric brain tumours related to the expression of the protein telomerase. This research was reported in the February issue of the journal Neoplasia and the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

SickKids researchers determine humidity is an ineffective therapy for moderate to severe cases of croup

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO -- Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have determined that humidity is an ineffective therapy for the common childhood ailment croup. This research is reported in the March 15, 2006 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers calculate the costs of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder to Canadians to be upwards of $344 million annually

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and St. Michael’s Hospital have calculated that the annual cost of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder to Canadians is upwards of $344 million a year. This research is reported in the February 28, 2006 issue of the Journal of FAS International.

Researchers describe novel inhibitor of HIV infection

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at SickKids and Canadian Blood Services have found a novel molecule which may prevent many types of HIV from infecting different kinds of cells. This research is reported in the February 20 issue of AIDS.

SickKids receives renewed Genome Canada funding for The Centre for Applied Genomics

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 24:00:00 EST

The Centre for Applied Genomics (TCAG) has secured additional funding – in excess of $5 million – from Genome Canada through the Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI), to maintain and enhance its operations through 2008.

SickKids researchers find morphine and topical anaesthesia effective in treating procedural pain in newborn infants

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found that intravenous morphine used alone or with a topical anaesthetic (tetracaine) effectively reduced levels of pain in newborn infants undergoing insertion of central venous catheters (central lines). This research is reported in the February 15, 2006 issue of the journal JAMA.

About 10 to 15 per cent of newborns require prolonged hospitalization for conditions such as preterm birth, congenital defects and sepsis (a blood stream infection). As part of their medical care, these infants are often exposed to multiple invasive procedures that may be painful.

“It was not so long ago that infants routinely underwent painful procedures without the benefits of analgesia. Our previous studies showed that infants do feel extreme pain, that they remember this pain and that it affects their future pain responses,” said Dr. Anna Taddio, the study's lead author and principal investigator, a SickKids scientist and pharmacist, and an assistant professor of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto.

“Within the last decade, the pendulum started to swing in the other direction, and pain relievers began to be used more liberally in infants. However, more information was needed about the benefits and risks of the different treatment options. We undertook this study to determine the most effective way to manage pain in infants undergoing central line placements and to delineate the side effects associated with their use,” said Dr. Taddio.

The research team studied the relative efficacy and safety of a topical anaesthesia (tetracaine) and intravenous opioid analgesia (morphine), used alone or in combination, for management of pain in newborns undergoing insertion of a central venous catheter. Many hospitalized newborns require central lines for the administration of medication and nutrition. The randomized, double-blind, controlled trial included 132 ventilated newborns in the neonatal intensive care units at SickKids and Mount Sinai Hospital , both located in Toronto, Canada , between June 2000 and July 2005.

The amount of pain was determined by measuring the proportion of time the newborns displayed facial grimacing (brow bulge) during different phases of the central line insertion (skin preparation, needle puncture and recovery).

“We found that morphine, or a combination of morphine and tetracaine, to be the most effective in treating the infants' pain during central line placement. Topical anaesthesia (tetracaine) alone was found to be a weak analgesic. This data can be used to support evidence-based protocols for the management of pain during central line placements in infants,” said Dr. Taddio. “We believe morphine was more effective because it reduced the sensory input derived from the multiple phases of the procedure, while tetracaine decreased sensation from the needle puncture site alone."

Both medications were associated with side effects: morphine caused mild respiratory depression and tetracaine caused erythema (abnormal redness of skin).

Other members of the research team included Amelia Yip and Dr. Patrick McNamara from SickKids, Charlene Lee and Dr. Vibhuti Shah from Mount Sinai Hospital , and Dr. Boriana Parvez from Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, Valhalla , New York .

This research was supported by the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, a Canadian Institutes of Health Research New Investigator Award to Dr. Taddio, an Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund – SickKids Foundation Student Scholarship to Ms. Lee, and SickKids Foundation.

SickKids Foundation is the largest non-governmental granting agency in child health in Canada . Established in 1972, the Foundation has granted over $500 million to The Hospital for Sick Children and over $65 million to researchers across the country. The mission of the Foundation is to inspire our communities to invest in health and scientific advances to improve the lives of children and their families across Canada and around the world.

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada's most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children's health in the country. Its mission is to provide the best in family-centred, compassionate care, to lead in scientific and clinical advancement, and to prepare the next generation of leaders in child health. For more information, please visit http://www.sickkids.ca/.

Researchers identify key protein involved in neuropathic pain

Wed, 14 Dec 2005 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A team of researchers led by Université Laval and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has discovered a protein that plays a major role in neuropathic pain. This discovery, published in the December 16 issue of Nature, paves the way for the development of new diagnostics and treatments for chronic pain.

Dr. Janet Rossant, SickKids’ Chief of Research, receives 2005 Michael Smith Prize in Health Research

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Dr. Janet Rossant, Chief of Research at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), has received the 2005 Michael Smith Prize in Health Research, Canada's most prestigious health research award. The award was presented at the fourth annual Canadian Health Research Awards held yesterday in Ottawa.

Researchers discover a protein responsible for shaping the nervous system

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A team of researchers led by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the University of Toronto (U of T) and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered a protein that is responsible for shaping the nervous system. This research was made possible with the support of a $1.5-million NeuroScience Canada Brain Repair Program team grant that enabled scientists from across Canada to work together and fast track their research. This research is reported in the December 8, 2005 issue of the journal Neuron.

Flipped genetic sequences illuminate human evolution and disease

Fri, 28 Oct 2005 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - By comparing the human genome with that of the chimpanzee, man's closest living relative, researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have discovered that chunks of similar DNA that have been flipped in orientation and reinserted into chromosomes are hundreds of times more common in primates than previously thought. These large structural changes in the genome, called inversions, may account for much of the evolutionary difference between the two species. They may also shed light on genetic changes that lead to human diseases. This research was published in the October 28, 2005 issue of the open-access journal Public Library of Science Genetics ( PLoS Genetics ).

Researchers discover gene involved in heart arrhythmia

Wed, 26 Oct 2005 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - An international team of researchers led by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto has discovered that the cardiac expression of a gene called Irx5 controls the heart's electrical pattern. Alterations in the electrical pattern of the heart lead to electrical disturbances in the heart, a life-threatening condition called cardiac arrhythmias. This research is reported in the October 2005 issue of Cell .

Study proves genetic variations influence severity of cystic fibrosis

Wed, 05 Oct 2005 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Subtle differences in genes other than the defective CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) gene known to cause the disease cystic fibrosis (CF), can significantly modify the severity of CF, a large new multi-centre international study has concluded. A report on the findings appears in the October 6 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

International study provides physicians with guidelines for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and highlights need for individualized patient care

Tue, 04 Oct 2005 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO — A study published by the Cleveland Clinic and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) provides the medical community for the first time with specific guidelines for treating juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), previously known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), a condition that affects approximately one in every 1,000 children. This study is publishing in the October 4 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Researchers find use of multiple sclerosis drug during pregnancy connected to miscarriage and low birth weight

Mon, 26 Sep 2005 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO) - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have determined that women being treated for multiple sclerosis (MS) with beta interferon therapy have increased risks of miscarriage or low infant-birth weight . This research was reported in the September issue of the journal Neurology.
Beta interferon therapy is the most commonly used therapy for treating relapsing-remitting MS. Based on a protein found naturally in the body that helps to regulate the immune system, it is known to help decrease the formation of lesions, reduce the frequency of relapses and help affect the course of the disease.

Scientists identify two key genes linked to aggressive breast cancers

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 24:00:00 EDT

Drugs already in development to target the genetic pathway.

Researchers discover multiple fates for damaged DNA

Tue, 23 Aug 2005 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have discovered that unusual DNA structures; slippery-DNA can completely escape being repaired or even undergo error-prone repair and these process may lead to disease-causing mutations. This research was reported in the August edition Nature: Structural & Molecular Biology.

Researchers discover mechanism of tumour cell survival

Mon, 15 Aug 2005 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have discovered a mechanism of tumour cell survival in a hypoxic environment, which may lead to new treatment options for patients with neuroblastoma. This research was reported in the August 15 edition of Cancer Research.

SickKids researchers find new topical pain cream reduces pain and improves effectiveness of procedures in paediatric emergency department

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO — Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) have found that a new topical anaesthetic (liposomal lidocaine 4% cream, brand name Maxilene) effectively reduced pain for children having IVs inserted (cannulation) in the emergency department and improved procedural success rates. This research is reported in the June 21, 2005 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

Flat Stanley joins SickKids Research Institute as summer student

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO — World traveler Flat Stanley is coming to the Sick Kids Research Institute to accept a position as a summer student in the lab of Dr. Stephen Scherer, a Sick Kids senior scientist, and an associate professor in the Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto .

Sixteen-year-old girl travels 3000 miles to SickKids to fulfill her greatest wish

Wed, 08 Jun 2005 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto, Ontario - A sixteen-year-old Make-A-Wish® recipient has traveled from London, England to Toronto, Canada, to fulfill her greatest wish, to meet the doctor who identified two genes for the illness she suffers from – Lafora disease, which is a severe form of adolescent-onset epilepsy.

SickKids study shows injury rates decreased at Toronto District School Board playgrounds due to safer equipment

Mon, 23 May 2005 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Research at The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) shows that playground injuries among children were significantly reduced after the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) removed hazardous equipment from school playgrounds in 2000 and replaced it with safer equipment. This research is reported in the May 24, 2005 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Janet Rossant, PhD, named next Chief of Research at SickKids

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Janet Rossant, PhD, has been appointed Chief of Research at The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids), effective July 1, 2005. Dr. Rossant is an internationally recognized expert in developmental biology and one of Canada’s top stem cell researchers.

Researchers determine two arthritis medications are safe and effective for children

Wed, 20 Apr 2005 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - An international team of researchers, led by Dr. Earl Silverman of The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids), has found that two arthritis medications (methotrexate and leflunomide) commonly used in adults are safe and effective in children. This research is reported in the April 21, 2005 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine .

SickKids researchers determine most effective treatment for broken thighbones

Tue, 29 Mar 2005 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) have conducted the world’s first multi-centre randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of two standard treatments for treating fractures of the femur (thighbone) in children. This research is reported in the March 26, 2005 issue of the medical journal The Lancet.

Protect children from gas fireplace burns during the holiday season, urges Safe Kids Canada

Mon, 20 Dec 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – With cold winter temperatures fast approaching, Safe Kids Canada is reminding parents to protect young children from gas fireplaces, a dangerous source of heat that can cause severe burns.

SickKids Research Institute celebrates 50th birthday

Fri, 17 Dec 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Pablum, the gene that causes cystic fibrosis, a brain tumour stem cell, the first biological proof that second-hand smoke can affect a fetus. What do all of these discoveries have in common? They were generated from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Research Institute. A celebration was held today to mark the 50 th anniversary of the establishment of the SickKids Research Institute.

Research Milestones at The Hospital for Sick Children

Fri, 17 Dec 2004 24:00:00 EST

Research at SickKids began in 1918 when the Nutritional Research Laboratory was set up to tackle the most pressing child health issue of that time – infant malnutrition. In 1930, Pablum, a precooked baby cereal, was invented in this laboratory, and royalties from the sale of Pablum were used to formally establish The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in 1954.

SickKids Research Institute 50th birthday party – Patients, staff and government officials to celebrate landmark event

Tue, 14 Dec 2004 24:00:00 EST

From the invention of Pablum to the discovery of the cystic fibrosis gene, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has been improving the health of children through its research for over 50 years. Representatives from the federal and provincial governments, as well as a former SickKids patient, will speak of the impact of research at SickKids. A science fair for patients and families will showcase current SickKids research in a fun and interactive way.

SickKids evaluates conjoined twins for separation surgery

Tue, 14 Dec 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A team of physicians at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is currently assessing four-month-old conjoined twins for separation surgery. The twin boys, who are joined at the abdomen, arrived at SickKids on December 2 from Zimbabwe.

SickKids researchers confirm that cancer stem cells initiate and grow brain tumours

Wed, 17 Nov 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have confirmed that childhood and adult brain tumours originate from cancer stem cells and that these stem cells fuel and maintain tumour growth. This discovery has led to development of a mouse model for human brain tumours and opens the door for new therapeutic targets for the treatment of brain tumours. This research is reported in the November 18, 2004 issue of the scientific journal Nature.

Research team discovers possible genetic mechanism behind congenital heart defects

Wed, 03 Nov 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH) have discovered a possible genetic mechanism behind congenital heart defects. This finding has implications for understanding how congenital heart defects occur, and may lead to genetic tests for certain defects, such as proteins that determine how genes are expressed. This also opens new insights into how general chromosome properties can relate to specific disease processes. This research is reported in the November 4, 2004 issue of the scientific journal Nature.

Research team discovers possible genetic mechanism behind congenital heart defects

Wed, 03 Nov 2004 24:00:00 EST

SickKids researchers unmask the potential of stem cells found in adult skin

Sun, 31 Oct 2004 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have shown that stem cells found in adult skin retain their embryonic capability of making many types of cells. This discovery affirms the potential that stem cells derived from this non-controversial source possess for the development of possible therapies for spinal cord injury and nervous system disorders. This research is reported in the November issue of the scientific journal Nature Cell Biology.

SickKids researchers explain why incompatible blood type heart transplants are possible in infants

Sun, 24 Oct 2004 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO — Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have illustrated the mechanisms that allow for successful infant heart transplants with major blood type (ABO) incompatibility. This discovery opens the door for the development of a means to induce incompatible transplantation tolerance in older patients. This research is reported in the November 2004 issue of the scientific journal Nature Medicine (available online October 24, 2004).

Maternal occupational exposure to solvents associated with poorer neurocognitive function in offspring

Mon, 04 Oct 2004 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have linked maternal exposure to organic solvents in the workplace with poorer performance on measures of neurocognitive function, language, and behaviour in offspring. This research is reported in the October 2004 issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Opening of Vivre Encore, a photo exhibit from France capturing daily life of children with cancer

Mon, 27 Sep 2004 24:00:00 EDT

Vivre Encore (To live on) is a photographic exhibition by renowned French photographer Jean-Louis Courtinat. In 1989, Courtinat began accompanying children with cancer as they were being treated in the paediatric ward of the Curie Institute. The result of this two-year project was the Vivre Encore photo exhibit and book.

Surprising discovery reveals gains or losses of large segments of DNA in healthy people

Sun, 01 Aug 2004 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS) have made the unexpected discovery that significant differences can exist in the overall content of DNA and genes contained in individual genomes. These findings, which point to possible new explanations for individual uniqueness as well as why disease develops, are published in the September 2004 issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics (available online August 1, 2004).

New study to explore risk factors for type 1 diabetes

Mon, 07 Jun 2004 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) are recruiting patients for a new natural history study (Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet) that will probe the risk factors and biological events leading to type 1 diabetes. SickKids is the only Canadian centre participating in this National Institutes of Health study that involves 18 centres in the United States, Europe, and Australia.

Toronto's one-of-a-kind Mother's Day event: A hug for SickKids to raise hope, awareness and funds to support paediatric brain tumour research Third Annual Meagan's Walk: Creating a Circle of Hope

Thu, 06 May 2004 24:00:00 EDT

WHAT: Held on Mother’s Day May 9, Meagan’s Walk is a 5 km walk kicking off at Ontario Place and ending at The Hospital for Sick Children with participants forming what is believed to be a world first – hundreds of participants embracing a building. This human hug sends a powerful message of hope to the children and families within. Funds raised through Meagan’s Walk support paediatric brain tumour research at SickKids.

Scientists uncover how the brain retrieves and stores older memories

Thu, 06 May 2004 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and UCLA have pinpointed for the first time a region of the brain responsible for storing and retrieving distant memories. This research is reported in the May 7, 2004 issue of the journal Science.

Ontario study first population-wide look at childhood asthma in Canada 35% increase in the number of children with asthma

Tue, 04 May 2004 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – A new ICES report released for World Asthma Day (May 4) marks the first population-based study in Canada to look at the impact of asthma on children.

Researchers with ICES and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) tracked Ontario children from 0 to 9 years of age between 1995 and 1999. Within this group they examined the incidence (new cases) and prevalence (existing cases) of childhood asthma, the death rate of children with asthma, differences in physician visits and hospitalizations among children with asthma and the general pediatric population, and seasonal and geographic variations of health care use by children with asthma.

Scientists correct cystic fibrosis defect in mice with turmeric extract

Thu, 22 Apr 2004 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Yale University School of Medicine have found that a compound in the spice turmeric corrects the cystic fibrosis defect in mice. This research is reported in the April 23, 2004 issue of the journal Science.

SickKids researchers look at viral triggers for multiple sclerosis in children

Tue, 20 Apr 2004 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have shown an association between paediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) and the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), indicating that exposure to the virus at a certain time in childhood may be an important environmental trigger for the development of MS. This research is reported in the April 21, 2004 issue of JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association).

Researchers identify a new form of disease gene associated with Rett syndrome

Mon, 22 Mar 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have identified an alternate form of the disease gene and protein for the neurodevelopmental condition Rett syndrome. This discovery is being incorporated into a new molecular test that will aid not only in the diagnosis of Rett syndrome, but also for other developmental disabilities. This research is reported in the April issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics (available online March 21, 2004).

Researchers model embryo implantation and tumour metastasis in fruit flies

Thu, 11 Mar 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A research team at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) led by Dr. Howard Lipshitz has discovered that a protein previously linked to mammalian embryo implantation, as well as tumour metastasis, plays similar roles in fruit fly development. This research is reported in the featured article in the March 9, 2004 issue of the scientific journal Current Biology.

SickKids researcher awarded prestigious scientific prize for contributions to medical genomics

Thu, 26 Feb 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Dr. Stephen Scherer of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) was awarded today the 2003 Steacie Prize in the Natural Sciences for outstanding scientific research carried out in Canada. The prize is one of Canada's most prestigious science awards encompassing a wide range of disciplines including mathematics, engineering, chemistry, physics, and biology.

SickKids scientist to receive prestigious award

Wed, 25 Feb 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO —Dr. Stephen Scherer of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto will be awarded the 2003 Steacie Prize in the Natural Sciences for outstanding scientific research carried out in Canada. The prize is one of Canada’s most prestigious awards that recognizes a wide range of disciplines including mathematics, engineering, chemistry, physics, and biology.

When: Thursday, February 26, 2004
10 a.m.

SickKids offers tips for treating fever in children

Wed, 18 Feb 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO – A child with a fever is one of the most common reasons for a trip to the Emergency Department. Parents are worried about their sick child and are unsure of what to do to lower their child's temperature. Parents' fears about fever can often lead to improper use of fever medications and in some cases, unnecessary trips to the doctor's office or local hospital. Emergency Department physicians at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) want to help parents in these situations by offering tips on how to treat children with fever.

SickKids researchers find obesity not linked to asthma in children

Thu, 12 Feb 2004 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have shown that there is no association between obesity and asthma in Canadian children age four to 11 years. Other risk factors for asthma in this age group were identified, including a maternal history of the disease. This research is reported in the February 2004 issue of The Journal of Pediatrics .

SickKids researchers determine the protein Gli2 is a key regulator controlling cell proliferation in the epidermis

Wed, 31 Dec 2003 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have determined that the protein Gli2 is a key regulator controlling cell proliferation in the epidermis (the outer layer of skin). This supports the group’s past findings that Gli2 can function abnormally as a cancer-inducing gene in the adult skin. The researchers have also determined that Gli2 plays a pivotal role in hair development. This research is reported in the January 15 issue of the scientific journal Genes & Development.

SickKids researchers develop vector for potential cystic fibrosis gene therapy

Tue, 23 Dec 2003 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A research team at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) led by Dr. Jim Hu has developed a new gene therapy method that might be used for treating infections related to cystic fibrosis (CF). This research is reported in the December 23 issue of the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

SickKids team deciphers kids’ terms for private body parts and functions

Tue, 09 Dec 2003 24:00:00 EST

Poombinga, bechos, boli bushushek and kalinirehem may look like gibberish to some people, but to children trying to explain themselves, they represent important things.

SickKids researchers link maternal folic acid intake to decrease in deadly childhood cancer

Thu, 25 Sep 2003 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - A research team at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) has shown that folic acid food fortification has resulted in a 60 per cent reduction in the incidence of neuroblastoma, a deadly childhood cancer. This research is reported in the September 2003 issue of the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

The Hospital for Sick Children receives $2 million gift to establish Mira Godard Chair in Vision Research

Tue, 09 Sep 2003 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) announced today a $2-million gift from Mira Godard, establishing in perpetuity, the Mira Godard Chair in Vision Research. This is the first private donation to a vision research chair in Canada. The chair, held jointly with the University of Toronto, will provide vital resources to ensure that advances continue to be made in the research and treatment of eye disorders leading to blindness.

SickKids scientists identify gene for most severe form of adolescent epilepsy

Sun, 07 Sep 2003 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - An international research team led by Drs. Berge Minassian and Stephen Scherer of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) has identified a gene responsible for the most severe form of teenage-onset epilepsy, known as Lafora disease (LD). The discovery is reported in the September issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

Researchers identify a new molecular player in chronic pain

Wed, 13 Aug 2003 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO (August 13, 2003) — Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (HSC) and the National Institute of Health Sciences in Japan have identified a molecule that causes neuropathic pain, a sharp and chronic pain associated with nerve injury and diseases affecting the nervous system. This finding may lead to a new and previously unknown way of treating chronic pain. This research is reported in the August 14 issue of the scientific journal Nature.

SickKids researchers identify possible SARS diagnostic test

Sun, 01 Jun 2003 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers in Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg, including the laboratory of SickKids' Dr. Raymond Tellier, published a landmark study on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Canada in The New England Journal of Medicine on Monday night. The full article was published online in early release.

DNA sequence of chromosome 7 decoded - Canadian-led project generates database with medical annotation available to the public

Thu, 10 Apr 2003 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have compiled the complete DNA sequence of human chromosome 7 and decoded nearly all of the genes on this medically important portion of the human genome. The research, which involved an international collaboration of 90 scientists from 10 countries, publishes in the online version of the scientific journal Science on April 10, 2003.

Exposure to antidepressants trazodone and nefazodone does not increase risk of birth defects

Sat, 01 Mar 2003 24:00:00 EST

A Motherisk study, published in the March issue of the scientific journal The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, demonstrates that the use of trazodone and nefazodone does not increase the rates of major malformations, above the expected baseline rate of one to three per cent.

Researchers identify gene for rare disease found primarily in Quebec

Tue, 04 Feb 2003 24:00:00 EST

An international team of researchers in Quebec, Boston, and at SickKids has identified the gene for Leigh syndrome French Canadian variant (LSFC), a genetic disease found primarily in the Saguenay-Lac St. Jean region in Quebec. This research is reported in the January 14 issue of the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

SickKids researchers create novel mouse model for leukemia

Tue, 21 Jan 2003 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have created a mouse model relevant to the study of lymphoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The mouse model will allow for further research into the genetic causes of leukemia and help define genetic markers that will improve prediction of the risk for spread of leukemia into the brain. This research is reported in the January 21 issue of the scientific journal Cancer Cell.

SickKids researchers pinpoint link between diabetes and nervous system autoimmunity, resulting in new therapeutic and diagnostic targets

Mon, 20 Jan 2003 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have extended their earlier discovery of an unsuspected link between Type 1 diabetes and nervous system autoimmunity, such as that found in multiple sclerosis (MS). This research has identified new therapeutic targets for diabetes prevention, and a strategy for diagnostic tests for early detection of diabetes risk. The research is described in the February issue of the scientific journal Nature Medicine, available online on January 21, 2003.

Distinguished Spinal Cord Researcher receives Barbara Turnball Award - $50,000

Fri, 17 Jan 2003 24:00:00 EST

SickKids' David Kaplan leading way for Canada-based researchers

View a photo from the event
Dr. David Kaplan, one of Canada's outstanding neuroscientists based at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, has been named the 2002 recipient of the Barbara Turnbull Award.

New Genome Research Centre in Hong Kong to Collaborate with Leading Canadian Genomics Centre

Mon, 13 Jan 2003 24:00:00 EST

The newly established University of Hong Kong Genome Research Centre will be collaborating with one of the world's leading centres for genomics research. A memorandum of understanding on collaborative initiatives in genomics research and development was signed today by representatives of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) of Toronto, Canada.

Researchers find chemotherapy is an effective alternative to bone marrow transplant in acute myeloid leukemia patients with good prognosis

Fri, 03 Jan 2003 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Mount Sinai Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), and Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Science Centre and the University of Toronto have found that chemotherapy is an effective alternative treatment to bone marrow transplant for adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with good prognosis. The research will be reported in the January 15 issue of the scientific journal Cancer.

SickKids researchers identify gene for Shwachman-Diamond syndrome

Mon, 23 Dec 2002 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SICKKIDS) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have identified the gene that is altered in Shwachman-Diamond syndrome. The researchers studied 250 Shwachman-Diamond syndrome families from around the world and identified two major disease-causing mutations in a gene on chromosome 7. This research is reported in the January issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

SickKids study shows bicycle helmet legislation leads to fewer bicycle-related head injuries in children

Mon, 04 Nov 2002 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Research at The Hospital for Sick Children (SICKKIDS) and the University of Toronto (U of T) has shown that provinces which have adopted mandatory bicycle helmet legislation have had a significant reduction in the number of bicycle-related head injuries in children. This research is reported in the November issue of the scientific journal Pediatrics.

New Drug Stops Stroke Damage to Brain Injection has potential to prevent brain damage in majority of human stroke patients

Thu, 24 Oct 2002 24:00:00 EDT

A team of researchers have developed a promising new drug that, when given to animals, immediately stops brain damage caused by stroke. Encouraged by this discovery, researchers at Toronto Western Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto and University of British Columbia are hopeful that with further investigation, this same drug will serve as an effective treatment for people who experience a stroke.

Researchers identify candidate vaccine for Sjögren syndrome

Thu, 03 Oct 2002 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto Western Hospital and the University of Toronto (U of T) have identified the protein that triggers the autoimmune response in Sjögren syndrome, a prevalent autoimmune disease, as well as a candidate vaccine to treat this condition. This research is reported in the October 5 issue of the scientific journal The Lancet.

High concentrations of toxic metals in Bangladesh's drinking water identified by team led by SickKids researcher

Mon, 23 Sep 2002 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Leading an international team of volunteer scientists, Dr. Bibudhendra Sarkar , a senior scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), has identified high concentrations of toxic metals in Bangladesh's drinking water. This research has been published online in September in Articles Online First, for the scientific journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Rectal acetaminophen an effective alternative treatment for fever in young children

Tue, 17 Sep 2002 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Researchers in the Emergency Department at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), have found that many parents do not know that rectal acetaminophen is available to treat children with fever. This research is reported in the September issue of the journal, Canadian Family Physician.

Researchers pinpoint pain responses in newborns

Tue, 20 Aug 2002 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Dr. Anna Taddio, a researcher at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), has found that newborns who experience repeated painful procedures in the first days of life experience more intense pain and learn to anticipate it. This research is reported in the August 21 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

SickKids attracts new head of Cancer Research and leading stem cell researcher

Wed, 31 Jul 2002 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has attracted two prominent scientists to its Research Institute - Dr. David Kaplan and Dr. Freda Miller. The husband and wife team recently arrived in Toronto from the Montreal Neurological Institute and McGill University.

Researchers identify gene for most common paediatric malignant brain tumour

Mon, 17 Jun 2002 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the University Health Network (UHN), and the University of Toronto (U of T) have identified a novel gene that when mutated results in medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumour found in children. This research is reported in the July issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation explores new research avenue with proteomics at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto

Mon, 06 May 2002 24:00:00 EDT

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Inc. (CFFTI), the drug discovery and development arm of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation today announced that it has awarded $1,115,000 US to scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children and Affinium™ Pharmaceuticals, in Toronto, to harness the power of proteomics in the search for new cystic fibrosis (CF) therapies.

Researchers find that pregnant women with untreated epilepsy are not at an increased risk of having an infant born with a birth defect

Mon, 06 May 2002 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have concluded that there is no evidence of an increased chance of major birth defects occurring in the offspring of women with epilepsy who do not take anti-epileptic medications during pregnancy.

Exposure during pregnancy to the antidepressant drug paroxetine is associated with a high rate of neonatal complications

Mon, 06 May 2002 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have concluded that exposure during pregnancy to paroxetine (Paxil), a drug commonly used to treat depression, panic, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, is associated with a high rate of neonatal complications when used near term.

Scientists identify DNA flanking region as trigger for genetic instability in family of neurological disorders

Sun, 21 Apr 2002 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto have shown that the DNA flanking region in a family of neurological disorders is triggering the genetic mutation that underlies these diseases. This research is reported in the May issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

Tuberculosis cases identified at The Hospital for Sick Children

Fri, 19 Apr 2002 24:00:00 EDT

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), in conjunction with the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the Province of Ontario, is investigating the possibility of an exposure to tuberculosis (TB) at the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) that may have occurred during a seven-week period from December 15, 2001 to February 5, 2002. Two cases of TB have been identified in the NICU.

Biochemical tests show relationship between environmental tobacco smoke and the risk of SIDS

Thu, 21 Feb 2002 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children, the University of Toronto and the University of Maryland have shown the relationship between environmental tobacco smoke and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) using biochemical tests. Higher concentrations of nicotine were found in the lungs of SIDS victims compared with infants whose deaths were not attributed to SIDS, regardless of whether smoking was reported by the parents or not. This research is reported in the February issue of The Journal of Pediatrics.

Researchers uncover potential chemotherapy for common bone tumour

Wed, 20 Feb 2002 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children, Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto have identified the genetic pathway that causes enchondromas, a common form of bone tumour. This finding may lead to a potential chemotherapy for these tumours, where one currently does not exist. This research is reported in the March issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

Researchers find gene involved in pain relief

Thu, 10 Jan 2002 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at the University of Toronto, The Hospital for Sick Children and the Amgen Institute have discovered a genetic mechanism involved in pain modulation that could lead to an entirely new approach to pain control. The results of their research are published in the Jan. 11 issue of the journal Cell.

SickKids research chief available to comment on federal budget

Mon, 10 Dec 2001 24:00:00 EST

Manuel Buchwald, OC, PhD, FRSC, Chief of Research at The Hospital for Sick Children, will be available for media interviews in response to the federal budget being released this afternoon.

SickKids welcomes research funding in budget

Mon, 10 Dec 2001 24:00:00 EST

Today's budget announcement that the federal government will increase health research funding and plans to expand the funding formula to recognize the indirect costs of research is a welcome boost to the Canadian health research community.

Researchers find a cluster of risk factors in pregnant Ecstasy users

Thu, 06 Dec 2001 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children have found that pregnant women who use the drug Ecstasy have a clustering of risk factors that may compromise pregnancy and the unborn fetus.

Heinz supports research into innovative new food supplement

Tue, 06 Nov 2001 24:00:00 EST

On Thursday, November 8 at The Hospital for Sick Children, The H.J. Heinz Company will announce significant financial support into the research of an innovative supplement that may reduce childhood anemia around the world.

Scientists identify new genetic mechanism for disease

Mon, 29 Oct 2001 24:00:00 EST

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have identified a previously unknown genetic basis for Williams syndrome. This finding also points to a new genetic mechanism for disease. This research is published in the cover article of the November issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

SickKids asks federal government to maintain health research funding and recognize full costs of research

Tue, 16 Oct 2001 24:00:00 EDT

At the hearings of the House of Commons' Standing Committee on Finance today, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation called on the federal government to maintain its commitment to health research funding and to expand the funding formula to recognize the full costs of research.

Exposure during pregnancy to the antidepressant drug venlafaxine does not increase the risk of birth defects

Wed, 10 Oct 2001 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children have concluded that exposure during pregnancy to venlafaxine, a relatively new and increasingly popular antidepressant drug, does not increase the chances of major birth defects.

Researchers create mouse model for human congenital heart disease

Thu, 20 Sep 2001 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children, Harvard Medical School and the Clinical Research Institute of Montreal have created the first mouse model relevant to the study of congenital heart disease in humans. The mouse model will allow for further research into the genetic causes of congenital heart disease, as well as providing a living model to test possible new treatments. This research is reported in the cover article of the September 21 issue of the scientific journal Cell.

Researchers link exposure to organic solvents during pregnancy to an increased risk of visual impairment in exposed children

Mon, 10 Sep 2001 24:00:00 EDT

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto have linked exposure to organic solvents during pregnancy to an increased risk of visual defects in exposed offspring. Organic solvents are chemicals found in paints, adhesives, lacquers and cleaning agents, and are used in industries such as dry cleaning, printing, and plastics manufacturing. This research was published in the September issue of the journal Teratology.

SickKids scientists identify mechanism for white blood cell development

Thu, 23 Aug 2001 24:00:00 EDT

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have identified an important mechanism that determines how white blood cells develop. This discovery, reported in the August 22 issue of the scientific journal Immunity, provides important information on how the immune system develops, both in normal and disease states.

Province announces $48-million agreement for quality patient care and related teaching and research

Mon, 20 Aug 2001 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO, Aug. 20 /CNW/ - Associate Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Helen Johns, today announced a $48 million agreement to ensure continued access to quality patient care and support related teaching and research activities at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

SickKids study leads to better understanding of stroke in children

Wed, 08 Aug 2001 24:00:00 EDT

A team of Canadian researchers led by scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has completed the first large-scale, multi-centre study to determine the incidence and characteristics of sinovenous thrombosis, a type of stroke that occurs in children due to blood clots blocking the brain's venous flow. The research is published in the August 9 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

SickKids researchers link activity of cancer-causing genes to normal wound healing process using a fruit fly model

Mon, 23 Jul 2001 24:00:00 EDT

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have linked known cancer-causing genes to normal developmental processes as well as wound healing using a fruit fly model. This research in reported in the cover article of the July 24 issue of the scientific journal Current Biology.

SickKids researchers identify function of protein for a form of Fanconi Anemia

Wed, 04 Jul 2001 24:00:00 EDT

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto have discovered the function of the protein for a form of Fanconi Anemia. This discovery provides a clue for the development of treatments for this disease and explains a cellular mechanism that was not previously known. This research is published in the July issue of the scientific journal Nature Medicine.

Researchers identify gene for rare form of leukemia that strikes infants

Fri, 29 Jun 2001 24:00:00 EDT

A team of researchers at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee has identified the genetic cause of rare form of leukemia that strikes infants, as well as the corresponding diagnostic test. This research is reported in the July issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

SickKids researchers uncover protein defect that causes a milder form of cystic fibrosis

Tue, 26 Jun 2001 24:00:00 EDT

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children have uncovered a protein defect that underlies a milder form of cystic fibrosis. This research is reported in the July issue of the scientific journal Nature Structural Biology.

SickKids scientists discover ‘off-switch’ for cancerous cell growth

Tue, 01 May 2001 24:00:00 EDT

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have identified an ‘off-switch’ for cancerous cell growth, opening the door for new targets in the development of anti-cancer drugs. This research is reported in the May 1 issue of the European Molecular Biology Organization Journal (EMBO).

Researchers determine that multiple sclerosis and diabetes are closely linked diseases

Tue, 20 Mar 2001 24:00:00 EST

A team of researchers led by Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) senior scientist Michael Dosch has determined that multiple sclerosis and type I (juvenile) diabetes mellitus are far more closely linked than previously thought, including the role cow milk protein plays as a risk factor in the development of both diseases for people who are genetically susceptible. This research is published in recent issues of The Journal of Immunology (April 1 and February 15, 2001).

SickKids study offers new hope for infants awaiting heart transplantation

Wed, 14 Mar 2001 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children have discovered that infant heart transplants can be performed safely and successfully despite major blood type incompatibility between the donor and recipient. The study, published in the March 15 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, challenges current clinical thinking about the human immune system and offers new hope for infants waiting for heart transplantation.

Researchers Take a Close Look at Health Services for Children

Tue, 06 Mar 2001 24:00:00 EST

Two studies looking at the inpatient and outpatient services provided to Ontario’s children are being released today by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). The authors are researchers associated with ICES and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. These reports are part of the ICES Atlas Report series that profile the health and health care services available to Ontarians.

Human Genome Sequencing

Fri, 16 Feb 2001 24:00:00 EST

Scientists around the world celebrate in Washington, DC today on the occasion of the publication of two historical papers on the Human Genome Project in the scientific journals Nature and Science. The papers summarize the monumental work of the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium and that of Celera Genomics Corporation.

Exposure during pregnancy to DM, a main ingredient in cough syrup, does not increase the risk of birth defects

Thu, 15 Feb 2001 24:00:00 EST

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children have concluded that exposure during pregnancy to Dextromethorphan (DM), an active ingredient present in a variety of cough and cold remedies does not increase the chances of major birth defects. Recently, data generated from a study in chick embryos suggested that pregnant women should not use this drug because of the risk of birth defects.

Benefits outweigh risks for antidepressant use during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Fri, 02 Feb 2001 24:00:00 EST

Researchers in the Motherisk Program at The Hospital for Sick Children have found that the benefits outweigh any potential risks for pregnant or breastfeeding women taking medications for depression. This study was published in the recent issue of the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience.

Inherited prostate cancer gene identified

Tue, 30 Jan 2001 24:00:00 EST

An international team of scientists has identified a gene that leads to inherited prostate cancer. The study, conducted by 43 scientists in the United States and Canada, is published in the February issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

SickKids’ researchers discover different types of stem cells

Thu, 28 Dec 2000 24:00:00 EST

A team of researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), led by geneticist John Dick, has discovered that distinct types of stem cells exist within the blood system that differ in the length of time that they can sustain a stem cell transplant. They have been termed short-term repopulating and long-term repopulating stem cells. The discovery of distinct types of stem cells with different functions has important clinical implications. This research is reported in the January issue of the scientific journal Nature Immunology.

SickKids scientist appointed inaugural scientific director of CIHR’s Institute of Genetics

Thu, 07 Dec 2000 24:00:00 EST

Dr. Roderick McInnes, a Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) senior scientist, has been appointment the inaugural scientific director of the Genetics Institute of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

The Hospital for Sick Children established Canada's first national registry to track Multiple Sclerosis in children

Mon, 04 Dec 2000 24:00:00 EST

North America’s first paediatric MS clinic continues commitment to understanding
disease

SickKids signs first Canadian deal with Celera Genomics to advance genetics research

Tue, 21 Nov 2000 24:00:00 EST

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Celera Genomics announced today that SickKids is the first Canadian institution to gain access to Celera’s genomic database. Celera made headlines earlier this year when it announced the first assembly DNA sequence of the human genome.

Inhaled steroids safe and effective for children with asthma

Thu, 12 Oct 2000 24:00:00 EDT

Inhaled corticosteroids are safe and effective for the long-term treatment of children with mild to moderate asthma, according the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP), a five-year, eight-centre study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health in the United States. The study appears in the October 12, 2000 New England Journal of Medicine.

Partnership between The Hospital for Sick Children and the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has led to major advancements in CF research

Tue, 12 Sep 2000 24:00:00 EDT

Forty years ago, a group of parents who had children with cystic fibrosis (CF) got together at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) to discuss forming a foundation dedicated to improving treatments for this incurable disease. Since the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF) was established by this group of parents in 1960, the median age of survival of affected individuals has increased from age four to more than 30 years – thanks to advances in treatment made possible through research.

Gene discovery leads to diagnostic test for kidney disease

Wed, 30 Aug 2000 24:00:00 EDT

An international team of researchers, including scientists from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto, have identified the gene responsible for a form of kidney disease, and the corresponding diagnostic test. This research is published in the September issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

New scientific theory may change how treatments for inherited neurodegenerative diseases are developed

Wed, 12 Jul 2000 24:00:00 EDT

A team of researchers led by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto has shown that what scientists thought caused neurons to die in inherited neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s is in fact not the case. The scientists propose a new model for neuronal cell death in the July 13 issue of the journal Nature, which will lead to new research into treatments for these types of diseases.

SickKids’ Women’s Auxiliary announces funding of second research chair in five years

Mon, 05 Jun 2000 24:00:00 EDT

In a ceremony with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable Hilary M. Weston, The Hospital for Sick Children’s Women’s Auxiliary (WA) announced today a pledge to fund a second chair for the hospital. The Women’s Auxiliary Millennium Chair in Haematology/Oncology follows the WA’s unprecedented success in funding their first chair in Neonatology, which they started funding in 1995. An initial pledge of $1.5 million over ten years increased to $2-million and was raised in half the time, exceeding everyone’s expectations.

Chair in paediatric anaesthesia to investigate pharmacology of anaesthetics and related drugs in children

Tue, 30 May 2000 24:00:00 EDT

Canada’s first endowed chair in paediatric anaesthesia - and one of very few in the world - has been established at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) with a significant gift from the Electromedical Systems Division of Siemens Medical Engineering Group.

SickKids’ researchers reverse fatal pulmonary hypertension

Mon, 29 May 2000 24:00:00 EDT

Research conducted at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has opened up the possibility for a new treatment for pulmonary hypertension that may also be applicable to all types of blood vessel obstruction. This research is reported in the June issue of the scientific journal Nature Medicine.

The Hospital for Sick Children advances MS treatment and research

Wed, 17 May 2000 24:00:00 EDT

Collaboration leads to advancement in MS research

Tue, 16 May 2000 24:00:00 EDT

May is designated as Multiple Sclerosis month – a time to create awareness about this debilitating disease that affects nearly 50,000 Canadians. Canada has one of the highest rates of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the world, and it is the most common disease of the central nervous system affecting young adults in this country. Collaboration between basic science researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), through funding from the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, and clinicians at St. Michael’s Hospital, has led to promising clinical trials to treat MS.

Dr. Bonnie Stevens named inaugural holder of first paediatric nursing research chair in Canada

Tue, 09 May 2000 24:00:00 EDT

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) announced another first today, with the appointment of Bonnie Stevens, RN, PhD, as inaugural holder of The Signy Hildur Eaton Chair in Paediatric Nursing Research. This is the first chair of its kind in Canada, where the focus is on nursing research and the focus group is made up of infants and children.

Ontario invests $75 million in genomics research

Wed, 05 Apr 2000 24:00:00 EDT

The government through the Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund will invest up to $75 million over five years to boost the province’s capability in genomics research, Energy, Science and Technology Minister Jim Wilson announced today.

Ontario government to announce investment in genomics research

Tue, 04 Apr 2000 24:00:00 EDT

This Wednesday morning, a major new genomics initiative will be announced at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), made possible by the Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund.

Prestigious scientific award for two Hospital for Sick Children researchers

Wed, 29 Mar 2000 24:00:00 EST

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have received two out of three of Canada’s most prestigious scientific award for biomedical research.

Researchers discover retinal stem cells in adult mammals

Thu, 16 Mar 2000 24:00:00 EST

When it comes to stem cells, it appears the eyes have it. Researchers at the University of Toronto and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have identified retinal stem cells in the adult mammalian eye, opening the door for retinal regeneration as a possible cure for damaged or diseased eyes.

SickKids and Toronto CCAC to study new way of delivering patient care at home

Tue, 14 Mar 2000 24:00:00 EST

A new telecommunications-based monitoring program launched today at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in collaboration with the Toronto Community Care Access Centre allows patients with semi-acute illness to continue their care at home.

Tele-HomeCare Project

Tue, 14 Mar 2000 24:00:00 EST

What is the Tele-HomeCare Project (THC)?

Oracle Canada donated $1.2 Million in software, services to The Hospital for Sick Children

Wed, 23 Feb 2000 24:00:00 EST

Gift to Provide Critical Foundation to Human Genome Research Project

Koren Hearing Adjourned

Tue, 04 Jan 2000 24:00:00 EST

The disciplinary hearing held by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto concerning Dr. Gideon Koren has been adjourned. The hearing will be reconvened later in January. In the mean time, Dr. Koren will remain suspended from all duties.

A private hearing between Dr. Gideon Koren and senior officials of The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto

Tue, 04 Jan 2000 24:00:00 EST

A private hearing between Dr. Gideon Koren and senior officials of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto takes place today in the hospital. Media are not invited to attend.

Researchers solve vision mystery

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – Researchers at McMaster University, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and University of Toronto have unravelled the mystery of what causes the vision of human babies to improve so rapidly after birth. Vision scientists were previously unclear as to whether the five-fold visual improvement that babies experience within the first six months of life was built into the developing brain or depended on the babies actually using their eyes. The research is reported in the October 1 issue of the journal Science.

"By studying a group of infants with dense cataracts, we were able to determine that it’s visual stimulation, not intrinsic brain development, that is responsible for the rapid improvement in vision," explains one of the study’s authors Dr. Terri Lewis, a professor of Psychology at McMaster University, a vision scientist in Ophthalmology at The Hospital for Sick Children, and an adjunct professor of Ophthalmology with the University of Toronto.

"In our study, we assessed the vision of 28 babies at The Hospital for Sick Children, which has the largest program in North America for the treatment of cataracts in children," explains McMaster University vision scientist Dr. Daphne Maurer. "All of the babies, who ranged in age from 1 week to nine months old, had dense cataracts (in one or both eyes) that were surgically removed. The babies were then fitted with contact lenses. Immediately following contact lens fitting, the babies’ vision was measured using a special eye chart."

The researchers discovered that once the cataracts were removed and the contact lenses were in place, the babies’ vision was still like that of newborns but the brain was ready to learn to see. The babies began to develop the ability to see more clearly after only one hour of using their eyes. Over the next month, their vision continued to improve more rapidly than normal, so that the size of their visual impairment was reduced.

"Cataracts are a loss of transparency that develops in the natural lens of the eye," explains SickKids staff ophthalmologist Dr. Alex Levin, assistant professor of Paediatrics, Genetics and Ophthalmology at the University of Toronto and co-director of the SickKids Eye Genetics team, who performed the surgery on the babies. "When the cataracts are dense it’s like looking through waxed paper, or worse: light can be perceived but not definite shapes. To remove the cataract, we must remove the entire lens of the eye which leaves the eye with no means to focus the light that can now enter. The contact lenses, which are very strong, take the place of the natural lens."

The treatment implications of this study are critically important for the approximately one in 1,000 to 4,000 babies born with cataracts. If surgery is done too late then the brain may not learn to use the vision in that eye. With successful early intervention, even in the first week of life if possible, some children can develop vision as good as 20/20 and go on to lead relatively normal lives.

The Hospital for Sick Children to host worldwide genome database on IBM Supercomputer

Thu, 08 Jul 1999 24:00:00 EDT

IBM Technology to Speed Pace of Research 100x

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) today announced that it will use sophisticated technology developed by IBM to host and manage the worldwide Genome Database (GDB), the foremost public database for human genome information.

The new computer equipment and software, donated under IBM’s Shared University Research program, is expected to speed the pace of the hospital’s genetic research by 100 times.

Research institutions, such as SickKids, are making significant contributions to the various global initiatives working to isolate disease-causing genes. An established player in this field, scientists at SickKids have identified many disease-causing genes, including the gene for cystic fibrosis in 1989.

The GDB will run on an IBM RS/6000 SP, using IBM’s DB2 Universal Database. The hospital also plans to use powerful bioinformatics software, developed by researchers at IBM, for advanced analysis of DNA and protein sequence identification. Bioinformatics is the application of information systems and strategies to science.

The hospital recently took over management of the GDB, which supports the Human Genome Project, the global scientific effort to map and sequence man’s complete genetic material. The GDB is accessed by thousands of researchers around the world. Founded in 1989, the GDB previously was managed by Johns Hopkins University.

"As an international leader in genetic research, SickKids has a very personal stake in taking over the management of GDB," said Jamie Cuticchia, PhD, head of SickKids’ bioinformatics program. "SickKids will work aggressively to learn from and grow GDB’s rich content. With IBM technology, we expect to take genomics research to new levels."

The decision to use the IBM RS/6000 SP, a highly scaleable supercomputer, was based on its unique ability to manage complex information as well as IBM’s expertise in the emerging field of "deep computing." The deep computing tools developed by IBM will be essential in helping the hospital solve complex problems and analyze the vast amounts of data in the GDB.

"Today’s announcement demonstrates IBM’s growing commitment to the massively complicated area of genomics," said Sharon Nunes, PhD, director of the IBM Computational Biology Center at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center in New York. "Technology is advancing medical research by combining incredible processing power with application-specific software. In this case, IBM will help SickKids to accelerate its work in identifying the genetic causes of disease."

Since it began, the GDB has doubled in size annually as the world’s scientists submit data daily. These data include information about the location of disease genes, genetic markers, gene differences, as well as all known human gene mutations, which play a critical role in diagnostics.

Affiliated with the University of Toronto, The Hospital for Sick Children is the largest paediatric centre in North America and a world class referral centre in the forefront of paediatric medicine, research and teaching.

The Hospital for Sick Children to host Genome Database on "Deep Maple'' IBM supercomputer

Wed, 07 Jul 1999 24:00:00 EDT

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) will tomorrow that it will use IBM's ``deep computing'' technology and bioinformatics software to host and help manage the Genome Database (GDB), the repository for all data generated by the international Human Genome Project.

SickKids has taken over the GDB management from Johns Hopkins University after funding cuts in the U.S. threatened the ongoing viability of the GDB. The GDB will reside on ``Deep Maple'', the nickname given by SickKids information scientists to its new IBM RS/6000 SP system, donated by IBM through its Shared University Research Program.

Media announcement:
Thursday, July 8, 1999
1 p.m.
Rotunda, 1st Floor, University Wing
The Hospital for Sick Children
555 University Avenue

Scheduled speakers:
Jamie Cuticchia, PhD
(pronounced Koo-TEE-shaw)
Director, Bioinformatics
The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto

Sharon Nunes, PhD
(pronounced Noons)
Director, IBM computational Biology Center
Thomas J. Watson Research Center,
New York

Following the announcement there will be opportunities to obtain photos and video footage of the IBM RS/6000 SP system.

Scientists use bacterial toxin to kill brain tumours

Tue, 29 Jun 1999 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO –-Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have used a toxin produced by the same bacteria that cause hamburger disease to completely eliminate malignant human brain tumours grown in mice. The research is published in the June issue of the scientific journal Oncology Research.

"E. coli is a common gastrointestinal bacterium," explains Dr. Cliff Lingwood, a senior scientist at HSC and a Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the U of T. "Some E. coli strains produce a toxin known as verotoxin. Our earlier research has shown that, in the test tube, verotoxin kills certain brain tumour cells very efficiently. We wanted to determine if this was also the case in a living animal."

As part of her doctoral studies in Dr. Lingwood’s laboratory, Dr. Sara Arab (now a clinical fellow in Medical Genetics at SickKids) injected verotoxin directly into human astrocytoma brain tumours that had been grown in mice. After a single injection, the tumours had shrunk by half within 48 hours. Within seven to 15 days the tumours had completely disappeared and had not reappeared by the end of the experiment (60 days). Both the tumours and their blood vessels were killed by the toxin.

"We are very excited by this observation because astrocytoma is the most common type of malignant brain tumour and the prognosis is poor for patients with this diagnosis," explains SickKids neurosurgeon James Rutka, a collaborator in the research and head of the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre. Approximately 20,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours each year in Canada and the United States. "This discovery could be very promising because the verotoxin makes a two-pronged attack on the tumour: it destroys tumour cells and shuts down the tumour’s blood supply."

While earlier SickKids research has demonstrated that verotoxin-producing E. coli can cause kidney failure, primarily in very young children, the scientists suggest that a window of opportunity exists for verotoxin treatment in older patients.

Plans are already underway for the next phase of the research: preliminary clinical trials in older children and adults. In that trial, verotoxin will be injected into residual glioblastoma cells following surgical removal of the majority of the tumour. Glioblastoma is the most malignant form of astrocytoma.

This research was supported by the Medical Research Council of Canada and The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation. Select Therapeutics Inc. holds an exclusive licensing agreement with The Hospital for Sick Children to bring the benefits of this research to market.

Magnetic field exposure associated with childhood leukemia

Tue, 15 Jun 1999 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO -- Researchers at the University of Toronto and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found an association between magnetic field exposures in residences and the risk of developing childhood leukemia.

The study, reported in two separate papers in the current issues of the International Journal of Cancer (IJC) and the journal Cancer Causes and Control (CCC), shows that children with higher exposures to magnetic fields in residences are two to four times more likely to develop leukemia compared to children who are less exposed. The study comprehensively measured magnetic field exposures inside and outside the children’s homes. Wire code was also assigned to each residence. For some children, EMF exposures were measured by a personal monitor.

The authors report in IJC that overall, wire code -- a surrogate indicator of magnetic field exposure based on the physical characteristics of the line and proximity of the residence to power lines -- was not associated with an increased risk of developing leukemia. However, measured magnetic field exposure was associated with an elevated incidence of leukemia in children under age six who were exposed in residences occupied during the first two years of life.

A subset of the total study population wore a personal monitoring device which measured EMF during usual activities in the home over 48 hours. As reported in CCC, exposure to magnetic fields was associated with a two-fold increase in risk of developing leukemia.

When other factors such as residential mobility, power consumption, child’s medical history and other environmental exposures were taken into account, children exposed to higher levels of magnetic fields were 4.5 times more likely to develop leukemia compared to less exposed children. Risks were higher for children diagnosed at less than six years of age and for those with acute lymphoblastic leukemia -- the most common type of leukemia in children.

"As the methods of assessing exposure were refined, we found that the association between magnetic fields and the risk of developing childhood leukemia became stronger, particularly in children diagnosed at a younger age," says lead author Dr. Lois Green, epidemiologist in the department of public health sciences at U of T and at Ontario Power Generation. "But this study does not establish that magnetic fields cause cancer. To date, laboratory research has not shown a plausible biologic mechanism supporting a cause and effect relationship."

Researchers compared 201 children living in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) who were diagnosed with leukemia at 0 to 14 years of age between 1985 and 1993 at The Hospital for Sick Children with 406 control children.

Where possible, magnetic field exposures were measured at all the GTA residences occupied by the child during the period of inquiry -- the only study to date to consider several different exposure time periods. A detailed questionnaire was also administered to gather information about other factors such as family history, which might be related to leukemia risk.

"Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is most commonly seen in children two to six years of age. The association we saw with this age group is interesting because the range of exposures to possible risk factors is smaller and shorter," says Dr. Mark Greenberg, professor of pediatrics at U of T and pediatric oncologist at The Hospital for Sick Children. "We don't know what it means however, because there is no good biologic explanation for how such exposure might work."

Another consideration, Green adds, is the possibility that lifetime exposures to magnetic fields may have been measured more accurately for younger children because the interval between diagnosis and measurement was short, thus reducing possible misclassification of exposure.

Funding was provided in part by the Ontario Hydro Services Company (formerly part of Ontario Hydro) and the Canadian Electrical Association.

Gene found for rare metabolic disorder

Tue, 01 Jun 1999 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO -- Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), University of Toronto (U of T), and colleagues in Japan have identified a gene which causes a metabolic disorder affecting the liver. The adult-onset version of the disorder, called type II citrullinemia, is caused by an amino acid deficiency and can lead to severe liver damage and even death. The research is published in the June issue of the journal Nature Genetics.

"Working with our Japanese collaborators we were able to identify more than 100 families with a history of citrullinemia and establish that the disease-causing gene was located on human chromosome 7," explains SickKids scientist Dr. Steve Scherer, who is an assistant professor of Molecular and Medical Genetics at the U of T. "We then used the technique of positional cloning, pioneered at SickKids by study co-author Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui, to identify the defective gene which causes citrullinemia."

Most patients with type II citrullinemia suffer neurological symptoms such as disorientation, tremor and coma, and a majority of patients die within a few years after onset of the symptoms. Until the present study, the late onset form of the disease was not even established as a well-defined clinical entity, which complicated accurate diagnosis.

"Since liver transplantation can apparently lead to complete recovery from both the metabolic and neurological effects of citrullinemia, an early and proper diagnosis based on biochemical and genetic data is essential," says Dr. Scherer. "Ultimately, it is hoped that the discovery of the disease gene will lead to a simpler and less intrusive method of treatment which might include protein or gene replacement."

Type II citrullinemia is most common in Japan, where one person in 100,000 has the disorder. Cases have also been found in Europe, the USA, China, and Canada. The disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner (both parents must carry the defective gene and pass it on to their offspring for the child to be affected).

Dr. Scherer and Dr. Tsui led the SickKids research team, which included David Sinasac, Dr. Andrew Boright, Michael Crackower, and Jeff Lee. Drs. Keiko Kobayashi and Takeyori Saheki of Kagoshima University headed the Japanese effort. The current study arises from the SickKids group’s human chromosome 7 research, which is part of the international Human Genome Project (HGP). The HGP aims to decipher and understand all of the genes in human DNA. The work was carried out in the Centre for Applied Genomics at SickKids, which conducts research focused on DNA sequencing and chromosome mapping, disease gene discovery, functional genomics, and bioinformatics.

This research was supported by the Medical Research Council of Canada, The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture in Japan and the Kodama Foundation for Research in Medical Science.

Researchers pinpoint region for cystic fibrosis modifier gene

Tue, 01 Jun 1999 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO – An international team of researchers, led by Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto, has identified a region on chromosome 19 that contains a gene which modifies the severity of cystic fibrosis (CF). While such a modifier gene has been found in mice with cystic fibrosis, this is the first time a similar gene has been shown to exist in humans. Their research is published in the June issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

"The data generated by previous SickKids research in mice led directly to this most recent discovery because there are corresponding regions in mice and humans that contain the same genes," explains Dr. Julian Zielenski, the paper’s lead author. "As a result, we knew exactly where to look in the human genome for one or more similar modifier genes."

The cystic fibrosis gene, identified in 1989 by Dr. Tsui and colleagues at SickKids and the University of Michigan, has more than 800 different mutations, all causing variations in the disease. However, not all clinical variations in cystic fibrosis can be attributed to mutations in the gene. As a result, scientists have suspected that other factors are involved, such as the activity of other genes which have a modifying effect on the disease or various environmental conditions. However, modifier genes have never been found in humans.

"The area we have pinpointed contains a gene that is involved in modifying the severity of a common intestinal obstruction in patients with cystic fibrosis," explains Dr. Zielenski. "Up to 20 percent of CF patients have this obstruction, called meconium ileus, but we’ve never been able to find a connection between a mutation in the CF gene and the development of the obstruction. Now we know that the obstruction is not caused by a specific mutation in the CF gene itself, but by the activity of a modifying gene."

Cystic fibrosis is the most common single gene disorder in the world, affecting one in every 2,000 children. In patients with CF, the secreting glands fail to function properly. Many body organs are affected, including the lungs, pancreas, liver, sweat and salivary glands, gastrointestinal tract and the male reproductive tract. The most serious symptom is a thick, dry mucus which clogs the airways and lungs and leaves the patient susceptible to chronic lung infections. Many CF patients also suffer from pancreatic malfunction, which leads to poor digestion and prevents the absorption of sufficient dietary fat. The majority of patients with CF succumb to severe lung infections before age 30.

The identification of modifier genes in CF will allow doctors to gain a better understanding of the different clinical presentations of the disease. It’s anticipated that this knowledge will lead to insights into prognosis and management of cystic fibrosis, as well as development of novel therapies.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network, the National Centre for Research, and The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation.

Researchers develop simple test for detection of deadly cancer

Tue, 04 May 1999 24:00:00 EDT

Toronto– A team of Toronto researchers has developed a simple test that promises to significantly reduce mortality rates for a deadly form of cancer. The research is published in the May issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the leading journal in the cancer research field.

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto Hospital, the University of Toronto and the Rouge Valley Health system’s Centenary Site, have completed a clinical trial of a new strategy for the detection of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), a tumour that grows deep behind the nose.

NPC is the major cause of death from cancer in Hong Kong, southern China and several Pacific and Mediterranean rim countries. Most North American patients who develop this cancer are of Asian, Mediterranean or African descent. In Canada, Chinese immigrants, Jews and Inuit belong to high-risk groups.

"Usually this type of cancer is detected only very late in its progress because of its obscure location in the body and he lack of signs and symptoms," says Dr. Jeremy Freeman, Temmy Latner/Dynacare Chair in Head and Neck Oncology and an Otolaryngologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, and a professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Toronto. "Currently, prognosis for patients is often late. However, the diagnostic test we have developed can be administered by an ear-nose and throat (ENT) or general physician on a routine basis and represents a true breakthrough because it detects the cancer at an early stage and allows us to act more proactively."

"In this cancer, every single tumour cell carries Epstein-Barr virus and we believe that the virus plays a direct role in tumour development," says principle investigator Dr. Michael Dosch, a senior scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children and a Professor of Paediatrics at U of T. "We have now learned to use this relationship to detect the tumour by tracing the virus."

The Toronto team developed an ambulatory testing technique using a sheathed brush reminiscent of a pap smear brush. Cells are gently retrieved from the back of the nose where the tumour develops. The cells are then analyzed for Epstein-Barr virus with a gene-based test. The test has an accuracy rate of over 90 percent. The presence of the virus gene is a strong predictor of the cancer.

The seven-year study evaluated subjects from the Toronto area that had either established or suspected NPC (21 patients), while 96 other patients had minor otolaryngological complaints, and 53 had head and neck cancers other than NPC. Thirty-two addition patients had been treated for NPC. Eighty-six percent of NPC patients were of Asian descent.

"The next stage in this exciting development will be to conduct a large population-based screening test in some of the high risk groups such as Chinese immigrants in Toronto," explains Dr. Raymond Ng, an otolaryngologist at the Centenary site of the Rouge Valley Health System. "This early screening test will help us identify patients with no overt clinical symptoms. The benefits of treating the disease early and the long-term cost savings for the Canadian health care system will be substantial."

In addition to Drs. Dosch, Freeman and Ng, the research team included Cathryn Tune, Per-Gunnar Liavaag and Roy Cheung of The Hospital for Sick Children; Michael van den Brekel, Thomas Shpitzer and Jeroen Kerrebijn of Mount Sinai Hospital; Dr. John Irish of the Toronto Hospital; and Dr. David Payne of Princess Margaret Hospital.

The research was supported by funds from the Medical Research Council of Canada, Temmy Latner/Dynacare, The Saul A. Silverman Family Foundation, the Tauba and Solomon Spiro Family Foundation as an Isabel Silverman Canada-International Scientific Exchange Program Project, and The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation.

Help Make SickKids Better Campaign Surpasses $82-Million Goal

Tue, 27 Apr 1999 24:00:00 EDT

Record-breaking $85.8 million campaign assures SickKids' place as world leader in paediatric research and patient care

Toronto, Ont – The goal of raising $82 million for research may have seemed daunting on September 15, 1997 when The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) launched the most ambitious fundraising campaign in its 123-year history. But today, with the campaign successfully completed, it's just one more reminder that SickKids is truly a world leader, and that research is an integral part of improving patient care.

“The Help Make SickKids Better campaign owes its outstanding success to those who rallied around it,” says Al Flood, campaign chair and chairman and chief executive officer of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. “I would like to thank everyone – from my fellow members of the campaign cabinet to the canvassers, staff and donors – who gave of their time and resources to ensure the health of children around the world will continue to be improved through the important research and education that takes place at SickKids.”

The investments in education and research made possible by the $85.8 million raised will benefit people worldwide for years to come. Nineteen endowed academic chairs have been funded since the campaign's inception. The establishment of endowed chairs is a fundamental way of securing funding in perpetuity for key areas of research, including both basic science and clinical research in such areas as genetics, nursing, psychiatry, immunology, and neonatology. Prior to the campaign, there were no endowed chairs at SickKids.

Funds raised during the campaign also enabled the opening of The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, a collaborative, state-of-the-art research laboratory that links the research of the University of Toronto and Toronto Western Hospital with SickKids.

A Research Training Centre was also established as a result of the campaign, increasing the number of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows the hospital can fund. There has been an increase in the number of disciplines and specialties in which researchers can receive funding, so that basic science and medical research continue to be supported, along with research from other health care professions, such as social work and nursing.

The Hospital for Sick Children marked the conclusion of the overwhelmingly successful campaign with a day-long celebration involving staff, volunteers, patients and their families. Al Flood presided over the campaign finale festivities, where he was made an honorary SickKids scientist and officially opened the “Main Street Science Fair”, which highlighted some of the research done at SickKids. With the help of a few young patients, he then undertook his first genetic scientific experiment. Mr Flood will also host a reception for the campaign volunteers and donors on the 56 th Floor of the CIBC this evening.

Exposure to organic solvents during pregnancy causes birth defects

Wed, 24 Mar 1999 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO — Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have concluded that occupational exposure during pregnancy to organic solvents increases the chances of major birth defects. While solvents had previously been shown to cause birth defects in laboratory animals, it is the first proof that humans can be affected as well.

The study, published in the March 24 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, demonstrates that pregnant women exposed in their jobs to organic solvents have a 13-times greater risk of major malformations in their babies as well as increased risk for miscarriages than women not exposed to solvents.

"Previous studies, in which women were asked after giving birth about their exposure to solvents during pregnancy, showed conflicting results regarding the link between solvent exposure and birth defects," says lead author Dr. Sohail Khattak, staff physician in the Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology and department of Emergency Medicine. "This study is important because it is the first in which women were assessed after exposure to solvents and before giving birth."

Organic solvents to which women reported being exposed to included vinyl chloride, acetone, phenols and aromatic hydrocarbons. Exposure to such solvents occurs either by absorption through the skin or by inhalation. Risk is decreased if adequate safety guidelines are followed, i.e. use of gloves and fume hoods. Although organic solvents are used in household products, the low levels of exposure associated with home use are not considered dangerous.

The study, led by researchers at the Hospital’s Motherisk program, involved 250 pregnant women, half of whom had been exposed in the workplace to organic solvents. The women in the study were counselled by the Motherisk program between 1987 and 1996. Each mother who reported occupational exposure to organic solvents was paired in the study with a woman who was exposed to an agent known to not cause birth defects. Factors such as smoking, alcohol intake, age, and stage of pregnancy were taken into consideration. All exposed women worked for at least the first trimester with organic solvents.

Among those women who reported being exposed during pregnancy to solvents, the risk of having a baby with birth defects was highest among those who also reported symptoms associated with solvent exposure, such as eye irritation, respiratory irritation, headaches, and difficulty breathing.

The mothers were followed up between six and nine months after the expected delivery date. All reports of birth defects were corroborated by a written report from the physician caring for the child. Birth defects were defined as any anomaly that has an adverse effect on either the functioning or the social acceptability of the child, and included spina bifida and other neural tube defects, heart malformations, and deafness. The rate of such malformations in the normal population is between one and three per cent.

The most common occupations dominated by females with potential exposures to solvents are health care and the clothing and textile industries. The most common occupations of the women who participated in the study were factory worker, laboratory technician, professional artist/graphic designer and printing industry worker.

"Given the results of this study, I think it’s important that women who are exposed occupationally to organic solvents take appropriate safety measures to reduce their risk," says Dr. Gideon Koren, the study’s principal investigator and head of SickKids’ division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology and Motherisk program, and a Professor of Paediatrics, Pharmacology, and Medicine at the U of T. "Proper ventilation and protective clothing should be worn."

This research was funded by Physician Services Inc. and The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation.|

The Hospital for Sick Children is a health care, teaching and research centre dedicated exclusively to children; affiliated with the University of Toronto.

Scientists use bioengineering to buy time for ailing hearts

Tue, 02 Feb 1999 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have successfully used biological engineering to prevent the closing of a key passage between the two large blood vessels leading out of the heart to the body and lungs. The passage, called the ductus arteriosis, normally closes shortly after birth, but the survival of newborns with severe heart defects depends on the ductus remaining open, at least until corrective surgery can be carried out. The research is reported in the February issue of the scientific journal Nature Medicine.

Dr. Marlene Rabinovitch, SickKids' head of Cardiovascular Research, holder of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Chair at SickKids, and a professor of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto, used a gene transfer process in her animal research to deliver a "decoy gene" that tricks cells into thinking they don't have to make a substance critical to the ductus closing process.

In normal heart development, the ductus closes within hours of birth and the lungs take over the task of oxygenating the blood. The ductus is sealed by cushions that grow together from each side of the passage. This seal prevents the back flow of blood into the heart, which can cause congestion and heart failure. But infants who are born with severe heart defects, such as blocked valves, rely on an open ductus to ensure that blood gets to the body.

"Keeping the ductus open ensures that the blood keeps flowing throughout the body, buying the baby time until surgery can be carried out to repair the heart defect," explains Dr. Rabinovitch.

The cushions that seal the ductus are made of muscle cells that migrate to the ductus along a slippery substance called fibronectin. In her research, Dr. Rabinovitch used a "decoy" gene to trick the cells into thinking they don't have to make fibronectin. Without it, muscle cells can't travel to the site of the ductus.

"Basically, we pulled the rug out from under the muscle cells as they were on their way to block off the ductus," explains Dr. Rabinovitch.

Almost one in 100 infants are born with a heart defect requiring open-heart surgery. Defects are often identified before birth through the use of fetal ultrasound. Usually the infants are treated with a hormone called prostaglandin, which helps keep the ductus open. However, prostaglandins need to be given continuously by intravenous and are associated with serious side effects such as low blood pressure and irregular heartbeats. The development of a bioengineering approach to keep the ductus open could lead to a more effective and safe way to help infants with serious heart problems survive.

"The next step in the research will be to develop a method for delivering our 'decoy gene' directly into the necessary cells before the baby is born," explains Dr. Rabinovitch. "We also anticipate that successful biological engineering of the ductus can be applied to other heart problems, such as preventing the reclosing of arteries after angioplasty."

This research was funded by the Medical Research Council of Canada and SickKids.

New centre to lead Canadian brain tumour research

Wed, 20 Jan 1999 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Canada's first basic science brain tumour research centre is set to open this week at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre brings together clinicians and scientists from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), The Toronto Hospital and the University of Toronto to form a leading-edge collaborative laboratory.

Researchers discover new treatment for deadly heart virus

Tue, 01 Dec 1998 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the Toronto Hospital and the University of Toronto (U of T) have carried out studies which could lead to a new way to treat viral myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart leading to heart failure and, ultimately, the need for a transplant. Their research is reported in the December issue of the scientific journal Nature Medicine.

SicKKids improves access to global genome database

Thu, 05 Nov 1998 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have improved access to an important resource for genetics researchers around the world: a genome database that provides the latest data from human gene mapping activities. SickKids information scientists have launched Canada's only mirror site of the Genome Database (GDB), currently located at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

SickKids researchers embark on diabetes prevention study

Mon, 02 Nov 1998 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Diabetes researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) are hoping that thousands of Canadians will volunteer to be screened as part of a study aimed at preventing type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes.

Scientists find gene for severe form of epilepsy

Wed, 30 Sep 1998 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - An international research team led by Dr. Steve Scherer, of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) has identified a gene responsible for one of the most severe forms of epilepsy, known as Lafora disease (LD). The discovery is reported in the October issue of the prestigious scientific journal Nature Genetics.

Discovery of new stem cell leads to better understanding of blood system, and raises questions about current methods used for human stem cell transplants

Mon, 31 Aug 1998 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - A team of researchers, led by SickKids geneticist John Dick, PhD, at The Hospital for Sick Children, has discovered a new stem cell in human blood providing researchers with further insight into the working of the blood system. The discovery also questions whether current methods for human stem cell transplants used in the treatment of some blood diseases need to be modified. This discovery will enable the development of new treatments, including gene therapy for blood diseases such as leukemia, thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. The work is published in the August 31 issue of Nature Medicine.

The Hospital for Sick Children opens Centre for Applied Genomics

Wed, 22 Jul 1998 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has created a research facility that will help ensure Canada maintains its prominent international role in genetic research. The Hospital's new Centre for Applied Genomics builds on more than 40 years of experience in genetics and focuses on activities that will allow Canada to benefit from the biological information being generated by the Human Genome Project, the worldwide scientific effort to decode the human genome.

SickKids invests in tomorrow's health researchers

Wed, 15 Jul 1998 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - A $10-million investment by SickKids Foundation will help provide financial assistance to University of Toronto (U of T) graduate students who are in training at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). The Foundation's investment is matched equally by the University of Toronto and the provincial government's Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund program to create the $30-million Hospital for Sick Children Foundation Studentships program at the U of T.

Ulcer drug linked to birth defects

Thu, 25 Jun 1998 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Researchers at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and several hospitals in Brazil have determined that a drug commonly used for the treatment and prevention of ulcers causes a significant birth defect if taken during pregnancy. The drug, misoprostol, joins an international list of approximately 24 medications proven to cause birth defects. The research is reported in today's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Research uncovers a key to aging and lifespan determination

Tue, 02 Jun 1998 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - A research team led by Dr. Gabrielle Boulianne of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto ( U of T) and Drs. John Phillips and Arthur Hilliker of the University of Guelph has identified a critical weakness in the defence against aging. Using the fruit fly as a model biological system, the researchers discovered that a specific cell type - the motor neuron - is the major target for oxidative damage, known for several years to be a key factor affecting aging and lifespan. The researchers were able to boost the flies' defences by inserting a human gene which is known to protect against oxidative damage. As a result, the average lifespan of the flies (usually about 80 days) was increased by 40 per cent. Their research is reported in the June issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.

The H.E. Sellers Chair in Cystic Fibrosis established at The Hospital for Sick Children

Wed, 13 May 1998 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - In recognition of the Sellers' family long-term commitment to cystic fibrosis research, SickKids tomorrow announces the establishment of the H.E. Sellers Chair in Cystic Fibrosis at The Hospital for Sick Children. Named for family patriarch Henry Eugene Sellers, the Chair provides a stable base from which to consolidate the Hospital's role at the forefront of cystic fibrosis research, and ensures resources are available in perpetuity.

Scientists take another step forward in CF research

Tue, 10 Mar 1998 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T) have provided the first structural evidence that the defective cystic fibrosis (CF) gene leads to a malformation of the protein that carries out the gene's biochemical orders. The discovery has important implications for developing new therapies for CF and other diseases caused by protein malformation. The research is reported in the March issue of Nature Structural Biology.

"New generation" of antidepressants found safe in pregnancy

Wed, 25 Feb 1998 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - The first study of antidepressants dubbed the "next generation after Prozac" has shown that they are safe to take during pregnancy and do not increase the risk of birth defects, miscarriage, stillbirth or prematurity. The study assessed the effects of three new selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), a class of anti-depressant used by millions of people worldwide. The report is published in the February 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Lombard Insurance Chair in Paediatric Research established at The Hospital for Sick Children

Tue, 27 Jan 1998 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - The hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) today announced a $2-million gift from Lombard Insurance, the largest in the company's history. The gift will endow, in perpetuity, the Lombard Insurance Chair in Paediatric Research at The Hospital for Sick Children. The chair, held jointly with the University of Toronto, will provide vital resources to ensure that advances continue to be made in the research and treatment of children's illnesses and diseases.

Dr. Manuel Buchwald, chief of Research at The Hospital for Sick Children, is the inaugural Chair holder. His responsibilities include leading all of the Hospital's research work; recruiting and retaining outstanding investigators who, together, will form one of the world's most effective teams in paediatric health research; and working with members of the Hospital's executive team to provide leadership to the entire institution.

The Chair is a linchpin in the $82-million Help Make Sick Kids Better campaign's efforts to establish stable research funding at SickKids. One of Dr. Buchwald's most challenging tasks as the inaugural chair holder is ensuring that philanthropists, policy makers, and other hospital leaders understand the importance of research.

"This chair will help promote the value of research," Dr. Buchwald explained. "It provides a platform to communicate the importance of long-term research funding to those who work outside the laboratory."

Byron Messier, Chairman and CEO of the company, explained Lombard Insurance's decision to endow the chair.
"The Hospital for Sick Children is a world-renowned, first class children's hospital and research institution. Lombard Insurance is delighted to be able to make this gift to help ensure ongoing research that has an impact on children's health," he said. "Any significant progress, whether in medical research or the insurance business, requires a substantial up front investment in the people and technology that can make it happen. The results aren't always immediately apparent, but if we don't try, we can't move forward."

Lombard Insurance is a Canadian-owned property and casualty insurance company that has been providing protection and peace of mind to individuals and businesses for almost 200 years. Its subsidiary, Zenith Insurance Company, specializes in automobile and homeowners coverage for Canadians over the age of 50 through its Privilege 50 Program.

SickKids scientists overcome gene therapy hurdle

Tue, 23 Dec 1997 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A research advance by scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has the potential to overcome two key obstacles preventing successful and safe gene therapy in patients with cystic fibrosis and lung cancer. The advance enables the therapeutic gene to work only in the desired location in the lung and uses only human genetic material to make the gene work.

Dr. John Dick wins MRC's Michael Smith Award

Wed, 17 Dec 1997 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - John Dick, senior scientist, Genetics, and professor of Molecular and Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto, has been named the 1997 recipient of the prestigious Michael Smith Award for Excellence.

The Hospital for Sick Children conducts research at Bay & Adelaide

Tue, 25 Nov 1997 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - In a celebration of Canadian research achievements, Sick Kids wants everyone to look for genes. That's the idea behind its new mural located at Bay & Adelaide streets, on the largest outdoor advertising face in Canada.

Researchers find gene causing vision loss

Fri, 14 Nov 1997 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - An international team of researchers, led by Dr. Roderick McInnes of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), has identified a gene in which mutations cause inherited retinal degeneration. The work was done in collaboration with Drs. Shomi Bhattacharya of University College, London, Constance Cepko of Harvard Medical School, and Samuel Jacobson of the University of Pennsylvania. The research is published in today's issue of the scientific journal Cell.

Severe morning sickness forcing some women to terminate planned and wanted pregnancies

Mon, 23 Jun 1997 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - A recent study by researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has revealed that severe morning sickness is forcing some Canadian women to terminate an otherwise planned and wanted pregnancy. The survey also indicates that most of the affected women did not receive appropriate medication for the condition, even though an approved drug is available in Canada. The survey results are published in the June issue of Canadian Family Physician.

First national study released on families living with HIV/AIDS

Mon, 28 Apr 1997 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO -The findings of the first national study on how families cope with HIV/AIDS entitled: Children Born to Mothers with HIV: Psychosocial Issues for Families in Canada Living with HIV/AIDS will be presented tomorrow:

Providing pain control for circumcision necessary, safe, and effective

Wed, 23 Apr 1997 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Women's College Hospital (WCH) are hoping the results of their study published in the April 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine will influence a change in the practice of circumcising male infants without analgesia. The research group has demonstrated that the use of an anaesthetic cream prior to the procedure is a safe way to effectively reduce circumcision pain.

SickKids researchers identify new human immune disorder; bone marrow transplant may be a possible cure

Thu, 17 Apr 1997 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have identified a genetic basis for a previously unidentified human immune disorder that causes severe inflammation of the gastrointestinal system and lungs. The discovery, announced this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA, indicates that autoimmune disorders can result from abnormal development of the immune system.

Study shows that infants feel and remember circumcision pain

Fri, 28 Feb 1997 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A study led by Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) researchers has demonstrated that not only do male infants feel pain during circumcision, they remember that pain six months later when they receive their routine vaccination. The results of the study, led by Anna Taddio, a graduate student supervised by Dr. Gideon Koren, head of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology at SickKids and a Professor of Paediatrics, Pharmacology, and Medicine at the University of Toronto, are reported in the March 1 issue of the British medical journal Lancet.

Common antidepressant drugs safe in pregnancy; infant neurodevelopment not affected

Wed, 22 Jan 1997 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Women who require antidepressant medication while pregnant, but are worried about the risk to their unborn babies, may be relieved at the results of a study to be published in the January 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Early blood cell pinpointed; may hold key to successful gene therapy

Tue, 03 Dec 1996 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - An international team of researchers, led by Hospital for Sick Children geneticist John Dick, has identified a human blood cell which regrows the entire blood system. While scientists have known for years that such a bone marrow cell (called a stem cell) exists, it is not until now that they have been able to pinpoint it by examining its blood-producing activity.

SickKids and Hyal Pharmaceutical to collaborate on research for vascular disease and cancer

Thu, 31 Oct 1996 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - The Hospital for Sick Children and Hyal Pharmaceutical Corporation (TSE: HPC, NASDAQ: HYALF) announced today a collaborative research agreement designed to link the findings of basic laboratory research with the delivery of potential treatments for vascular disease and cancerous tumours.

SickKids scientists find the gene for Cyclops

Thu, 31 Oct 1996 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - When the Greek poet Homer wrote The Odyssey, was he describing the one-eyed Cyclops from personal observation? His description may have been accurate, given a recent discovery by scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Researchers find gene involved in colon cancer; learn why some cells become malignant

Fri, 23 Aug 1996 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - A husband and wife research team at The Hospital for Sick Children has discovered a gene implicated in the development of colon cancer - a disease from which approximately 6,000 Canadians will die this year.

Drs. Liliana Attisano and Jeff Wrana's discovery has brought cancer researchers a step closer in understanding what causes cells to multiply uncontrollably - an activity which leads to the development of malignancies. Their research is reported in the August 23 issue of Cell.

The gene, called MADR2, is located on chromosome 18 in a section that is also involved in the development of other human malignancies, such as pancreatic cancer. MADR2 produces a protein important for conducting signals that govern cell growth. When MADR2 is functioning normally it acts as a tumor suppressor. However, a defective MADR2 gene prevents cells from receiving the growth regulating signal.

"A key step in the development of malignancies is the cell's loss of sensitivity to a molecule called Transforming Growth Factor b (TGFb)," explains Dr. Attisano, an assistant professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Toronto and a member of the Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition in the Research Institute at The Hospital for Sick Children. "TGFb negatively regulates cell growth. A mutated MADR2 gene prevents the cell from receiving the TGFb signal, so it keeps growing. This can lead to the development of tumors."
Gaining an understanding of the events which cause a loss of sensitivity to TGFb could provide important insights into the general mechanisms underlying the causes of malignancies.

"With this new discovery of MADR2 in the TGFb signal pathway, work can begin on developing possible methods of gene therapy to replace the defective gene," explains Dr. Wrana, an assistant professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Toronto and a member of the Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition in the Research Institute of The Hospital for Sick Children. "It's possible that a new class of drugs could be created which would mimic the function of the protein, overcoming the defective gene."

The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that 16,300 Canadians will be diagnosed with colon cancer this year. Of those, 8,800 will be men and 7,500 will be women. The Society also estimates that 6,200 Canadians will die from the disease this year.

Collaborators in this work include researchers Drs. Lap-Chee Tsui and Stephen W. Scherer at The Hospital for Sick Children; Steven Gallinger and Irene L. Andrulis at The Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital; Gerald H. Thomsen at the Institute for Cell and Developmental Biology at the State University of New York and the University of Toronto.

This research was supported by the Medical Research Council of Canada, The National Cancer Institute of Canada, the Canadian Breast Cancer Research initiative, the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network, the Howard Hughes International Fellowship, the U.S. National Science Foundation and the American Heart Association.

Infrastructure costs of the Research Institute are supported by The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation.

Molecular diagnosis of genetic disease could lead to huge health care savings

Thu, 01 Aug 1996 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Costs for screening children at risk of developing cancer of the retina would be reduced by as much as 70 percent if molecular screening methods were used, say researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children, The Toronto Hospital and the University of Toronto.

Doctors at The Hospital for Sick Children and The Toronto Hospital perform their first joint living-related donor liver transplant

Fri, 21 Jun 1996 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - A 35-year-old Toronto father gave a priceless gift on June 18 when surgeons at The Toronto Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children removed a portion of his liver and transplant it into his 19-month old daughter. Both father and daughter are doing well.

Manuel Buchwald, O.C., PhD, named Director of The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute

Tue, 23 Apr 1996 24:00:00 EDT

TORONTO - Manuel Buchwald, O.C., PhD, has been appointed Director of The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, effective immediately. Since last July he has served as Acting Director of the Institute, a position he also held for 15 months in 1986-87.

Researchers find major gene for eye development

Mon, 01 Apr 1996 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A team of researchers led by Dr. Roderick McInnes of the departments of Genetics and Paediatrics at The Hospital for Sick Children, Dr. Margit Burmeister at the University of Michigan, and Dr. Mark Hankin at the Medical College of Ohio, has identified a major regulatory gene -called Chx10 - that is a critical control of retina and eye development in mammals. The work was done in collaboration with Ben Taylor and Tom Roderick at the Jackson Laboratories in Bar Harbor, Maine. Their research is reported in the April issue of Nature Genetics.

Fanconi Anemia research advanced by development of new animal model

Mon, 01 Apr 1996 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A team of scientists, led by Manuel Buchwald, O.C., PhD., of The Hospital for Sick Children, has successfully reproduced characteristics of Fanconi Anemia in mice, giving them a living model in which to test novel treatments - including gene therapy - for this rare but devastating inherited blood disorder. Their research is published in the April 1, 1996 issue of Nature Genetics.

New liver disease caused by excess zinc, copper, SickKids study shows

Sat, 30 Mar 1996 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - A new liver disease caused by excessive amounts of zinc and copper has been identifed by pathologist James Phillips and colleagues at The Hospital for Sick Children, it was announced in today's issue of the British scientific publication Lancet.

Novel treatment concept blocks signals that control growth of leukemia cells

Wed, 14 Feb 1996 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Researchers at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have developed a novel concept for anti-cancer treatment of recurrent acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer. Their approach is to selectively block an intracellular transmitter of signals which control the growth of leukemia cells.

Treatment proven effective for severe form of rare disease

Wed, 03 Jan 1996 24:00:00 EST

TORONTO - Sometimes you have to wait 30 years to learn if your discovery is really making a difference in a patient's life. The waiting is finally over for Dr. Bibudhendra (Amu) Sarkar of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), as confirmed by a report in the January issue of Nature Genetics.