A total of more than $12 million was awarded in the form of project and bridge grants, with study durations ranging from one to five years.

“Congratulations to all the dedicated UM researchers who were successful in this Spring 2021 funding competition,” said UM Vice-President (Research and International) Dr. Digvir Jayas.

“These professors have shown leadership in their fields and are advancing knowledge in several important areas of Indigenous health, as well as in illnesses such as kidney disease, heart disease, HIV, diabetes, cancer and psychiatric disorders.”

The UM project that received the largest grant, more than $1.9 million over five years, is titled Qanuinngitsiarutiksait.2: Developing tools for the wellness and safety of Inuit.

DR. JOSEE LAVOIE

Led by Dr. Josée Lavoie, professor of community health sciences and director of Ongomiizwin Research, the project builds on a previous study of service use by the thousands of Inuit from Nunavut who come to Manitoba to access services.

The new study will focus on how Inuit concepts of wellness can be used to create healing programs in Winnipeg that reflect Inuit values. The researchers plan to develop and implement several programs, such as one tailored to the needs of Inuit families involved with Child and Family Services.

A five-year grant of more than $1.4 million was awarded to the project Oral microbiome and caries risk in young First Nations and Métis children in Manitoba.

DR. ROBERT SCHROTH

A team led by Dr. Robert Schroth, professor of preventive dental science in the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry and researcher with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM), will examine the dental microbiome that is associated with the severe form of baby-tooth decay that affects many First Nations and Métis preschoolers.

The aim is to understand why only some dental microorganisms cause tooth decay, and the environmental factors that may influence this process.

Here’s a look at the other funded studies and lead investigators. More information on the studies and research teams is available here.

Dr. Marissa Becker, associate professor, medical microbiology & infectious diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $200,000 (two years)

Becker’s team will study sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) among military personnel in Ukraine, examining how they contribute to broader STBBI epidemics amid the armed conflict in that country.

Dr. David Collister, assistant professor, internal medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $321,300 (three years)

Collister seeks to determine which uremic toxins are responsible for individual disease symptoms in advanced chronic kidney disease, and which symptoms respond to dialysis. The findings will inform dialysis decision-making.

Dr. Kevin Coombs, professor, medical microbiology & infectious diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $100,000 (one year)

Coombs will examine human cells’ susceptibility to the Zika virus, which is transmitted by a mosquito that is becoming known in Canada. He aims to understand how cellular genes and proteins work to allow or inhibit Zika growth.

Dr. Sanjiv Dhingra, associate professor, physiology & pathophysiology, Max Rady College of Medicine; principal investigator, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre

Grant: $960,076 (five years)

Dhingra’s study relates to the potential of using transplanted stem cells from healthy donors to treat heart disease. He will investigate why transplanted stem cells are ultimately rejected by the host’s immune system, and how to prevent this.

Dr. Vernon Dolinsky, associate professor, pharmacology & therapeutics, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $822,376 (five years)

Dolinsky’s team has found that the offspring of mothers who had gestational diabetes are at risk of later heart failure. His study will investigate the role of a cellular protein that could prevent damage to the heart and allow it to pump better.

Dr. Krista Hardy, assistant professor, surgery, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $470,475 (four years)

Hardy aims to better understand the experiences of Indigenous patients who undergo bariatric surgery in Manitoba as a treatment for obesity. Her project will incorporate and assess Indigenous healing and wellness practices in bariatric surgery care.

Dr. Richard Keijzer, professor, surgery, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $233,324 (three years)

Keijzer’s team has created a database of more than 750 Manitobans who were born with a congenital anomaly that required surgery at birth. By linking this to population data, the team will conduct a follow-up study of the patients’ medical, educational and socio-economic outcomes.

Grant: $749,700 (five years)

Keijzer will also lead an international team of experts on congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) to determine the role of circular RNAs in these infants’ abnormal lung development. The results will help to better predict outcomes in babies with CDH.

Dr. Dylan MacKay, assistant professor, community health sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $100,000 (one year)

MacKay will enrol patients with chronic kidney disease in a one-year, randomized study comparing methods of reducing dietary acid. Half the patients will take baking soda pills, while the other half will have fruits and vegetables delivered to them to reduce acid through diet.

Dr. Lyle McKinnon, associate professor, medical microbiology & infectious diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $300,000 (three years)

McKinnon’s team has previously found that vaginal inflammation increases a woman’s risk of becoming HIV-infected if exposed. His study focuses on regulatory T cells and their potential to control female genital inflammation as an HIV prevention strategy.

Dr. James Nagy, professor, physiology & pathophysiology, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $742,050 (five years)

Nagy’s study builds on his previous research on how nerve cells in the brain communicate at electrical synapses, how protein components function in this transmission, and how malfunctioning of these mechanisms contributes to neurological disorders.

Dr. Marcus Ng, associate professor, internal medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $548,890 (five years)

Ng will analyze data from patients with epilepsy to compare the brain zone of epileptic activity during rapid eye movement sleep, other stages of sleep, and wakefulness. Better mapping of where seizures arise could allow more patients to undergo life-changing neurosurgery.

Dr. Tabrez Siddiqui, associate professor, physiology & pathophysiology, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $983,026 (five years)

Siddiqui will investigate, in mice, how a type of altered biochemical signaling affects the brain, producing deficits such as those in autism and schizophrenia. The goal is to increase understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders so that drug targets can be identified.

Dr. Jörg Stetefeld, professor, biochemistry, Faculty of Science; Canada Research Chair in structural biology and biophysics

Grant: $742,050 (five years)

Stetefeld will pursue a molecular study of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a protein involved in cancerous tumor development and tissue fibrosis. He aims to develop new therapeutic targets based on understanding the role of CTGF.

Dr. Julia Uhanova, associate professor, internal medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $573,751 (two years)

Uhanova will explore whether adherence to a traditional First Nations land-based diet decreases the severity of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, an aggressive form of fatty liver disease. This inflammatory disease has a high prevalence among First Nations.

Dr. Jude Uzonna, professor, immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $990,676 (five years)

Uzonna’s study focuses on how the body maintains immunity after recovery from leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease. Understanding factors that regulate the antigen-specific memory response to the disease will aid progress toward a vaccine.

Dr. Kristy Wittmeier, associate professor, pediatrics & child health, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $240,976 (two years)

Building on her previous research, Wittmeier will study knowledge-sharing networks in child development and rehabilitation in Canada. Her team will make recommendations to improve these networks to better serve children’s needs.

“Congratulations to the successful applicants in the Fall 2020 round of funding. This is an impressive showing by UM investigators,” said Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-dean research of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. 

“Some of these projects focus on improving the lives of people with conditions such as kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes and mental health disorders. Others are lab studies that will advance knowledge about illnesses such as Ebola, leukemia, HIV and metabolic diseases.

“Our researchers are also analyzing data to reveal new evidence about interlinked social and health factors in Manitobans’ lives. And they’re studying areas such as Indigenous-led wellness programs and children’s rehabilitation knowledge sharing in order to identify and build on strengths.”

UM Today recently reported on two of the funded projects, which relate to COVID-19: a randomized trial of a home monitoring platform for patients with chronic kidney disease, led by Dr. Claudio Rigatto, and a study of the lived experiences of families with children who are immunocompromised, led by Dr. Roberta Woodgate.  

Here’s a look at the other projects:

Dr. Clara Bohm, associate professor, internal medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $439,874

Bohm’s team will conduct a randomized trial to assess whether stationary cycling during kidney dialysis treatments reduces heart “stunning” (poor pumping, which can cause heart damage) and improves symptoms such as fatigue. The trial involves participants in Canada, the U.S. and Australia.

Dr. Shay-Lee Bolton, assistant professor, psychiatry, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $100,000

Bolton will evaluate whether a psychotherapy and mindfulness program that is delivered virtually helps public safety personnel, such as police officers and firefighters, cope with stress, maintain mental wellness and remain resilient.

Dr. Dan Chateau, assistant professor, community health sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine; research scientist, Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP)

Dr. Marni Brownell, professor, community health sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine; associate director, research, and senior research scientist, MCHP; researcher, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM)

Grant: $432,226

Chateau’s team will use health data to investigate the effects of prescription opioid and psychotropic medication use during pregnancy, looking at patterns of prescription opioid use, short-term effects on children exposed in the womb, and longer-term outcomes for these children.

Dr. David Collister, assistant professor, internal medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $100,000

Collister’s project is a trial comparing oral and topical nabilone (a synthetic form of cannabis) to placebos to determine whether nabilone is safe and effective at reducing itching in patients who are on dialysis for kidney disease.

Dr. Shyamala Dakshinamurti, professor, pediatrics and child health, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $784,125

This study looks at newborn pulmonary hypertension, which prevents some babies from getting enough bloodflow to their lungs. By focusing on a system of signals in the body called the adenylyl cyclase pathway, Dakshinamurti aims to help these infants’ lungs relax and hearts pump strongly.

Dr. Allison Dart, associate professor, pediatrics and child health, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Dr. Brandy Wicklow, associate professor, pediatrics and child health, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $1,300,500

Dart and Wicklow will study biopsychosocial risk factors for worsening kidney disease in children and teens with Type 2 diabetes. They will also test a skills-based mental health program to help Indigenous youth with Type 2 diabetes manage their emotions and their disease.

Dr. Andrew Hatala, associate professor, community health sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Dr. Sabina Ijaz, family physician; Giigewigamig health advisor

Elder Dave Courchene, founder, Turtle Lodge

Grant: $1,748,025

This team will conduct an Indigenous-led study of the Turtle Lodge in Sagkeeng First Nation as a model of Indigenous education, wellness and flourishing. The objectives include developing a framework for stronger relationships between Indigenous Knowledge Holders and biomedical practitioners.

Dr. Jason Kindrachuk, assistant professor, medical microbiology and infectious diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine; Canada Research Chair in molecular pathogenesis of emerging and re-emerging viruses; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $726,750

Kindrachuk’s project focuses on the fact that some men who have recovered from Ebola continue to carry the virus in their reproductive tracts. The study will investigate how the virus persists in the testes and is sexually transmitted. It will also look at Ebola’s long-term effects on reproductive health.

Dr. Ted Lakowski, associate professor, College of Pharmacy

Grant: $699,975

Lakowski’s study aims to develop new cancer therapies that target the specific genes involved in a type of leukemia. These treatments are expected to be more effective and cause fewer side effects than current therapies. The strategy could lead to gene-specific treatments for other cancers.

Dr. Lyle McKinnon, assistant professor, medical microbiology and infectious diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $100,000

McKinnon will study the role of regulatory T cells, a type of immune cell, in controlling female genital inflammation. Because this inflammation puts women at higher risk of HIV infection, the study is relevant to finding better prevention strategies for women who are at risk of HIV exposure.

Dr. Suresh Mishra, professor, internal medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $100,000

Mishra will focus on prohibitin, a protein that plays an important role in sex differences in fat and immune cells. Using mouse models, he will investigate why men and women display differences in susceptibility and resistance to metabolic and immune diseases.

Dr. Rae Spiwak, assistant professor, surgery, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $60,000

Spiwak will use Manitoba data to investigate what social factors place children at greater risk for physical injury. The study will look at a cohort of children who were hospitalized for traumatic physical injury and compare them with uninjured children, examining factors such as parental socioeconomic status and education.

Dr. Elizabeth Wall-Wieler, assistant professor, community health sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine; research scientist, MCHP; Canada Research Chair in population data analytics and data curation

Dr. Marilyn Bennett, assistant professor, Faculty of Social Work

Dr. Marni Brownell, professor, community health sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine; associate director, research, and senior research scientist, MCHP; researcher, CHRIM

Dr. Marcelo Urquia, associate professor, community health sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine; research scientist, MCHP; Canada Research Chair in applied population health

Grant: $393,976

Wall-Wieler’s team will analyze Manitoba data to determine whether parents with specific health conditions are more likely to have a child taken into care, and how having a child taken into care affects parents’ health. The study will compare First Nations, Métis and all other Manitoban parents.  

Dr. Jun-Feng Wang, associate professor, pharmacology and therapeutics, Max Rady College of Medicine

Grant: $623,475

Wang will investigate the role of a protein, Txnip, in chronic stress-induced neuronal dysfunction. The research will use an animal model for depression, aiming to determine if inhibiting Txnip could be used in treating human depression.

Dr. Brandy Wicklow, associate professor, pediatrics and child health, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $100,000

Wicklow will examine beta cell and kidney function in First Nations children whose mothers were diagnosed as children with Type 2 diabetes. The offspring will be studied in early childhood and compared with children not exposed to Type 2 diabetes in the womb. The results will contribute to strategies for early intervention.  

Dr. Kristy Wittmeier, assistant professor, pediatrics and child health, Max Rady College of Medicine; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $100,000

Wittmeier’s team will study how knowledge about research and treatments is shared via networks between researchers, therapists and families of children with development or rehabilitation needs. The goal is to identify strengths and gaps in these knowledge-sharing networks and make recommendations to improve them.

Dr. Roberta Woodgate, distinguished professor, College of Nursing; Canada Research Chair in child and family engagement in health research and healthcare; researcher, CHRIM

Grant: $761,176

Woodgate’s study will involve young immigrants and refugees in co-designing culturally sensitive mental health supports for youth like themselves. Parents and community-based organizations will also participate. The researchers will develop a digital mental health self-management prototype.

The Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation is supporting the Dr. John M. Bowman Chair in Pediatrics and Child Health through a gift of $1 million. This gift is the latest contribution announced as part of the University of Manitoba’s Front and Centre campaign and brings the Foundation’s total to $2,158,320 since the campaign begun. As well, the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health in the Max Rady College of Medicine and the Robert Wallace Cameron Fund provided funding to establish the new chair.

The Rh Foundation’s gift honours the legacy of Dr. John M. Bowman, a 1949 University of Manitoba MD alumnus, who was best known for pioneering the discovery and treatment of the Rh hemolytic disease in newborns in the 1960’s, saving hundreds of thousands of babies’ lives. He continued to lecture and teach about the cure for Rh isoimmunisation at neonatal centres across Canada until his death in 2005.

Dr. Bowman served as medical director of the Winnipeg Rh Lab, as a professor of pediatrics at the University of Manitoba, and was co-founder and chair of the Winnipeg Rh Institute.

“This generous gift to the University of Manitoba honours Dr. Bowman’s legacy of service to the medical community and to the thousands of lives saved through his pioneering work,” says Dr. David Barnard, UM president and vice-chancellor. “I thank the Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation for their leadership and continued support of research and scholarly initiatives in our community.”

Dr. Kristy Wittmeier, assistant professor with the UM’s department of pediatrics and child health and investigator with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, was announced as the inaugural Dr. John M. Bowman Chair in Pediatrics and Child Health.

“I’m honoured and humbled to be the recipient of the inaugural Dr. John M. Bowman Chair in Pediatrics and Child Health,” Wittmeier said. “Dr. Bowman’s work exemplifies the role of a dedicated clinician researcher – that is, a clinician, or healthcare provider, who applies the scientific method to answer important clinical questions, so that we can provide better care.”

As a physiotherapist for over 17 years, Wittmeier brings her experience in patient care at the Children’s Hospital to her research. Wittmeier has explored topics such as knowledge translation and patient involvement in health research, developing and testing a mobile app to help young men with mild hemophilia self-manage injuries, and improving access to physiotherapy for children with complex needs.

“I am grateful the role of a physiotherapy clinician researcher in pediatrics has become a reality and we can work to improve quality of life and outcomes for children and youth in Manitoba who have neurodevelopmental and rehabilitation needs,” said Wittmeier, a three-time graduate of the University of Manitoba, where she earned a bachelor of medical rehabilitation in physical therapy, master of science in medical rehabilitation and a PhD in physiology.

“We know that Dr. Bowman’s work continues to make a real and tangible impact on the lives of Manitobans,” said Dr. Juliette Cooper, Board Chair, Rh Institute Foundation. “We’re pleased to be able to support in this way, and we look forward to the impact of Dr. Wittmeier’s research that will continue to improve outcomes for children facing serious health issues.”

This investment from the Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation brings the University of Manitoba closer to its $500-million fundraising goal for the Front and Centre campaign with a new campaign total of $370,507,253.00.

The Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation is supporting the Dr. John M. Bowman Chair in Pediatrics and Child Health through a gift of $1 million. This gift is the latest contribution announced as part of the University of Manitoba’s Front and Centre campaign. The Department of Pediatrics and Child Health in the Max Rady College of Medicine has also provided funding for the new chair.

The Rh Foundation’s gift honours the legacy of Dr. John M. Bowman, who was best known for pioneering the discovery and treatment of the Rh hemolytic disease in newborns in the 1960’s, saving countless lives. He continued to lecture and teach about the cure for Rh isoimmunisation at neonatal centres across Canada until his death in 2005.

“When the Rh Board began exploring the possibility of creating this chair back in 2016, we were told it should be three things: innovative, impactful, and excellent. And those three words also perfectly summarize the career of Dr. Bowman,” Dr. Juliette Cooper, Chair of the Winnipeg Rh Foundation Institute told the crowd gathered in an atrium on the Bannatyne campus.

Dr. Bowman served as medical director of the Winnipeg Rh Lab, as a professor of pediatrics at the University of Manitoba, and was co-founder and chair of the Winnipeg Rh Institute.

“This generous gift to the University of Manitoba honours Dr. Bowman’s legacy of service to the medical community and to the thousands of lives saved through his pioneering work,” says Dr. David Barnard, UM president and vice-chancellor. “I thank the Winnipeg Rh Institute for their leadership and continued support of research and scholarly initiatives in our community.”

Dr. Kristy Wittmeier, Assistant Professor with the UM’s Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, as well as Investigator with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, was announced as the inaugural Dr. John M. Bowman Chair in Pediatrics and Child Health.

As a physiotherapist for over 17 years, Dr. Wittmeier brings her experience in patient care at the Children’s Hospital to her research. Dr. Wittmeier has explored topics such as knowledge translation and patient involvement in health research, developing and testing a mobile app to help young men with mild hemophilia self-manage injuries, and improving access to physiotherapy for children with complex needs.

“We know that Dr. Bowman’s work continues to make a real and tangible impact on the lives of Manitobans,” says Dr. Cooper. “We’re pleased to be able to support in this way, and we look forward to the impact of Dr. Wittmeier’s research that will continue to improve outcomes for children facing serious health issues.”

As a show of thanks, UM presented the Winnipeg Rh Foundation Institute with a framed stethoscope and photo of Dr. Bowman placed above a plaque that thanks the foundation for its generous gift. The Foundation plans to hang this gift in the halls of the new women’s hospital, which will open soon. 

This investment from the Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation brings the University of Manitoba closer to its $500-million fundraising goal for the Front and Centre campaign with a new campaign total of $370,507,253.00.

“This type of research is unique in that it engages patients in all aspects of study and ensures results are relevant to the priorities that they have identified,” said Pedersen. “By working together and investing in these networks, we are helping Manitoba’s research institutions create the innovative solutions needed to support patients across this province and beyond.”

Pedersen noted these four Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) projects connect researchers, health professionals, patients and policy makers across the country to improve the health of Canadians living with chronic diseases. The networks received a combined total of $10.1 million including $3.1 million in provincial funding through Research Manitoba, $6 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and an additional $1 million from local research partners.

“We thank our funding partners for providing the support our researchers need to engage in the demanding clinical research these complicated matters require,” said Digvir Jayas, vice-president (research and international) and distinguished professor, University of Manitoba. “Today’s announcement means the University of Manitoba is even better positioned at the forefront of these crucial fields of inquiry. I would like to congratulate the scientists on their successful research programs to date and wish them all the best as they now delve deeper into these topics of great importance to so many of us.”

There is a strong University of Manitoba presence across SPOR networks and this latest significant long-term funding will enhance the university’s success in chronic disease research.

ABOUT THE NEWLY FUNDED SPOR RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Inflammation, Microbiome, and Alimentation: Gastro-Intestinal and Neuropsychiatric Effects: the IMAGINE-SPOR chronic disease network

Principal Investigators: Drs. Charles Bernstein and Laura Targownik, Internal Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

This network is a national collaboration of patients and scientists that will look at how gut bacteria and diet affect the course of inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, and at the anxiety and depression associated with these disorders.

Listening, Learning, Leading: Canadians Seeking Solutions and Innovations to Overcome Chronic Kidney Disease (Can-SOLVE CKD)

Principal Investigators: Drs. Allison Dart (Pediatrics & Child Health/Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba), Paul Komenda (Internal Medicine) and Navdeep Tangri (Internal Medicine), Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

This network will improve care for people with kidney disease. It aims to reduce the number of people who require dialysis or organ transplants, or who develop related illnesses that are debilitating or deadly.

CHILD-BRIGHT: Child Health Initiatives Limiting Disability – Brain Research Improving Growth and Health Trajectories

Principal Investigators: Drs. Kristy Wittmeier (Pediatrics & Child Health/Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba), Gina Rempel (Pediatrics & Child Health) and Ana Hanlon-Dearman (Pediatrics & Child Health/Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba), Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

This network will achieve brighter futures for children with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families by creating novel interventions to optimize development, promote healthy outcomes, and deliver responsive and supportive services across the life-course.

SPOR Network in Diabetes and its Related Complications

Principal Investigators: Drs. Paul Fernyhough (Pharmacology & Therapeutics/St. Boniface Albrechtsen Research Centre) and Jon McGavock (Pediatric & Child Health/Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba), Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

This network will transform the health outcomes of people with diabetes and its related complications. It will facilitate important and meaningful connections between patients, their primary healthcare providers, and specialists to achieve improved health care and significant cost savings within the health system.