Six Queen’s researchers with projects ranging from improving treatment for Parkinson’s disease, to preventing work-related injuries are receiving $1.3 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

“The CFI, through the Leaders Opportunity Fund (LOF), has provided us with an excellent mechanism for attracting and retaining top-flight researchers,” says Vice-Principal (Research) Steven Liss. “As a result of this competition, six Queen’s researchers will receive the funding required to develop innovative infrastructure that will provide the enriched research training environments necessary for leading-edge research. “

The following researchers received LOF funding:

Ron Levy (Surgery) – With a goal of improving treatment for Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Levy studies changes in the brain attributed to the disease. He is using his funding to purchase new equipment for his lab, including a high performance computer, and to hire a computer technician.

Steven Fischer (School of Kinesiology and Health Studies) – With a focus on creating a healthier Canada, Dr. Fischer is using his grant to open a Movement for Performance Biomechanics and Ergonomics Laboratory at Queen’s. He will use human movement research to reduce and prevent work-related injuries.

Jean-Michel Nunzi (Chemistry/Physics) – To help alleviate the burden of rising health care budgets, Dr. Nunzi is developing a new point-of-care (POC) device that can be applied to a wide range of medical testing applications. Currently, POC devices are used for one type of testing, like a blood glucose meter for patients with diabetes. The new device will be able to analyze two different properties of the blood, increasing the power of the POC to provide more information.

Alberto Neder (School of Medicine) – Dr. Neder’s lab is the first in the world to study the entire oxygen pathway through the body during exercise. He will use the funding to purchase new laboratory infrastructure to expand his research program. He aims to develop new rehabilitative strategies for patients with age-related diseases including chronic heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Michael Rauh (Pathology and Molecular Medicine) – Dr. Rauh will explore next-generation technologies that will allow earlier detection of blood cancer which causes debilitating and life-threatening fatigue, bleeding, infections and can progress to leukemia. The funding is being used to create a blood cancer research laboratory at Queen’s.

Linda Booij (Psychology) – Dr. Booij is developing a biological test to identify people at risk of major depressions and aggression. Such a test would help to arrange early treatment options that could help with these disorders. Her goal is to improve the health of Ontarians and reduce the burden on the province’s economy when it comes to mental illness. The funding will be used to purchase computers and specific software designed to analyze the data.