UHN’s Brad Wouters mentions that many scientists worldwide have shown interest in the Canada Leads program.
As the United States cuts funding for research initiatives, Canada is actively working to draw scientists northward, with Toronto’s University Health Network successfully hiring dozens of medical researchers from around the globe.
The Canada Leads program was introduced a year ago by the hospital network, aiming to recruit 100 early- to mid-career scientists from different countries. This initiative is part of a broader national plan to enhance Canada’s role in global life sciences and medical research, according to UHN, especially in areas that will influence health and support economic development.
With this goal in mind, Brad Wouters, executive vice-president of science and research at the University Health Network, states they set high standards for their selections. So far, Wouters reports they have brought on board 80 individuals, although hundreds more have expressed interest in joining.
“It’s been extraordinary, the interest and the initial experience as part of this,” Wouters said.
According to UHN, over 800 individuals have indicated their interest in the program thus far.
While focused on early career researchers, Wouters notes that funding from the federal government enabled them to attract a senior investigator from the United States. In Ottawa’s last budget proposal, $1.7 billion was allocated to recruit and support international researchers over a span of 12 years through the Canada Global Impact + Research Talent Initiative.
Canada Leads has welcomed Dr. Ariel Levine, who previously served as a senior investigator at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. He is studying spinal cord injury to gain insights into how the nervous system manages movement.
“As other countries constrain academic freedoms and undermine cutting-edge research, Canada is investing in-and doubling down on-science,” Industry Minister Melanie Joly stated in a news release right after the announcement.
Health Minister Marjorie Michel supported Joly’s statement by emphasizing that “better health care begins with better research.”
“And in Canada, we believe in science. We value our scientists,” Michel said.
Source link
‘A magnet for talent’
This initiative started after federal grant funding cuts at universities and research institutions in the U. S., which led programs there to pause recruitment or shut down entirely. “It was creating a lot of uncertainty and the U. S., as you probably know, has been a magnet for talent from around the world for 50 years,” Wouters remarked. “Every year there’s a group of talent seeking new opportunities. These are often early career researchers looking for their first appointment or postdoctoral training; we thought this was an excellent opportunity to bring that talent pool here to Toronto.” One such postdoctoral researcher is Dr. Sophie Twigger who relocated from Nottingham, England, aiming to advance her work on cancer cell metabolism. Dr. Sophie Twigger Dr. Sophie Twigger is one of the global scientists part of UHN’s newer initiative who is currently researching cancer cell metabolism. (UHN) “Metabolism in cells is basically how we take food into our body and turn it into energy for survival; cancer cells also need energy inside our bodies,” Twigger shared during an interview with Toronto. “They’re hijacking our normal cell systems and rewiring them so they can survive and grow within us; we want to find ways to exploit these changes that make them different from healthy cells.” By taking advantage of this vulnerability, Twigger believes their treatment could target only cancer cells while leaving healthy ones intact. She mentioned they’re working on repurposing an FDA-approved drug that’s been available for years as a treatment for high blood pressure during pregnancy; however testing remains at its early stages.“I’m testing it across various cancer cell lines so we’re not limited to just one type; we’re hopeful this could become an effective treatment option alongside standard care,” Twigger explained.The Toronto East Health Network states it doesn’t have an official program like UHN’s but mentions some universities in Quebec have set up similar initiatives like Polaris Platform aimed at attracting global scientists. ‘ An experience ‘Twigger arrived in Canada when excitement filled Toronto due to World Series festivities around Halloween time; she described how lively everything felt which confirmed her belief that moving here would be “an experience.” Although leaving family and friends behind was challenging , she felt embraced by community when UHN celebrated its anniversary event with recruits who were asked at one point stand up together. Scientists hailing from different parts world studying diverse subjects yet connected by common purpose. “You can see this central theme where collaboration focuses on targeted therapy aimed at improving patient outcomes ; I think that’s exactly what Canada Leads emphasizes ,” Twigger noted. “Everyone can recognize similarities within research , which made participating really rewarding.”Source link
