Congratulations to Benjamin M. Smith and Simon Rousseau, who were funded in the Fall 2023 CIHR Lung Health Team Grant Competition!
In total, nine research teams across Canada were funded to tackle new and existing threats to lung health.
Team Grant: Lung Health – Data Science, Policy and Lung Health
Title: Harnessing Data to Improve Lung Health in Canada: Data4LungHealth
Principal Investigators: Simon Rousseau, Sanja Stanojevic, Emily P. Brigham
Co-Investigators: Céline Bergeron, Cole Bowerman, Shawn D Aaron, Guillaume Bourque, Jeffrey R Brook, Pat Camp, Dany Doiron, Isabel Fortier, Andrea S Gershon, Carolyn McCoy, Mohsen Sadatsafavi, Benjamin M. Smith, Michael K Stickland, Katherine L Vandemheen, Ma’n Hilmi M Zawati.
The project will develop a new system, called ‘shAIRe’ and the website ‘Data4LungHealth’, to improve the safety and accessibility of data for lung health research. This initiative will ensure that data can be used across the country without it leaving the originating institution, enhancing collaboration while protecting privacy. The project includes building a toolkit for researchers, establishing a national participant registry, and developing a lung health assessment tool. Additionally, it will provide funding, training, and mentorship over five years, involving community partners and leveraging a multi-disciplinary team’s expertise to facilitate better lung health research in Canada.
Team Grant: Lung Health – Inflammation and Lung Health
Title: Immune dysanapsis: Updating the paradigm of inflammation and lung health trajectories in diverse populations to achieve lifelong health for all
Principal Investigators: Benjamin M. Smith, Jeffrey R. Brook, Dany Doiron, Qingling Duan, Zihang Lu, Donald Sin, Padmaja Subbarao.
Co-Investigators: Jean Bourbeau, Mylinh Duong, Rachel L Eddy, Meaghan J Jones, Miranda A Kirby,
This research proposal aims to explore how inflammation and lung growth interact, particularly in diverse populations, to develop better strategies for maintaining lung health throughout life. The concept of “immune dysanapsis,” which links impaired lung growth with prolonged inflammation and increased disease risk, will be examined. The study will involve a team of experts in various fields, including respiratory epidemiology and lung immunobiology, and will focus on a wide range of populations differing in age, genetic backgrounds, and living environments. The goal is to identify key exposures and critical periods that can be targeted to prevent lung disease and promote lifelong respiratory health.
Read More
$2 million dollars awarded to RI-MUHC team studying lung health: Dr. Benjamin Smith receives CIHR funding to lead research on inflammation and lung health in diverse populations. RI-MUHC News. July 18, 2024
Dal researcher leads national team awarded $3.5‑million CIHR grant to improve lung health. Dal News. July 18, 2024