SHRF's Top Research Fellow: Dr. Bonnie Chaban
Dr. Bonnie Chaban of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) was one of five Saskatchewan researchers to be recognized by the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) during the provincial organization's annual Santé Awards Dinner on December 10, 2008.
Chaban, a postdoctoral fellow in WCVM's Department of Veterinary Microbiology, was named the Top Research Fellow (Biomedical) at the evening event. Working with her supervisor, Dr. Janet Hill, Chaban is developing DNA-based diagnostic tools for detecting individual species of Campylobacter. The bacteria are a major source of gastrointestinal disease in humans. While most research to date has focused on livestock sources of the bacteria, Chaban is pursuing other sources of infection: pets such as cats and dogs.
“We are pleased to provide support to the important work of the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation in its fifth year of funding health research in this province,” said Saskatchewan Minister of Health Don McMorris. “We have remarkable talent in Saskatchewan, doing leading edge research in the health sciences. We are proud and committed to building and growing a vibrant research sector to tackle the health care issues facing our province and the world.”
Besides Chaban, other SHRF Top Researcher Awards winners for 2008 included John Howland and Lawrence Brawley from the University of Saskatchewan, along with Gloria DeSantis from the University of Regina. These awards recognize researchers at the beginning of their careers.
Gordon Asmundson, a psychologist from the University of Regina, received the 2008 SHRF Achievement Award for career achievement and groundbreaking work in chronic pain management and in particular how such pain can be worsened by fear and anxiety disorders.
“Tonight’s award recipients demonstrate how our health researchers establish prominence while continuing to push into new areas of knowledge,” said SHRF CEO June Bold. “We are proud to support and celebrate the work of these innovators, whose efforts are so important to the health of people in our province and beyond our borders.”
The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation is the provincial agency that funds and facilitates health research in this province. In 2008, the Foundation approved close to $8 million in new multi-year grants and awards. This includes support for 10 new investigators, eight post-doctoral researchers, two research teams, four developing research groups, and nine research conferences or workshops. SHRF also drew nearly $1.4 of national funding to the province through partnerships with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
For more information, including a full listing of funded researchers and summaries of their work, visit the SHRF web site.
