Excellent results for IRCM researchers in the CIHR competition

MONTREAL, July 6 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) have awarded operating grants for the March 2010 competition. Eight researchers from the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM) are recipients, with a total of nine grants received. With a 50 % success rate, the IRCM far surpasses the 17.5% national average. The researchers will receive more than six million dollars over the next five years.

Dr. Frédéric Charron, Director of the research unit in molecular biology of neural development, is granted $837,004 over five years, for his project "The role and molecular mechanism of Sonic Hedgehog in neural circuit formation."

Dr. Jean-François Côté, Director of the research unit in cytoskeletal organization and cell migration, is granted $764,120 over five years, for his project "Structural and functional studies to elucidate the role of DOCK 180 pathway in cell polarity, myoblast fusion and podocyte integrity."

Dr. David R. Hipfner, Director of the research unit in epithelial cell biology, is granted $508,380 over four years, for his project "Role of G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (Gprk2) in Hedgehog signaling."

Dr. Artur Kania, Director of the research unit in neural circuit development, is granted $805,469 over five years, for his project "Eph receptor function in neuronal circuit development."

Dr. Marlene H. Oeffinger, Director of the research unit in ribonucleoprotein biochemistry, is granted $667,650 over five years, for his project "Dissecting the dynamics of large ribonucleoprotein complex maturation."

Dr. Timothy L. Reudelhuber, Director of the research unit in molecular biochemistry of hypertension, is granted $364,478 over three years, for his project "Identification of the prorenin processing enzyme."

Dr. François Robert, Director of the research unit in chromatin and genomic expression, is granted $882,575 over five years, for his project "Deciphering epigenetics plasticity during hematopoietic stem cell differentiation." It is worth noting that Dr. Raphael Gottardo and Dr. Tarik Möröy are co-applicants for this project.

Dr. André Veillette, Director of the research unit in molecular oncology, is granted $840,320 over five years, for his project "Role and signaling mechanism of EAT-2, an adaptor involved in anti-tumor immunity," as well as $829,560 over five years for his project "Immune regulation by SAP, the X-linked lymphoproliferative (XLP) gene product."

In addition, Dr. Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret, Director of the research unit in metabolic diseases, is a co-applicant for hte project "Psychological problems associated with transition to insulin therapy in people with type-2 diabetes," for which $724,115 was granted over five years to Dr. Norbert Schmitz from the Douglas Hospital Research Centre.

About the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM)

Founded in 1967, the IRCM (www.ircm.qc.ca) is currently comprised of 37 research units in various fields, namely immunity and viral infections, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, cancer, neurobiology and development, systems biology and medicinal chemistry, and clinical research and bioethics. It also houses three specialized research clinics, as well as eight core facilities and two research platforms with state-of-the-art equipment. The IRCM employs 450 people and is an independent institution affiliated with the Université de Montréal. The IRCM clinic is associated to the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM). The IRCM also maintains a long-standing association with McGill University.

For further information: Lucette Thériault, Communications Director, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), 514-987-5535, [email protected]; www.ircm.qc.ca; FACEBOOK (http://www.facebook.com/pages/IRCM/192852672298?ref=mfNo.%21)