UOIT awarded Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Health Informatics
July 5, 2007
New laboratory will establish simulation environment designed to improve the care of neonatal intensive care patients
OSHAWA, ON. - The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) announced today that it has been awarded a prestigious Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Health Informatics. The chair, which is valued at $1.5 million in total, will see the establishment of a Health Informatics Laboratory on campus that will use simulation to conduct leading-edge research work with the potential to improve survival rates for premature babies; provide access to neonatologists in remote areas of Canada; and help with earlier detection of infection.
Dr. Carolyn McGregor, who on Monday, July 2, began her role as an associate professor with UOIT's faculties of Business and Information Technology and Health Sciences, has been awarded the chair, which will support fundamental work focused on the simulation of current and future functions within intensive care units (ICUs) and in particular, neonatal ICUs (NICUs).
"Our newly released science and technology strategy - Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada's Advantage - recognizes the importance of doing more to turn ideas into innovations that provide solutions to our environment, health and other important challenges, and to improve Canada's economic competitiveness," said Maxime Bernier, minister of Industry and minister responsible for the Canada Research Chairs Program. "We are investing in promising researchers who turn ideas and innovations into practical and commercial applications for the benefit of all Canadians."
The Canada Research Chairs program, which is designed to help attract and retain the world's most accomplished and promising minds, is providing Dr. McGregor with $500,000 in funding spread evenly over five years. In addition, she will receive close to an additional $1 million in combined infrastructure funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the provincial Ministry of Research and Innovation, and UOIT.
"I'm extremely pleased and honoured to be leading crucial research work that has vast potential for intensive care patients - in particular those in neonatal care - here in Canada and around the globe," said Dr. McGregor. "Advancements in health informatics offer great potential to save and improve the quality of life for many Canadians, and very possibly people all over the world. It also ideally aligns itself with UOIT's mission to advance the highest quality of research to the greatest benefit of society."
The highly flexible Health Informatics Laboratory will contain three medical devices used within ICUs, along with a range of computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and computer servers. The environment will be configured to enable the simulation of a range of scenarios incorporating ICUs, NICUs, remote hospitals, and a referral control centre with specialist remote access.
Dr. McGregor's research could hold the answer to addressing the absence of neonatologists in remote areas of Canada by enabling simulated face-to-face encounters between patients and specialists, and supporting babies born in Third World countries. In addition, it has the potential to reduce costs of care, assist in identifying new disease and treatments and improve patient management.
"The awarding of this chair to Dr. McGregor continues to reinforce and enhance UOIT's reputation for research excellence," said Dr. Ronald Bordessa, president of UOIT. "Every year, families across the country are impacted by the illness or death of a baby and as such, Dr. McGregor's work holds vast potential for our society. In addition, UOIT is strongly committed to providing faculty and students with an opportunity to gain valuable research experience for the benefit of society and with that the university is extremely pleased to welcome this chair to campus to support and further its commitment."
UOIT has a strong reputation for its Health Sciences programs, which have made use of simulation and PDAs since classes began in 2003. It also houses a high-tech and high-touch Simulation Lab that features mannequins that realistically portray many ailments and dangerous health problems. The potential exists to link the Simulation Lab with the infrastructure being proposed as part of Dr. McGregor's health informatics work.
"This program will create a vital research element leading to simulations and prototyping that have the potential to enhance the innovation capacity in Canada," said Dr. Kamiel Gabriel, associate provost, Research at UOIT. "The success of this research will demonstrate that actual environment simulation can be more effective than conceptual simulation and UOIT is proud to be a leader when it comes to simulation technology and the advantages it will provide to our students upon graduation."
Dr. McGregor has already established several research collaborations in support of her work with groups including the Medical Information Technologies Research Group (MIRG) located at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. She also continues to extend her collaborations with neonatologists from neonatal ICUs in both Australia and Canada.
She arrived at UOIT from the University of Western Sydney, in Australia with a track record of leadership in health informatics across research, teaching and university governance and service. She established, grew and led health informatics research at UWS, where her internationally recognized research has been supported by more than $1 million (Australian) in grant funding. Dr. McGregor holds a PhD in Computing Science from the University of Technology, Sydney.
About UOIT:
As an innovative university, UOIT delivers a leading-edge learning environment that uniquely combines academic knowledge, research opportunities, hands-on skills and a vibrant student life. UOIT's 4,300 students are taught by professors who are experts in their fields from around the world. As Ontario's first laptop-based university, the university offers more than 30 challenging undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of Business and Information Technology, Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Sciences. UOIT's commitment to research excellence has resulted in millions of dollars in grants and awards, including five Canada Research Chairs. To find out more, visit www.uoit.ca or call 905.721.8668.
About Canada Research Chairs:
The Canada Research Chairs program stands at the centre of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world's top five countries for research and development. In 2000, the Government of Canada created a new permanent program to establish 2,000 Canada Research Chairs in universities across the country by 2008. The program invests $300 million a year and chair holders advance the frontiers of knowledge in their fields, not only through their own work, but also by teaching and supervising students and co-ordinating the work of other researchers.
About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.
Media contact
Tony Doyle
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.8668 ext. 2209
tony.doyle@uoit.ca
