December 17, 2004
SickKids Research Institute celebrates 50th birthday
TORONTO - Pablum, the gene that causes cystic fibrosis, a brain tumour stem cell, the first biological proof that second-hand smoke can affect a fetus. What do all of these discoveries have in common? They were generated from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Research Institute. A celebration was held today to mark the 50 th anniversary of the establishment of the SickKids Research Institute.
“SickKids is continually striving to make children in Canada the healthiest in the world,” said Mary Jo Haddad, President and CEO of The Hospital for Sick Children. “The Research Institute plays a critical role in this process by advancing the world’s understanding of the factors which affect a child’s health and then translating these discoveries from laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside to partners out in the community.”
The importance of children’s health research can be seen every day on the faces of the patients at SickKids, Canada’s largest children’s hospital and the most research-intensive hospital in the country.
“SickKids has been very fortunate as an institution in that a number of talented and visionary people have chosen to work here because they are dedicated to improving the health of children,” said Dr. Manuel Buchwald, Chief of Research at SickKids. “Those who have financially supported research at SickKids, such as donors to SickKids Foundation and government and granting agency partners, know that an investment in children’s health is an investment in the future of this country. It’s not only about treating the child today, but also about treating what the child will become.”
Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Federal Minister of State (Public Health) and Tony Ianno, Minister of State (Families and Caregivers) and Member of Parliament for SickKids’ riding of Trinity-Spadina, represented the federal government at the celebration.
“The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute has a long history of medical discoveries that have helped children not only in Toronto, but across Canada and around the world. The Canadian government is proud to partner in this research through its granting agencies such as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canada Foundation for Innovation,” said Dr. Bennett.
“The Hospital for Sick Children is an important partner in Ontario’s innovation agenda. By investing in research here, we are improving the health of our children, training the next generation of workers, and creating economic benefits through new discoveries and research,” said Joseph Cordiano, Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade, who represented the provincial government at the birthday party.
The SickKids Research Institute was formally established in 1954 in part with royalties from the sale of Pablum, a precooked baby cereal that was the hospital’s first major research discovery in 1930. Today, the Research Institute houses a full spectrum of research, from fundamental research into the molecular causes of disease to clinical research such as drug trials, applied to problems of children’s health and wellness. There are approximately 2,000 staff and trainees involved in over 1,200 funded research projects, including more than 1,800 active clinical protocols, in the Research Institute. Along with the 375 researchers, there are more than 850graduate students, research fellows, and visiting scientists from at least 25 countries, as well as laboratory technologists, assistants and other support staff.
The total Research Institute budget for 2003-2004 was more than $126 million. Funding for research activities and operations comes from two sources: internal funding from SickKids Foundation, which is supported by community and corporate donors; external funding comes from the peer-reviewed grants awarded to SickKids’ researchers, such as those from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Click for a list of significant research discoveries from the SickKids Research Institute.
For more information, please contact:
Public Affairs
The Hospital for Sick Children
555 University Avenue
Suite 1742, Public Affairs, First floor Atrium
Toronto,
ON
M5G 1X8
Canada
Phone: 416-813-5058
Fax: 416-813-5328