|
(Wolfville,
NS) - An associate professor in nutrition and dietetics
is the first researcher at Acadia University to receive funding from
the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Dr. Shanthi
Johnson will receive $275,000 over five years through the CIHR’s New
Investigator Award. In addition, she has received $100,000 through
its Global Health Research Pilot Project Grant and is a collaborator
in a $1.7 million Canadian longitudinal study on aging.
“Dr. Johnson is one of a number of ambitious and innovative young
researchers at Acadia,” says Dr. Gail Dinter-Gottlieb, Acadia’s
president. “Researchers at Acadia, across all faculties, are
successfully embracing the increasing numbers of new opportunities
being presented by national granting councils and other research
funding agencies.”
Dr. Johnson’s research
focuses on the impact of exercise and nutrition in reducing the
incidence of falls among the elderly. Her six-month study, funded by
CIHR and the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation, involves
individuals over the age of 65 whose background information, status
on health, function, nutrition, and number of falls will be assessed
throughout the project.
“Falls are, all too
often, debilitating for older people in Canada and around the
world,” says Dr. Johnson. “One in three over 65 years of age suffer
a fall each year and this goes up to one in two over 80 years of
age. If we find ways to reduce the incidence of falls we will be
helping elderly to have a better quality of life.”
In preparation for Dr.
Johnson’s research, a think-tank was conducted involving
representatives from several academic units and community
organizations with an interest in the prevention of falls in the
elderly population. A similar collaborative approach will be used so
that the results can be reviewed and strategies to influence falls
prevention programs and clinical guidelines can be discussed.
The New Investigator Award that Dr. Johnson is receiving is
intended to provide opportunity for investigators to develop and
demonstrate their independence in initiating and conducting health
research.
On Friday, February 18, the Acadia University community will
recognize Dr. Johnson for receiving the New Investigator Award. In
attendance will be Dr. Janice Keefe, CIHR Institute of Aging
Advisory Board Member, Associate Professor at Mount St Vincent
University and Canada Research Chair in Aging and Caregiving
Policy. The event will take place at 3:00 p.m. in the K. C. Irving
Environmental Science Centre Auditorium. A reception will follow.
-30-
The Canadian Institutes of Health
Research is the Government of Canada's agency for health research.
Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted
standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge
and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more
effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian
health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides
leadership and support to more than 9,000 researchers and research
teams in every province of Canada.
www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
|
