Newsletter Articles:
• Our Committment Continues
• Fit today for a better tomorrow
• Baby Jade's Journey of Hope
• A Celebration of Research

A Celebration of Research

What happens when great research minds meet in one room to exchange ideas, share findings and celebrate successes? The answer is simple -- a brighter future for our children.

Research is about discovery. It's about finding new approaches that will change the course of diseases affecting children, youth and adults. Whether we're talking about the slow and steady work of molecular biomedicine, or the bedside innovations of clinical trials -- each type of research is vital to the advancement of health care as a whole. On October 27th, the great minds of the CHEO RI gathered to showcase, take pride in, but most importantly to communicate what makes the CHEO RI a stand-out research institute.

Why should we care about research? Because studies have proven that hospitals that do research provide better overall health care to patients. That means that the kids at CHEO can be the first to benefit from ground-breaking innovations discovered in a number of key research areas where CHEO is considered a world leader. This is why the BIG STEPS campaign is raising money to invest $15 million to ensure that world-class research continues at CHEO.

Over the course of a day, staff from the CHEO Research Institute, the hospital, members of the public and special guests were treated to a meeting of the minds. Through various oral presentations and poster boards, studies, finding and breakthrough research were showcased for one and all to hear.

"The annual CHEO Research Day is an opportunity for us to give people a glimpse of what we do and to share the knowledge that we have gained with others," says Martin Osmond, Chief Executive Officer of the CHEO Research Institute and Scientific Director at CHEO. "Our goal at the end of the day is for that knowledge to translate into treatment plans, and eventually, cures."

CHEO Research Day is also an opportunity to celebrate those who have contributed significantly to pediatric research. The work done by the great scientific minds at the CHEO RI is a vibrant example of work that extends beyond the walls of this organization and into the lives of patients all around the world. Their successes are echoed through the halls of CHEO in the work of the many professionals committed to biomedicine, clinical and population health, oncology, nursing, obesity, apoptosis, and mental health research, to name a few. It is an example of research investment at it's very best – research that will continue to be funded by the Big Steps campaign.

Dr. David Stojdl was the recipient of the Outstanding Basic Science Researcher. Dr. Stojdl and his team are a great example of the breakthrough research being done in pediatric oncology, a priority of the Big Steps campaign. Dr. Stojdl and his team have found virus strains that have demonstrated their ability to effectively cure mice of disseminated tumors models of melanoma, ovarian and lung cancer. His lab has also recently carried out the world's first functional genomic screen of an oncolytic virus -- essentially searching through all of the human genes to identify genes that can help oncolytic viruses to specifically target and kill tumors efficiently.

"Simply put, it's a great step in our efforts to treat cancer with viruses," explains Dr. Stojdl. "My team is making progress in an area where we need answers. I'm extremely grateful that the BIG STEPS campaign is there to support the Research Institute and help us to move forward and continue to make progress. This funding is crucial to our work."

Other individuals recognized for their work include:

The BIG STEPS campaign congratulates all of this year's outstanding recipients. Your gift of knowledge and dedication continues to positively impact our children's health on a daily basis and paves the way to new discoveries and better futures.