Media

OTTAWA, August 11, 2011  —  Four University of Ottawa scientists have been rewarded for their outstanding research initiatives. Each will be receiving a $140,000 Government of Ontario Early Researcher Award, drawn from the Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund set up by the province in 1998 to support emerging researchers.

Project: Developing therapeutic approaches to improve joint implant longevity
Isabelle Catelas and her team are developing innovative therapeutic technologies to reduce joint implant failure. Lately the average patient requiring this type of surgery is younger and much more active, resulting in the high likelihood of patients outliving their implant.

Project: Why do newly born cells in the adult brain die?
Diane Lagace is researching why cells die during their development into neurons. Her goal is to see how to extend the life of these new cells and in turn help treat brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and improve function during stroke recovery.

Project: Men who have sex with men: an in-depth examination of Ontario’s HIV prevention efforts
Patrick O’Byrne examines why HIV rates in men have gone up by interviewing HIV-positive men who chose not to be tested regularly. His goal is to help improve HIV prevention programs and services among this high-risk group.

Project: Algebraic and geometric structures of homogeneous places
Kirill Zaynullin investigates the geometry of spaces appearing in different areas of mathematics and physics. His work has important potential applications in mathematical physics, cryptography (information security) and computer science and will help advance Ontario’s information technology capabilities.

The University of Ottawa is committed to research excellence and encourages an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge creation, which attracts the best academic talent from across Canada and around the world.