Nine investigators from Lawson Research Institute (Lawson) of St. Joseph’s Health Care London and London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI) have been awarded research funding through the Internal Research Fund (IRF).
The grants range from research exploring solutions for a common form of liver disease, to stress testing in heart disease, to imaging that generates better options in hip replacements.
The Spring 2026 Internal Research Fund (IRF) supports new investigators conducting hospital-based research with:
- Seed funding to pursue a novel research direction that will result in an application to an external funding agency, and
- Bridge funding or a means to get their research back on track.
The internal funding competition is supported financially by the clinical departments at LHSC and St. Joseph’s, the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics at
Western University, as well as London Health Sciences Foundation and St. Joseph's Health Care Foundation.
Since 2014, 637 IRF applications have been submitted and reviewed, and 286 have been funded for a total award of more than $4.5 million.
Of note, applications are now being accepted for Fall 2026 Internal Research Funding, with an application deadline of Sept. 29, 2026.
Spring 2026 IRF recipients:
Sujoy Banik, London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI)
Research: EEG association with postoperative delirium in Parkinson’s disease
People with Parkinson’s disease are at a higher risk of delirium after surgery, in particular after brain surgery aimed at controlling symptoms such as tremors. During this study, researchers will monitor brain waves using a test called electroencephalography (EEG) and look for any pattern of very low activity. This phenomenon, known as “burst suppression,” could be a warning sign that a patient could be at higher risk of delirium.
Seema Nair Parvathy, Lawson Research Institute (Lawson)
Research: Precision prebiotics for gut health in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD)
A disrupted balance of gut bacteria has been identified as a key contributor to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In a healthy gut, beneficial bacteria help digest food, produce protective compounds and maintain the intestinal barrier. People with MASLD have reduced levels of beneficial bacteria, particularly those that produce short-chain fatty acids that reduce inflammation, and greater prevalence of harmful bacteria. This study aims to determine whether three specific prebiotic combinations can reshape the disrupted gut microbiome and repair a damaged gut barrier.
Poul Espino Alvarado, LHSCRI
Research: Brain wave markers of successful weaning of medications in severe seizures
Refractory status epilepticus (RSE) is a severe condition where seizures last very long and do not stop after standard treatments. People with RSE often need to be placed in a medically induced coma using anesthetic medications while physicians monitor brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG). The goal of this study is to find clear and reliable EEG markers that can help predict whether and when a patient can be safely weaned off anesthetic drugs.
Verena Juncal, Lawson
Research: Understanding vision distortion after retinal detachment surgery
Retinal detachment is a serious eye condition that occurs when the retina, the light-sensing layer at the back of the eye, pulls away from its normal position. Even after successful surgery, some people experience metamorphopsia, which is a type of visual distortion where straight lines appear wavy and objects look misshapen. The goal of this study is to determine whether the people who have surgery soon after the start of vision symptoms are less likely to develop metamorphopsia and whether their symptoms are less severe one year after surgery.
Mohammad Reza Rahimi Shahmirzadi, LHSCRI
Research: Anal cancer screening for transplant recipients at LHSC
People who have had an organ transplant must take medicines so their body doesn’t reject the new organ. However, these medicines also make it more difficult for the body to fight viruses, including human papillomavirus (HPV) which, in transplant patients especially, could transform normal cells into cells that may become cancer. Because of this, transplant patients are almost seven times more likely than other people to get anal cancer. This study will set up the first anal cancer screening program for transplant patients at LHSC to help understand whether a structured screening program can find more (and earlier) early, high-risk cell changes than standard, no-screening care.
Saurav Verm, LHSCRI
Research: Mapping immune cells in lung tumours to guide treatment decisions
About one in three patients with lung cancer is diagnosed at an early stage when surgery can potentially cure the disease. Health Canada has approved neoadjuvant treatment: chemotherapy and immunotherapy before surgery so that the body’s immune system can find and destroy cancer cells. This study looks at what is happening inside the tumour, at the cellular level, in order to predict a patient’s response to pre-surgery treatment. This study will use spatial transcriptomics, a cutting-edge technology that maps thousands of genes being activated in every single cell inside a tumour – allowing researchers to see what cells are present, where they are and what signals they are sending each other.
Daniel A. Keir, Lawson
Research: Improving exercise stress testing in heart disease
Exercise stress tests for people with heart disease measure peak oxygen intake to indicate heart health and guide treatment decisions. However, common treadmill tests are not ideal because many patients are not able to push to their limit. We have developed an exercise test customized to each patient – starting slowly and increasing incrementally, to boost the patient’s chances of reaching maximal effort. This study will test the new protocol against common exercise tests used in people with heart disease. The goal is to improve how exercise tests are done, improve the accuracy of measuring peak oxygen uptake and provide better treatments.
Geoffrey Ng, LHSCRI
Research: Personalizing hip replacement to improve muscle health and recovery
Up to 25 per cent of patients who have had total hip replacement surgery suffer from persistent muscle weakness or a limp even when a surgeon performs the implant perfectly, often because long-term success depends on the surrounding muscles and ligaments. There is a need to understand better how different surgical paths through the front, side or back may affect the tiny, internal muscle fibres that give the hip its strength, and how that damage relates to the specific structure of the patient. This project is the first to combine two groundbreaking technologies: tissue imaging to map the tiny muscle fibres; and anti-glare software that removes the blur of the metal implant on medical imaging. The goal is discovering a clear way to see which surgical pathway is best for a full recovery for each patient.
Benjamin Wilk, Lawson
Research: Improving atrial fibrosis care through imaging
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of heart rhythm disorder affecting nearly one million Canadians, causing dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath and leading to a lower quality of life. It is also a major risk factor for heart failure, heart attack and stroke. When patients have atrial fibrillation, cells called fibroblasts can replicate and start replacing normal heart tissue with scar stiffening. The project will examine how non-invasive structural and metabolic imaging can detect and measure fibrosis before and after atrial fibrillation treatment. Beyond the immediate clinical benefit, this research could lead to new standards for imaging, treatment planning and follow-up care.
