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Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation is an opportunity to celebrate the impact of health research over the last 150 years. In recognition, Lawson has launched a Canada 150 website (www.lawsonresearch.ca/canada150) to celebrate our past, our present and to look forward to how Lawson research can shape the future of health care.

Lawson’s Canada 150 website will be updated through the rest of the year with new content, including your feedback and ideas about the future of health research. We’re asking “What does the next 150 years hold for health research and innovation in Canada?” You can provide your input here or send us your ideas by tweeting us. We’ll be sharing your feedback on the Canada 150 website and social media throughout the year.

On July 1, Lawson will also be appearing alongside our hospital and foundation partners in a special insert of the London Free Press. Additionally, if you are celebrating Canada 150 at London’s Sesquifest you can view Lawson’s Canada 150 banner in the Explore Tent on Talbot Street.

Dr. Donna Goldhawk, an imaging scientist at Lawson Health Research Institute (Lawson), is providing a unique and valuable learning experience to senior high school students. Since 2009, she has accepted students to train in her hospital-based research laboratory at St. Joseph’s Health Care London in partnership with secondary schools in the Thames Valley region.

Dr. Goldhawk recruits students in partnership with the Partners in Experiential Learning (PEL) program. This unique academic co-op education program in London, Ontario identifies high school students interested in health research and prepares them for placement in a health research environment. The students earn senior high school credits and receive training in basic laboratory research.

Originally conceived by Dr. Jim Koropatnick, a cancer scientist at Lawson, and Mr. Rodger Dusky, a retired secondary school teacher, PEL has been running successfully since 2004. It is a partnership between the Thames Valley District School Board, London District Catholic School Board, the Ontario Ministry of Education, Western University, London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London. In Dr. Goldhawk’s experience, PEL attracts an excellent calibre of student who is eager to learn, aspiring to further education and capable of contributing to the science of molecular imaging.

Through the Ontario Research Fund (ORF), the Ministry of Research and Innovation also recognizes the value of attracting youth to the scientific enterprise and provides funding to support youth outreach. Dr. Goldhawk oversees one such initiative, approved under a grant entitled “Heart Failure: Prevention through Early Detection Using New Imaging Methods”. She works with PEL to attract summer students with an interest in molecular imaging.

This year, a total of three ORF summer studentships are available at the following collaborating research labs: Lawson Health Research Institute (London), University of Ottawa Heart Institute (Ottawa) and Sunnybrook Research Institute (Toronto). To learn more about these summer studentships, please email Dr. Goldhawk at @email by May 25, 2018.

Participating students can expect experiential learning tailored to their current understanding of science and aimed at expanding this knowledge for a fuller appreciation of biomedical research.

“ORF youth outreach recognizes the role of medical imaging in today’s workplace and promotes the study of cardiovascular disease in the next generation of researchers,” says Mr. Dusky. “This fills a clear gap in knowledge and career planning for high school youth.”

In Dr. Goldhawk’s laboratory, for example, cardiac research is focussed on the measurement of iron contrast using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). “Many cells have naturally distinct iron metabolism. However, we are also using genes from magnetic bacteria to improve the magnetic sensitivity of mammalian cells. MRI can then be used to detect disease processes in living subjects.”

“We are particularly interested in reporter gene expression for MRI, a term coined to describe how changes in the pattern of gene activity, and its related protein activity, may be visualized.” Her research group uses laboratory models to track these biological molecules, particularly those involved in cardiac inflammation and cancer growth and metastasis.

Her current team of four graduate and four undergraduate students span various stages of their chosen programs. In this setting, high school students step into a work atmosphere where they interact with colleagues at multiple levels. In addition, since molecular imaging research is inherently interdisciplinary, students acquire training in both biology and physics.

Dr. Goldhawk finds that students exposed to high-quality science education more easily envision themselves in positions of responsibility within the health care sector. Youth learn that developing a scientific career is a process with many choices for fusing interests with a specific occupation.

“To retain the interest of talented young scientists, it is essential to provide them with interesting challenges that reward their curiosity and ambition to learn,” explains Dr. Goldhawk. “In hospital-based research institutes, youth are also exposed to the clinical side for which our research is targeted. This is a quality scientific experience for youth interested in expanding their outlook, performance, technical, problem-solving and record-keeping skills. I think it is essential to build these opportunities into our scientific programs.”

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Above: Suhail Shukri, 2018 PEL student at Oakridge Secondary School, and Sarah Donnelly, 2013 PEL student at Wilfred Laurier Secondary School and current MSc candidate at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, training with Dr. Jeremy Burton and Dr. Donna Goldhawk at Lawson Health Research Institute. 

With nearly 300 guests in attendance, health research was celebrated at the fourth annual Lawson Impact Awards on Wednesday, April 19 at the London Convention Centre.

The Lawson Impact Awards celebrates hospital-based research that makes a difference by advancing scientific knowledge and applying it directly to patient care. With awards in seven categories, the annual event honours Lawson scientists, staff, trainees and partners who demonstrate excellence.

“The Lawson Impact Awards recognizes those who have made exceptional contributions to science and innovation. This year's winners include individuals, groups and partners who work tirelessly to improve our understanding of health and disease in Canada and around the world,” says Dr. David Hill, Scientific Director, Lawson Health Research Institute.

This year’s Lawson Impact Awards winners include:

• Dr. Peeyush Lala - Scientist Career Award
• Drs. Glenn Bauman and Aaron Ward - Innovation Award
• Dr. Gediminas Cepinskas - Dr. Joseph Gilbert Research Contribution of the Year Award
• IDB Holland bv - Industry Partner of the Year Award
• Helen and Andy Spriet - Community Partner of the Year Award
• Arthroplasty Clinical Research Team (Dr. Lyndsay Somerville, Codie Primeau and Bryn Zomar)  - Staff Award of Excellence
• Charles Ishak - Leadership Award (Student & Trainee)

The recipients of Lawson’s 2017 Strategic Research Fund (SRF) were also revealed at the Lawson Impact Awards. The Lawson SRF is an annual competition that supports projects that will advance science in alignment with Lawson’s strategic research goals, as outlined in the Lawson Strategic Plan 2014-2018. For the second year in a row, the 2017 competition was focused on “inflammation”. The following two projects were awarded $50,000 over a two-year period:

• “Re-setting the breast microbiome to lower inflammation and risk of cancer” – Drs. Muriel Brackstone and Gregor Reid
• “Assessing acute cardiac inflammation after left-sided breast cancer radiotherapy with hybrid PET/MRI” – Drs. Stewart Gaede and Gerald Wisenberg

A highlight of the event was a keynote presentation from record-breaking Canadian astronaut, aquanaut and researcher, Dr. Dave Williams, titled “The Art of the Possible: Innovation Transforming Healthcare”. Dr. Williams provided an inspiring talk that used examples from his space shuttle missions and health research to illustrate how the impossible can be made possible.

In addition, this year’s event honoured Canada’s 150th year as a nation by paying tribute to Canadian scientists and the contributions they’ve made on the world stage. Acknowledging the role of Lawson scientists in continuing this legacy, attendees were also asked to provide their feedback about the future of innovation. These insightful ideas will be shared in the months to come as Lawson continues to celebrate Canada 150.

To view videos of each award winner, visit the Lawson YouTube page. To see more photos from the event, visit Lawson's Facebook page. 

Lawson Health Research Institute – the research institute of London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London – is ranked seventh in the country in Re$earch Infosource’s 2023 list of Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals. 

This is the 13th year in a row that Lawson has ranked top ten in the country, and the seventh-place ranking is up two spots from 2022 – highlighting continued dedication to hospital-based research at LHSC and St. Joseph’s.

Lawson also ranked second for research intensity among the large tier institutions with more than $776,000 of research spending per researcher.

“These rankings help LHSC and St. Joseph’s assess how we compare to similar hospitals across the country,” says Dr. David Hill, Scientific Director at Lawson and Integrated Vice President, Research at LHSC and St. Joseph’s. “Our continuous placement in the top 10 of all research hospitals shows we are doing important and relevant medical research that is making a difference to patient care.”

Lawson has been at the forefront of research in a wide range of specializations, making advances in areas from cancer care and mental health supports to molecular imaging and theranostics in recent years.

“Conducting research in hospitals means it can go from bench to bedside much more quickly,” says Dr. Hill. “Things move much faster now than they ever did. Our top 10 ranking shows we are leading the way, and that funders are confident in London’s hospital-based researchers.”

The top 40 list analyzes hospital-based research institutes from across the country on several metrics, including total research expenditure from the previous fiscal year. The ranking looks at funds from all sources, including both internal and external, to support research in hospitals.

When cases of COVID-19 began spreading in the London region, Lawson Health Research Institute (Lawson) had to rapidly adjust to a new environment.

As a hospital based research institute, Lawson is uniquely positioned to address the medical questions posed by a new virus. The expertise and infrastructure to begin these investigations was already in place. The global shortage of supplies, as well as physical distancing measures, forced many research projects to be put on hold. Other areas, however, were ramping up their work to support the scientists and physicians eager to figure out how we can better prevent, detect, and treat patients with COVID-19.

Lawson Clinical Research Services (LCRS) and the Center for Clinical Investigation and Therapeutics (CCIT) got to work immediately. The teams responded rapidly to research requests, getting new studies up and running within days.

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Dr. Douglas Fraser, Lawson Scientist and Paediatric Critical Care Physician at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), initiated a study to examine the immune response in patients with COVID-19. Reports from other parts of the world identified a heightened immune response in more severe cases of the infection, also labeled the ‘cytokine storm’. Laboratories at Lawson were ready to handle this type of research, as close proximity to patients and sample collection is essential.

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“Our world changed almost overnight,” adds Tereschyn. “We had to pivot on a dime and change the entire way we do business. Our staff have really risen to the challenge.”

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The LCRS and CCIT teams are supporting essential research in other ways as well, including logistics and administrative support, and supply sharing.

“We’ve developed many new partnerships throughout this pandemic, and figured out in very short order how to work efficiently together,” says Tereschyn. “While COVID-19 has presented us with many challenges, it has also been a great opportunity for us to support one another in ways that I don’t believe would have transpired otherwise.”

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3D imaging technology could improve outcomes for patients with breast cancer

During a conventional digital 2D mammogram, two x-ray images are taken of the breast, one from top-to-bottom and another from side-to-side at an angle. This technology is limited by the overlapping breast tissue that occurs from the required compression of the breast, and breast abnormalities may be hidden. A study at Lawson is looking to determine if digital breast tomosynthesis, a type of 3D imaging, is better at detecting breast tissue abnormalities than the 2D mammography regularly used today. Read more. 

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Antioxidants in the brain linked to improved treatment results in patients with psychosis

Once patients with psychosis start treatment, some get better in weeks while it can take months for others. A research team from Lawson and Western University studied antioxidant levels in the brain, and found that these chemicals, which rid the body of normal metabolic biproducts called free radicals, may improve outcomes of early intervention in psychosis. Read more. 

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Researchers awarded $4.8 million to validate locally developed test, EpiSign, for first-line diagnostic testing of rare hereditary disorders 

A clinical trial named “EpiSign-CAN,” led by researchers at Lawson was awarded $4.8 million to measure the clinical impact of a new molecular genomics test for diagnosing genetic neurodevelopmental conditions. The diagnostic test, called EpiSign, uses machine learning to analyze the EpiSign Knowledge Database. This database compiles information on rare genetic diseases using laboratory analyses of the entire genome, referred to as the epigenome, from patients with suspected genetic abnormalities. Read more.

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Perceptions of confidentiality for Canadian Veterans discussing moral injuries

Lawson researchers are exploring Canadian Veterans’ beliefs about confidentiality in mental health care and whether those beliefs act as a barrier to seeking treatment for a type of trauma known as moral injury. Moral injury describes psychological distress following events where a person performs, witnesses or fails to prevent acts that conflict with deeply held moral standards. Evidence suggests that moral injuries are on the rise among deployed members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and that those exposed to such events are at a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Read more.

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New device could reduce COVID-19 infection risk and demand for invasive ventilators

Researchers designed a non-invasive ventilation mask that could significantly reduce aerosolization – the production of airborne respiratory droplets that may contain viruses or bacteria – when treating patients with COVID-19. The new device aims to reduce infection risks associated with non-invasive ventilation and lessen the demand for invasive ventilators. It is currently being tested through a clinical trial with patients at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). Read more.

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Researchers first in world to profile the body’s immune response to COVID-19

By studying blood samples from critically ill patients at LHSC, researchers identified a unique pattern of six molecules that could be used as therapeutic targets to treat COVID-19. Studies show that part of what makes the virus so deadly is that the body mounts an overreactive immune response as the virus grows and replicates. This response releases inflammatory molecules in order to fight the virus, but also destroys healthy cells and organs in the process. Read more.

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Study suggests that surgery may be superior treatment for chronic sciatica

In a randomized controlled trial, surgery was found to be superior to non-operative therapy in the treatment of chronic sciatica. Chronic sciatica can be caused by a disc herniation which compresses a nerve in the lumbar spine causing pain from the lower back to the leg. The primary treatment options for sciatica are surgery or non-operative care. Researchers conducted this study to test if a surgical treatment called microdiscectomy results in better patient outcomes for those with chronic sciatica compared to non-operative care. Read more.

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Researchers unravel two mysteries of COVID-19

A team from Lawson and Western University made significant steps forward in understanding COVID-19 through two back-to-back studies. In one study, the team identified six molecules that can be used as biomarkers to predict how severely ill a patient will become. In the other study, they were the first to reveal a mechanism causing blood clots in COVID-19 patients and potential ways to treat them. The studies were conducted by analyzing blood samples from critically ill patients at LHSC. Read more.

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Gut microbiome may influence how cancer patients respond to oral therapies, study suggests

A study from Lawson and Western illustrated how the gut microbiome interacts with an oral medication in prostate cancer patients, suggesting bacteria in the gut play a role in treatment outcomes. The findings highlight how the drug abiraterone acetate is metabolized by bacteria in the gut to reduce harmful organisms while promoting those that fight cancer. The research team suspects this is one of many examples of how the microbiome influences our response to medications. Read more.

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First Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography guided biopsy in North America

Researchers at Lawson performed the first breast biopsy guided by Contrast Enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM) in North America on June 12, 2020. CESM is a novel diagnostic imaging tool that is able to detect cancerous lesions at a greater rate than standard mammography, and at close rate to MRI. The procedure is faster and more accurate, comfortable and cost effective than an MRI biopsy. Read more.

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Assessing the pandemic's impact on Canadian Veterans and their spouses

A project from Lawson and the Centre of Excellence on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) hopes to discover the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the mental health of Canadian Veterans and their spouses. They are partnering with up to 1,000 Canadian Veterans and 250 spouses of Canadian Veterans. Through online surveys, the project will hear directly from Veterans and their spouses to assess the pandemic’s effects on their well-being over time. Read more.

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Fecal transplants show promise as treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

A randomized controlled trial found that fecal transplants in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) results in a reduction in how easily pathogens and other unwanted molecules pass through the human gut and into circulation, known as intestinal permeability. The results could have implications for the treatment of numerous conditions including metabolic syndrome and autoimmune diseases. Read more.

The city of London, Ontario is home to a vibrant health research community. On Wednesday, May 9, researchers from across the city gathered to discuss the importance of equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) in the careers of health researchers. Through participation at Exchange: A London Health Research Day Forum on Diversity & Inclusivity, guests discussed the challenges associated with EDI and potential solutions for the future.

Exchange was held the evening before London Health Research Day, the region’s premier research showcase event which features nearly 400 trainee presentations. Trainees are the future of Canadian science and EDI is crucial to that future. This is a topic of national importance that has garnered attention and action from the federal government, funding agencies and scientists across the country.

Recognizing the importance of this topic, Canada’s Minister of Science, The Honorable Kirsty Duncan, and local Member of Parliament for London North Centre, MP Peter Fragiskatos, shared video greetings with Exchange guests.

“The Exchange event highlights a vital area of discussion. It is important to not only recognize but embrace the differences between scientists and the diverse perspectives they bring to research,” said Rebecca Sullivan, a third year PhD candidate at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, training in Savita Dhanvantari’s lab at Lawson Health Research Institute, and one of the organizers of the event. “Becoming aware of our own unconscious biases and trying to change these culturally ingrained implicit associations is the only way to make active change in science!”

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Above: Rebecca Sullivan, a third year PhD candidate, leading a scenario-based group activity at Exchange

The evening’s first presenter was Dr. Janet Smylie, Director of the Well Living House Applied Research Centre for Indigenous Infant, Child and Family Health at St. Michael’s Hospital and CIHR Applied Public Health Research Chair in Indigenous Health Knowledge and Information. Dr. Smylie, who also delivered the keynote presentation at London Health Research Day, spoke about the role of anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination within health care professions, including its impact on research. This included a discussion of Dr. Smylie’s own research in the field of Indigenous health.

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Above: Dr. Janet Smylie presenting on "Addressing anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination within health care professions"

Greta Bauer, PhD, a professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, spoke about the role of epidemiology as a toolkit for building equity in health research. This included a discussion on incorporating intersectionality and multidimensionality into population health research methodology.

“The purpose of this work is to give researchers the measurement and statistical tools they need to shift the focus from studying broad population average effects to more heterogeneity within populations,” said Greta. “The whole point is to better study not only diversity in health outcomes, but in the processes that generate those outcomes.”

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Above: Greta Bauer, PhD, presenting on "Epidemiology as a toolkit for building equity"

This talk was followed by a presentation on Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+). GBA+ is an analytical tool used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. The “plus” in GBA+ acknowledges that GBA goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences. We all have multiple identity factors that intersect to make us who we are; GBA+ also considers many other identity factors, like race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability. GBA+ is a method for collecting and reviewing data in an unbiased manner, one that leaves aside many of the assumptions that can mask the GBA+ impacts of a given initiative. Alysha Croker, PhD, Manager, Tri-Agency Institutional Program Secretariat, discussed how GBA+ is being used in research and grant funding, including at the federal funding agencies.

“Diverse research teams can lead to more innovation, greater collective intelligence and an increased capacity to tackle complex issues,” said Alysha, when discussing the importance of EDI in the careers of health researchers.

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Above: Alysha Croker, PhD, presenting on "Incorporating Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) in research and beyond"

The evening also included a presentation from Shantal Feltham, founder and CEO of Stiris Research, a North American clinical trials management company based in London. Shantal discussed the importance of ensuring that clinical trials are designed to recruit diverse research participants that represent real patient populations. She also discussed her own experiences and perspectives as a female entrepreneur.

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Above: Shantal Feltham delivering a presentation titled "That’s a great idea – It’ll never work"

A group of health research trainees concluded the night with a scenario-based presentation and activity. Audience members were divided into small groups and given a diversity scenario to discuss. Topics ranged from the experiences of LGBTQ+ researchers, racial diversity, physical ability barriers in research labs and more. Notes and ideas from these conversations were recorded and displayed the next day at London Health Research Day.

“Exchange highlighted EDI in health research in action. It featured talks by leading female researchers on issues in Indigenous health and LGBTQ health, implementation of equity in the Canada Research Chairs program, and female entrepreneurship in the field of health research,” said Savita Dhavantari, PhD, assistant director and scientist at Lawson and assistant professor at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. Savita was also one of the Exchange organizers and the facilitator for the event. “Above all, I hope attendees were encouraged to be fearless in advocating for equity, diversity and inclusivity in health research.”

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Above: Guests at Exchange discussing a diversity scenario

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Above: Savita Dhanvantari, PhD, facilitating the Exchange event