Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Research
Saskatchewan is taking a leadership role in Canada in the areas of spinal cord injury research and disability funding with the commitment by the provincial government of more than $4.3 million for a comprehensive five-year Saskatchewan-based initiative, in partnership with the national Rick Hansen Institute (announced March 15, 2011).
Included in the announcement was $1 million over five years targeted to spinal cord injury research in Saskatchewan to be managed by the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF).
In spring 2011 SHRF completed its work with an external advisory panel to define the research parameters and timelines for this opportunity and released the first Call for Proposals on June 30, 2011. Subsequent calls are expected in 2013 and 2015.
Based on advisory panel recommendations, the Call for Proposals welcomed research in two streams: clinical and health services (grants up to $100,000 per year for two years) and biomedical proof of principle research (grants up to $50,000 per year for two years).
Supported research in both streams will focus on improving health outcomes for patients with spinal cord injury and moving research findings into policy or practice. All funded research must align with at least one of the following four Rick Hansen Institute objectives: reduction of incidence and severity of paralysis; improve health care outcomes; reduction of long term cost; and improve quality of life for those living with SCI.
Grant recipients from the 2011 competition can be found on our website under Funding/ Recipients.
Information about Rick Hansen Institute priorities for spinal cord injury research and resources available to Saskatchewan researchers doing multi-centre clinical research is available on the Rick Hansen Institute site at www.rickhanseninstitute.org.
