Vitaly Kazakov / en Dr. Mike Evans releases new video: tackling childhood obesity and nutrition /news/dr-mike-evans-releases-new-video-tackling-childhood-obesity-and-nutrition <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Dr. Mike Evans releases new video: tackling childhood obesity and nutrition</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2015-05-11T07:53:45-04:00" title="Monday, May 11, 2015 - 07:53" class="datetime">Mon, 05/11/2015 - 07:53</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/vitaly-kazakov" hreflang="en">Vitaly Kazakov</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Vitaly Kazakov</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/child-development" hreflang="en">Child Development</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/nutrition" hreflang="en">Nutrition</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/international" hreflang="en">International</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/children" hreflang="en">Children</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/more-news" hreflang="en">More News</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> He’s the University of Toronto professor whose face is best known as a comic-style image on a whiteboard.</p> <p> His short videos on everything from flatulence to palliative care have captured more than 10 million&nbsp;views and his work has been discussed everywhere from network news broadcasts to the Netflix series <em>Orange is the New Black</em>. (<a href="http://www.evanshealthlab.com/23-and-12-hours/">See the video 23 1/2 Hours</a>.)</p> <p> Now, <a href="http://childnutrition.utoronto.ca/mike-evans-chair-patient-engagement-child-nutrition">Dr. <strong>Mike Evans</strong></a> is taking on healthy eating – unveiling his latest video at the official campaign launch for the U of T&nbsp;<a href="http://www.childnutrition.utoronto.ca/">Centre for Child Nutrition, Health and Development</a>.</p> <p> In the video, Evans highlights the challenges children and their families face in finding ways to eat healthily, as well as Canada’s growing childhood overweight and obesity problem.&nbsp;</p> <p> “The centre is being built to rethink this cascade and build innovative solutions to help kids and their families eat better,” says Evans. As the centre’s chair in patient engagement in child nutrition, Evans is using his large online following and well-honed patient engagement skills to help the centre improve the health of children and families in Canada and around the world.</p> <p> &nbsp;</p> <p> <iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HipMRWrNXVs?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></p> <p> The video was presented during a meeting of the centre’s advisory council, attended by federal and provincial government officials including Ontario Deputy Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Dr. Bob Bell, senior leaders from the food industry, health-focused NGOs and academic institutions. Their discussion focused on exploring opportunities for the centre to have a national and international impact in child health.&nbsp;</p> <p> “The researchers in our centre, together with our partners across disciplines and sectors, are working hard to answer key questions in child nutrition and health that continue to elude us,” said <a href="http://childnutrition.utoronto.ca/harvey-anderson">Dr.<strong> Harvey Anderson</strong></a>, the centre’s executive director and professor in the department of nutritional sciences. “These answers will help educate our health professionals, inform public policy, support better food production and processing&nbsp;and improve public awareness and engagement.” &nbsp;</p> <p> For his part, Evans says he will continue to translate new discoveries made by his colleagues at the centre into engaging educational materials for kids and their families. The centre will share these resources through online channels, <a href="http://childnutrition.utoronto.ca/mike-evans-whiteboard-videos">including its website</a>.</p> <p> “Food has a ripple effect in our society,” he says. “On the one hand, eating habits can lean towards too much, and too unhealthy. But on the other hand, food brings together families, builds communities&nbsp;and gives us health. The CCNHD wants to build a new platform that explores this balance, especially with respect to our kids, and tips it towards health.”</p> <p> <em>Vitaly Kazakov is a writer with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2015-05-11-Dr-Mike-screen-grab.jpg</div> </div> Mon, 11 May 2015 11:53:45 +0000 sgupta 7010 at How expectant mothers' diets can affect offspring /news/how-expectant-mothers-diets-can-affect-offspring <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">How expectant mothers' diets can affect offspring</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2015-03-20T09:32:30-04:00" title="Friday, March 20, 2015 - 09:32" class="datetime">Fri, 03/20/2015 - 09:32</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Spinach is high in vitamins K and A (photo by Luminitsa via Flickr)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/vitaly-kazakov" hreflang="en">Vitaly Kazakov</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Vitaly Kazakov</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/kids" hreflang="en">Kids</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Study shows diet high in vitamin K, D, E and A can affect brain development and food preferences in animals</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> High-vitamin diets in pregnant rats can alter their offspring’s brain development and behaviour, University of Toronto researchers have found.&nbsp;</p> <p> The study raises questions about the effects of diets, fortification of foods with nutrients and the use of vitamin supplements on prenatal brain development in humans.</p> <p> The study looked at the effects of a high-vitamin A, D, E, and K diet during pregnancy on body weight gain, food intake and food preference in offspring. The results showed little effect on the rats’ weight gain and food intake, but their brain development and food preference were affected. For example, offspring showed changes in the brain dopamine system, which controls reward-seeking behaviour, and they had a decreased preference for sweetness.</p> <p> <img alt src="/sites/default/files/2015-03-20-harvey-anderson.jpg" style="width: 325px; height: 217px; margin: 10px; float: left;">“While this data provides novel information on the fundamental role of fat soluble vitamins in development in the rat brain, development stages are not the same as in the human,” said <strong>Harvey Anderson</strong>, the principal investigator on the study and&nbsp;a professor in the departments of nutritional sciences and physiology.</p> <p> “Nevertheless, it is clear we know little about the effect of vitamins when taken above requirements on brain development.”</p> <p> The journal <a href="http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/journal/apnm"><em>Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism</em> </a>published the results March 19.</p> <p> Most of the research in this area has focused on preventing deficiencies and the toxicity of very high intakes. At the same time, there is little science on the effect of intakes above requirements. Current diets may be high in vitamins because of mandatory fortification, non-mandatory additions to foods such as cereals and increased consumption of health foods and vitamin supplements.</p> <p> Anderson, who also serves as executive director of the new οCentre for Child Nutrition, Health and Development, hopes that the work of researchers at the Centre will help clarify implications for human mothers and children.</p> <p> Many women consume better quality diets during pregnancy. At the same time, they are also likely to use vitamin supplements, putting them at risk for excessive vitamin consumption. Anderson says the relationship between human mothers’ vitamin intake and its effects on their children’s development needs close study in future research.</p> <p> “Some of the Centre’s ongoing research on brain fat metabolism and maternal diet will help build on the findings of this study,” said Anderson. “It will help us develop new evidence to support better guidelines and policy, and improve childhood and maternal nutrition and health.”</p> <p> <em>Vitaly Kazakov is a writer with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2015-03-20-spinach-diet.jpg</div> </div> Fri, 20 Mar 2015 13:32:30 +0000 sgupta 6885 at Helping people with disabilities in Cameroon /news/helping-people-disabilities-cameroon <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Helping people with disabilities in Cameroon</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-08-14T07:28:26-04:00" title="Thursday, August 14, 2014 - 07:28" class="datetime">Thu, 08/14/2014 - 07:28</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/vitaly-kazakov" hreflang="en">Vitaly Kazakov</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Vitaly Kazakov</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/our-faculty-staff" hreflang="en">Our Faculty &amp; Staff</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/international" hreflang="en">International</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>If you have a special connection to a place, it lasts a lifetime. When<strong> Lynn Cockburn&nbsp;</strong>was 11 years old, her father got a teaching job at a school in a small village near Bamenda, the capital of Cameroon’s North West Region. Her whole family ended up moving to Africa for two years.</p> <p>“At first, it was really difficult for a small town Ontario girl to adjust to living in an African village,” says Cockburn. “That was quite an experience, but I loved it.”</p> <p>When she moved back to Canada, she knew she would return to Cameroon one day – and that day came a decade ago when she returned as an occupational therapist and University of Toronto scholar.</p> <p>An assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Cockburn does mental health and community development work in Cameroon and has set up diversity, research and education programs in rehabilitation and disability.</p> <p>“I was excited to go back and felt welcomed despite difficult circumstances. The access to health care there is expensive and limited by a low ratio of physicians and other health care providers to patients,” explains Cockburn. “The situation is even worse for those living with an impairment or a disability.</p> <p>"Knowing the background and having personal relationships in Cameroon, I knew that I wanted to commit to working in this country I love for a long time. I decided to see what I could accomplish there in 10 years.”</p> <p>Cockburn was a founding member of the <a href="http://www.icdr.utoronto.ca/">International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation</a> (ICDR) at οin 2004. The centre is a hub for like-minded people who wanted to make a difference in disability and rehabilitation globally. Cockburn took charge of ICDR’s Cameroonian chapter, along with fellow occupational therapist <strong>Kate Suffling</strong>.</p> <p>“Working in Cameroon is challenging. We hit many bumps along the road,” says Cockburn. “People with disabilities are marginalized and have very limited opportunities in their lives. What motivates me is the commitment of my colleagues both in Cameroon and Canada who are really trying to make things better for the people and for the country.”</p> <p>Her approach to rehabilitation in Cameroon is three-pronged: help deliver direct care to people with disabilities, train local therapists and care providers, and carry out research.</p> <p>More than 20 οoccupational therapy students have learned about rehabilitation care delivery in Cameroon over the years, thanks to ICDR’s partnerships. “Our visiting students provide direct service to patients at a local rehabilitation centre, as well as take on at least one or two research or clinical projects, so that they see a bigger picture of international disability and rehabilitation work,” says Cockburn.</p> <p>When it comes to working with the local health care providers, it is all about humility and openness for Cockburn and her Canadian colleagues and students.</p> <p>“When you are trying to help patients or work on establishing specific programs, it can feel like there is not enough time for in-depth conversations, for understanding your partners and learning from each other,” she says. “One of the things that we've done really well in Cameroon is to provide spaces and opportunities for everyone involved to talk about issues related to rehab and disability.”</p> <p>Cockburn hopes that there will one day be a rehabilitation program at the new University of Bamenda, which is the first state university in Cameroon’s North West Region. The school’s <a href="http://ubavistingscholars.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/the-university-of-bamenda-visiting-scholar-program/">visiting scholar program</a> –&nbsp;which Cockburn helped set up –&nbsp;may be the first step toward this goal. The program will provide opportunities for scholars around the world to teach and work in Cameroon.</p> <p>Wherever the visiting scholars and doctors might come from, Cockburn hopes that, like her, they will make a long-term commitment to this country. She also hopes the program will help some Cameroonian health sciences professionals living abroad return to Cameroon.</p> <p>"There are more Cameroon-trained physicians working abroad than in Cameroon,” says Cockburn. “We hope that this program will provide a mechanism for some of them to come back to teach and work with local patients.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-08-13-cockburn-cameroon.jpg</div> </div> Thu, 14 Aug 2014 11:28:26 +0000 sgupta 6422 at Helping Botswana doctors build surgical capacity /news/helping-botswana-doctors-build-surgical-capacity <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Helping Botswana doctors build surgical capacity </span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-07-21T07:39:15-04:00" title="Monday, July 21, 2014 - 07:39" class="datetime">Mon, 07/21/2014 - 07:39</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Surgeons at the Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana, perform a laparoscopic procedure (photo courtesy Faculty of Medicine)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/vitaly-kazakov" hreflang="en">Vitaly Kazakov</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Vitaly Kazakov</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/global-lens" hreflang="en">Global Lens</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/international" hreflang="en">International</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/education" hreflang="en">Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/collaborations" hreflang="en">Collaborations</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">"Our results are now equal to, and in some areas, even better than those of our North American partners”</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When <strong>Georges Azzie</strong> first arrived in Gaborone, Botswana, he was the only paediatric surgeon in that country. Not anymore.</p> <p>Over the last decade, the University of Toronto associate professor has been spending three months a year in Gaborone performing surgeries and working with colleagues to address Botswana’s surgical care and education needs.</p> <p>Azzie, who is an associate professor in the Department of Surgery and a surgeon at the Hospital for Sick Children, explains that a lack of surgeons, nurses and technical staff is a major health care challenge in Botswana. There are just a few general surgeons serving the country’s two million people, which means training Botswana’s next generation of health care providers is critical.</p> <p>In 2005, two of the country’s hospitals had equipment for minimal access surgery, but lacked qualified surgeons who could use it. At the request of local officials, Azzie and his οpartners helped develop a training program to increase the number of specialists in this area. Assistant Professor <strong>Allan Okrainec</strong>, also of the Department of Surgery, came up with the idea for cost-effective mentorship and improving skills. Using telesimulation, they taught 20 Botswana doctors the fundamentals of a minimally invasive surgical technique called laparoscopy.</p> <p>Dr. Alemayehu Ginbo Bedada is one of the physicians who received that training. He works at the Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone and teaches at the University of Botswana’s School of Medicine. He was recently in Toronto to present a study that describes a model for establishing a contextually appropriate laparoscopic program in resource-restricted environments.</p> <p>Bedada’s paper will be published in the <em>Annals of Surgery</em> this year. The study, co-authored with Azzie and a group of local researchers, highlights the success of the Botswana’s program: improved patient outcomes, increased confidence among local surgeons and the fact that it is fully financed by their Ministry of Health.</p> <p>“The beauty of our program is that we do not rely on external funding,” says Bedada. “Our ability to use only the government’s budget ensures its sustainability. We learned to improvise with the resources we have to achieve the best outcome for our patients. Our results are now equal to, and in some areas, even better than those of our North American partners.”</p> <p>Bedada and Azzie also focus on the future: they hope to help train a new generation of Batswana surgeons. Two postgraduate students are already training in Cape Town, South Africa, while Dr. <strong>Balisi Bakanisi </strong>will be completing his general surgical training at οin 2015. Four other local medical care specialists are preparing for international training in surgery soon.</p> <p>“One of the unique things Dr. Azzie did here is pushing for opportunities for local doctors to get advanced surgical training. Young doctors like Balisi are going to come back here and take over from us,” says Bedada.</p> <p>Azzie’s international experience is extensive. His recipe for building productive, long-term international partnerships is the same wherever he goes: understanding, respecting and empowering your colleagues.</p> <p>Another key to the success of Botswana surgical care and education initiatives is the team’s ability to work towards the same goal despite different backgrounds. Bedada, an Ethiopian, and his colleagues, who come from Egypt, Uganda, India, Canada, Botswana and other countries, all learn from each other and share the same dedication to their patients in Botswana.</p> <p>“Longevity of the partnership, and the respect and thoughtfulness of everyone involved in it are the reasons the laparoscopic surgery program succeeded,” says Azzie. “We at the University of Toronto can now speak with significant authority on what it takes to establish a long-term relationship, how to sustain it and grow it further.”</p> <p>The partnership also helped a number of οmedical students learn about global surgery and international health in Botswana. In spring 2014, Dr. <strong>Stephanie Dreckmann</strong> spent six weeks in Gaborone doing a general surgery selective under the supervision of Azzie and Bedada. This experience helped Dreckmann hone her skills, expanded her medical expertise and gave her the chance to serve in management and health advocacy roles within a resource limited setting.</p> <p>“I’ve been lucky to come along at a time where there is a ground swell of interest in global surgery and international health,” says Azzie. “I have benefitted from the guidance and the expertise of people who are ‘giants’ in this field, and I would like to pass my experience to others. There is a huge potential to expand our collaboration in Botswana to other kinds of surgical care and education.”</p> <p><em>Vitaly Kazakov is a writer with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-07-21-botswana-surgeons.jpg</div> </div> Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:39:15 +0000 sgupta 6374 at Helping solve Kenya's retinoblastoma challenge /news/helping-solve-kenyas-retinoblastoma-challenge <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Helping solve Kenya's retinoblastoma challenge</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-07-02T07:13:41-04:00" title="Wednesday, July 2, 2014 - 07:13" class="datetime">Wed, 07/02/2014 - 07:13</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">U of T's Helen Dimaras (fourth from left) and Brenda Gallie (third from right) with several members of the Kenyan National Retinoblastoma Strategy group at the University of Nairobi, Kenya.</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/vitaly-kazakov" hreflang="en">Vitaly Kazakov</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Vitaly Kazakov</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/global-lens" hreflang="en">Global Lens</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/international" hreflang="en">International</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cancer" hreflang="en">Cancer</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Improving diagnosis and treatment for eye cancer that affects infants and children</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The potential to solve global health problems is limitless if you identify common goals, focus on mutual benefits and approach problems at a human level.</p> <p>That's the outlook &nbsp;the University of Toronto's&nbsp;<strong>Helen Dimaras&nbsp;</strong>credits with helping her play an important role in saving 103 lives, training 145 caregivers and technicians and creating five new jobs in Kenya – all since 2012.</p> <p>Dimaras, an assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology &amp; Vision Sciences, is an expert in retinoblastoma, a rare eye cancer that affects infants and children. The tumor sometimes grows from the cells of a baby’s retina even before birth. A white glow in the eye – often visible in photographs of the child taken with a flash – is usually the first sign of retinoblastoma.</p> <p>“We see about 24 new cases in Canada annually. Scientifically, this is a small sample size to research, making it more difficult to advance our treatment techniques,” says Dimaras. “In Kenya, East Africa’s medical training hub, there are over a hundred new cases annually. This is why it makes sense to work internationally to research and treat this cancer together for the benefit of all patients.”</p> <p>One major challenge in Kenya is that affected children are often diagnosed later in life than in high-income countries. This gives the untreated cancer time to grow and spread outside the eye, leaving doctors with fewer options to cure the child. The sooner the cancer is diagnosed, the better the child’s chances are of not only surviving but also of retaining their vision.</p> <p>In Canada, this is one of the most curable cancers with an approximately 95 per cent survival rate. In low- and middle-income countries, where most of the affected children live, the mortality rate from this cancer is up to 70 per cent. The larger number of cases in countries like Kenya, China and India is linked to higher birth rates.</p> <p>Canadian experts such as Dimaras and Professor <strong>Brenda Gallie</strong> (pictured above), have been involved in the Kenya National Retinoblastoma Strategy network since it was founded in 2008. It connects Kenyan doctors, researchers, nurses, government officials, family members and adult survivors. Everybody in this group works together towards a common goal: to give affected children the best chance to survive and recover from this cancer.</p> <p>The group’s initial task was to map the available resources to diagnose and treat retinoblastoma across Kenya. They found there were no adequate pathology mechanisms in place at the time: test results were often incomplete or inaccurate, and not promptly available to the doctors.</p> <p>The solution to this challenge was creating a specialized retinoblastoma pathology lab at the University of Nairobi. In 2012, Dimaras and her Kenyan colleagues secured a Grand Challenges Canada grant supporting quality cancer pathology in Kenya. Toronto General Hospital also donated a microtome, a key component in the cancer pathology process. The funding and equipment helped the lab become an expert facility designated to receive every retinoblastoma specimen from across Kenya.</p> <p>“We also streamlined referral systems in the government hospitals. Upon diagnosis, there is now a clear process to reach specialists for medical attention promptly,” says Brian Ouma, chief executive of Daisy’s Eye Cancer Fund Kenya, an international NGO that brings care to every child with retinoblastoma.</p> <p>Providing quality pathology reports and making them available electronically is a breakthrough for retinoblastoma treatment across the country. A doctor in a remote area can instantly see digital images of a tumor to determine the need for more treatment.</p> <p>The lab also provided research opportunities for Kenyan students. A University of Nairobi faculty member oversees lab operations and two Kenyan graduate students investigate the features of retinoblastoma specimens and analyze quality assurance.</p> <p>Canadian students are also learning from the Kenyan experience. Third-year οmedical student <strong>Seemi Qaiser </strong>is recording and analyzing the lab’s history. Her goal is to describe a practical model for creating similar centralized laboratories.</p> <p>“We are sharing our expertise with our Kenyan colleagues who use it as they see appropriate within the particular context of their system,” says Qaiser. “In turn, they share their expertise with us. We are all learning.”</p> <p>The success of the Kenyan strategy already prompted invitations from Ugandan, Ghanaian and Ethiopian specialists to get Kenyan experts’ help creating national strategies in those countries.</p> <p>Still, challenges remain. The lab receives approximately 70 per cent of all Kenya’s retinoblastoma cancer specimens. It means that some affected patients may still not be benefitting from quality pathology and, therefore, may not be getting proper treatment. Other ongoing issues in Kenya include the need for sustainable funding for research, treatment and awareness efforts, as well as a lack of a robust support system for affected children and their families.</p> <p>Dimaras hopes the Kenyan National Retinoblastoma Strategy’s continued efforts will help make quality care available across the country.&nbsp;</p> <p>“If you harness the power of the local talented people, you can do amazing things. It is their country and they want to make things better. Our plan is focusing on expanding our coverage,” says Dimaras. “If we can make it work for retinoblastoma, we can provide quality pathology for other cancers in Kenya too.”</p> <p><em>Vitaly Kazakov is a writer with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-07-02-Retinoblastoma.jpg</div> </div> Wed, 02 Jul 2014 11:13:41 +0000 sgupta 6323 at Harvard's Paul Farmer and U of T's Lynn Wilson on improving global health /news/harvards-paul-farmer-and-u-ts-lynn-wilson-improving-global-health <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden"> Harvard's Paul Farmer and U of T's Lynn Wilson on improving global health</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-06-17T10:40:21-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 17, 2014 - 10:40" class="datetime">Tue, 06/17/2014 - 10:40</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/vitaly-kazakov" hreflang="en">Vitaly Kazakov</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Vitaly Kazakov</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/global-lens" hreflang="en">Global Lens</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Despite the challenges of social inequality, war and natural disasters, global health equity is possible.</p> <p>That message was delivered to a packed οauditorium last week by Dr. Paul Farmer, Kolokotrones University Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School.</p> <p>The renowned international global health scholar was participating in the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) Global Health Speakers Series. The event also included talks by Professor <strong>Lynn Wilson</strong>, chair of DFCM, and Professor <strong>Howard Hu</strong>, Dean of the Dalla Lana Faculty of Public Health.</p> <p>Farmer said he has never encountered a health problem that could not be solved with adequate resources in any of the places he has worked, which has included Rwanda and Haiti. He emphasized the need for diversified health care delivery that includes hospitals, health centres and community-based care to address pressing challenges.</p> <p>“Investing in health care is an important means of investing into solving the problem of poverty,” said Farmer. “Without the support for adequate health care we will not be able to break the cycle of poverty and disease.”</p> <p>An anthropologist and physician, Farmer co-founded <a href="http://www.pih.org/">Partners In Health</a> – a non-profit health organization committed to improving the health of the poor and the marginalized around the world. He has written extensively on health, human rights and the consequences of social inequality. Farmer also serves as U.N. special adviser to the secretary-general on community-based medicine and lessons from Haiti, as well as chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School.</p> <p>Partners in Health’s work in Haiti spans over 20 years. One of their biggest challenges came after the 2010 earthquake which devastated that nation and left its health care and medical training systems in ruins. Partners in Health’s response to the challenge was building a teaching hospital in central Haiti. The University Hospital of Mirebalais, which opened last year, is proof that partnerships and a holistic approach can help effectively rebuild local health care and medical training systems. Today, the solar-powered hospital provides quality health services to the local population in Mirebalais, as well as secondary and tertiary care to patients from all of central Haiti. The University Hospital is also a training ground for the next generation of Haitian nurses, medical students and resident physicians.</p> <p>“Universities are amazing institutions. They have the power to transform entire fields,” said Farmer. “Teaching hospitals and universities cannot afford to be ambivalent about linking community services provision with training and generating new knowledge. They have a beautiful mission: to do something good, take care of people, teach others and learn something in the process.”</p> <p>Farmer was enthusiastic about the passion of students he met at U of T, and also the mission of the Canadian chapter of his organization. <a href="http://pihcanada.org/">Partners In Health Canada </a>works with sister organizations in Haiti and Rwanda to deliver high quality health care and advance social justice.</p> <p>In her remarks, Wilson highlighted the importance of long-term partnerships between organizations in solving global health equity challenges. She noted the long-standing <a href="http://www.missbdesign.com/clients/TAAAC/">Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration</a>, a partnership between οand Addis Ababa University that builds capacity and sustainability in health care education and other professional programs in Ethiopia. Locally, faculty from οMedicine are actively involved in Toronto’s<a href="http://www.icha-toronto.ca/"> Inner City Health Associates</a>’ programs, which provide health care and health-related services to Toronto’s marginalized population.</p> <p>“We are proud of the work we do, but we have so much potential to do more,” said Wilson. “Partners in Health and Dr. Farmer’s work and accomplishments are truly inspiring. They show that if you dare to dream big, partner with the right people and work relentlessly, you can get remarkable results."</p> <p><em>Vitaly Kazakov is a writer with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-06-17-Farmer-Talk-600x400.jpg</div> </div> Tue, 17 Jun 2014 14:40:21 +0000 sgupta 6290 at Catching breast cancer early in at-risk survivors of childhood Hodgkin lymphoma /news/catching-breast-cancer-early-risk-survivors-childhood-hodgkin-lymphoma <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Catching breast cancer early in at-risk survivors of childhood Hodgkin lymphoma</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-05-29T11:29:02-04:00" title="Thursday, May 29, 2014 - 11:29" class="datetime">Thu, 05/29/2014 - 11:29</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photo by Rosie O'Beirne via Flickr)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/vitaly-kazakov" hreflang="en">Vitaly Kazakov</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item"> Vitaly Kazakov</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cancer" hreflang="en">Cancer</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Research shows MRI screening aids detection</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Research led by Associate Professor <strong>David Hodgson</strong> of the Department of Radiation Oncology has found women who suffered from childhood Hodgkin lymphoma should seek magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screening for early breast cancer detection.</p> <p>This finding is the result of one of the largest clinical studies in paediatric cancer survivors.</p> <p>A cancer of the lymphatic system, Hodgkin lymphoma has a cure rate of over 90 per cent. However, its treatment has traditionally involved radiation to the chest, neck and armpit areas. Such therapy raises the risk of developing breast cancer in female survivors.</p> <p>Hodgson led a team at the Princess Margaret Hospital — part of the University Health Network — and worked together with scientists at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston on this research. They found the use of MRI screening helped detect invasive breast cancer tumours at an earlier stage than mammography — a conventional diagnostic tool used for early breast cancer detection. MRI screening was found to be much more sensitive to small changes in the appearance of the breast tissue.</p> <p>Early detection means the affected person has more treatment options, less invasive forms of treatment and a better chance of surviving the disease, according to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.</p> <p>When a person survives one type of cancer, Hodgson explains, they may be hesitant to even consider the possibility of getting another.</p> <p>“We estimate that 75 per cent of women who are at high risk because of prior radiotherapy to the chest are not being screened. So my hope is that this new evidence will encourage these survivors to discuss early screening with their doctors,” said Hodgson. “Our study demonstrates MRI is an excellent addition to mammography to discover breast cancer at a very early stage.”</p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HH68rItcRyU" width="560"></iframe></p> <p>The findings were published in the American Cancer Society Journal <em><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.28747/abstract;jsessionid=2B0628333367D6A58B4116A6DBDE2E33.f02t03">Cancer</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Vitaly Kazakov is a writer with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-05-29-mri-cancer.jpg</div> </div> Thu, 29 May 2014 15:29:02 +0000 sgupta 6211 at New Government of Canada funding supports brain health research at οMedicine /news/new-government-canada-funding-supports-brain-health-research-u-t-medicine <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">New Government of Canada funding supports brain health research at οMedicine</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-05-05T07:19:00-04:00" title="Monday, May 5, 2014 - 07:19" class="datetime">Mon, 05/05/2014 - 07:19</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"> Mr. Chagnon of the Chagnon Foundation, Dr. Naomi Azrieli, U of T's Dr. Benoit Mulsant, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and McGill’s Dr. Nahun Sonenberg prior to the announcement by Brain Canada (photo courtesy CAMH)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/vitaly-kazakov" hreflang="en">Vitaly Kazakov</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Vitaly Kazakov</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/more-news" hreflang="en">More News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/government" hreflang="en">Government</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>University of Toronto researchers will benefit from new federal funding announced last week. The Canada Brain Research Fund will support several new research projects in the areas of Alzheimer’s disease prevention and autism.</p> <p>“Brain health and neurosciences are research priorities for the Faculty of Medicine and our partners,” said οFaculty of Medicine Dean&nbsp;<strong>Catharine Whiteside</strong>. “Our researchers are solving mysteries of the brain to help reduce the global burden of neurodegenerative and mental health disorders. The new federal funding will help our researchers advance our understanding of brain disorders and expand human potential.”</p> <p>One of the announced οprojects will apply recent advances in brain science to the clinical treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Professor <strong>Benoit H. Mulsant</strong> of the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Physician-in-Chief at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is the lead investigator of the study. The study, called PACt-MD – Preventing Alzheimer’s dementia with Cognitive remediation plus tDCS in MCI and Depression – would prevent brain damage associated with Alzheimer’s by stimulating neurons in the brain and strengthening cognitive skills.</p> <p>Professor <strong>Evdokia Anagnostou</strong> of the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Paediatrics and the Holland Bloorview's Autism Research Centre and Professor <strong>Jason Lerch</strong> of the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Medical Biophysics and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) are also grant recipients. Their groundbreaking autism research will introduce the use of co-clinical trials to the world of neurodevelopmental research. Proven successful in the development of cancer therapeutics, co-clinical trials may help investigators isolate some of the individual causes of autism.</p> <p>The CAMH research project will receive almost $10 million over five years: the largest-yet grant for Alzheimer’s disease prevention in Canada. The Holland Bloorview and SickKids’s autism research project will receive $2.5 million.</p> <p>Brain diseases, disorders and injuries are one of the leading causes of disability in Canada. They are costly to patients, families, caregivers, communities and the health care system. The new research projects would find ways to decrease the strain of these diseases and disorders for both affected individuals and society at large.</p> <p>The federal government’s Canada Brain Research Fund, with contributions from Brain Canada, the Azrieli Neurodevelopmental Research Program and the Chagnon family, will also support Alzheimer’s disease prevention and autism research projects across several other Canadian universities.</p> <p><em>Vitaly Kazakov is a writer with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-05-05-brain-health.jpg</div> </div> Mon, 05 May 2014 11:19:00 +0000 sgupta 6120 at οMedicine inks major agreement in China /news/u-t-medicine-inks-major-agreement-china <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">οMedicine inks major agreement in China</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-04-21T09:15:40-04:00" title="Monday, April 21, 2014 - 09:15" class="datetime">Mon, 04/21/2014 - 09:15</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">U of T's Professor Cynthia Whitehead signing the memorandum with Professor Zhu Shanzhu, dean of the Department of General Practice, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/vitaly-kazakov" hreflang="en">Vitaly Kazakov</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Vitaly Kazakov</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/more-news" hreflang="en">More News</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/international" hreflang="en">International</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/collaborations" hreflang="en">Collaborations</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/china" hreflang="en">China</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The University of Toronto has signed an important agreement with China’s Fudan University, which will see the two institutions develop joint activities to build education capacity in primary health care and public health.</p> <p>Only three per cent of all physicians in China are family doctors — a situation that strains the Chinese health care system generally, and hospitals in particular. To help remedy this, the Chinese government plans to train 100,000 family physicians by 2020.</p> <p>“This formalized partnership with Fudan University is an outcome of close collaboration benefitting both countries, as evidenced by the presence of health ministers from Canada and China,” said Professor <strong>Cynthia Whitehead</strong>, the acting chair of U of T’s Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) who headed the delegation to China. “We are thrilled to expand our cooperation with Fudan University across several activities and continue finding collaborative ways to solve health care issues in both countries.”</p> <p>Under the agreement, DFCM — the largest family medicine training program in North America — will work with Fudan University’s Department of General Practice to improve the quality of its general practice training. This work will include an exchange of faculty members between Toronto and Shanghai.</p> <p>In addition, DFCM will develop a partnership with two community health services centres in Shanghai to assist with delivery and management of primary health care. Both parties agreed to strengthen ties and cooperate in the prevention and control of chronic diseases, with a focus on health management for high-risk populations.</p> <p>The agreement — formally called a Memorandum of Understanding — adds to an already strong partnership between οand Fudan University. The Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Molecular Genetics also has long history of cooperation with partners in Shanghai.</p> <p>“This agreement is a critical step forward that signifies a deepening of the relationship between the Faculty of Medicine and Fudan University,” said οMedicine's Dean<strong> Catharine Whiteside</strong>. “International collaborations like this one help build and improve learning networks, create unprecedented opportunities for collaborative research, and provide exciting cultural opportunities for our students and faculty — all aligned with the mutual commitment to improving health.”</p> <p><em>Vitaly Kazakov is a writer with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/14-04-21-ChinaMOU.jpg</div> </div> Mon, 21 Apr 2014 13:15:40 +0000 sgupta 6056 at Art + Science + Technology = Virtual Dreams and Healthy Brains /news/art-science-technology-virtual-dreams-and-healthy-brains <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Art + Science + Technology = Virtual Dreams and Healthy Brains </span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2013-10-04T09:28:31-04:00" title="Friday, October 4, 2013 - 09:28" class="datetime">Fri, 10/04/2013 - 09:28</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">An artist's rendering of the My Virtual Dream dome at Scotiabank Nuit Blanche</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/vitaly-kazakov" hreflang="en">Vitaly Kazakov</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Vitaly Kazakov</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine" hreflang="en">Medicine</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">οand Baycrest scientists join with artists to transform brain health, Toronto streets, at Scotiabank Nuit Blanche </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><div> &nbsp;</div> <div> People attending Nuit Blanche in Toronto this Saturday will have an opportunity to experience ground-breaking neuroscience research led by University of Toronto and Baycrest Health Sciences through <a href="http://www.myvirtualdream.ca/"><em>My Virtual Dream</em></a>.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> One part art exhibit, one part science experiment, this installation brings together art, science and technology by synchronizing brain waves to create a multi-sensory experience—a virtual dream—inside a 60-foot dome. <em>(See video preview at bottom of article.)</em></div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> “<em>My Virtual Dream </em>allows for people from different disciplines and industries, both in arts and science, to come together to unlock brain’s potential and find cure for neurological diseases,” said <strong>Alison Buchan</strong>, Vice Dean of Research and International Relations in U of T’s Faculty of Medicine.</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> <em>My Virtual Dream </em>will make the newest technologies in neuroscience available to the general public. “Community involvement and outreach is a big part of our mandate at the Faculty of Medicine. This exhibit is a great way to engage the general public in our scholars’ projects,” said Buchan.</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> Nuit Blanche visitors will connect their brain waves to The Virtual Brain, a research tool that replicates the complex functions of a human brain. By relaxing or concentrating, The Virtual Brain will record participants’ brain waves which will in turn alter images appearing on the walls of the dome and create their very own dream.</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> “What would you say to your own brain if you could talk to it?” is just one of the philosophical questions <strong>Randy McIntosh</strong> asked when he began work on this exhibit.</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> McIntosh is a Professor in U of T’s Institute of Medical Science, Vice-President of Research at Baycrest Health Sciences and Director of Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute. He aims to develop software based on The Virtual Brain that would interpret brain activity and help doctors better understand how a patient’s brain has been damaged by dementia, epilepsy, stroke and other disorders, pointing to more effective, targeted treatments.</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> “We are only starting to understand how to interpret the brain activity and how we could use it in practice. It is exciting for us to collaborate with artists on the <em>My Virtual Dream</em> project as together we can inspire people of all backgrounds to become aware of the brain’s potential and contribute to our research,” said McIntosh.</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> <em>My Virtual Dream</em> premiers at Scotiabank Nuit Blanche on October 5 at 7 p.m. and ends at 7 a.m. on October 6 at the corner of University Avenue and College Street.&nbsp;</div> <p class="rtecenter"><iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/FaZJZwopW1I" width="480"></iframe></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/My-Virtual-Dream-13-10-04.jpg</div> </div> Fri, 04 Oct 2013 13:28:31 +0000 sgupta 5626 at