Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute unveils
$12 million research platform in Imaging Guided Interventions
The Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute today announced
a $12 million Imaging Guided Interventions research platform
and the acquisition of two Philips 3T MRI scanners. One
will be used for translational research at Thunder Bay Regional
Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), the other for joint research
at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Scientists at the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute,
in partnership with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and
Philips Healthcare, will use the MRI scanners to investigate
different applications of HIFU (High-intensity focused ultrasound)
therapy in treating cancer tumours and ultimately develop
new medical devices for the international market.
HIFU is an example of Imaging Guided Interventions; technology
that can be used to improve surgical procedures and often
eliminate the need for invasive surgery, resulting in better
outcomes and faster recovery for patients.
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“There is a global need for the development
of new technologies that allow for the early diagnosis
and treatment of disease. We will be taking a leadership
role in the development of molecular imaging and advanced
diagnostic research in this partnership with TBRHSC,
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Philips Healthcare,”
said Keith Jobbitt, Chair of the Board, Thunder Bay
Regional Research Institute.
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The leading-edge Philips Achieva 3T X-series MRI scanners
are key building blocks in the research collaboration between
Thunder Bay and Sunnybrook. MRI scanners provide a high quality
method of medical imaging. HIFU uses heat to destroy tumours;
since MRIs can monitor temperature changes in tissues, scientists
can readily assess the result of the HIFU therapy.
Dr. Laura Curiel and Dr. Samuel Pichardo, both scientists
with the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute, will work
with Dr. Kullervo Hynynen of Sunnybrook Research Institute
to explore the use of HIFU as a leading non-invasive therapy
for a wide range of medical conditions, from soft-tissue cancer
tumours to neurodegenerative disease.
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“This partnership
shows that distance is no object when it comes to
sharing a vision of inventing the future of healthcare,”
said Dr. Michael Julius, Vice President, Research,
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. “The establishment
of this research platform will see the pioneering
work of Dr. Hynynen advanced to the next level of
innovation with Drs. Curiel and Pichardo in Thunder
Bay and in doing so accelerate discovery so that we
can translate the results to our patients sooner.”
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The Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute is committed
to bringing innovative technologies and techniques to patients
in Northwestern Ontario. Not only does this benefit patients,
the regional economy will benefit as technology innovations
go to market in the global arena.
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"Our government is
proud to be a contributor to the medical advancements
and partnerships announced here today," said
MPP Bill Mauro. "We're proud to support Thunder
Bay Regional Research Institute as it continues to
be a community leader in medical research and innovation
and our knowledge based economy continues to expand."
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About the Thunder Bay Regional Research
Institute
The Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute
is Canada’s newest health research institute located
in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It is an independent, not-for-profit
research corporation and a joint venture partner of Thunder
Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC). The Research
Institute’s mission is to improve the quality of healthcare
through excellence in patient-centred research, pioneering
a new standard of excellence in the clinical investigation
of novel molecular imaging-based diagnostic technologies
for disease prevention, early detection and image-guided
treatment. Key partners include Sunnybrook Health Sciences
Centre, Lakehead University, Philips Healthcare, Cancer
Care Ontario, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and
Confederation College.
About Sunnybrook Research Institute
Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI), the research
enterprise of Toronto-based Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre,
is inventing the future of health care. At SRI, researchers
strive to understand and prevent disease, and to develop treatments
that enhance and extend life. These aims derive from a core
mission: to make discoveries in medical science and translate
them into the clinic to benefit patients. As one of the fastest-growing
research institutes in Canada, SRI now conducts over $100
million in research annually, a threefold increase since 1998.
Its 180 scientists have an international reputation for excellence
in medical research in the areas of molecular and cellular
biology, imaging, clinical integrative biology, clinical epidemiology
and health services sciences as they apply to the most pressing
problems in health care.
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MRI HIFU Background ::
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