Five researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) are among the latest Tier 1 and Tier 2 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs (CRC) through University of Toronto. Of these five researchers, three are new chairholders who are using their research to explore the relationship between mental health and chronic illness, advance understanding of genomic screening and health policy, and find more effective treatments for paediatric brain cancers.

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry announced the results of the Canadian Research Chairs 2021-2022 cycle and an investment of more than $139 million to support 176 new and renewed CRCs at 46 institutions across Canada. The CRC Program recognizes individuals who have achieved research excellence in engineering and natural sciences, health sciences and social sciences and humanities.

One of these new chairholders is Dr. Andrea Knight, an Associate Scientist in the Neurosciences & Mental Health program and Staff Physician in the Division of Rheumatology. Knight’s research focuses on increasing our understanding of mental health in children with chronic disease to improve their care and outcomes. This includes using neuroimaging to better understand how chronic disease and inflammation affect brain and mental health in children with lupus. She is also studying strategies for mental health intervention tailored to the specific needs of children with chronic disease.

With support from the CRC Program, Dr. Robin Hayeems, a Scientist in the Child Health Evaluative Sciences program, aims to identify and measure patient and systems-oriented outcomes of genomic technologies. Hayeems’ research also aims to develop novel models of care to support the equitable and sustainable delivery of genomic technologies.

Dr. Vijay Ramaswamy, Staff Physician in the Division of Haematology/Oncology and Scientist-Track Investigator in the Developmental & Stem Cell Biology program, is setting out to identify weaknesses in medulloblastoma and ependymoma, the first and third most common paediatric brain cancers. In the Ramaswamy Lab, the research team is working to create more effective treatments and improve survival rates for children diagnosed with high-risk paediatric brain cancer.

The renewed Canada Research Chairs at SickKids are Dr. Julie Forman-Kay, a Senior Scientist and Program Head of the Molecular Medicine program (Tier 1 Chair in Intrinsically Disordered Proteins) and Dr. Jean-Philippe Julien, a Senior Scientist in the Molecular Medicine program (Tier 2 chair in Structural Immunology).

New SickKids Canada Research Chairs:

• Robin Hayeems, Canada Research Chair in Genomics and Health Policy (Tier 2)
• Andrea Knight, Canada Research Chair in Mental Health and Chronic Disease of Childhood (Tier 2)
• Vijay Ramaswamy, Canada Research Chair in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology (Tier 2)

Renewed SickKids Canada Research Chairs:

• Julie Forman-Kay, Canada Research Chair in Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (Tier 1)
• Jean-Philippe Julien, Canada Research Chair in Structural Immunology (Tier 2)

View SickKids' Canada Research Chairs and the full list of recipients on the CRC website.