Shoukat Dedhar, a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Janice Eng, a Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, are recipients of the 2015 Faculty of Medicine Distinguished Medical Research Lecturer (DMRL) Awards.
The awards will be bestowed at the Distinguished Medical Research Lecturers Event on February 3 from 2 to 4 pm in the Life Sciences Centre 2 (LSC 2) and reception will follow in the West Atrium. This event is open to all faculty members and students as a part of the Leaders in Medical Discovery Series.
Dr. Dedhar, the recipient in the Basic Sciences category, focuses on cancer biology and cell adhesion mechanisms, particularly on in vivo approaches to cancer treatment. He is most known for his discovery of a protein that targets cancer, cardiovascular disease and inflammation. He also discovered a major factor contributing to cancer cell survival and metastases. He was recently granted over $4 million for his research through a CIHR Foundation Grant.
Dr. Dedhar’s lecture, “The Tumor Microenvironment and Cancer Metastasis,” will cover the development of a new targeted cancer therapy.
Dr. Eng, the recipient in the Clinical Sciences category, focuses on neurological rehabilitation and the development of innovative rehabilitation treatments, particularly in the fields of stroke and spinal cord rehabilitation. She has developed several programs to improve the abilities of stroke survivors, including the Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Program (GRASP) and the Fitness and Mobility Exercise Program (FAME), which have now been implemented in thousands of sites around the world, including major rehabilitation centres in B.C. GRASP has been shown to improve arm and hand function, while FAME has been shown to improve physical and cognitive abilities, as well as reduce the risk of a second stroke.
Dr. Eng’s lecture, “Stroke Recovery Research – From Innovations to Implementation,” will identify barriers and facilitators to implementing research into practice, and identifying promising areas of research.
Candidates for these awards are nominated by fellow faculty members from Basic Sciences or Clinical Sciences on the basis of a distinguished research career, recognition in the medical community and effective contributions to student educational growth over the past year. Nominees are selected by the Faculty of Medicine Research Council.
The event has now taken place and a recording of the presentation is now available.