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New partnership to boost arthritis research at SFU
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Contact:
SFU: Cathy Daminato, vice president, advancement: 604.291.5302, David_MacLean, 604.291.5361; dmaclean@sfu.ca;
Merck Frosst Canada: Marlene Gautier, manager, public affairs, 514.428.3057; marlene_gautier@merck.com;
ARC: Rob Appleton, executive director, 604.871.4505, rappleton@arthritisresearch.ca
SFU: Cathy Daminato, vice president, advancement: 604.291.5302, David_MacLean, 604.291.5361; dmaclean@sfu.ca;
Merck Frosst Canada: Marlene Gautier, manager, public affairs, 514.428.3057; marlene_gautier@merck.com;
ARC: Rob Appleton, executive director, 604.871.4505, rappleton@arthritisresearch.ca
December 8, 2004
Merck Frosst Canada Ltd. today pledged $1 million to support a new arthritis research chair at Simon Fraser University. At a luncheon held at the Burnaby campus, representatives from Merck Frosst and the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada jointly presented a cheque for the first $600,000 to faculty of health sciences dean David MacLean.
The arthritis research chair -- the new faculty's first privately funded chair -- will serve as the foundation of the world's only interdisciplinary research program devoted to arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases
“Arthritis is a major cause of disability for millions of Canadians, especially in the growing senior population,” says MacLean. “Very little research has been conducted into the causes, prevention and management of arthritis. This new partnership between SFU, Merck Frosst and ARC will enhance the quality and quantity of research conducted in arthritis and musculoskeletal disease, and will ultimately improve the quality of life for people living with these diseases.”
“Chairs such as this one will foster collaborative networks leading to cutting edge research, and help attract some of the best and brightest scientists to British Columbia,” says Andre Marcheterre, president of Merck Frosst. “While it represents a great step forward for SFU and ARC, we must never lose sight of who this type of research is really for -- the people living with arthritis.”
According to Health Canada, arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases cost the nation's health care system $16 billion per year and represent Canada's second most costly group of diseases.
SFU's faculty of health sciences will begin accepting students in 2005, and promises to bring a dynamic interdisciplinary approach to new programs in public and population health, epidemiology and bioinformatics, and virology and immunology. Currently, more than 130 professors in a variety of disciplines are involved in health-related research at SFU.
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Websites:
Merck Frosst Canada: www.merckfrosst.ca/e/new/home.html
Arthritis Research Centre of Canada: www.arthritisresearch.ca/
The arthritis research chair -- the new faculty's first privately funded chair -- will serve as the foundation of the world's only interdisciplinary research program devoted to arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases
“Arthritis is a major cause of disability for millions of Canadians, especially in the growing senior population,” says MacLean. “Very little research has been conducted into the causes, prevention and management of arthritis. This new partnership between SFU, Merck Frosst and ARC will enhance the quality and quantity of research conducted in arthritis and musculoskeletal disease, and will ultimately improve the quality of life for people living with these diseases.”
“Chairs such as this one will foster collaborative networks leading to cutting edge research, and help attract some of the best and brightest scientists to British Columbia,” says Andre Marcheterre, president of Merck Frosst. “While it represents a great step forward for SFU and ARC, we must never lose sight of who this type of research is really for -- the people living with arthritis.”
According to Health Canada, arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases cost the nation's health care system $16 billion per year and represent Canada's second most costly group of diseases.
SFU's faculty of health sciences will begin accepting students in 2005, and promises to bring a dynamic interdisciplinary approach to new programs in public and population health, epidemiology and bioinformatics, and virology and immunology. Currently, more than 130 professors in a variety of disciplines are involved in health-related research at SFU.
-30-
Websites:
Merck Frosst Canada: www.merckfrosst.ca/e/new/home.html
Arthritis Research Centre of Canada: www.arthritisresearch.ca/