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Strategic Initiatives

The Faculty of Medicine has developed several internal programs to support current and emerging areas of strategic priority. These programs are designed to support the growth and development of our research enterprise and to attract and retain world-class researchers and scholars.

Translational Research Grant Program

Translational research coordinates the application of novel discoveries in biological sciences to practical uses in pharmaceutical or clinical settings. The Translational Research Grant (TRG) program promotes such research and collaboration between basic science and clinical researchers throughout the Faculty, providing seed funding to test new, innovative ideas and facilitating future grant support.
Basic scientists and clinicians teamed up to submit joint applications as co-PIs on specific research projects. Each grant is made up of matching funds of up to $25,000 per partner: 1) the basic science department or research institute, and 2) the clinical department.

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2021 University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine Translational Research Grants:

  • Angela Crawley (OHRI) and Rebecca Auer (Dept. of Surgery): Characterizing postoperative CD8+ T cell dysfunction by exploiting the COVID-19 immunological toolkit
  • Morgan Fullerton (BMI) and Angela Cheung (Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition): Mapping single cell immunometabolism in fatty liver disease
  • Mathieu Lavallée-Adam (BMI) and Louise Sun (UOHI): Predicting right heart failure after cardiac surgery using proteomics and machine learning
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Path to Patenting & Pre-commercialization (3P)

In October 2021, the Faculty of Medicine has launched the first round of the Path to Patenting & Pre-commercialization (3P) grant program that aims to provide our top-flight researchers with the assistance needed to bring the benefits of their most promising breakthroughs to the wider world. This initiative will accelerate the development of spin-offs and innovation at the Faculty of Medicine and will be a paradigm-shifting vision at uOttawa that is needed because the commercialization process, particularly for first-time inventors and entrepreneurs, can pose unique challenges.

The 3P funding is intended for key experiments needed for intellectual property (IP) protection and potential commercialization, assessment of potential market access, and development of a commercialization plan. Applications are reviewed internally by a 3P review committee, composed of non-applicant uOttawa professors and affiliated research institutes, with representation from industry.

Among 6 applications submitted to the first round, the 3P review committee selected 3 projects for funding:

  • “New Materials for rapid suture-less and scar-less surgical repair” led by Dr. Emilio Alarcon and Dr. Marc Ruel ($30K from The Faculty of Medicine and The University of Ottawa Heart Institute, successfully used in a Mitacs application with total funding to the PIs of $120K).

  • “Exosomes to prevent post-operative atrial fibrillation” led by Dr. Darryl Davis ($30K from The Faculty of Medicine and The University of Ottawa Heart Institute, successfully used in a Mitacs application with total funding to the PIs of $120K).

  • “Cardiac surgery triaging tool” led by Dr. Louise Sun ($30K from The Faculty of Medicine and The University of Ottawa Heart Institute).

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