Grant: Collaborative Research and Training Experience

Current graduate programs at Lakehead University, University of Waterloo and University of Saskatchewan train highly qualified personnel in individual science and engineering departments, but the ability of these Universities to provide fully rounded training in ""Health and related life science and technologies"" is however limited. The purpose of the proposed collaborative training program is to consolidate medical imaging-related science and engineering research at these separate institutions into a unified and complete program covering Medical Imaging Techniques and Technologies -an area which is underrepresented in existing Medical Imaging programs in Canada. The uniqueness of our program is in extended collaboration with Canadian companies (start-ups, medium-and large-size) specializing in development and fabrication of Medical Imaging Devises and Technologies as well as in full integration of the training into the working of a Thunder Bay Regional Health Care Centre. This will allow trainees to learn how to bring promising technology to the point where it can fulfill its innovation potential and to understand how new technology can positively affect significant human health problems. Our mission and objectives are: 1. To provide for the development of innovative imaging techniques and technologies to detect disease, understand disease progression, develop minimally-invasive treatment, and validate treatment effectiveness to the benefit of Canadian healthcare and the life science industry. 2. To create the next generation of scientists and medical imaging researchers equipped with exceptional technical skills and an understanding of the path from an unmet patient need to the development of a commercial product. Over the life of the grant, the program will train 21 Master degree students, 12 Doctoral students, 7 undergraduate summer students and 5 post-doctoral fellows.