News Room
For immediate release - November 15, 2006
New Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research to Place Ottawa at Forefront
of Medical Revolution
 OTTAWA
– Stem cell research has the potential to transform medicine
and provide pioneering regenerative approaches to treatment of some
of the world’s most debilitating diseases, said Dr. Michael
Rudnicki, Director of the Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research,
during the Centre’s grand opening ceremony in Ottawa today.
Renowned philanthropists Eric and Vizma Sprott officially opened
the 30,000 square foot facility, which is part of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI), the research arm of The Ottawa Hospital
and an affiliated institute of the University of Ottawa.
“Eric and I are thrilled to be a part of this wonderful adventure
in medical research,” said Vizma Sprott, who along with her
husband Eric donated $7 million to create a permanent endowment
to support the new Centre. “The thought that scientists at
this Centre could one day discover a cure for some of the many diseases
that are afflicting people around the world is very exciting. We
are confident that our investment will pay enormous dividends some
day.”
The idea and vision for the Sprott Centre came from Dr. Ronald
Worton, CEO and Scientific Director of the OHRI. In the 1960s, Dr.
Worton trained in the Toronto laboratories where stem cells were
first discovered, and in 1986 he led the team that discovered the
gene responsible for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
“I knew from my research that stem cells held the best hope
for replacing and regenerating tissues lost due to genetic muscle
disorders, and it quickly became clear that stem cells had the potential
to treat and even cure many other diseases as well,” said
Dr. Worton.
The first funding for the construction of the Sprott Centre for
Stem Cell Research came from the Canada Foundation for Innovation
in 2000. This was followed by a number of other grants from federal
and provincial agencies, and unprecedented $8.6 million in donations
from the community through The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.
The Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research will eventually house
more than 120 researchers and staff. It contains state-of-the-art
equipment to visualize stem cells and unlock their molecular secrets.
It also contains a special laboratory capable of producing highly
purified therapeutic materials for clinical trials in patients.
The Sprott Centre will act as the hub of a large interdisciplinary
group of researchers, including molecular biologists, physicians,
and transplant specialists affiliated with the OHRI, the University
of Ottawa, and The Ottawa Hospital. Members of this group have discovered
new populations of adult stem cells in muscle and heart tissue.
They are also investigating how stem cells might be harnessed to
treat neurodegenerative disorders and vision loss. Research on bone
marrow stem cells is already having a positive impact on patients.
The celebration was attended by Yves Tremblay, Chair of The Ottawa
Hospital Board of Governors, and Dr. Gilles Patry, President and
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ottawa. Both spoke about the
importance of partnership among hospitals and universities in bringing
innovation into health care and training the next generation of
researchers.
Today’s grand opening comes on the heels of another major
stem cell event in Ottawa – the Annual General Meeting of
Canada’s Stem Cell Network, which is also led by Dr. Rudnicki.
The Network supports collaborative projects among more than 70 researchers
across Canada, including 12 based at the OHRI.
The Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research was built and equipped
with a total of $17.4 million in funding from the Canada Foundation
for Innovation, the Ontario Innovation Trust, the Kresge Foundation,
and many generous donors who gave to the project through The Ottawa
Hospital Foundation. Funding for additional equipment and operations
has also been provided by the Ontario Research and Development Challenge
Fund, Genome Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research,
and the Stem Cell Network.
The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) is
the research arm of The Ottawa Hospital and an affiliated research
institute of the University of Ottawa. With more than 1,200 scientists,
investigators, trainees and support staff, the OHRI is investigating
human health at every level. For more information, visit the OHRI
Web site at www.ohri.ca.
The Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s mission
is to inspire and enable people to support the highest quality health
care at The Ottawa Hospital and lifesaving research at the OHRI.
For more information, visit The Ottawa Hospital Foundation Web site
at www.ohfoundation.ca.
For more information, please contact:
Jennifer Paterson
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Director, Communications and Public Relations
Tel.: 613-798-5555 extension 19691
Cell: 613-614-5253
jpaterson@ohri.ca
Robin Percival
The Ottawa Hospital Foundation
Media & Public Relations Officer
Tel.: (613) 798-5555, ext. 18718
Cell: 613-614-8755
rpercival@ottawahospital.on.ca
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