Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Program Funding Priorities
Chair in Foot & Ankle Surgery
The chair in Foot and Ankle Surgery will be for a University Chair - Hospital based. It would be with a view to develop a University Program of Foot and Ankle Surgery similar to the Hand Program and Spine. Once the funds are committed we will recruit a suitable academic leader and develop the program. The Chair will have at its disposal, funds for research and recruitment. The program will be clinically based with a large component of epidemiological study and clinical trials.
Chair in Arthroplasty
Hip and Knee replacement surgery has been a clinical and academic focus on UHN's MHA program where specialists perform the most complex procedures on the sickest patients. An additional arthroplasty surgeon and a Chair in Arthroplasty are required to meet the growing demand for replacement surgery and to help support this specialty area. A nucleus of four academic arthroplasty surgeons at TWH would create a centre for residents and fellows to learn complex primary and revision joint replacement. These funds would support ongoing clinical research, database development, computer assisted surgery and minimally invasive surgery.
Chair in Hand Surgery
The establishment of a Chair in Hand Surgery would be a significant step in upgrading the status of this UHN Program. It would help foster increased academic productivity by providing the freedom to fund seed research projects with the goal of securing ongoing peer-reviewed funding. It would also significantly raise the profile of the program locally, nationally and internationally and would create an attractive leadership position in UHN's hand program.
Integrated Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Database Development
The establishment of an integrated clinical outcome database and biobank for musculoskeletal health and arthritis will provide data to facilitate novel outcomes research and to develop evidence-based strategies for treatment of arthritis and other bone and joint conditions. The project aims at setting up the infrastructure that will facilitate data collection and biobanking on an ongoing basis.
Professorships in Rheumatology
- Professorship in Lupus Outcome research
- Professorship in Psoriatic Arthritis outcome research
- Professorship in Ankylosing Spondylitis research
- Professorship in Scleroderma research
- Professorship in Vasculitis research
The establishment of each Professorship will facilitate the recruitment and retention of a well-trained, experienced, clinical investigators who would be dedicated to disease specific care and research
Arthritis Centre of Excellence
This multi-faceted centre’s aim will be to develop improved treatments and treatment delivery strategies for arthritis and arthritis related diseases. By looking at each factor of an arthritis patient; manifestations of the disease, treatments provided, diet, working conditions, cultural background, genetics, family/social support structures, lifestyle and more, scientists at the centre hope to attain a model for disease susceptibility, severity, response to treatment and prognosis – leading to better patient outcomes. The ACE would also ensure that leading researchers, scientists and professional staff have adequate time to dedicate to research and help keep the best at the brightest at Toronto Western Hospital
Fund for Excellence
Will support a wide variety of project and programs and will enable the MHA Program to have the flexibility to respond to its ever changing demands and pressing needs to maintain its status as a leader in Musculoskeletal Health. Gifts to the MHA Fund for Excellence will help enable the program to:
- Recruit and retain leading healthcare professionals
- Develop and maintain a leading research program, including supporting research staff;
- Purchase capital equipment; and
- Develop Laboratory space
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