BLOORVIEW RESEARCH INSTITUTE 2007 ANNUAL REPORT
real world science
from the directo r The Bloorview Research Institute is the only hospitalbased pediatric rehabilitation research institute in Canada. The institute is embedded within Bloorview Kids Rehab, and the proximity of scientific staff with clinical staff facilitates integration of research and clinical activities. A multi-disciplinary group of scientists in the research institute collaborate closely with clinical staff, clients and families to conduct research in three theme areas: Evaluation of Care, Innovation and Development, and Participation. The findings from this research will lead to evidenceinformed practice, products and policy, and drive our mission: To enhance the quality of life of children with disabilities and their families. There have been significant accomplishments in the Bloorview Research Institute over the past year. For example, inaugural holders of three endowed chairs with the University of Toronto (representing a $7 million endowment) were announced. In addition, three new scientists were recruited to the research institute, and over 40 trainees (including 19 summer students) undertook their research experience at Bloorview. Peer-reviewed funding from external agencies topped $4 million for the first time, with significant success by Bloorview scientists (75%) in the September CIHR operating grants competition (more than double the national average). Almost 60 articles appeared in high impact peer-reviewed journals, and several staff received national and international awards celebrating their research accomplishments. Scientists in the Innovation and Development theme continued their strong record of intellectual property mobilization, and were successful in revenue generation through product development and commercialization. These significant research accomplishments belong to the scientists and support staff in the Bloorview Research Institute, and I sincerely thank them for their commitment to Bloorview and to the children and families that we serve.
Colin Macarthur, MBChB, PhD Director, Bloorview Research Institute
resea rch facts
bloorview research by number 2007-08 Scientists
20 (11.2 FTE)
Trainees
42
Total external research funding
$4.1 million
Peer-reviewed funded projects
52
Peer-reviewed publications
57
Ratio of external to internal funding 2:1 Patent applications
5
Royalty revenues
$200,000
funding by source 2007-08 2% 2% Donations Endowed 3% Chairs International
49% CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC
19% Other national funding agencies
7% Provincial funding agencies 2% Industry contracts 7% Royalties
9% Federal/provincial government
• • • • • • • • •
49% CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC 19% Other national funding agencies 9% Federal/provincial government 7% Royalties 7% Provincial funding agencies 3% International 2% Donations 2% Endowed chairs 2% Industry contracts
active bo dies, hea lthy minds
The children: About 420 Ontario children with physical disabilities aged six to 15, and a comparison group of about 350 able-bodied children. The challenge: Recreation activities help children develop skills, interests and friendships and be physically active. But research shows that children with physical disabilities are less likely than peers to play sports, visit friends, go to the mall, or just hang out. The solution: With a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, Bloorview scientist Gillian King and researchers at CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research and the University of Western Ontario are studying the patterns of participation in children with and without physical disabilities. The goal is to identify what hinders and what promotes participation. The team: One developmental pediatrician, three psychologists, three occupational therapists and one speech-language pathologist. The evidence: The research to date – published in nine peer-reviewed journal articles – suggests that children with physical disabilities are as active as their peers in formal lessons like piano and in doing chores and homework. However, they generally take part less frequently in social, recreation and physical activities; tend to be involved in informal activities closer to home; and enjoy certain activities less than peers. The teenage years were identified as particularly difficult. While peers become involved in a growing array of activities that widens their social world, teens with disabilities tend to stick with the same activities, often with family members. Factors associated with higher activity levels in children with disabilities include supportive families, teachers and classmates; higher levels of functioning; and family and child preferences for activities. The impact: The research points to the vital role parents and health-care professionals play in promoting participation. Parents can support their children by helping them identify what they’re interested in, ensuring they can pursue these activities and encouraging them. Service providers can assess what activities a family will most enjoy, make programs available and work with the community to adapt existing programs.
< Scientist Gillian King investigates the psychosocial aspects of childhood disability, intervention and service models, and child and family participation.
sit ting pret ty
The children: 30 preschoolers with cerebral palsy who can’t sit independently. The challenge: Without a parent supporting them, children with weak or stiff muscles can’t sit to play with toys on the floor or do activities at a table – important tasks in early child development. The solution: Bloorview scientist Steve Ryan and his research team designed Flip2Sit, a booster seat with a high back, thigh straps and leg contouring. One side provides a seat for table activities. The other supports a child’s play on the floor. Steve and a second research team developed the Family Impact of Assistive Technology Scale (FIATS) to measure the effects of Flip2Sit on family life. The team: One rehab engineer, five occupational therapists, two industrial designers, one social worker, one experimental psychologist, one research assistant, 13 clinicians from across North America, and 64 children and 79 parents provided input. The evidence: Thirty children with cerebral palsy tried Flip2Sit and an adaptive toileting seat. Before and after using the products for six weeks, parents filled out the FIATS survey. The study – funded by SickKids Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research – showed a meaningful improvement in the lives of families, suggesting the seating devices promote children’s independence and safety. The impact: Flip2Sit is now on the market. The FIATS measure will be tailored to assess the impact of other assistive products “allowing policy-makers to compare products and make informed decisions when allocating public money,” Steve says.
< Scientist Steve Ryan has been lead investigator on over 40 external and peer-reviewed research grants related to assistive technology.
o n the move
The children: 135 children with cerebral palsy who are able to walk. The challenge: The way children move – how easily, efficiently and safely – affects their ability to participate in everyday activities. Children with cerebral palsy have stiff muscles that can make it difficult to walk. They typically receive a variety of rehab services – including physiotherapy, orthopedic surgery, splinting, Botox injections and fitness programs – all intended to improve how well they walk, run and climb. However, there are few ways to objectively evaluate which treatments are most effective. The solution: Based on the Gross Motor Function Measure – an internationally used scale for evaluating function in children with cerebral palsy – Bloorview scientist and physiotherapist Virginia Wright and her research team developed the Quality Function Measure, a tool for tracking change in how a child moves. Children are videotaped doing 30 physical tasks such as stepping over a stick, kicking a ball, or running and stopping. A physiotherapist later watches and rates the quality of movements. The measure is used before a child begins a rehab intervention and again after. The team: Nine physiotherapists, four developmental pediatricians and an orthopedic surgeon. The evidence: In a two-year study of 135 children aged four to 17 with cerebral palsy, the Quality Function Measure will be tested for reliability and for how well it tracks changes in the ease, efficiency and safety of a child’s movements as a result of specific interventions. The study is funded by Physicians Services Inc. The impact: Clinicians need to evaluate which interventions are working – and which aren’t – to plan further treatment goals or to consider whether a child’s participation in everyday life can be improved by using a wheelchair or other assistive technology.
< Bloorview scientist and physiotherapist Virginia Wright is supported by a five-year Career Development Award through the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
ta lk a b o ut it!
The children: 275 Canadian preschoolers with communication disorders. The challenge: Without effective therapy, preschoolers who struggle to speak become isolated and are at risk of developing academic, social and mental-health problems. But clinicians have no way of evaluating whether speech therapy in the clinic is translating into improvements in a child’s ability to participate in everyday life. The solution: Bloorview scientist and speech-language pathologist Nancy ThomasStonell and her research team developed a 50-item questionnaire to measure real-world changes in children’s functioning as they learn to speak better. The outcome measure – called FOCUS – is filled out by parents and therapists before and after treatment and tracks the impact on a child’s ability to participate in everyday activities and on their social and emotional wellbeing. It looks at things like whether the child is understood by others, included in play by peers, and less likely to throw temper tantrums. The team: One speech-language pathologist, one developmental pediatrician, one experimental psychologist, one research summer student and over 400 Canadian families of preschoolers with communication disorders – and their therapists – who helped create and test the measure. The evidence: The FOCUS will be tested for validity in measuring speech-related participation changes in a three-year study of 275 children aged two to six years in four provinces. The study is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The impact: The outcome questionnaire will allow speech-language pathologists to evaluate whether speech therapy is improving a child’s ability to participate in everyday activities and tailor treatment accordingly. Researchers will be able to study what types of speech-language therapies work best for different groups of children and demonstrate the value of early intervention in a child’s ability to function in everyday life.
< Bloorview scientist and speech-language pathologist Nancy Thomas-Stonell studies the development and evaluation of outcome measures and treatment efficacy.
back in the swing o f things
The youth and adults: About one million people in the developing world who have suffered above-knee amputations – mainly because of war violence. The challenge: Limited access to affordable prosthetic services and products in developing countries. Some people with amputations use a stick leg that doesn’t bend and is unsafe and inefficient. Most are likely to lose their jobs and be shut out of society. The solution: Bloorview biomedical engineer Jan Andrysek and his research team are designing a simple, low-cost, highly functional prosthetic knee that will stand up to tough environments, including water and sand. Jan has simplified the knee mechanism to three parts that can be economically manufactured using injection-moulded plastic instead of more expensive machined metals. Devices that would traditionally cost $1,000 to $5,000 will be available at $50 to $100. Jan’s knee locks automatically when the leg extends, preventing falls. In addition to being safer, it offers people a natural swinging motion when walking and the ability to bend the knee when sitting. The team: Three engineers, three prosthetists, one prototypist, one physiotherapist, one research assistant and two University of Toronto undergraduate engineering students. The evidence: A one-year clinical trial of 12 users will compare the function of the new low-cost plastic knee to those made with high-end metal components. The study is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The impact: A large number of people in developing countries will be able to afford a prosthesis that will allow them to return to work and a more active life.
< Bloorview scientist Jan Andrysek received the Clifford Chadderton Award for Prosthetic and Orthotic Research in 2007 – a joint award of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics and The War Amputations of Canada.
“This chair is truly groundbreaking because it focuses on the social, physical and policy barriers to the inclusion of Canadian children with disabilities.” Dr. Patricia McKeever, Bloorview Kids Foundation Chair in Childhood Disability Studies
“As director of the research institute I will use the endowed funds to build capacity. My priorities are to recruit a new junior scientist and to support our summer student research program, which provides an experience in pediatric rehabilitation research for undergraduate students.” Dr. Colin Macarthur, Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Paediatric Rehabilitation
“As a clinician and a researcher, I’m really excited that the chair will allow me to bring together groups of people – families, students, researchers, clinicians – to develop cutting-edge treatments for children with disabilities.” Dr. Darcy Fehlings, Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Developmental Paediatrics
bloorview, u o f t celeb r ate new resea rch cha ir s
Bloorview Kids Rehab and the University of Toronto celebrated the announcement of three new childhood disability research chairs – representing a $7 million endowment – on January 24 at Hart House at the University of Toronto. Dr. David Naylor, president of the University of Toronto, recognized the rapid progress Bloorview has made since becoming affiliated with the university in 2002. “Bloorview is on a remarkable research trajectory,” Dr. Naylor said. “The positive signposts for Bloorview are clear: excellent scientific staff and outstanding new recruits, creation of endowed chairs, high rates of success in national competitions, influential publications and the development of assistive technologies that make a difference in the lives of children.” The inaugural recipients of the chairs are Dr. Colin Macarthur, Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Paediatric Rehabilitation; Dr. Darcy Fehlings, Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Developmental Paediatrics; and Dr. Patricia McKeever, Bloorview Kids Foundation Chair in Childhood Disability Studies. The chairs were made possible by endowment funds through the Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Bloorview Kids Foundation and our partnership with the University of Toronto.
< From back left: Dr. Denis Daneman, SickKids; Dr. Patricia McKeever, Bloorview; Dr. Darcy Fehlings, Bloorview; Dolly Menna-Dack, Bloorview; Dr. David Naylor, University of Toronto; Dr. Colin Macarthur, Bloorview; Dr. Catharine Whiteside; University of Toronto. Front: Bloorview student Alexandra Wheeler and President and CEO Sheila Jarvis.
resea rch at a gl a nce
Participation â&#x20AC;&#x153;Research in the participation program focuses on the social, physical and policy barriers to the inclusion of Canadian kids with disabilities. The program is based on the premise that facilitating the inclusion of disabled kids at home, school and in the community is as critical to their wellbeing as rehabilitation treatments and assistive technologies. Our goal is to ensure that schools, communities and homes are accessible and that every policy affirms the rights of these young citizens.â&#x20AC;? Dr. Patricia McKeever > Participation Theme Leader Participation scientists Barb Gibson Patricia McKeever Gillian King Patty Rigby Roger Knox
administrative support staff Catherine Carter, Administrative Assistant Marie Ellis, Executive Assistant Shawna Gutfreund, REB & Special Projects Co-ordinator Rohini Soni, Director, Research Operations
technical support staff Bill Johnson, Senior Model Maker Sue Redekop, Research Engineer Ka Lun Tam, Research Engineer
Evaluation of Care “Evaluation of care is an exciting area of research where we measure the effectiveness of clinical interventions for children with developmental issues like cerebral palsy, autism and acquired brain injury, and generate cutting-edge treatments. We bring clinicians, scientists, students and families together so we can ground the research in areas that are important to families and make a difference to children’s quality of life.” < Dr. Darcy Fehlings Evaluation of Care Theme Leader Evaluation of Care scientists Douglas Biggar Unni Narayanan Jessica Brian Cynthia Tam Kent Campbell Nancy Thomas-Stonell Lauren Dade Virginia Wright Darcy Fehlings Karl Zabjek Colin Macarthur
Innovation and Development “Our theme challenges the status quo in terms of what is practically possible. Innovation is about the creation of new opportunities for children and youth with disabilities and special needs, often through the exploitation of contemporary hardware, software and materials. Development has multiple connotations. One is the actual realization of our creative notions, taking ideas and turning them into tangible prototypes and eventually commercial products. On the other hand, development can also refer to the fact that we’re using technology to support child development.” Tom Chau > Innovation and Development Theme Leader Innovation and Development scientists Jan Andrysek Fraser Shein Tom Chau David Wells Steve Ryan
peer-reviewed publications Andrysek J, Chau G. A self-energizing electromechanical swing-phase controlled knee joint prostheses: Feasibility study. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering 2007;54:2276-83. Andrysek J, Redekop S, Naumann S. Preliminary evaluation of an automatically stance-phase controlled pediatric prosthetic knee joint using quantitative gait analysis. Archives in Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine 2007;88: 464-470. Bryson SE, Zwaigenbaum L, Brian J, et al. A prospective case series of high-risk infants who developed autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2007;37:12-24. Bryson SE, McDermott C, Rombough V, Brian J, Zwaigenbaum L. The Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI): Scale development and reliability data. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2007;38:731-8.
Sutcliffe TL, Gaetz WC, Logan WJ, Cheyne DO, Fehlings DL. Cortical reorganization after modified constraintinduced movement therapy in pediatric hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Journal of Child Neurology 2007;22:1281-87. Young N, Gilbert T, McCormick A, Ayling-Campos A, Law M, Fehlings D, et al. Youth and young adults with cerebral palsy: their use of physician and hospital services. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2007;88:696-702. Gibson BE, Young NL, Upshur RE, McKeever P. Men on the margin: A Bourdieusian examination of living into adulthood with muscular dystrophy. Social Science and Medicine 2007; 65:505–517. Gibson BE, Upshur RE, Young NL, McKeever P. Disability, technology and place: social and ethical implications of long-term dependency on medical devices. Ethics, Place & Environment 2007;10:7-28.
Loh A, Soman T, Brian J, et al. Stereotyped motor behaviors associated with autism in high-risk infants: A pilot videotape analysis of a sibling sample. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2007;37:25-36.
Saporta A, Gibson BE. The ethics of selfreferral for profit: A case example of a physician-owned physiotherapy clinic. Physiotherapy Canada 2007;59:266-271.
Szatmari P, Paterson AD, Zwaigenbaum L, Roberts W, Brian J, et al. Mapping autism risk loci using genetic linkage and chromosomal rearrangements. Nature Genetics 2007;39:319-28.
King G, Currie M, Bartlett D, et al. The development of expertise in pediatric rehabilitation therapists: Changes in approach, self-knowledge, and use of enabling and customizing strategies. Developmental Neurorehabilitation 2007;10:225-242.
Russel-Minda E, Jutai J, Strong G, Campbell, K, et al. Typeface legibility for readers with low vision: A synthesis of the research evidence. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness 2007;101: 402-415. Biddiss E., Chau T. Upper limb prosthetics: Critical factors in device abandonment. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation 2007;86:977-987. Biddiss E, Chau T. Upper limb prosthesis use and abandonment: a survey of the last 25 years. Prosthetics and Orthotics International 2007;31:236-257. Biddiss E, Chau T. The roles of predisposing characteristics, need, and enabling resources on upper extremity prosthesis use and abandonment. Disability & Rehabilitation Assistive Technology 2007;2:71-84. Biddiss E, Beaton D, Chau T. Consumer design priorities for upper limb prosthetics. Disability and Rehabilitation Assistive Technology 2007;2:345-357. Momen K, Krishnan S, Chau T. Real-time classification of forearm electromyographic signals corresponding to userselected intentional movements for multifunction prosthesis control. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering 2007;15:535-542. Torres J, Chau T. A flexible routing scheme for patients with topographical disorientation, Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation 2007;4:44-45. Kawamura A, Campbell K, Lam-Damji S., Fehlings D. A randomized controlled trial comparing botulinum toxin A dosage in the upper extremity of children with spasticity. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology 2007;49:331-37.
King G, Bartlett D, Currie M, et al. Measuring the expertise of pediatric rehabilitation therapists. International Journal of Disability Development and Education 2007;54:381-406. King G. Expertise in evidence-based clinical decision-making: Working effectively with families. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication 2007;16:2-7. King G, Currie M. Bartlett D J, et al. The development of expertise in paediatric rehabilitation therapists: The roles of motivation, openness to experience, and types of caseload experience. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 2007;54:1-15. Law M, Petrenchik T, King G, Hurley P. Perceived barriers to recreational, community, and school participation for children and youth with physical disabilities. Archives in Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine 2007;88:1636-1642. Kingsnorth S, Healy H, Macarthur C. Preparing for Adulthood: A Systematic Review of Life Skill Programs for Youth with Physical Disabilities. Journal of Adolescent Health 2007;41:323-32. Han R, Ungar W, Macarthur C. Cost Effectiveness Analysis of a Proposed Public Health Legislative/Educational Strategy to Reduce Tap Water Scald Injuries in Children. Injury Prevention 2007;13:248-53. Hewitt A, Macarthur C, Raina P. The Role of Evidence in Public Health Policy: An Example of Linkage and Exchange in the Prevention of Scald Burns. Health Care Policy 2007;3:59-66.
Pope E, Krafchik B, Macarthur C, Stempak D, Stephens D, Weinstein M, Ho N, Baruchel S. Oral Versus High-Dose Pulse Corticosteroids for Problematic Infantile Hemangiomas: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Pediatrics 2007;119;1239-1247. Harrop A, Brant R, Ghali W, Macarthur C. Injury Mortality Rates in Native and Non-Native Children: A PopulationBased Study. Public Health Reports 2007;122:339-346. Hudak P, McKeever P, Wright JG. Unstable embodiments: A phenomenological interpretation of patient satisfaction with treatment outcome. Journal of Medical Humanities 2007;28:31-44. Peter E, Spalding K, Kenny N, Conrad P, McKeever P, Macfarlane A. Neither seen nor heard: Children and home care policy in Canada. Social Science and Medicine 2007;64:1624-1635. Stevens B, McGrath P, Gibbins S, Beyene J, Breau L, Camfield C, Finley A, Franck L, Howlett A, Johnston C, McKeever P, et al. Determining behavioural and physiological responses to pain in infants at risk for neurological impairment. Pain 2007;12: 94-102. Yantzi NM, Rosenberg MW, McKeever P. Getting out of the house: The challenges mothers face when children have longterm care needs. Health and Social Care in the Community 2007;15:45-55. Narayanan UG. The Role of Gait Analysis in the Orthopaedic Management of Cerebral Palsy. Current Opinion in Pediatrics 2007;19:38-43. Boutis K, Willan AR, Babyn P, Narayanan UG, et al. A randomized controlled trial of removable brace versus casting in children with low risk ankle fractures. Pediatrics 2007;119:1256-63. Donaldson S, Hedden D, Stephens D, Alman B, Howard A, Narayanan UG, Wright JG. Surgeon Reliability in Rating Physical Deformity in Adolescent idiopathic Scoliosis. Spine 2007;32:363-7. Donaldson S, Stephens D, Howard A, Alman B, Narayanan UG, Wright JG. Surgical decision making in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Spine 2007;32:1526-32. Gong WKG, Barrera M, Bayene J, Bhat S, Carcao M, Lord S, Narayanan UG et al. The Gap Study (GapS) Interview – Developing a process to determine the meaning and determinants of quality of life in children with arthritis and rheumatic disease. Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2007;25:486-93. Hamdy RC, Monpetit K, Ruck-Gibbs J, Thorstad K, Raney E, Aiona M, Platt R, Finley A, MacKenzie W, McCarthy J, Narayanan UG. Safety and Efficacy of Botox Injection in Alleviating Post-operative Pain and Improving Quality of Life in Lower Extremity Limb Lengthening and Deformity Correction. Trials 2007;8:27. Rigby P, Gaik S. Stability of playfulness across environmental settings: A pilot study. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics 2007;2:27-43.
Ryan SE, Rigby P. Toward Development of Effective Custom Child Restraint Systems in Motor Vehicles. Assistive Technology 2007;19:239-248. Ryan SE, Campbell KA, Rigby P. Reliability of the Family Impact of Assistive Technology Scale. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2007;88:1436-40. Tam C, Schwellnus H, Eaton C, et al. Movement-to-music computer technology: A developmental play experience for children with severe physical disabilities. Occupational Therapy International 2007;14:99-112. Thomas-Stonell N, McConney-Ellis S, Robertson B, Oddson B, Rosenbaum P. An Evaluation of the Responsiveness of the ASHA NOMS Outcome Measure for Preschool Children. Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology 2007;31:74-82. Moody K, Wright V, Brewer K, Geisler T. Community Mobility Assessment for adolescents with an acquired brain injury: Preliminary inter-rater reliability study. Developmental Rehabilitation 2007;10:205-212. Law M, Darrah J, Pollock N, Rosenbaum P, Russell D, Walter SD, Peternchuk T, Wilson B, Wright V. Focus on function – a randomized controlled trial comparing two rehabilitation interventions for young children with cerebral palsy. BMC Pediatrics 2007;7:31-32. Ross M, Brewer K, Wright V, Agur A. Closed neural tube defects: Neurologic, orthopaedic and gait outcomes. Pediatric Physical Therapy. 2007;19:288-295. Singh-Grewal D, Schneiderman-Walker J, Wright V, Oded Bar-Or, et al. Physical activity and exercise in kids (PEAK): The effects of vigorous exercise training on motor function and functional fitness in children with arthritis. Arthritis Care and Research 2007;57:1202-1210. Stephens S, Singh D, Bar-Or O, Beyene J, Cameron B, Laxer R, Leblanc C, Schneider R, Schneiderman-Walker J, Selvaduria H, Silverman E, Spiegel L, Tse S, Wright V, et al. The reliability of exercise testing and functional activity questionnaires in children with juvenile arthritis. Journal of Rheumatology 2007;57:1446-1452. Zabjek KF, Coillard C, Rivard CH, Prince F. Estimation of the centre of mass for the study of postural control in Idiopathic Scoliosis patients: A comparison of two techniques. European Spine Journal 2008;17:355-360. Gage WH, Zabjek KF, Sibley KM, Tang A, Brooks D, McIlroy WE. Ambulatory monitoring of activity levels of individuals in the sub-acute stage following stroke: A case series. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2007;4:41-42. Gage WH, Zabjek KF, Hill SW, McIlroy WE. Parallels in control of voluntary and perturbation-evoked reach-to-grasp movements: EMG and kinematics. Exp Brain Res 2007;18:627-37.
awards & honours Jan Andrysek 2007 Clifford Chadderton Award for Prosthetics and Orthotics Research presented at the ISPO World Congress
Virginia Wright Career Development Award (2007-2011) from the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program
Kent A. Campbell Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Award for Excellence in Research Supervision
Student Awards
Tom Chau The Perkins Prize for Best Paper in the Journal of Medical Engineering & Physics 2007 (with E. Biddiss) Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 recipient Darcy Fehlings Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Developmental Paediatrics Barbara Gibson SickKids Foundation (Children and Youth Home Care Network) Post Doctoral Award Colin Macarthur Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Paediatric Rehabilitation Patricia McKeever Bloorview Kids Foundation Chair in Childhood Disability Studies Patty Rigby Excellence in Service Award from the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto Promotion to Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto
Natasha Alves, MASc candidate Hilda and William Clayton Paediatric Graduate Award Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Graduate Scholarship NSERC Post-Graduate Scholarship Ontario Graduate Scholarship Elaine Biddiss, PhD The Perkins Prize for Best Paper in the Journal of Medical Engineering and Physics NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship Stefanie Blain, PhD candidate Ontario Graduate Scholarship NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship Brenda Gladstone, PhD candidate CIHR-Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction Brain Star Award Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health Fady Hanna, MHSc candidate NSERC Industrial Post-Graduate Scholarship
Jennifer Kohlenberg, MASc NSERC Post-Graduate Scholarship Joon Lee, PhD candidate NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship Brian Leung, MASc candidate Milligan Scholarship NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship Sheena Luu, PhD candidate NSERC Post-Graduate Scholarship NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship
Jorge Torres, PhD candidate CONACYT Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation Graduate Student Scholarship Scott Young, PhD candidate Hilda and William Clayton Paediatric Graduate Award Bloorview Children’s Hospital Graduate Student Scholarship Hilde Zitzelsberger, PhD candidate Women’s Health Council/CIHR Doctoral Fellowship Student Scholarship
Coralee McLaren, PhD student CIHR Strategic Training Fellowship in Health Care, Technology and Place University of Toronto Fellowship Marion Kuhns Memorial Fellowship Negar Memarian, PhD candidate Whipper Watson Graduate Student Scholarship NSERC Post-Graduate Scholarship Brian Nhan, MASc candidate Hilda and William Clayton Paediatric Graduate Award Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation Graduate Student Scholarship NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship Sarah Power, MASc candidate NSERC Post-Graduate Scholarship Bloorview Children’s Hospital Foundation Graduate Student Scholarship
Linda Ko, MHSc candidate NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship, Ontario Graduate Scholarship
external peer-reviewed funding Development and clinical testing of a low-cost prosthetic knee joint, Canadian Institutes of Health Research Proof-ofPrinciple Phase I, (1 Year), $129,510, Andrysek, J (PI) Development of a low-cost prosthetic technology, CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC Medical Technologies Research and Commercialization Collaborative, (1 Year), $13,333, Andrysek, J (PI) Further development of the self-energizing prosthetic damper, Ministry of Research and Innovation Research and Commercialization Program, (1 Year), $25,000, Andrysek, J (PI) Self-energizing prosthetic damper, CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC Medical Technologies Research and Commercialization Collaborative, (1 Year), $20,000, Andrysek, J (PI) Enhancing inter-subjectivity in infants at high-risk for Autism, Autism Speaks Canada, (3 Years), $160,000, Brian J (Co-PI) with Bryson S Access innovations for individuals without a voice, REMAD Foundation (Hong Kong), (3 Years), $50,000, Chau, T (PI)
Adding portability and wireless connectivity to a multimodal access interface, CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC Medical Technologies Research and Commercialization Collaborative, (1 year), $20,000, Chau, T (PI) Canada Research Chair in Intelligent Systems in Multidisciplinary Paediatric Rehabilitation, (5Years), $100,000, Chau,T (PI) Development of Clinical Protocols for Aspiration in Acute Stroke Patients using a Novel Medical Device, Ontario Centres of Excellence, (1 year), $92, 000, Chau, T (Co-PI) with Steele, C Development of a Commercial Prototype of the Aspirometer to Assist Aspiration Detection, HTX Business Investment Program, (1 year), $165,000, Chau, T (PI) Development of a proof-of-concept medical device: the Aspirometer, Ontario Centres of Excellence, (1 Year), $82,000, Chau, T (PI) Intelligent systems in paediatric rehabilitation, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Discovery Grants- Individual, (5 Years), $25,415, Chau, T (PI)
Paediatric Rehabilitation Intelligent Systems Mobile (PRISM) laboratory, Ontario Innovation Trust, (4 years), $16,625, Chau, T (PI) Paediatric Rehabilitation Intelligent Systems, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, (4 Years), $16, 625, Chau, T (PI) Pre-commercialization of the VMI Virtual Music Instrument, CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC Medical Technologies Research and Commercialization Collaborative, (1 year), $20,000, Chau, T (PI) An Evaluation of the Long-term Effectiveness of Botulinum Toxin in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (4.5 Years), $94,657, Fehlings, D (PI) Critical Reflections on Ambulatory Training for Children with Cerebral Palsy, CIHR Health Care, Technology and Place: Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement Team Grant, (1 Year), $8,000, Gibson, BE (PI) From Fixing to Function: Exploring opportunities for the development of a functional optimization model for intervention for children with disabilities, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, (1 Year), $10,000, Gibson, B (PI)
Recognizing the voices of disabled children living with assistive technologies, CIHR Health Care, Technology and Place: Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement Team Grant, (1 Year), $8,000, Gibson, BE (PI) From Knowledge Generation to Knowledge Translation: A Systems Approach to Reducing the Burden of Injury in Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (5 Years), $194,000, Macarthur, C (PI) Intellectual Property Mobilization, CIHR/NSERC/SSHRC Medical Technologies Research and Commercialization Collaborative, (3 Years), $205,000, Macarthur, C (co-PI) Paediatric Outcomes Research, Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, (5 Years), $150,000, Macarthur, C (co-PI) with Parkin P Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement Team Grant for Health Care, Technology and Place, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (5 Years), $250,000, McKeever, P (Co-PI) with Coyte P School, Home and Neighbourhood Accessibility: Physically Disabled Children's Assessments, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (3 Years), $120,256, McKeever, P (PI)
Strategic Training Program Grant for Health Care, Technology, and Place, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (7 Years), $306,607, McKeever, P (Co-PI) with Coyte P The Pediatric Hospital Atrium: Designers’ Intentions versus Children’s Experiences, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (3 Years), $97,125, McKeever, P (Co-PI) with Adams A Concerns, needs and expectations of parents and caregivers of children with severe cerebral palsy, Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy, (2 years), $16,000, Narayanan, U (PI) Functional Outcomes Following Orthopaedic Surgery Based On Gait Laboratory Versus Observational Gait Analysis In Ambulatory Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, (1 Year), $31,000, Narayanan, U (PI)
Safety and Efficacy of Botox Injection in Alleviating Post-Operative Pain & Improving Quality of Life in Lower Extremity Limb Lengthening and Deformity Correction, Shriners Hospital, (3 Years), $ 74,666, Narayanan, U (Co-PI) Ontario Rehabilitation Research Network: Rehabilitation in Childhood, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long term Care and the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation, (3 years), $40,000, Rigby, P (Co-PI) with Polatajko H, Cameron D Commercial Advancement of a Safety Seat for Children with Physical Disabilities, Ministry of Research and Innovation Research and Commercialization Program, (1 Year), $24,200, Ryan SE (PI) Development of an indicator of the impact of assistive devices on children with disabilities and their families, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (1 Year), $70,833, Ryan, SE (PI)
The determinants of safe mobility in the elderly who use assistive mobility devices, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (1 Year), $47,615, Ryan, SE (PI) Towards Articulatory-Based Adaptation in Recognition of Dysarthric Speech, Bell University of Toronto Laboratories, (1 Year), $75,000, Shein, F (co-PI) with Hirst, G Using TopicSense™ and GrammarSense™ to enhance WordQ™ and to create ThoughtQ™ software, Heath Technology Exchange-Ontario Centres of ExcellenceIndustrial Research Assistance Program, (1 Year), $135,000, Shein, F (PI)
Evaluation of the quality of movement in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy: validity and sensitivity to change of the Quality FM, Physician Services Incorporated, (2 Years), $62,500, Wright, V (co-PI) with Rosenbaum P Functional status indicators for young children with cerebral palsy: evaluating the ability to detect change and determining clinically important change, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (3 Years), $58,188, Wright, V (PI)
Evaluating the validity and responsiveness of the Focus, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (3 Years), $58,333, ThomasStonell, N (PI) Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (the FOCUS), Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (3 Years), $92,063, Thomas-Stonell, N (PI)
Collaborative Projects Are Executive Dysfunctions in Autism Reflected in Altered Coordination Dynamics of Brain Activity? Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, (2 Years), $64,500, Brian, J (Co-I) Autism Treatment Network: Cooperative Multi-Center Program for Research and Treatment of Autism, Autism Speaks Canada, (3 Years), $150,000, Brian J (Co-I) The efficacy of an intelligent prompting system to develop self-care activities in children with autism, Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, (2 Years), $64,735, Chau, T (Co-I) Following Heart or Lung Transplant: A Qualitative Exploration of Adolescent Perceptions and Behaviours, Ontario Respiratory Care Society, (1 Year), $13,456, Gibson, BE (Co-I)
We wish to thank the children, youth, parents, staff and partners who helped us illustrate this report! Writing-: Louise Kinross | Design: Sara Purves Photography: William Suarez and Andrea Schindhelm
Canadian Injury Indicators Development, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (3 Years), $50,000, Macarthur, C (Co-I)
Understanding Chronic Pain in Infancy, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (3 Years), $47, 225, McKeever, P, (Co-I)
Costs Incurred by Families of Children Newly Diagnosed with Cancer, National Cancer Institute of Canada, (2 Years), $165,356, McKeever, P (Co-I)
Traduction et évaluation de la sensibilité de l’outil « FOCUS en français » (FOCUS-F) auprès d’enfants âgés de moins de 6 ans, Consortium National de Formation en Santé, (1 Year), $10,400, Thomas-Stonell, N (Co-I)
Pain in Infants with Disabilities: A Program of Research: Phase II, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (5 Years), $135,240, McKeever, P (Co-I) The Lived Experiences of Mothers of Children with Autism, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, (3 Years), $51,333, McKeever, P (Co-I)
Validation of Accelerometry as a Measure of Physical Activity and Inactivity in Children with Chronic Disease, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, (1 Year), $65, 000, Wright, V (Co-I)
Understanding and measuring integrated cognitive, motor, sensory and psychosocial functioning in ecologically valid contexts to improve diagnosis, prognosis and treatment following TBI, Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (3 Years), $40,000, Zabjek, K (Co-I) A smart ambulatory monitoring system to facilitate recovery following stroke, Certified Human Resources Professional Canadian Institutes of Health Research Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, (3 Years), $56,333, Zabjek, K (Co-I)
"Bloorview is an outstanding research facility. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been there and seen the incredible difference it makes in the lives of Ontario children and their families.â&#x20AC;? George Ross, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Research and Innovation
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bloorview is on a remarkable research trajectory. The positive signposts for Bloorview are clear: excellent scientific staff and outstanding new recruits, creation of endowed chairs, high rates of success in national competitions, influential publications and the development of assistive technologies that make a difference in the lives of children.â&#x20AC;? Dr. David Naylor, President, University of Toronto
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