Ontario is helping leading-edge researchers in Waterloo make discoveries that will improve the lives of people around the world and continue to create jobs here at home.
The latest round of research investments via the Ontario Research Fund and Early Researcher Awards includes support for:
Preventing
bone
fractures
caused
by
osteoporosis
Project
title:
Adaptations
in
bone
quality
in
response
to
neurologic
injury
and
reduced
mechanical
loading
Lead
researcher:
Dr.
Lora
Giangregorio
Number
of
researchers
benefiting:
11
Traumatic neurologic injury caused by stroke or spinal cord injury results in bone loss and increased risk of fracture. At the University of Waterloo kinesiologist Dr. Lora Giangregorio is investigating how this happens. Her goal is to develop ways to better predict and prevent bone fractures among these patients and others with osteoporosis.
Reducing
injuries
brought
on
by
falls
Project
title:
Biomechanics
of
falls
and
impact-related
injuries
Lead
researcher:
Dr.
Andrew
Laing
Provincial
funding:
$30,000
Number
of
researchers
benefiting:
6
Falls are the leading cause of injury and death among seniors in Ontario. At the University of Waterloo Dr. Andrew Laing is studying the causes, circumstances and biomechanics of falls. His goal is to develop effective interventions, such as compliant flooring, that would reduce the incidence and severity of fall-related injuries.
Developing
therapies
to
treat
people
with
problems
moving
their
hands
Project
title:
Representations
of
the
hand
in
higher-order
somatic
loci
and
their
neural
interactions
with
primary
motor
cortex
Lead
researcher:
Dr.
Aimee
Nelson
Number
of
researchers
benefiting:
4
Three out of four stroke victims have problems moving their hands, making it hard to do simple tasks everyone else takes for granted. University of Waterloo kinesiologist Dr. Aimee Nelson is using neuroimaging to investigate how healthy brains control hand function, research that may lead to new therapies for treating people with impaired hand movement.
For more information, visit the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation.