Archives of Previous Announcements for 2003
Three
collective projects have been funded
Here are the collective projects
which have received funding for 2002-2003;
1-Primary researcher: Dr
Germain
Project title: Greffe animale d'épithelium
cornéen cultivé sur gel de fibrine
Funding: 20 000 $
2- Primary researcher: Dr Vaucher
Project title: Glaucome et débit sanguin
oculaire, rôle des oestrogènes
Funding: 20 000 $
3- Primary researcher: Dr Casanova
Project title: Visual information processing in
schizophrenic patients. Evidence from psychophysical
and FMRI studies
Funding: 20 000 $
Marc
Hébert obtains funding from the CFI
Dr Hébert has a unique expertise
that combines visual electrophysiology and human
chronobiology. The funds awarded by CFI aim to
create a human chronobiology laboratory and to
acquire state of the art equipment for visual
electrophysiology with humans and animals. This
funding is responsible for the procurement of
1300 square feet of space at the Centre de Recherche
Université Laval Robert-Giffard de Québec
and more than $400,000 worth of equipment will
be acquired.
Dr Hébert is interested
in two distinct research themes : seasonal depression
and night shift workers. In the first case, the
originality of the research comes from the use
of electroretinography (ERG) to study retinal
sensitivity among patients suffering from seasonal
depression. By studying retinal sensitivity, Dr
Hébert aims to discover the chemical imbalance
that is responsible for seasonal depression. The
second research theme aims to develop strategies
for exposure to green light to help workers adapt
to the night shift. Dr Hébert is a Junior
I researcher and his projects are presently funded
by the CIHR and the FRSQ.
Promotional
campaign for the Vision Network
An important objective of the Vision
Network is to promote vision health in the Québec
population. To achieve this, a poster campaign
has been initiated to publicize the existence
of the Network and to underline the fact that
vision health is one of the priorities of the
FRSQ. Moreover, large human and financial investments
have been made in order to further our knowledge
of pathologies of the eye, the visual system,
and their treatment. The first poster will soon
be present in all settings related to vision health.
Summary
of the Retina Axis annual meeting 2003
Dear colleagues,
The annual meeting of the Vision Networks Retina
Axis, held on June 19 2003 at the Albert-Royer
amphitheater at St. Justine hospital, was a big
success with a record attendance of 48 people.
The presentations of our invited speakers were
greatly appreciated and attracted attendees from
outside the Network. Moreover, we received 19
abstracts and due to the tight schedule we limited
student presentations to 13. Two students received
awards for the quality of their presentations.
Caroline Lupien and Sandrine Joly were awarded
first and second place respectively. The jury
was composed of Drs. Robert Koenekoop, Marc Hébert
et Jacqueline Orquin. Congratulations to all for
your participation.
Two
projects in partnership funded by the Network
Project 1:
Title: Étude
de faisabilité de l'application des impulsions
femtosecondes à la chirurgie de la greffe
de cornée
Principal investigator: Dre Isabelle Brunette
Funding: Vision Network: 18 000$, INRS:
48 000 $
Project 2:
Title: Effets du niveau
d'exposition lumineuse en milieu de travail sur
la sensibilité rétinienne et circadienne
à la lumière
Principal investigator: Dre Marie Dumont
Funding: Vision Network: 17 884 $, Université
de Montréal: 13 000 $
Congratulations
to Julie Racine
At the last annual symposium of
the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology
of Vision (ISCEV), held in Nagoya (Japan) from
the 1-5 of April, Julie Racine (from Pierre Lachapelle's
laboratory) received the Eberhard Dodt Memorial
Award for her presentation intitled: "Congenital
stationary night blindness (CSNB) resulting from
a lack of rods: the Guinea pig model". This
prestigious award is given each year for the best
presentation by a participant under the age of
35.
Creation
of the Groupe de Recherche
en Sciences de la Vision (GRSV)
The Université de Montréal,
via the Vice-Rector of research, the Dr Alain
Caillé, has accredited the Groupe de Recherche
en Sciences de la Vision. The GRSV will be directed
by the Dr Maurice Ptito, Full Professor at the
School of Optometry. In so doing, the Université
de Montréal wished to recognise the importance
of research concerning vision and the excellence
of the researchers working on a theme that is
both fundamental and applied. The GRSV groups
together researchers from different laboratories,
based at different universities in Québec
(Université de Montréal, McGill,
Concordia, UQTR) and abroad (Michigan, Maryland,
Denmark, England...). The web page of the new
group is now under construction.
Congratulations
to Dr Maurice Ptito
Dr Maurice Ptito has just been
nominated secretary of Academy I of the Royal
Society of Canada. This is a prestigious nomination
that places him in line for the presidency of
this Academy.
Congratulations
to Dr Sylvain Chemtob
The Aventis-Pasteur Award honors
a researcher pediatrician for his top publications.
This award granted by the Canadian Pediatric Society
was merited by Sylvain Chemtob in 2002 for his
work on circulatory mechanisms of the developing
eye and its impact on retinopathy of prematurity.
In this process he has also identified previously
never described functional nuclear G protein-coupled
receptors involved in genes that regulate neuroretinal
circulation. This seminal work, which sets forth
new concepts in receptor biology, was cited in
Science (November, 2001).
Acquisition
of Optical Imaging Equipment
in the Laboratory of Dr Christian Casanova
The laboratory of Dr Christian Casanova at the
School of Optometry at the Université de
Montréal has recently received optical
imaging equipment (O.I., Imager 3001/D). This
equipment will allow for the study of global changes
in the functional architecture of the visual cortex
following either chronic or acute experimental
manipulations. The functional maps can be obtained
by measuring the changes in the level of light
absortion following cerebral activity (intrinsic
signals due to the transition of oxyhemoglobin
- hemoglobin during metabolic demands; this allows
for a high spatial resolution), or following injections
of voltage sensitive dyes (this allows high temporal
resolution). This "double" technology,
that is unique in Québec, will create an
exceptional environment to train students in vision
science. The Vision Research Network contributed
funds for the purchase of this equipment. Funds
also came from NSERC, FCAR, and the Université
de Montréal.
Click
here to view a diagram of the equipment
Attribution
of funding (Proposal I)
Subject: Joint
initiative of the Vision Network and the Réseau
provincial de recherche en réadaptation
(REPAR).
After evaluation of the research projects submitted
for funding, we have the pleasure to announce
that the project titled: "Caractérisation
des déficits du traitement de l'information
visuelle chez l'individu traumatisé crânien
en réadaptation", presented by Dr
Michelle McKerral of the Vision Network (Retina
and Development Axis), has been retained. Funding
will be $25 000. The amount is to be split between
the Vision Network and the REPAR.
In this project, Dr McKerral and colleagues
[Dr Alain Ptito (Vision Network-Brain and Perception
Axis and REPAR), Dr Pierre Lachapelle (Vision
Network-Retina and Develpment Axis) and Dr Michael
Bach (University of Freiburg, Germany)] propose
to use visual function as an indicator of cerebral
damage after head trauma. We know that the visual
system is frequently damaged following cerebral
trauma (CT). The use of functional techniques
to evaluate visual performance is thus a pertinent,
fast, and cost effective diagnostic tool for visual
deficits after CT but may also be used as an index
of general cerebral function. The project will
study how the analysis of visual information is
disturbed after a slight to moderate CT. The investigation
will use electrophysiological methods. Dr McKerral
and her team postulate that the use of electrophysiological
techniques will allow the indentification and
quantification of deficits in the analysis of
visual information processing that are difficult
to quantify with current neuroradiology. The medium
and long term scientific benefits of this type
of study will allow an improvement of diagnosis,
treatment, and the prognostic of functional deficits
in individuals that have suffered a CT.
Carol Richards, PhD (Scientific Director REPAR)
Pierre Lachapelle, PhD (Scientific Director Réseau
Vision)
Projects
Which Have Received Grants
From the Brain and Perception Axis in 2002
Visual function of Parkinson's disease patients
evaluated by psychophysical and electrophysiological
methods.
C. Casanova (U. Montréal)
A. Ptito (McGill)
J. Faubert (U. Montréal)
Collaborator: A. Sadikot (MNI)
> Amount: 7000 $
The control of eye movements in hemidecorticate
patients: abilities and localization of functions
in the remaining hemisphere.
D. Guitton (McGill)
M. Ptito (U. Montréal)
> Amount: 8000 $
Cartographie de l'activation du cortex suprasylvien
par des patrons de flux optique.
M. Ptito (U. Montréal)
Chaudhuri, A. (McGill)
> Amount: 8133 $
The Vision
Research Network’s Budget for 2001-2002
 THE
NETWORK’S BUDGET
Secretariat (salary, administration, meetings,
travel expenses,
etc.):
$ 40,000.00
Web Site and Publicity: $ 25,000.00
Shared Infrastructure (data bases): $ 60,000.00
Student Scholarships: $ 60,000.00
TOTAL
EXPENSES FOR THE NETWORK: $ 185,000.00
BUDGET
FOR THE AXES
Budget attributed to each axis: $ 35,833.33
This
amount must be spent as follows:
1-
TRAINING: minimum $ 10,000.00
Expenses
allowed:
-
Fees related to meetings (for students): $
750.00/student
-
Student training in a foreign laboratory:
Maximum of 50% of the cost up to a maximum of
$ 1,500.00
2-
SHARING OF KNOWLEDGE: maximum $ 2,700.00
Expenses
allowed:
-
Invited speakers: $ 2,000.00
-
Scientific meeting of the axis: $ 700.00
3-
PROJECTS THAT ENCOURAGE COOPERATION:
maximum
$ 23,133.33 (after items 1 and 2).
TOTAL
EXPENSES FOR THE 6 AXES : $ 215,000.00
There
will no longer be funding opportunities directly
from the axis. Depending on the budget, each axis
will determine which projects to support. The
criteria and forms remain the same as those used
previously for funding from the Vision Research
Network.
Please
note that before authorizing any expenses, the
representatives of each axis must submit a detailed
budget to the executive committee. Any deviation
from the above mentioned distribution of funds
must be approved by the executive committee.
Pierre Lachapelle, PhD
Scientific Director
Vision Research Network
GRANT
PROGRAMS FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
Amount available : 40,000.00$.
Application deadline : Novembre 15 2003
Form to be used : RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE (DEMANDE
DE SOUTIEN POUR L 'ENTRETIEN D'INFRASTRUCTURE
COMMUNE).
GRANT
PROGRAMS FOR PROJECTS IN PARTENERSHIP I
Amount available : 40,000.00$.
Application deadline : November 15 2003
Form to be used : PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS (DEMANDE
DE FINANCEMENT POUR DES PROJETS RASSEMBLEURS).
OBJECTIVES
In order to better respond to the directives
recently set forth by the FRSQ to the Network
(i.e. increase the productivity of research in
Québec by implementing measures that allow
common structures to aid development of research
and favour the emergence of new research avenues
emerging from the synergy developed within the
Network) and the Network's own specific objectives,
the Vision Health Research Network will support
short term projects in partnership. A project
in partnership is punctual research, aiming to
explore a hypothesis, to validate or develop a
research tool, to demonstrate the feasibility
of a study, to plan a study, or to transfer acquired
knowledge to practice. This project should lead
to preliminary results that would permit researchers
to put forth a more elaborate research grant to
other granting agencies (ex: CIHR) and/or foundations.
The Network's objectives are as follows :
-To develop research, in particular collaborative
work in the area of vision.
- Increase, within the vision research field,
the resources and facilities for research, as
well as optimising their use.
- To support scientific collaboration between
disciplines and institutions.
- Target research on clinical problems*.
- Create and maintain structures that are adequate
to achieve these goals.
* The scientific committee's aim is that this
goal be interpreted in the larger sense, that
is to say projects in disciplines that allow for
the advancement of knowledge in vision health
science.
ANNUAL BUDGET, AMOUNT AND LENGHT OF THE GRANTS
The financial support for projects in partnership
are for a one year period. The admissible expenditures
are those permitted by the FRSQ for the Networks.
The budget for a project must not exceed $25,000.00.
ELIGIBILITY
Only regular members of the Vision Research
Network, recognised as such by the FRSQ Vision
Research Network, may present request as principal
researcher. Regular members may solicit other
researchers or clinicians that are not directly
related to the Network, as long as the money is
spent in Québec. Projects should support
intra-axis, inter-axis, and inter-Network collaborations
that allow the integration of new expertise into
our Network. It is important to note that projects
related to a subject that is judged as a priority
by the Network will be evaluated accordingly.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
The following criteria will be used to establish
the evaluation for each proposal :
Researchers :
- The competence of the researcher to successfully
complete the project.
- The productivity of the principal researchers
(manuscripts, research funds, etc.), in particular
as it pertains to their implication in the Network
following the receipt of previous funding.
- The level of collaboration that will come out
of the project (intra, inter, and inter-Network
collaboration). The relevance of the group of
researchers.
- The education of the researchers (graduate,
and post-doctorate).
Project :
- The project concerns a subject that the Network
judges as a priority (example : aging and its
effects).
- The scientific quality and originality of the
project, including the rigour of the experimental
approach.
- The pertinence of the project for the advancement
of vision science and vision health, within the
context of the objectives of the FRSQ Vision Research
Network.
- The inclusion of multidisciplinary approaches
and the integration of new expertise in the Network.
- The integration of clinical, evaluative, and
fundamental research.
- Possibility of funding from other granting agencies
in the future.
- The feasibility of the project and the realistic
nature of the timetable.
Proposals for recurrent funds for infrastructure
are not admissible. For more information contact
your axis director.
EVALUATION
The evaluation of projects will be carried out
in two steps and a scale from 0 to 5 (with decimals)
will be used.
The first step will consist of creating a list
of evaluators. The list will comprise researchers
that are not part of the Brain and Perception
Axis. These evaluators will be informed of the
objectives of the Network and the FRSQ described
above. All request will be sent to external evaluators
who will evaluate the proposals except those where
they believe that they will be in a conflict of
interest. Please note that all proposals must
conform to the requirements, those that do not
will be rejected.
The average of all the evaluations will determine
the final score of each project.
REPORT
For partnership projects that will receive funding,
a status report must be filed at the end of the
funding period. The report should be presented
on a concise form that contains the following
points:
- Present and futur publication(s) and/or funding.
- Preliminary data accumulated for a proposal
to another granting agency.
- A financial report.
As these reports will be used in an integral fashion
in the presentation of the annual report of the
Network, the periodical FRSQ report, and the grant
renewal proposal for the Network, it is important
that they be sent to the secretariat of the Network
as soon as possible once the period of funding
is terminated.
Masters
in neuroscience, biology, or psychology
Begins: Early 2003.
Institution: Université de Montréal,
École d'optométrie (School of Optometry).
Salary: To be discussed.
Research project : Visual memory.
Description: The studies will investigate
the relationships between the cognitive processes
of visual stimuli and the functioning of cholinergic
neurons. The objective of this research is to
evaluate the involvement of cholinergic neurons
in physiological and molecular mechanisms of visual
attention and the reorganization of thalamocortical
connections (plasticity of the visual cortex).
Contact: Please send Curriculum Vitae to:
Elvire Vaucher, PhD, professor
Tel (514) 343-7537
Fax (514) 343-2382
elvire.vaucher@umontreal.ca
Annual meeting
of the CRCQ (2003)
Dear colleagues,
As you probably know, for the last three years
our network has financially supported the annual
meeting of the Club de Recherche Cliniques du
Québec (CRCQ). The CRCQ meeting is one
of the last bastions (if not the last) where graduate
students and researchers in the biomedical field
can still present their results in french.
It would be nice this year, if
each axis could send one (ore more) representatives
to present a poster or an oral presentation.
For more information, consult the
CRCQ's web site at http://crcq.crc.chus.qc.ca
Please note that the deadline
for submission of abstracts is Mai 9th 2003.
Any volunteers?
Grant
possibility (collective projects)
To all members,
A sum of $60 000, from the Vision Network, is
still available for collective projects. A maximum
of $25 000 is available for any one project. Please
note that this money must be used before June
30 2003.
If you are interested in submitting for a grant,
please follow the links below to download the
required documents. Please send the completed
documents to: reseau.vision@mcgill.ca
The deadline is May 1 2003.
Thank you for your collaboration.
Julie Racine
Secrétariat du Réseau Vision
4060 Ste-Catherine Ouest
Place toulon, chambre 208
Montréal, Québec
H3Z 2Z3
Tél: 514-412-4227
Fax: 514-412-4331
Grant
possibility (partnership projects)
To all members,
Please not that a sum of $45 000 is still available
for projects that require partnerships. Potential
parteners may be in the private (pharmaceutical
companies for example) or public domains (CIHR,
NSERC, INRS), or others.
Grant request must be submitted to the secretariat
of the Vision Network (by mail or by e-mail)
before May 1 2003.
Please follow the links below to access the
documents.
Thank you for your collaboration,
Julie Racine
Secrétariat du Réseau Vision
4060 Ste-Catherine Ouest
Place toulon, chambre 208
Montréal, Québec
H3Z 2Z3
Tél: 514-412-4227
Fax: 514-412-4331
Research
assistant in the Laboratoire
des Neurosciences de la Vision
Begins: April 15 2003.
Institution: Université de Montréal,
École d'optométrie (School of Optometry).
Salary: will be determined as a function
of qualifications and experience.
Description:
> Responsabilities: Participation in the
laboratory's research projects and responsability
for one project in particular (actively partaking
in every step of the project). Administration
of the laboratory.
> Requirements : Masters or doctorate in an
area of study related to electrophysiology.
> Flexible hours.
> Preference will be given to applicants who
: have some knowledge of sensory physiology, single
unit recording techniques, imaging techniques,
are bilingual, can write in english.
Contact: Please send Curriculum Vitae to:
Annie-Hélène Samson
ah.samson@umontreal.ca
Network
supported conference
Anthony Movshon, PhD
New York University, HHMI & Center for
Neural Science
New York, USA
Stability and Plasticity in Primate Visual Development
Lundi 7 avril 2003, 12h15
École d'optométrie, 3744 Jean-Brillant,
auditorium 180
Special
grant possibility
This is to announce a joint initiative of the
FRSQ Vision Research Network and the Provincial
Network for Research in Re-adaptation (REPAR).
Researchers who are members and the students
of either of the two above mentioned networks
are invited to send grant proposals. These proposals
should aim to develop new collaborations and new
research themes that meet the mission statements
of both research networks.
Proposal I : Research project
Proposal II : Aid for communication
Within the framework of this joint initiative,
the Network will offer 5 bursaries of $ 1000 each
in order to help students present their results
at international conferences. To be eligible,
students must be members of either Network and
have participated in a research project that encompasses
a theme that is relevant to both Networks. The
application should include a list of previous
communications and the letter of acceptance of
the presentation for which the application is
being submitted. The last day to submit an application
is the 1st April 2003.
Sixth
Scientific Symposium on
Visual Incapacity and Readaptation
Gregory Goodrich, Ph.D.
Goldilocks and Other Low Vision Fables: The
Case for Low Vision Training.
Maurice Ptito, Ph.D.
La langue: un organe visuel?
Jacques Gresset, O.D., Ph.D.
Identifier les personnes âgées
ayant besoin de services de réadaptation
en déficience visuelle.
Lotfi Merabet, Ph.D., O.D.
Prothèses neuro-sensorielles.
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