KIRKLAND, QC, - Pfizer Canada is pleased to announce the 2010 recipients of the Neuropathic Pain Research Awards.
Launched in 2007, the competition aims to fund and support independent neuropathic pain research in the areas of basic biomedical, clinical and health sciences. The long-term goal of the Neuropathic Pain Research Awards is to present new approaches for developing prevention tools and therapeutics.
"The Canadian medical researchers recognized with the Neuropathic Pain Research Award have far-ranging ideas that hold the potential to make truly extraordinary contributions to the lives of people living in pain and to the medical community," said Dr. A. John Clark, Professor of Anesthesia, Dalhousie University, chair of the independent review committee. "The significant contributions of the recipients from the past three years are having a profound impact on medical research and we hope will inspire future researchers. We look forward to seeing where the visionary research of recipients and future recipients lead."
Neuropathic pain is caused by injury or dysfunction of the nerves, spinal cord or brain. An estimated one million Canadians have shown symptoms of neuropathic pain. The condition can be incredibly painful and frustratingly difficult to diagnose as other potential diagnoses need to be first ruled out. Often the condition is either left undiagnosed or is not properly treated and people then live with symptoms that feel like burning, tingling or shocks.
Seventeen research proposals for the Neuropathic Pain Research Awards were reviewed by an independent committee of Canadian medical researchers, chaired by Dr. Clark. The winners of the award were chosen based on ranked scores from the independent review committee. The recipients represent a diverse group of healthcare professionals and scientists committed to furthering research and understanding of neuropathic pain.
"Pfizer is proud of the accomplishments of the recipients and the breakthroughs they have made in medical research," said Lorella Garofalo, Medical Director, Pain, Pfizer Canada. "It is because of their success that we move closer to improving the lives of Canadians living with pain."
Through innovative research, Pfizer Canada is committed to advancing their knowledge of the biology and mechanisms of neuropathic pain. This knowledge will enable Pfizer Canada to apply the findings towards the prevention, management and easing the associated burden of living with neuropathic pain.
The recipients of the 2010 awards are:
Dr. Bradley Kerr, University of Alberta
Subject: Dysregulated Amino Acid and Biogenic Amine Neurotransmitters in the Generation of Neuropathic Pain in Multiple Sclerosis
Dr. Kerr's research examined how chronic pain is a recurring issue for individuals with suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Dr. Kerr aims to generate data that should provide a strong rationale for the development of new treatment options for neuropathic pain in patients with MS. He also provides valuable insights about future drug targets for neuropathic pain.
Dr. Kerr is interested in the development of chronic pain after spinal cord injury or in diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Kerr's research aims to understand the specific pathways and cellular changes that arise in response to direct trauma or in chronic disease states that may promote the development of neuropathic pain.
Dr. Daniel Marsh, Dalhousie University
Subject: Effect of Pre-Emptive Pregabalin Treatment on Maladaptive Changes of Spinal Circuits after Spinal Cord Injury
The objective of Dr. Marsh's study is to validate the clinical use of pregabalin as a pre-emptive treatment to prevent maladaptive changes of spinal circuits and neuronal dysereflexia after spinal cord injury. If proved effective, this pre-emptive treatment can improve quality of life and increase the effectiveness of physical rehabilitation regimens.
Dr. Marsh completed his BSc and MSc in Human Kinetics at the University of Guelph, and then received his PhD in physiology from the University of Alberta. In 2003, Dr. Marsh was hired as an Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology.
Dr. Alfredo Ribeiro-da-Silva, McGill University
Subject: Novel Approach to the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain
In his research, Dr. Ribeiro Da Silva modulated the endogenous level of its active mature form rather than sequestering NGF. It is expected that this approach will have considerable advantages over the antibody approach.
Dr. Ribeiro Da Silva's main research interest is the unraveling of the mechanisms underlying chronic pain states, both in the central and peripheral nervous systems. He is particularly interested in arthritis and neuropathic pain models.
Dr. Petra Schweinhardt, McGill University
Subject: Investigation Whether Cerebral Gray Matter Decreases in Fibromyalgia are Caused by Neuronal Damage
Dr. Schweinhardt's research determines whether gray matter reductions in fibromyalgia are caused by neuronal damage. It is expected that this work will advance our understanding of the pathophysiological changes associated with chronic widespread pain.
Dr. Schweinhardt's research aims to gain a better understanding of the cerebral mechanisms of pain and pain modulation in health and disease, using neuropsychopharmacological and brain imaging techniques. She is particularly interested in the alterations that occur in the central nervous system of chronic pain patients; how these alterations interact with endogenous pain facilitatory or inhibitory circuitry and consequently contribute to the generation and maintenance of chronic pain.
Dr. Peter Smith, University of Alberta
Subject: Increasing the Effectiveness of Pregabalin
Through his research, Dr. Smith aims to demonstrate how capsaicin increases pregablin's ability to reduce dorsal horn excitability. He also assessed the ability of the capsaicin and pregabalin combination to attenuate neuropathic pain in rats. Dr. Smith will also start to examine why pregabalin targets neuropathic pain without affecting the sensations of touch, warmth, or pressure.
Dr. Smith earned his PhD from the University of Southampton. He joined the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Alberta in 1980 and was appointed full professor in 1990. Dr. Smith is interested in understanding and developing new treatments for chronic neuropathic pain.
About Pfizer Canada
Pfizer Canada Inc. is the Canadian operation of Pfizer Inc, the world's leading biopharmaceutical company. The company is one of the largest contributors to health research in Canada. Our diversified health care portfolio includes human and animal biologic and small molecule medicines and vaccines, as well as nutritional products and many of the world's best-known consumer products. Every day, Pfizer Canada employees work to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. We apply science and our global resources to improve the health and well-being of Canadians at every stage of life. Our commitment is reflected in everything we do, from our disease awareness initiatives to our community partnerships, to our belief that it takes more than medication to be truly healthy. To learn more about Pfizer's More Than Medication philosophy and programs, visit (
link). To learn more about Pfizer Canada, visit pfizer.ca. More Than Medication™ is a registered trademark of Pfizer Canada Inc.
