Delta resident Charles (Chuck) Ratzlaff is among the recipients of a prestigious research award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR).
Ratzlaff, a PhD candidate in epidemiology in the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health Care and Epidemiology at UBC, is one of 95 individuals working in diverse fields of health research to be selected for funding in MSFHR’s 2010/11 research scholar and trainee competitions.
Ratzlaff’s research will demonstrate how physical activity and one or more subtle deformities of the hip can cause cartilage damage and eventually osteoarthritis.
His research will generate the new knowledge needed for major breakthroughs in the prevention, detection and treatment of hip osteoarthritis.
Given an aging population and the increased prevalence of chronic diseases in Canada, physical activity is an important intervention for health. Knowledge of how to modify and perform physical activities, and identification of susceptible individuals, will lead to inexpensive and practical recommendations that maximize the benefits of physical activity without increasing the risks of joint disease.
MSFHR awardees were selected from a pool of more than 300 applicants following a rigorous peer-review process.
Thirty-two scholar awards will support researchers establishing or building research programs to address critical health issues. Awards to 63 post-doctoral fellows will provide an additional three years of advanced research training to prepare the next generation of scholars for our BC universities and hospital-based research centres.
“Through these awards, MSFHR is investing in a healthy future for British Columbia,” said Dr. Bruce Clayman, MSFHR’s interim president and CEO.
“Providing support to the scholars helps recruit and keep these exceptional investigators in BC, enabling them to establish research programs that can attract additional funding into the province. The post-doctoral fellows hold promise to become the next generation of premier health researchers.”
The foundation, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, is funded primarily by the B.C. government, with a mandate to strengthen B.C.’s health research enterprise.
For more information, visit www.msfhr.org/