Latest news with #UniversityHealthNetwork
France 24
4 days ago
- Health
- France 24
Canada needs 'bold ambition' to poach top US researchers
But to succeed, Canada will need to summon something it has at times lacked, namely "bold ambition," the head of the country's largest hospital chain told AFP. Trump's funding cuts for scientific research are freeing up talent and "creating a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to recruit, said Kevin Smith, the chief executive of Toronto's University Health Network (UHN). To seize that opportunity, Canada has to ditch its traditional "incrementalist" approach, Smith added. "Let's not say good enough is good enough. Let's say excellent is where we need to go." Experts say Trump's policies could trigger a tectonic shift in the global competition for the world's brightest minds. For decades, deep-pocketed US universities backed by federal support have scooped up talent, including in biomedical research. But Trump's administration has already slashed billions of dollars in research grants affecting various institutions, including most notably Harvard University. Programs affected by the National Institutes of Health's cuts include studies on gender, the health effects of global warming, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer. France and the European Union are already trying to woo disgruntled US researchers. European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said last month that the EU would launch a new incentives package worth 500 million euros ($577 million) to make the 27-nation bloc "a magnet for researchers". 'Peanut butter spread' Smith and UHN's vice president for science and research, Brad Wouters, argued that Canada -- and particularly its largest city, Toronto -- are well placed to compete for US talent. English-speaking, culturally familiar, and geographically close to major US research centers in New England and New York, Toronto boasts a hospital network and research ecosystem regularly ranked among the world's best. The city has already poached three high-profile academics from Yale University, although all work in the arts. The group -- who study fascism -- announced last month in a stirring New York Times video that they were leaving the United States to take up positions in Toronto. "I'm leaving to the University of Toronto because I want to do my work without the fear that I will be punished," one of the professors, Jason Stanley, said in the video. Wouters told AFP that since Trump's election, UHN "started to see a talent pool that was a notch higher than what we normally see" for vacant positions, with leading US-based scientists initiating inquiries about opportunities in Toronto. UHN has launched a plan to create 100 medical research positions through its own fundraising but wants institutions across Canada to attract 1,000 new scientists. Reaching that target will require government support, and confronting an ingrained Canadian mindset that prioritizes sharing healthcare resources equally across the vast country. The plan will face "a bit of a collision between the peanut butter spread of equality versus elitism," Smith said. "That isn't always easy for governments or for elected we're pretty hopeful," he added. 'Supporting role' Matthew Lebo, a political scientist at Ontario's Western University, agreed Trump's policies have created an unprecedented opportunity for brain gain in Canada. But he voiced concern the country wouldn't mobilize. "Canada has a history of being comfortable playing a supporting role," he told AFP. "There is just an inherent lack of ambition." Lebo noted that while some US-based researchers may be concerned about crackdowns on their work, others might eye Canada for personal reasons, including the desire to live in a country where reproductive and LGBTQ rights are more firmly safeguarded. While he hasn't yet seen signs of broad national action, he said "it wouldn't take deep thought to catch up." "It takes some big number (of dollars) and a plan."
Int'l Business Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Int'l Business Times
Canada Needs 'Bold Ambition' To Poach Top US Researchers
Like Europe, Canada is looking to attract top US scientists who may want to evade President Donald Trump's crackdown on universities and research institutions. But to succeed, Canada will need to summon something it has at times lacked, namely "bold ambition," the head of the country's largest hospital chain told AFP. Trump's funding cuts for scientific research are freeing up talent and "creating a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to recruit, said Kevin Smith, the chief executive of Toronto's University Health Network (UHN). To seize that opportunity, Canada has to ditch its traditional "incrementalist" approach, Smith added. "Let's not say good enough is good enough. Let's say excellent is where we need to go." Experts say Trump's policies could trigger a tectonic shift in the global competition for the world's brightest minds. For decades, deep-pocketed US universities backed by federal support have scooped up talent, including in biomedical research. But Trump's administration has already slashed billions of dollars in research grants affecting various institutions, including most notably Harvard University. Programs affected by the National Institutes of Health's cuts include studies on gender, the health effects of global warming, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer. France and the European Union are already trying to woo disgruntled US researchers. European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said last month that the EU would launch a new incentives package worth 500 million euros ($577 million) to make the 27-nation bloc "a magnet for researchers". Smith and UHN's vice president for science and research, Brad Wouters, argued that Canada -- and particularly its largest city, Toronto -- are well placed to compete for US talent. English-speaking, culturally familiar, and geographically close to major US research centers in New England and New York, Toronto boasts a hospital network and research ecosystem regularly ranked among the world's best. The city has already poached three high-profile academics from Yale University, although all work in the arts. The group -- who study fascism -- announced last month in a stirring New York Times video that they were leaving the United States to take up positions in Toronto. "I'm leaving to the University of Toronto because I want to do my work without the fear that I will be punished," one of the professors, Jason Stanley, said in the video. Wouters told AFP that since Trump's election, UHN "started to see a talent pool that was a notch higher than what we normally see" for vacant positions, with leading US-based scientists initiating inquiries about opportunities in Toronto. UHN has launched a plan to create 100 medical research positions through its own fundraising but wants institutions across Canada to attract 1,000 new scientists. Reaching that target will require government support, and confronting an ingrained Canadian mindset that prioritizes sharing healthcare resources equally across the vast country. The plan will face "a bit of a collision between the peanut butter spread of equality versus elitism," Smith said. "That isn't always easy for governments or for elected we're pretty hopeful," he added. Matthew Lebo, a political scientist at Ontario's Western University, agreed Trump's policies have created an unprecedented opportunity for brain gain in Canada. But he voiced concern the country wouldn't mobilize. "Canada has a history of being comfortable playing a supporting role," he told AFP. "There is just an inherent lack of ambition." Lebo noted that while some US-based researchers may be concerned about crackdowns on their work, others might eye Canada for personal reasons, including the desire to live in a country where reproductive and LGBTQ rights are more firmly safeguarded. While he hasn't yet seen signs of broad national action, he said "it wouldn't take deep thought to catch up." "It takes some big number (of dollars) and a plan." The CN tower looms over the Toronto skyline AFP
Ottawa Citizen
6 days ago
- Health
- Ottawa Citizen
Queensway Carleton Hospital interested in developing transitional housing on federal land, MP says
Article content Article content Kaite Burkholder Harris, the executive director of the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa, said there is obvious potential of such a housing project near an Ottawa hospital, and that the link between healthcare and housing is 'so clear.' Article content In 2022-2023, patients in Canadian hospitals, who were also experiencing homelessness, had an average stay of 15.4 days, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The national average was eight days. Article content Burkholder Harris pointed to Dunn House, a social medicine housing initiative in Toronto, as a potential model for the Ottawa project. The development is a four-storey modular building on land owned by the University Health Network. Article content It has 51 units for unhoused people who were frequently admitted to the hospital. Article content Burkholder Harris said there is a 'good opportunity' for the Queensway Carleton Hospital to follow the lead of Dunn House, which was the first facility of its kind in the country, according to the University Health Network. Article content Article content 'I think it's really demonstrated the value of being able to provide really deeply supportive housing, but with a healthcare lens, and if it's close to the hospital like that, it makes a huge difference too in terms of the access to services,' she said. Article content Cheryl Forchuk, a health researcher at Western University, said that those who experience homelessness age more rapidly and often accumulate chronic illnesses to the point that 'you would think I was talking to a geriatric population.' Article content Stress caused by a lack of secure housing leads to higher rates of arthritis, lung disease and even early onset dementia, Forchuk said. Article content It's why Forchuck has advocated for permanent housing solutions rather than mere transitional housing, which she says is a stop-gap measure. Article content 'Transitional housing is not a home, and so ultimately, people need homes,' said Forchuk, who studies the link between housing and homelessness. Article content Article content Vandenbeld said the hospital has begun developing its proposal, but it's unclear whether it has submitted it to the federal government. Article content Moving forward, Vandenbeld said she wants to ensure the land is transferred to the hospital, which will be the first domino to fall before the discussion can turn towards partnerships and funding for the project. Article content She added that the sooner the land is committed to the hospital, the easier it will be to string partnerships together for development. Article content 'It's very hard to get any funding to build when you don't actually have a commitment on the land, right?' Vandenbeld said. Article content There is also a second adjacent property in the federal land bank at 1730 Robertson Rd., which Vandenbeld said could be of interest to the hospital for another project later down the road. For, now her focus has been on bringing the first project to fruition. Article content 'It's going to be a challenge to find all the pieces and put them together,' Vandenbeld said. 'But looking at who is already committed on this, I'm very optimistic about it.'
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Neuralink secures $650m in Series E to advance brain implant technology
Neuralink has secured $650m in a Series E financing round, marking a milestone in the advancement of its brain implant technology. This latest financial boost is aimed at expanding the reach of the company's devices, which are said to restore independence for individuals with severe medical conditions. The round saw contributions from a host of investors, including DFJ Growth, ARK Invest, Founders Fund, Human Capital, G42, Lightspeed, QIA, Thrive Capital, Sequoia Capital, Valor Equity Partners, and Vy Capital. Since its Series D round in August 2023, Elon Musk's Neuralink has been advancing the development of brain interfaces. According to the company, currently, five people with severe paralysis utilise Neuralink's technology to control various digital and physical devices using their thoughts alone. The company's trials are underway at neurosurgical care institutions across three countries on two continents. These comprise the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami, US, the Barrow Neurological Institute, US, the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and the University Health Network (Toronto Western Hospital), Canada. Neuralink invested in enhancing the device's interaction with a greater number of neurons and brain areas to unveil new potential dimensions. The fresh funding is set to expedite the company's drive to broaden access to patients and develop future solutions that bridge the gap between biological intelligence and AI. Musk has shifted focus back to his ventures, including Neuralink, Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, after stepping down as a special adviser to US President Donald Trump. Last November, Neuralink secured approval for the CONVOY trial to study the brain implant with an assistive robotic arm, alongside the PRIME study in the US. Additionally, Health Canada approved Neuralink's first global trial, CAN-PRIME, to assess its implantable device, with the aforementioned University Health Network hospital selected as the trial site. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration granted the company's brain-computer interface breakthrough device designation for treating individuals with severe speech impairment. "Neuralink secures $650m in Series E to advance brain implant technology" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Neuralink secures $650m in Series E to advance brain implant technology
Neuralink has secured $650m in a Series E financing round, marking a milestone in the advancement of its brain implant technology. This latest financial boost is aimed at expanding the reach of the company's devices, which are said to restore independence for individuals with severe medical conditions. The round saw contributions from a host of investors, including DFJ Growth, ARK Invest, Founders Fund, Human Capital, G42, Lightspeed, QIA, Thrive Capital, Sequoia Capital, Valor Equity Partners, and Vy Capital. Since its Series D round in August 2023, Elon Musk's Neuralink has been advancing the development of brain interfaces. According to the company, currently, five people with severe paralysis utilise Neuralink's technology to control various digital and physical devices using their thoughts alone. The company's trials are underway at neurosurgical care institutions across three countries on two continents. These comprise the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami, US, the Barrow Neurological Institute, US, the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, and the University Health Network (Toronto Western Hospital), Canada. Neuralink invested in enhancing the device's interaction with a greater number of neurons and brain areas to unveil new potential dimensions. The fresh funding is set to expedite the company's drive to broaden access to patients and develop future solutions that bridge the gap between biological intelligence and AI. Musk has shifted focus back to his ventures, including Neuralink, Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, after stepping down as a special adviser to US President Donald Trump. Last November, Neuralink secured approval for the CONVOY trial to study the brain implant with an assistive robotic arm, alongside the PRIME study in the US. Additionally, Health Canada approved Neuralink's first global trial, CAN-PRIME, to assess its implantable device, with the aforementioned University Health Network hospital selected as the trial site. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration granted the company's brain-computer interface breakthrough device designation for treating individuals with severe speech impairment. "Neuralink secures $650m in Series E to advance brain implant technology" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
