St. Joseph’s, LHSC launch separate research institutes

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Like an adult in a giant jolly jumper, Abby Spadzinski was left hanging, suspended in the room at Parkwood Institute Wednesday, a machine moving her at will, in the name of medical research.

The Float Gait System, which lets health-care practitioners assess movement and recovery, is just one example of health care research being done at London’s two major hospitals.

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“A neuroscientist interested in muscle activity can put micro-sensors on the body, and that information can tell us what is working and what is not working so well,” said Jeff Weiler, co-ordinator at the Gray Centre for mobility and activity at St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute.

“If they had a mishap or slip, they will not be injured,” Weiler said of assessment being done in the float. “This can test what manoeuvres can be done in the safest way possible, whether we are going too fast or too slow.”

Some of that medical research was on display Wednesday as St. Joseph’s Health Care London and London Health Sciences Centre announced the launch of their own research institutes, replacing Lawson Health Research Institute with Lawson Research Institute at St. Joseph’s Health Care London and London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute.

The two hospitals always have done their own research, but under the Lawson name. This move lets them better showcase their own work while still co-operating and sharing findings, bosses at both hospitals said.

“The history is there were always two but they worked under Lawson,” said David Musyj, supervisor at LHSC.

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“When an examination was done, both organizations recognized there are specialties and focuses that are distinct. We can be stronger creating our own focus while still working together. There is focus, but a crossover.”

There is no additional cost to the launch as the two centres already function as two entities, Musyj said. 

The move is “the next step in evolution for research for our city,” said Roy Butler, St. Joseph’s chief executive. “We want to strengthen research in critical care and attract new research.”

But the announcement turned into a research showcase, with both hospitals laying out examples of their work to improve patient care and remind Londoners the two hospitals are also research centres.

Matt Teeter, who work in medical biophysics at the LHSC institute, looks at hip and knee implants, why some fail and how to improve outcomes.

He has studied 5,000 failed implants and design and surgical techniques have improved as a result.

Working under LHSC‘s banner is “a great opportunity to elevate the work we are doing. It means the community can understand we are not just a big hospital, but a research centre as well,” Teeter said.

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He’s focused on reducing the rate of potentially fatal implant infections.

“There have been great innovations. Materials that used to last five to 10 years now last 20 to 30,” Teeter said. “But we look at this as a one-city approach. We work with surgeons at St. Joe’s.”

ndebono@postmedia.com

AREAS OF RESEARCH

Lawson Research Institute St. Joseph’s Health Care London

• Aging: Predicting, preventing and treating dementia, falls and fractures
• Chronic diseases: Diabetes, kidney disease, rheumatology, and others
• Imaging: Looking at the smallest structures in the human body, including molecular imaging
• Mental health
• Mobility and activity: Chronic pain treatment and rehabilitation after stroke, catastrophic injury or degenerative disease
• Surgical innovations: Developing better practice in hand and upper limb surgery, breast care, urology and eye surgery

LHSC Research Institute

• Cancer
• Cardiology and vascular diseases
• Children’s health
• Critical illness
• Imaging
• Mental health
• Nephrology
• Neurological disorders
• Orthopedics
• Surgery
• Transplantation
• Women’s health and obstetrics
• Personalized medicine

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