THUNDER BAY, ON. March 28, 2008 - The announcement by the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute hiring its first three researchers is an important milestone for Thunder Bay. This new Institute will become one of the centres of excellence for Cancer Care, Diagnosis and Treatment.

What impresses me is how the many parties came together to make this happen.  Politicians understand that the only way to beat spiraling health care costs is through research with direct application to medical practice. Money has to be spent, so why not spend some of it here. Our local MPP’s Bill Mauro and Michael Gravelle have worked hard over the last two and a half years to make this project happen. George Smitherman, minister of health has been a strong backer since the beginning.

Dr. Michael Power has done an outstanding job at creating an environment that will bring the concept of a research institute of our own to Thunder Bay. With the economic pain we have experienced in the region, the timing could not have been better, we will all benefit from new economic activity in the city.

George Smitherman understands that there is a payback when it comes to research, but he also has been investing in the Northwest in such things as our medical school, the university, we have a new hospital. With the Centre for collaborative Research on Munroe Street now active, all of the pieces are in place to make the Thunder Bay Research Institute a reality.  In time these research institutions will create hundreds of jobs in Thunder Bay. It may not offer much to a laid off sawmill worker, but if they stick around, their children will have a great incentive to stay in school and take on the challenge of being in research.

In the end it is all about health care.  Dr. Alla Reznik is a specialist in diagnostic imaging. In lay-mans terms if we have better pictures that can image tumours while they are smaller, then we can treat them sooner with better results. Also recently hired will be Dr. Samuel Pichardo and Dr. Laura Curiel. Their specialty is the use of focused ultra-sound beams to destroy certain types of cancer tissues.  When their work is done, some cancer patients will be treated without ever seeing a surgeon’s knife, or perhaps never having to undergo the dreaded chemotherapy that is common for so many cancer patients.  While their work will initially focus on a narrow group of cancers best suited for this method, you can bet they will start looking for other applications before long.

 

From left to right, Dr. Samuel Pichardo, (ultra-sound specialist) Dr. Mark Poznansky Chief Research Officer, Dr. Laura Curiel (ultra-sound specialist), and Dr. Alla Reznik a specialist in diagnostic imaging. Lets welcome then to their new home, Thunder Bay.