Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Research Committee Report

457 The goal of the Research Committee is to build, in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG), Canadian capacity and expertise in the discipline of gastroenterology and nutrition and to promote excellence in research. As chair, I am pleased to update the CAG membership and The Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology readership on the activities of the Research Committee over the past months. First, I gratefully acknowledge the work done by the entire Research Committee (Table 1). On behalf of the CAG, I would like to thank Drs Nathalie Rivard, Alison Fox-Robichaud and Andre Buret, who completed their term this past February. The assistance of the CAG National Office staff – Mr Paul Sinclair, the CAG National Executive Director; Ms Sandra Daniels, Manager; and Ms Karen Moricz, Administrative Assistant – is also appreciated. It was another excellent year for investment in gastrointestinal (GI) research in Canada and I am pleased to report that every CAG member, from undergraduate students to professors and clinicians, now has an opportunity to apply for and receive research or training support. Details relating to eligibility and application processes for all of the following awards are available on the CAG Web site . The review and assessment of every application complies with CIHR standards and guidelines and any potential conflicts of interest are meticulously identified and avoided.

T he goal of the Research Committee is to build, in collabo- ration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG), Canadian capacity and expertise in the discipline of gastroenterology and nutrition and to promote excellence in research.As chair, I am pleased to update the CAG membership and The Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology readership on the activities of the Research Committee over the past months.
First, I gratefully acknowledge the work done by the entire Research Committee (Table 1).On behalf of the CAG, I would like to thank Drs Nathalie Rivard, Alison Fox-Robichaud and Andre Buret, who completed their term this past February.The assistance of the CAG National Office staff -Mr Paul Sinclair, the CAG National Executive Director; Ms Sandra Daniels, Manager; and Ms Karen Moricz, Administrative Assistant -is also appreciated.
It was another excellent year for investment in gastrointestinal (GI) research in Canada and I am pleased to report that every CAG member, from undergraduate students to professors and clinicians, now has an opportunity to apply for and receive research or training support.
Details relating to eligibility and application processes for all of the following awards are available on the CAG Web site <www.cag-acg.org>.The review and assessment of every application complies with CIHR standards and guidelines and any potential conflicts of interest are meticulously identified and avoided.

Operating grants
The New Investigator Grant, in partnership with Nycomed and the CIHR, was awarded to Amee Manges (PhD, McGill University) for a project titled "The role of altered intestinal microbiota in the etiology of Clostridium difficile-associated disease" and the CAG Operating Grant, in partnership with Abbott and the CIHR, went to Nicola Jones (MD/PhD, University of Toronto) for the project "Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin disrupts autophagy".
New for 2007 were the availability of three Endoscopic Research Operating Grants offered in partnership with Olympus and the CIHR.These were awarded to Alan Barkun (MD, McGill University) for the project "The cost-effectiveness of video capsule endoscopy in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding of obscure origin -A randomized clinical trial comparing video capsule endoscopy to push enterscopy", Catherine Dube (MD, University of Calgary) for "Economic evaluation of capsule endoscopy in the evaluation of iron deficiency anemia" and Julia Liu (MD, University of Alberta) for "Understanding endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease".
Seven applications in the New Investigator competition, five applications in the Operating Grant and six applications in the Endoscopic Research Operating Grant competitions were reviewed.

Fellow-to-Faculty Transition Award
No applications for transition awards were received in this year's competition.

CAG Summer Studentships
It is critical that young investigators be supported at all levels of their training.Thus, in partnership with CCFC, 18 students received awards (salary plus a small operating budget; $6,000/award) to work in laboratories of recent or established investigators whose interests cover many facets of gut function (Table 3).Twenty-three applications were reviewed, giving approximately a 78% success rate in this year's competition.

Resident Research Program
This initiative, launched in 2003/2004, provides gastroenterology residents with $5,000 to fund research projects that can run throughout an academic year.With support this year from Axcan, Procter & Gamble and Novartis, seven candidates applied for and were granted the award (Table 4).Gastroenterol 2007;21:125-126).This really is a trainee meeting, with the students and fellows chairing the sessions and dominating the discussion periods.Feedback from the trainees was once again overwhelmingly positive -clearly this is a beneficial and much enjoyed event.Financial support was provided by AstraZeneca Canada Inc and the scientific program was reviewed by Drs G Greenberg (University of Toronto), K Croitoru (McMaster University) and K Chadee, with the CAG National Office coordinating the abstract submission, meeting management and event.
Research Topics VII is set for October 12 to 14, 2007 and abstracts are now being accepted online at <www.cagacg.org>.Any area of GI research is eligible (independent of the broad topics identified on the abstract form) and abstracts are selected for presentation based on review of scientific merit.
It has once again been an excellent year for Canadian GI research and everyone involved deserves congratulations.Should CAG members have questions relating to the work of the Research Committee or proposals on how to expand or promote our activities please contact me or any member of the committee.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Funding for the 2007 year from the following partners is gratefully acknowledged: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Abbott, AstraZeneca Canada Inc, Axcan Pharma Inc, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Janssen-Ortho Inc, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc, Nycomed, Olympus Canada Inc, Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals and Schering Canada Inc.

Table 2
Canadian Association of Gastroenterology-Canadian Institutes of HealthResearch-Partner Funded Postdoctoral  Fellowships (2007) Research Topics VI MeetingHeld in October 2006 at Kingbridge Centre, King City, Ontario, 37 students and trainees, both basic science and clinical, were invited to give oral presentations and six established or junior faculty served as mentors (see Can J