Newsroom

Researchers get $558K boost from Heart and Stroke Foundation


June 15, 2017


Two scientists from The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa were successful in the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s recent grant-in-aid grant competition. Dr. Baptiste Lacoste was awarded $259,000* to test whether drugs that are already used to treat pulmonary hypertension may also reduce damage to the brain blood vessels and speed up recovery after a stroke in animal models. Dr. Lacoste has previously found that these drugs can keep blood vessels in the brain from leaking. The current clot-busting drugs used after stroke have serious side effects, and are only given to 10 percent of patients. Dr. Bernard Thébaud was awarded $299,000** to study the effectiveness of endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) from umbilical cord blood to treat pulmonary hypertension in newborns. ECFCS can reproduce very quickly and have been shown to help form blood vessels after being transplanted in animal models. The team will test whether these cells can promote lung growth in animal models of newborn pulmonary hypertnesion, determine the optimal dose and examine the long-term safety and efficacy of this treatment.

*Co-applicants: Marie-Ève Tremblay, Jean-Claude Béïque Collaborators : Dale Corbett, Gregory Cron, Diane Lagace, Kathleen M. MacLeod

** Collaborators: Mervin Yoder, Dylan Burger, Daphne Merkus, Duncan Stewart

The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion


The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care. See www.ohri.ca for more information about research at The Ottawa Hospital.

University of Ottawa: —A crossroads of cultures and ideas


The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca

Media Contact


Amelia Buchanan
Senior Communication Specialist
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Office: 613-798-5555 x 73687
Cell: 613-297-8315
ambuchanan@ohri.ca