Okay, wonderful. Thank you very much.
I would like to thank the committee for inviting me to speak to you on how the Government of Canada is supporting Lyme-disease-related research across the country.
First of all, I would like to say how impressed I am by the deliberations you have had so far in the committee on this very important bill. As you know, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, or CIHR, to use the acronym, is the Government of Canada health research funding agency with a mandate to support the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system.
Preparing for and responding to existing and emerging global threats to health has been identified as one of the five research priorities in CIHR's 2009-14 strategic plan. This includes the areas of microbial threats and the environment and health, which relates directly to our topic today.
Within CIHR, the Institute of Infection and Immunity for which I'm currently the scientific director supports research and helps build capacity in the areas of infectious disease and the body's immune system. In addition to supporting research, the Institute of Infection and Immunity plays an important role in infectious disease issues in Canada, including helping coordinate Canada's rapid research response to infectious disease outbreaks, especially those caused by new and emerging pathogens.
Since its inception in 2000, CIHR has invested close to $7 million in Lyme disease research. This includes an investment of approximately $600,000 in 2012-13 alone.
These investments have supported research examining the dissemination and replication of the bacteria Borrelia burgdoferi, which is known to be the causative agent of Lyme disease. CIHR's investments also allowed researchers to examine protective practices against ticks and tick-borne diseases.
For example, CIHR is currently supporting the work of Dr. George Chaconas, a Canada Research Chair at the University of Calgary, who is investigating how the genetic information in the bacteria that causes Lyme disease is passed on from generation to generation.
Part of Dr. Chaconas' research focuses on identifying the proteins expressed on the surface of the bacteria that interact with proteins of the human immune system as part of the disease-causing process. This research will help provide a better understanding of the complex processes of this very unusual disease-causing organism, and may well lead to the development of drugs to either block or treat infection associated with Lyme disease.
Over the past decade, Dr. Chaconas' research has been recognized internationally. His CIHR-funded research has resulted in the publication of over 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles and allowed him to collaborate with the best Lyme diseases researchers in the United States. In 2011 Dr. Chaconas received the Canadian Society of Microbiologists' Murray Award for Career Achievement for his microbiology research in the area of Lyme disease.
CIHR is also supporting the work of Dr. Tara Moriarty from the University of Toronto. Dr. Moriarty developed a new microscopic technique for studying the dissemination mechanism of Borrelia burgdorferi in real time. This technique facilitates the work she's currently conducting with engineers at the University of Toronto to design novel devices to screen inhibitors of Lyme bacteria in the bloodstream. This will help further our knowledge of the vascular dissemination of the bacteria, a key step to better understanding the progression of Lyme disease in humans. In 2011 Dr. Moriarty received the Bhagirath Singh Early Career Award in Infection and Immunity, which facilitated the expansion of her research program into new areas related to susceptibility to Lyme disease infection and dissemination.
As you can see, research conducted in Canada has significantly contributed to global knowledge surrounding the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. Thanks to researchers' efforts, we have a better understanding of how this bacteria replicates, how it spreads in the bloodstream, how it evades destruction by the immune system, and how gene expression is regulated.
Advances in imaging technology now allow the visualization of the Lyme disease bacterium in the living host. Understanding how this organism survives, functions, and causes disease will help us develop innovative treatments for those who suffer from Lyme disease.
In conclusion, Mr. Chair, let me assure you that CIHR will continue building Lyme disease research capacity in the country, and promoting international research collaborations to address the impact of Lyme disease on the health of Canadians and the global population, and ultimately, find a cure to this disease.
Thank you very much for your attention. I'll be pleased to answer any of your questions after my colleague from the Public Health Agency of Canada has his turn at speaking.
Thank you.