GUELPH - Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada is assisting Canadian research nationally in the mission to find a cause of and cure for brain tumours with the announcement of its annual grants-in-aid program recipients. Doctor Nina Jones of Guelph, Ontario was awarded one of six grants from the organization for her work in determining the role of specific proteins on brain tumours on June 15th, 2009.

Doctor Nina Jones, Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph was awarded $25,000.00 towards specific brain tumour research from Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. The grant is for her research that will examine the implications for brain tumours when signal pathways, the way cells communicate with one another, are not properly controlled. Doctor Jones aims to determine whether a specific protein relates a particular diagnosis and if there are potential treatment options as a result.

“We are very excited by the potential for all of the research that will be conducted as a result of these funds,” says Susan Marshall, Executive Director of Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. “Our vision is to find a cure for brain tumours and to improve the quality of life for those affected and we hope this year’s research will be another step on this journey,” continues Marshall.

This year, there were 34 applicants to the Research Grant program with six grants, totaling more than $145,000 awarded. Since its inception in 1982, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada has directed $2.3 million to brain tumour research.

In addition to Doctor Jones, the following grants were also awarded:

• Doctor J. Gregory Cairncross, University of Calgary and Clark H. Smith Brain Tumour Centre, Calgary, AB.
• Doctor Claire Infante-Rivard, McGill University, Montreal, QC.
• Doctor James Rutka, University of Toronto and Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, Hospital for Sick Kids, Toronto, ON.
• Doctor Luis Souhami, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC.
• Doctor Sean Symons, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.