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Learn more about the work of the Women's College Research Institute from these stories about some of our recent findings. You can also keep up-to-date with recent developments at the Women's College Research Institute by subscribing to our bi-monthly e-bulletin.
WCRI also maintains a comprehensive listing of upcoming women's health research events in our community.
- Genetic Screening for Breast Cancer Risk Offered to Jewish Women
A new study by WCRI adjunct scientist Kelly Metcalfe and WCRI senior scientist Steven Narod revealed that approximately approximately one per cent of Jewish women in Ontario who came forward for testing were found to carry a genetic mutation that significantly increases their risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer. More than half of the women who were found to have a mutation were not eligible for genetic testing based on the current provincial guidelines.....
- HIV-positive Women in Ontario Want Children
A new survey by WCRI scientist Dr. Mona Loutfy shows that 69 per cent of HIV-positive women in their reproductive years in Ontario want to give birth, and 57 per cent intend to do so.
These results, published in the Monday, Dec. 7 issue of PLoS ONE, demonstrate that Ontario needs more services and better support for HIV-positive women while they are planning their pregnancies, so they can have families in a safe and healthy way. To hear Dr. Loutfy interviewed about this study on CBC Metro Morning click here or read more about the study in the Toronto Star.
- Family Breast Cancer Risk - One of this Decade's Top Research Discoveries
A 2009 paper by Dr. Steven Narod and Dr. Kelly Metcalfe is named as one of Toronto's top 10 research discoveries this decade by Dr. Peter Lewis, vice-dean of research at the University of Toronto. Dr. Lewis was quoted in the Dec. 5 issue of the Toronto Star. The paper reveals that women with a strong family history of breast cancer face a four-fold increase in the risk of breast cancer even when no specific genetic mutations can be identified.
- Breast Density Associated with Increased Risk of Cancer Recurrence
A new study published by Dr. Steven Narod and his colleages has shown that women treated for breast cancer are at higher risk of cancer recurrence if they have dense breasts. Published in the December 15, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study’s results indicate that breast cancer patients with dense breasts may benefit from additional therapies following surgery, such as radiation. This study received national and international coverage such as this article from the BBC.
- Dr. Steven Narod discusses Suzannne Somer's new cancer book
October 24, 2009 - On Canada AM Dr. Steven Narod comments on Suzannne Somer's critique of cancer research in her new book Knockout. He shares her frustration with the current pace of cancer research, but challenges some of her positions on cancer treatment (use the link above to watch the video) ....
- Helping HIV+ People have Children
October 24, 2009 - A recent article in the Globe and Mail discusses the availability of new clinical resources to help people living with HIV become pregnant and highlights the contributions of WCRI scientist Dr. Mona Loutfy....
- Close to 20 per cent of people with knee osteoarthritis have neuropathic pain
October 24, 2009 - Neuropathic pain is pain that is not related to activation of pain receptor cells in any part of the body - instead it is caused by a change in neurological structure or function. WCRI scientist Dr. Jacqueline Hochman says that up to 20 per cent of people with osteoporosis of the knee also have symptoms of neuropathic pain - suggesting different treatment is needed.....
- Better Tools to Measure Bone Health
October 8, 2009 - WCRI student Sarah West recently presented work showing that a new screening tool, peripheral quantitated computed tomography (pQCT), may provide a better measure of bone health for those with chronic kidney disease that existing measures....
- Drugged and sexually assaulted?
September 2009 - WCRI scientist Dr. Janice Du Mont and her colleagues from the Ontario Network of Sexual Assault Care Centres recently revealed that 1 in 5 victims of sexual assault arriving for treatment may have been drugged. This evidence points to the need to develop and evaluate additional services.Dr. Janice Du Mont's work is featured in the latest newsletter from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Gender and Health...
- RBC honours Dr. Steven Narod, WCRI scientist
September 30, 2009 - Senior WCRI Scientist, Dr. Steven Narod, was recently celebrated for his work by the Daniel Wealth Management Group of RBC Dominion Securities. An event, held at MaRS Discovery District, acknowledged Dr. Narod’s accomplishments as one of Canada’s pre-eminent senior scientists in the field of breast cancer research.....
- The Link Between Osteoporosis and Depression
September 25, 2009 - WCRI Scientist Dr. Sophie Jamal recently commented in a Toronto Star article on the link between osteoporosis and depression....
- Antipsychotic Drugs Have Significant Risks for Seniors with Diabetes
New research from Dr. Lorraine Lipscombe and her colleagues finds that seniors with diabetes who recently began treatment with an antipsychotic medication were 50 per cent more likely to be hospitalized for hyperglycemia compared to those who were not taking the drug. This work was published in the July 27, 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. This study has received extensive news coverage including articles in the Globe and Mail, on cbc.ca, and in regional newspapers such as the Hamilton Spectator and the Waterloo Region Record.
- Predicting Blood Clots in Pregnancy
Pregnancy can increase a woman's risk of developing a blood clot deep in her veins —
a rare, but potentially serious condition. New research led by WCRI scientist Dr. Wee Shian Chan suggests that a few simple criteria might help physicians determine whether a pregnant woman is experiencing a blood clot. These findings are based on the outcomes observed for 194 pregnant women evaluated with ultrasonography for a possible blood clot at five Canadian medical centres over eight years. Only 9 per cent of the women evaluated actually had a clot. Although a larger sample is needed, the findings suggest that women with more than two centimetres of swelling in the left leg during the first trimester of pregnancy were most likely to have a clot. This research was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. An abstract and patient summary document are available at the journal's website.
- Transforming Our Communities
Transforming Our Communities is a new report from Ontario's Domestic Violence Advisory Council prepared at the request of the Ontario minister responsible for women's issues. The wide- ranging report offers recommendations to improve programs and services addressing violence against women. Its 45 recommendations focus on the equity and accessibility of existing services, on strategies to better train frontline care providers (including new tools and training on threat assessment for police officers), as well as changes to the child welfare and legal systems. It also urges continued public education and initiatives to encourage Ontario workplaces to develop domestic violence policies. WCRI scientist Dr. Robin Mason is a member of the council. The report was publicly released in June and is available on the Ontario Women's Directorate website.
- Joint Surgery Saves Health System Money
The Globe and Mail reports on a new study by Dr. Gillian Hawker showing the financial and medical benefits of the appropriate use of joint replacement surgery for arthritis...
- The POWER Study - Burden of Illness
The POWER (Project for an Ontario Women's Health Evidence-Based Report) Study has just released its Burden of Illness chapter reporting on the overall health and well-being experienced by Ontarians, and how it differs by sex, socioeconomic status, ethnicity and geography....
- New Cancer Care Ontario Chair to be based at Women's College
 Dr. Joanne Kotsopoulos will join the Women's College Research Institute this fall as a Scientist and as a newly funded Cancer Care Ontario Research Chair in population studies. Funding from Cancer Care Ontario will allow Dr. Kotsopoulos (who did her PhD at WCRI under the supervision of Dr. Steven Narod) to return to Ontario and focus her research on nutritional and lifestyle factors to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Dr. Kotsopoulos is currently completing her post-doctoral work at Harvard Medical School. Use the link above for the official announcement on the Cancer Care Ontario site....
- Antipsychotic Drug Use: Research Findings Cited
Dr. Paula Rochon's work on the risks of antipsychotic drug use in elderly patients, is discussed in a Bloomberg News report about the drug marketing practices of Eli Lilly & Co. with respect to its antipsychotic drug....
- Gender Differences in HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy
Webcast of a recent round by Dr. Mona Loutfy, Head of the Women and HIV Program....
- Survivorship Report
More women are surviving breast cancer, but there are few services to help them deal with the aftermath. Dr. Judy Gould documents what we know....
- Call for Abstracts
Abstracts are now being accepted for the Women's Mental Health in Ontario: Building Networks and Research Capacity Conference to be held this October. This province-wide conference is being sponsored by the Women's Mental Health Program at the University of Toronto, Women's College Hospital and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Use the link above for more details about the conference and the abstract submission process.
- Nitrates associated with increased Bone Mineral Density
WCRI Researcher Dr. Sophie Jamal led a team that analyzed how the regular use of nitrate medications, which are commonly prescribed for heart conditions, influenced bone mineral density. Their results showed that using these drugs was associated with an increase in bone mineral density for both women and men, raising the possibility of a new approach to prevention of osteoporosis...
- Drugging Suspected in 1 in 5 Sexual Assaults in Ontario Cases
(press release) New research published by Dr. Janice Du Mont and her colleagues at the Ontario Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centres (SADVTCs) reveals that 20 per cent of sexual assault victims believe they were drugged. The study was published in the March 3 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal and received widespread media coverage including Canada AM, CBC Metro Morning and the National Post.
- Debunking the painful arthritis myths
February 19, 2009 - Dr. Gillian Hawker talks about the misconceptions surrounding arthritis and the unique research-based care program emerging at Women's College Hospital to treat people with arthritis....
- Guardian of equal health care
February 17, 2009 - Women's College Hospital CEO Marilyn Emery talks to the National Post about the future of Women's College Hospital and its Research Institute....
- Seniors' risk of dying increased for up to a decade after fracture: study
February 3, 2009 - Dr. Sophie Jamal speaks to the CBC about new research on increased mortality rates for seniors who experience an osteoporosis-related fracture....
- Healthy lifestyles can help slow rise in diabetes
January 29, 2009 - Recent research by Dr. Lorraine Lipscombe has shown a dramatic increase in rates of Type 2 diabetes among women 20-49. In this Toronto Star article, Dr. Lipscombe talks about the supports these women need to control their diabetes "in a sedentary world with oversized food portions"....
- A family history of breast cancer increases individual risk
January 19, 2009 - New research by Dr. Steven Narod and his colleagues shows that a woman's risk of developing breast cancer rises substantially if she has two close relatives diagnosed with the disease. Even if there is no evidence of an inherited genetic mutation, a woman with close relatives with breast cancer has a one in three risk of developing the disease, compared to one in nine for the general population. This research was published in the British Journal of Cancer and covered extensively in the British and Indian media....
- Avoid antipsychotic drugs for elderly, experts urge
January 9, 2009 - Dr. Paula Rochon, Vice President of Research at Women's College Hospital speaks to CBC about new findings about the risk of using antipsychotic drugs to treat people with Alzheimer's disease....
- Dr. Kelly Metcalfe on the Toronto Star's top 10 list for 2009
December 15, 2008 - The Toronto Star selected 10 individuals in different fields from across the Greater Toronto Area whose achievements will merit attention in 2009. WCRI Adjunct Scientist Dr. Kelly Metcalfe is their pick in the field of medicine. Read the Star's feature article about her work....
- Genetic screening underutilized for women with ovarian cancer
December 15, 2008 - Ontario women with invasive serous ovarian cancer (the most common type of ovarian cancer) are eligible for free genetic screening, but new research by WCRI Adjunct Researcher Dr. Kelly Metcalfe shows that only a few are referred for the testing....
- Vitamin K Supplements Decrease Fracture Risk but Don't Change Bone Density
For the past two years, a group of Toronto researchers has been studying the use of vitamin K supplements to reduce bone loss in post-menopausal women with low bone density. The research team was led by Dr. Angela Cheung of the University Health Network and includes two WCRI researchers: Dr. Sophie Jamal and Dr. Gillian Hawker. The study included 440 women, all of whom had low bone density at the start of the study. Bone mineral density (BMD) is the most common measure of bone health. Half of the participants received a 5 milligram supplement of vitamin K; half received a placebo. Most of the women who received the supplement continued to take it after the two-year trial period was complete. After four years, there was no difference in BMD between the women who took vitamin K and those who did not. Both groups experienced a decline in bone mineral density. However, only nine women taking vitamin K experience a fracture, compared to 20 who were not receiving the vitamin. Read the full paper online using the title link above, or check out this summary.
- Dr. Gillian Hawker receives Innovation Award
Dr. Hawker received this award from the Society of Graduates in Health Policy Management and Evaluation (HPME) at the University of Toronto on October 15th...
- Hormone Therapy Safe and Effective in Reducing Breast Cancer Risk for Women with BRCA1 Mutation
September 17, 2008 - Women who carry a mutation in their BRCA1 gene have an 80 per cent chance of developing breast or ovarian cancer in their lifetimes. Preventive surgery to remove the ovaries dramatically decreases the risk, and many women consider this option as soon as childbearing is complete. The removal of the ovaries causes the rapid onset of menopause, symptoms of which may be somewhat offset with hormone therapy. Until recently, no one knew the risks for these women, but new work by Dr. Steven Narod shows that hormone therapy can further reduce the risk for these women…
- Drug makers ignoring key gender differences, immunologist warns
September 17, 2008 - This Globe and Mail article discusses a new publication by Dr. Eleanor Fish, Canada Research Chair in Women's Health and Immunobiology. The Chair is a joint partnership between Women's College, the University Health Network and the University of Toronto. This article discusses a new publication by Dr. Fish in today's issue of Nature Reviews Immunology in which she reviews the growing evidence of immune system differences between women and men. Women are more vulnerability to autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, while men have higher vulnerability to many viruses and bacteria. For example, mortality was higher for men during Toronto's SARS epidemic. Dr. Fish talks about the basis of these differences and suggests that sex differences should be a consideration in drug development....
- Women's College Hospital Research Recognized as Part of
Ontario's Innovation Economy
August 27, 2008 - Dr. Mona Loutfy of the Women and HIV Program was one of 22 outstanding young researchers from across the GTA recognized this morning by Ontario's Ministry of Research and Innovation....
- "Project studies saliva test to assess breast cancer risk" from CBC on Wednesday August 13, 2008
- New model for wound care is a highlight of international conference
Women's College researcher Dr. Gary Sibbald presented the findings of his study on interprofessional teamwork in caring for people with chronic wounds at the keynote session of the Third Congress of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies......
Use this link for further details about this research
- Screening for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genes in Ontario Jewish women
Genetic testing is now being offered for all Jewish women in Ontario for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which carry with them a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.....
- "Cancer test a genetic crystal ball for Jewish women" from Globe and Mail on Saturday, May 24, 2008
- WCRI's 7th Annual Graduate Student Research Day: Monday, May 12, 2008
Register Now: for the Women's College Research Institute (WCRI) 7th Annual Graduate Student Research Day to be held on Monday May 12, 2008....
- Women's Mental Health 5th Annual Research Day: Friday, May 16th, 2008
The University of Toronto department of psychiatry will hold its 5th Annual Women's Mental Health Program Research Day at Women's College Hospital.....
- WCRI Researchers Share their Expertise at the 2008 Women's Health Matters Forum & Expo
January 18th and 19th, more than 20,000 women and men.....
- Bridging the Gap: Access to Healthcare in Urban and Rural Settings
The University of Toronto International Health Program will bring together students from across Ontario.....
- Film: Advancing Women's Health Care through Research
A short film about research at Women's College debuts at international conference.....
- New Collaborative Program in Women's Health Launches
There is a new program option for Masters and PhD students at the University of Toronto……
 Chair will focus on Sex-Based Differences in the Immune System
Dr. Eleanor Fish has just been named Canada Research Chair in Women's Health and Immunobiology…..
- Graduate Student Research Day 2007
- Study on Inequities in Breast Cancer One of Four Highlighted by CIHR
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