Prix Léo-Pariseau bestowed on researcher from The Montreal Children’s Hospital of the MUHC

 

Montreal, October 17, 2008 – Yesterday evening, Dr. Michael Kramer, of McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) at the Montreal Children's Hospital, received the Prix Léo-Pariseau, given every year by the Association francophone pour le savoir (Acfas).

 

This prestigious award honours researchers in the biological or health sciences who contribute to the development of knowledge in these fields.

 

Dr. Kramer accepted the award last night during the 64th annual Gala de l’Acfas at the Centre des sciences de Montréal. This Francophone event brought together some of the finest researchers and leaders of scientific institutions in the region for an evening of rich interaction.

 

Since 1944, this annual event has provided an opportunity for the many scientific and community stakeholders in our city to forge ties as they promote and support the role of science in our society.

 

This year, the Prix Léo-Pariseau was awarded to Dr. Kramer for his work in children's health and development. He has spent his thirty-year career studying the risk factors for pregnancy and the impact of medical practices or individual behaviour on maternal and newborn health.

His most significant project, called the PROBIT study, analyzed the influence of breastfeeding on the cognitive development and health of newborns and children up to the age of six and a half. Initiated in the 1990s, this ongoing project has shown a correlation between breastfeeding and higher levels of IQ (intelligence quotient) in children. It has also demonstrated that breastfeeding has no influence on the subsequent development of allergies. Unique in its broad scope, with a study cohort of about 14,000 children, the PROBIT study has enhanced our knowledge and dispelled certain myths about one of our most basic functions.

 

Dr. Michael Kramer is a researcher in the Health Outcomes Axis of the Research Institute of the MUHC as well as a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine. He is also Scientific Director of the Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH) of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and health-care hospital research centre. Located in Montreal, Quebec, the institute is the research arm of the MUHC, the university health center affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. The institute supports over 600 researchers, nearly 1200 graduate and post-doctoral students and operates more than 300 laboratories devoted to a broad spectrum of fundamental and clinical research. The Research Institute operates at the forefront of knowledge, innovation and technology and is inextricably linked to the clinical programs of the MUHC, ensuring that patients benefit directly from the latest research-based knowledge.

The Research Institute of the MUHC is supported in part by the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec.

The Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH) is the pediatric teaching hospital of the McGill University Health Centre and is affiliated with McGill University. The MCH is a leader in providing a broad spectrum of highly specialized care to newborns, children, and adolescents from across Quebec. Our areas of medical expertise include programs in brain development/behaviour, cardiovascular sciences, critical care, medical genetics and oncology, tertiary medical and surgical services, and trauma care. Fully bilingual, the hospital also promotes multiculturalism and serves an increasingly diverse community in more than 50 languages. The Montreal Children’s Hospital sets itself apart with its team approach to innovative patient care. Our health professionals and staff are dedicated to ensuring children and their families receive exceptional health care in a friendly and supportive environment.

For more information please contact:

 

Lisa Dutton
Manager
Public Relations and Communications
The Montreal Children’s Hospital of the MUHC
514 412-4307

 

Isabelle Kling
Communications Coordinator (research)
MUHC Public Relations and Communications
514 843 1560