Canadian Arthritis Network - Today's Arthritis Research

Dr. Robin Poole wins prestigious international award for research in rheumatology

TORONTO, Feb. 11 /CNW/ - Chris Nelson, president of the Canadian Arthritis Network is pleased to announce that Dr. Robin Poole, Scientific Director of the Network, is the co-winner of the Carol Nachman Prize for 2003 for outstanding research in rheumatology.

Dr. Poole will receive the award for his innovative work on the way in which osteoarthritis develops. The Prize is shared with Dr. Paul Plotz, Chief, Arthritis and Rheumatism Branch of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) in the U.S. The Carol Nachman Prize
is awarded annually by the German Institute for Clinical Immunology and it will be presented to Dr. Poole in Wiesbaden, Germany at a ceremony in May of this year. The Prize carries an award of (euro) 38,000 ($62,000 Cdn).

"Dr. Poole has devoted his life to research on the cause of arthritis", said Mr. Nelson. "His pioneering work on the study of damage to the cartilage in joints brings us closer to a cure for arthritis, which currently affects three million Canadians. He has identified substances that affect cartilage degradation, so for the first time, it may be possible to develop a therapy that repairs cartilage damaged in arthritis."

Arthritis is one of the most frequent reasons for consulting a doctor in Canada and the third most frequent reason for prescription drug use. There is no cure for arthritis and no effective treatment to halt the progression of the disease.

Dr. Poole received a B.Sc. degree and a PhD from the University of Reading in the U.K. He came to Canada in 1977 from his position as Senior Scientist in the University of Cambridge's Department of Pathology and has enjoyed a distinguished career in medical research. He was appointed director of the Joint Diseases Laboratory of the Shriners Hospital for Children in
Montreal, professor of surgery in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University and adjunct associate professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Montreal.

The Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a world free of arthritis through integrated, trans-disciplinary research and development. CAN is the single point of contact that links 144 leading Canadian arthritis researchers and clinicians, 40 Canadian academic institutions, The Arthritis Society, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and government.

CAN funds research and acts as a facilitator, bringing scientific discoveries to market by providing access to cutting-edge techniques for product development and evaluation. It offers pre-clinical as well as clinical research services and facilitates technology transfer and the commercialization of new discoveries. CAN is a member of the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence, Canada's flagship science and technology program.