Inspire. Innovate. Impact.

University Health Network (UHN) Research (www.uhnresearch.ca) is a leading-edge biomedical and healthcare research organization with international stature, and is a teaching partner of the University of Toronto. Our research institutes (Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto General Research Institute and Toronto Western Research Institute) are home to nearly 500 scientists and clinician scientists, and more than 1900 staff and trainees. 

In 2005/2006 UHN Research had a research budget of $189M. Our researchers lead programs in cancer, cardiology, transplantation, immunology and autoimmunity, infectious diseases, tissue injury, diabetes, neural and visual sciences, musculoskeletal disease, and urban and community health. UHN Research brings together the innovation, talent and resources to achieve global impact in basic, translational and clinical research. 

UHN Research 2005-2006 Statistics

• Nearly 500 scientists and clinician scientists

• Research funding more than C$189 M

• Clinical studies/contracts more than C$19M

• Total project funding more than C$152M

• Funding from over 220 Canadian and international research grant agencies, foundations, as well as from companies in pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.

State of the art facilities

• Analytical Genetics Technology Centre

(www.analyticalgenetics.ca)

• Microarray Centre

(www.microarrays.ca)

• DNA Sequencing Facility (www.uhnresearch.ca/facilities/sequencing.htm)

• Proteomics Group

(www.uhnresearch.ca/proteomics)

• Global eHealth

(www.ehealthinnovation.org)

• Flow cytometry

• Advanced Optical Microscopy Facility (www.uhnresearch.ca/omm/aomf)

• Laboratory for Applied Biophotonics (www.uhnresearch.ca/facilities/LAB.htm)

• TGRI Light Microscopy Unit

(www.uhnresearch.ca/resources/tgrilmu)

• Wright Cell Imaging Facility

(www.uhnresearch.ca/wcif)

• Sterilization Services

(www.uhnresearch.ca/facilities/sterilization.htm)

• Tissue Culture Media Facility

(www.uhnresearch.ca/facilities/tcmf.htm)

Clinical Trials at UHN

UHN Research capabilities are matched by Canada’s largest hospital, encompassing expertise in cancer care (Princess Margaret Hospital); cardiovascular science and transplantation (Toronto General Hospital) and neural and sensory sciences, musculoskeletal health and arthritis, and community and population health (Toronto Western Hospital). The broad base of clinical and research expertise and availability of supporting services makes UHN a centre of choice for conducting clinical trials. Clinical Studies Resource Centres are available at each hospital to facilitate the design and implementation of clinical trials.

UHN Clinical 2005-2006 Statistics

• 65,288 inpatient weighted cases

• 967,447 clinical visits 

• Annual budget more than C$1.1B

Partnering with UHN
The UHN Research Business Development Office (www.uhnresearch.ca/rbdo) has been responsible for fostering innovation and technology transfer at UHN since 1998. This office spearheads partnership activity by assessing and protecting intellectual property (IP) generated at UHN, by commercializing IP through licensing or spin-off companies, and by negotiating contracts and agreements on behalf of our researchers.

More about the Instititute:

Ontario Cancer Institute (OCI)
Established in 1952, the Ontario Cancer Institute is one of the leading centres for the study of the molecular basis of cancer. OCI researchers employ state-of-the-art tools in genomics, proteomics structural biology, molecular biology, biophysics and the behavioural sciences. With these tools they analyze cancerous cells at the molecu-lar level; test gene and cellular therapies for cancer and other diseases; develop new technologies for diagnosing and treating cancer; determine the effects of diet and behaviour on cancer risks; and develop and test informatics tools for the large-scale analysis of patient populations.

Toronto General Research Institute (TGRI)
Research at the laboratories and clinics of the TGRI has led to major breakthroughs in organ transplants, cardiac pacemakers, and novel therapies for endocrine and autoimmune disorders. Some of these breakthroughs include the world’s first single and double lung transplantation and the use of insulin to treat diabetes. TGRI‘s re-search program includes research in cardiology, transplantation, immunology and autoimmunity, infectious diseases, tissue injury and diabetes.

Toronto Western Research Institute (TWRI)

TWRI is home to the research programs associated with the neural and sensory sciences, musculoskeletal disease and urban and community health programs at UHN. Neuroscientists here explore the function of the nervous system as they develop treatments for spinal cord injuries, cerebral ischemia, vascular malformations, brain tumours, neurophthalmologic disorders and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer‘s disease and Parkinson‘s disease. Researchers at musculoskeletal research program focus on arthritis and associated degenerative diseases. Their investigations are aimed at revealing the causes of, and generating therapies for, these ailments.

Toronto Medical Discovery Tower (TMDT)

The Toronto Medical Tower is Part of Phase I of The MaRS Centre. This fifteen-floor, 400,000 sq ft building has been designed with state -of-the-art biomedical research facilities and will house some of Toronto's most advanced programs in genomics, integrative biology, infectious diseases, image guided therapy, structural biology, regenerative medicine, stem cell research and drug discovery as part of the research institutes of University Health Network.