Research at Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada

Thanks to the dedication of our physicians and researchers, the dream that scientific breakthroughs will give doctors the tools and medicines to cure disease is becoming reality.

Anyone who knows a child born with a congenital bone disorder or challenged by a complex orthopedic or neuromuscular condition understands that hope and healing are inseparable. At Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada, our director of research, René St-Arnaud, Ph.D., leads a team of doctors and scientists as they work to find new ways to heal children with complex orthopedic conditions.

The Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada research department specializes in:

• Scoliosis
• Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease)
• Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita
• Clubfoot
• Hip dysplasia
• Leg length discrepancies
• Cerebral palsy

Our physicians and researchers are actively engaged in ongoing research and are continually developing new and innovative ways to treat and care for children. They are pursuing excellence in innovation using an approach that combines scientific research with clinical research. Through collaborations and the use of cutting-edge technology, our team is currently working on:

• Genetic causes of metabolic bone diseases including the identification of gene mutations that lead to bone disease
• Target identification and the development of therapeutic technologies for bone regenerative medicine
• Clinical and applied pediatric orthopedic research including motion analysis research
• Nursing research including the use of virtual reality to manage procedural pain and anxiety

Working Together to Advance Pediatric Care

Research programs at Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada are designed to help give your child access to the most innovative treatment options available for their condition. The Research Centre of Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada is affiliated with McGill University and includes many of our very own physicians, as well as top researchers from around the world.

The Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada research program is an integral part of the system-wide Shriners Children's research program, driven to find cures and treatments that allow us to provide amazing care to children everywhere.

Funding and Support for our Research Programs

Donations to Shriners Children's allows the organization to maintain a rigorous research grants program, which supports the projects of our investigators. This essential funding, which can be leveraged with extramural support, provides new hope and opportunities for children with arthrogryposis, scoliosis, clubfoot, hip dysplasia, leg length discrepancies, cerebral palsy, osteogenesis imperfecta and other pediatric metabolic bone diseases.