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91��ܽ (SFU) Faculty of Science is proud to announce the first recipients of the Faculty of Science Innovative Seed Grant.

$20,000 in seed funding has been awarded to SFU Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology (BPK) professor Tom Claydon and co-investigators BPK professors Victoria Claydon and Damon Poburko, BC Children’s Hospital clinician Shubhayan Sanatani and Dalhousie physiology and biophysics professor Alexander Quinn to launch a pilot study on the relationship between autonomic conflict and cardiac arrhythmia.

Autonomic conflict and associated cardiac arrhythmia have been linked to sudden cardiac death and may contribute to unexplained cardiac arrest, particularly in people with Long QT Syndrome (LQTS). However, this area is under-studied and the underlying cellular mechanisms that contribute to cardiac events are poorly understood.

“This work is vital because cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac arrests are devastating,” Victoria Claydon says. “They can lead to loss of loved ones, disability, and fear of future events for survivors. These worries are even greater when the reasons why the event occurred are not fully understood.”

“Lessons learned from our study about the cellular mechanisms of cardiac arrests can aid diagnosis of these abnormal heart conditions, enable targeted or new approaches to reduce the risk of future events, and provide crucial answers for patients and their families.”

The Innovative Seed Grant is funded by a generous gift from former SFU dean of science Claire Cupples and biomedical physiology and kinesiology professor emeritus Will Cupples.

Through Claire’s role as dean and Will’s work on grant committees, the Cupples both recognized that access to seed funding could help make SFU researchers more competitive when applying for grants from other funders.

The Innovative Seed Grant provides one-time funding for life sciences researchers to initiate new proof-of-concept research projects, purchase equipment and support trainees.

“This Seed grant will be pivotal in facilitating the collection of preliminary data in support of our ideas,” Victoria says. She notes that prospective funders have indicated interest in this research, but more data is needed to make a compelling case for funding.

“These data will provide critical evidence attesting to the feasibility, rigor, and impact of our approach for upcoming larger funding applications. As such, this Seed grant will be instrumental in propelling this novel line of research forwards, fostering our burgeoning research collaborations, and garnering further support for our research programs.”

“We are honoured to be the inaugural recipients of this vital initiative. Will and Claire have long been advocates for fostering research excellence and supporting diverse multidisciplinary approaches to paradigm-shifting questions, and we will endeavour to embody this spirit and capitalise on this award to launch our novel line of enquiry.”