CanFASD is pleased to announce that applications for the 2019 Dr. Sterling Clarren Research Award are now open!
The CanFASD Sterling Clarren Research Award has been named in honour of Dr. Sterling Clarren to recognize his pioneering contribution and leadership in the field of FASD. The award is presented annually to a Canadian student or early career researcher in recognition of a completed study that has made a substantial contribution to the field of FASD.
Applicants must be:
- A student working in the field of FASD near the completion of their studies, or
- An early career investigator, within 5 years of their first Faculty appointment
Preference will be given to work conducted in one of CanFASD’s members provinces and territories: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon. However, Canadian researchers conducting work in other jurisdictions may also apply.
This year’s applications are due by Friday, October 12th, 2018. The 2019 award recipient will be invited to participate in the 8th International Conference on FASD: Research, Results and Relevance in Vancouver, BC, March 6-9, 2019.
For more information about the CanFASD Sterling Clarren Research Award, including award application instructions and the application form, please refer to our website here.
To date, the CanFASD Sterling Clarren Research Award has been presented to five researchers from across Canada. Last year, CanFASD presented the award to two outstanding researchers: Dr. Deepa Singal and Dr. Sarah Treit.
Drs. Sarah Treit and Deepa Singal both received the 2018 Sterling Clarren FASD Research Award at the 8th International Conference on Adolescents and Adults with FASD in Vancouver, BC. Both recipients are pictured here with Audrey McFarlane, Executive Director of CanFASD, and Dr. Sterling Clarren.
Dr. Singal’s study entitled Using Population Data to Guide FASD Program and Policy Development in Manitoba looked at the use of “big data” from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy to conduct novel clinical and health services research around FASD. This program of work ensures services and programs targeted at improving the lives of people with FASD in Manitoba are based on strong research and evaluation.
Dr. Treit’s project entitled Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of Brain Development in FASD was a longitudinal MRI study of children and adolescents with FASD, revealing delayed development of white matter (brain ‘wiring’) and cortical grey matter maturation. This delayed structural development may partially explain worsening of behaviour commonly observed during this critical adolescent time period. In a separate study, ~70 people were scanned, including adolescents and adults with FASD, and ~70 healthy controls at a single time point, and greater reductions in brain volume were found among males than females with FASD, despite similar impairments in cognition. These findings suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure may affect brain structure differently in males compared to females.
Congratulations to our 2018 award recipients!
You can read more about previous recipients of the Dr. Sterling Clarren FASD Research Award here.