FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Pediatric Stroke the Focus for Recipient of $50,000 2018-2019 Thrombosis Canada – CanVECTOR Research Fellowship
Pediatric stroke has emerged as a major contributor to brain injury in infancy and childhood and research is urgently needed.
Toronto, Ontario – Thrombosis Canada is excited to announce that Dr. Elizabeth Kouzmitcheva has been awarded the 2018-2019 Thrombosis Canada – CanVECTOR Research Fellowship for her research project at The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) in Toronto. Dr. Kouzmitcheva’s research, entitled “The safety of antithrombotic therapy in pediatric cardioembolic stroke”, will provide much-needed study into the use of antithrombotic therapy in the pediatric population. The $50,000 annual fellowship provides Dr. Kouzmitcheva with unrestricted stable funding, so she can devote the time needed to research in thrombosis (also known as blood clots).
Pediatric stroke has emerged as a major contributor to brain injury in infancy and childhood. Anticoagulant (blood thinner) treatment is routinely recommended for children with previous clots in the brain or heart due to a high risk of recurrent stroke. However, no studies have addressed anticoagulation due in part to safety concerns. Dr Kouzmitcheva’s research project is expected to provide crucial safety data that will translate into better care for these infants and children.
“We are thrilled with the caliber of applicants that we received for this year’s fellowship, as they gave the committee a lot to consider” said Sudeep Shivakumar, MD, the Thrombosis Canada Fellowship Committee Chair. “In the end, we decided that Dr. Kouzmitcheva’s research project was an opportunity that we didn’t want to miss as it will provide a valuable new piece of evidence in an underserved population.”
“Since its inception in 1993, the Thrombosis Canada – CanVECTOR Fellowship has provided a springboard to launch the careers of aspiring young researchers,” said Jim Douketis, MD, President of Thrombosis Canada. “Previous recipients of this award have gone on carry out internationally recognized research in thrombosis and we look forward to following Dr. Kouzmitcheva’s career and learning of her research and how it will benefit children with stroke and other thrombotic disease.”
Dr. Kouzmitcheva is a paediatric neurologist and current clinical stroke fellow in the Division of Neurology at Sick Kids. She graduated from the University of Toronto in 2017 where she completed her residency training in pediatric neurology. Concurrent with her clinical stroke fellowship training, she entered the University of Toronto Clinician Investigator Program in July 2017. Through this program she is pursuing a 2-year Masters of Science degree through the Institute of Medical Sciences.
Since the inception of this Research Fellowship, Thrombosis Canada has invested over $1 million in thrombosis research. Awarded jointly with the CanVECTOR network, the fellowship aims to increase the research capacity in thrombosis in Canada to help reduce the incidence and mortality of thrombotic vascular disease. Many of the recipients have gone on to be leaders in education and research in thrombotic vascular disease across Canada and internationally.
@ThrombosisCan (www.ThrombosisCanada.ca)
Dr. Liza Kouzmitchev is presented with the Thrombosis Canada – CanVECTOR Fellowship by our president Jim Douketis
Thrombosis Canada is a CRA registered charity whose mission is to provide education and research for healthcare providers and patients on prevention and treatment of thrombosis (blood clots). Thrombosis Canada comprises a membership that includes the most eminent and internationally recognized thrombosis experts globally. Members have made many significant contributions to the body of knowledge in vascular medicine and disseminated that knowledge through hundreds of peer-reviewed publications, as well leading the development of international clinical practice guidelines.
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For media enquiries and to arrange an interview with a Thrombosis Canada expert:
David Airdrie, Executive Director
dairdrie@thrombosiscanada.ca
(647) 528-8586
PDF of release: Download here