University of Saskatchewan opens respiratory health research centre

FILE: University of Saskatchewan (Photo by Kyla Duhamel/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

SASKATOON — The University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon has a new research centre that specializes in respiratory health.

The research centre is housed within the College of Medicine and will pursue joint projects with other disciplines on campus such as pharmacy, nutrition, nursing and public health.

The centre will also work with the Health Quality Council, the Lung Association of Saskatchewan and the Saskatoon Health Region to build on existing respiratory research.

Director Donna Goodridge says breathing and respiratory health are taken for granted, but should be of bigger concern.

She says chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the No. 1 chronic medical condition leading to hospitalization in Canada.

She also points out that lung cancer kills more people than breast, ovarian, colon and prostate cancers combined.

“This is a significant area of health care and we need a respiratory research strategy that allows us to learn more about lung disease, (to) … reduce risk, discover cures, save lives, and improve the quality of life for all Canadians,” Goodridge said in a release Monday.