KITE Research Institute

Special thanks to Crystal MacKay, a health services researcher in physical therapy, for taking the time to address the significance of physical activity for people who have had lower limb amputations (LLA) at the Research Rounds: Promoting Physical Activity in People with Lower Limb Amputations seminar. MacKay is an Affiliate Scientist at UHN's KITE Research Institute, and Assistant Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s University. One of the topics discussed in the seminar was MacKay's work co-creating the first evidence-based exercise and activity guidelines for adults with LLA. The guidelines suggest that 60 minutes per week of both moderate and vigorous aerobic, strength, and balance exercises can substantially improve balance and mobility.  To learn more, see the full video available on YouTube. https://lnkd.in/eGGnSt4R

An upcoming KITE talk on lower-limb amputation and physical activity will share the development of physical activity guidelines for people with lower-limb amputations and research co-designing physical activity interventions for this population. Crystal MacKay, Assistant Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s University and an Affiliate Scientist at KITE, will talk about her work in this area and how this could improve physical activity levels and improve quality of life. Join us online at https://lnkd.in/eEij_4vv

We’re proud to share that UHN's KITE Research Institute has been named to the Forbes Accessibility 200 list. This is the second year in a row that Forbes has recognized KITE as one of the world’s leading organizations advancing accessibility. We’re honoured to be included alongside industry giants like Apple, Nike, and Google, and thrilled to see so many other important Canadian organizations featured on the list, including Access to Success Organization, AccessNow, ImaginAble Solutions and Axtion Independence Mobility Inc. “We’re incredibly proud to be named to the Forbes Accessibility list for the second year in a row,” says Dr. Milos R. Popovic, director of the KITE Research Institute. “Our work is driven by a simple goal: to use science to create solutions that genuinely improve people’s lives. It is so meaningful to see our impact recognized on a global stage.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/d4BMXDJf

Did you know there are actually four types of sleep apnea? Azadeh Yadollahi, a senior scientist at UHN's KITE Research Institute, shared the latest scientific thinking - and upcoming alternatives to uncomfortable CPAP machines - in a piece in the Toronto Star. More than 70% of people with sleep apnea have airway collapsibility, but others have poor airway muscle responsiveness, high loop gain - where breathing is overly sensitive to oxygen and carbon dioxide levels changing - and low arousal threshold, where people wake up with small carbon dioxide increases. Learn more and read the full piece, "Sleep apnea diagnosis? You’ll likely get an ‘awkward’ CPAP machine. But better treatments are coming" here https://lnkd.in/eKttytwU

Congratulations to the KITE trainees who recently won awards for their achievements in research, knowledge mobilization, and leadership at our SOAR (Showcasing Outstanding Achievements in Research) conference! The KITE Trainee Research Impact and Knowledge Mobilization Awards were presented to Melissa Biscardi, a graduate student at KITE, for her work on concussion rehabilitation, and to Elyse Comeau for her work on accessibility in school transportation and taxi services. The KITE Trainee Leadership & Community Impact Awards were awarded to Lianna Montanari, MSc, who is vice-president of Communications for KITE’s Trainee Executive Committee and helped organize SOAR, and Damian M. Manzone, who hosts the Jousse Lecture series at KITE, has co-led Ontario Graduate Scholarship application writing workshops, and is a peer-to-peer mentor at KITE. Three awards were also given for SOAR-specific performances: Jordan Fairlie won the best poster award, Tasnia Nabil won the award for the best three-minute talk, and Davood Dadkhah won the award for the best seven-minute talk. Congratulations to all the winners! Read more about their accomplishments at https://lnkd.in/esmUvgmW

Congratulations to KITE Senior Scientist Dr. Jennifer Campos for receiving $408,086 from the Ontario Research Fund to support her research. Dr. Campos will use KITE's DriverLab simulator to examine how age-related changes in vision and hearing, cognitive decline, and medication use affect driving performance - informing new policies and safer driving for older adults. Plus, KITE Affiliate Scientist Dr. George Mochizuki was also awarded a grant for his important work on the markers of fall risk! Read more at https://lnkd.in/dKk49aMR

Congratulations to KITE Affiliate Scientist, Professor Luka Milosevic, on this amazing achievement! 🏆

Did you know UHN's KITE Research Institute is home to KITE Studio? This full-service creative studio offers professional design, photography, videography and storytelling services to both external clients and researchers inside KITE. Check out their work below!

KITE Creates and FIBRE recently presented "Aging, Thermoregulation, and Everyday Clothing" at the KITE Innovations Gallery, a project led by Dr. Saiful Hoque, Ph.D. Hoque and Dr. Azadeh Yadollahi. The event bridged the gap between Aging, sleep science, Thermoregulation and textile engineering, highlighting how body temperature regulation is a critical, yet often overlooked, a pillar of brain and heart health as we age. A special thank you to Dr. Allison Sekuler and the team at Baycrest for their partnership.