2022-23 Santé Awards
2022-23 Recipients
Achievement Award
The award: This award is presented to one senior researcher currently residing in Saskatchewan, whose exemplary career achievements have inspired us with their drive, leadership and ingenuity. It recognizes the recipient's work over their career to build capacity, advance knowledge, inform decision-making, and provide health, economic, and social impacts in Saskatchewan.
Selection criteria: Candidates are nominated by their peers and considered by an expert panel of local and national experts from a range of fields.
Dr. Volker Gerdts
VIDO
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Gerdts is the Director and CEO of USask's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) and a Professor of Veterinary Immunology in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Gerdts has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers and given nearly 400 presentations. He has served in various administrative roles, and on various editorial boards and scientific review panels.
Dr. Gerdts is an internationally recognized scientist and driving force in VIDO's ability to respond swiftly to the COVID-19 pandemic — positioning Saskatchewan at the forefront of pandemic response. His wide-ranging vaccinology research and development has improved the health of both humans and animals. Dr. Gerdts' commitment to public outreach and scientific advocacy has also elevated Saskatchewan's scientific reputation on an international level. Importantly, with his vision, VIDO is becoming Canada's Centre for Pandemic Preparedness — a world leader with the necessary infrastructure and expertise to rapidly respond to any new infectious disease in human or animal.
Mid-Career Award
The award: This award is presented to one mid-career (5-15 years) researcher currently active in Saskatchewan. It recognizes their work over their career to build capacity, advance knowledge, inform decision-making, and to provide health, economic and social impacts, and future potential to continue their impact, in Saskatchewan.
Selection criteria: Candidates are nominated by their peers and considered by an expert panel of local and national experts from a range of fields.
Dr. Nicholas Carleton
Faculty of Arts
University of Regina
Dr. Carleton is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Regina, a registered clinical psychologist in Saskatchewan, and is currently serving as the Scientific Director for the Canadian Institute of Public Safety Research and Treatment. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters exploring the fundamental bases of anxiety and related disorders. He has completed more than 400 national and international conference presentations, and serves as an active member of several national and international professional associations.
As a principal or co-principal investigator, he has been awarded more than $60M in competitive external funding. Dr. Carleton is actively involved in clinical and experimental research, with his interests including the biopsychosocial measurement, assessment and treatments of trauma and anxiety, focusing on transdiagnostic and fundamental cognitions. He currently serves as the principal investigator on the RCMP Longitudinal PTSD Study, and the associated extension study for Saskatchewan public safety personnel, as well as co-principal investigator on the Federal Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program for public safety personnel.
Early-Career Award
The award: This award is presented to one researcher from our five-year follow-up group of SHRF Establishment Grant recipients. It recognizes their work over the past five years to build capacity, advance knowledge, inform decision-making, and to provide health, economic, and social impacts in Saskatchewan.
Selection criteria: Determined by a merit review committee.
Dr. Lloyd Balbuena
College of Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Balbuena is a researcher in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Medicine. His background in philosophy, statistics, and cognitive science inform a research program that embraces data and health records to better identify modifiable risk factors for mental health conditions.
Dr. Balbuena's Early-Career Award honours the impact of his SHRF Establishment Grant, titled "Neuroticism and Mood Instability as Suicide Prevention Targets". This study sought to evaluate lifestyle and pharmacological interventions targeting neuroticism and mood instability in the establishment of a meaningful data set to better understand and prevent suicide. Neuroticism (personality trait) and mood instability (pathological expression) can influence the body's stress response, which in turn can lead to inflammation and depression. The study considered lifetime and situational mood tendencies, behavioural and drug therapies, and national and clinical samples.
Dr. Balbuena's Early-Career Award recognizes the importance of suicide prevention emphasized by this project.
Excellence Awards
The award: These awards recognize the top-ranked applications from researchers and teams in the past year's funding competitions. All applications to SHRF's funding competitions are ranked according to our rigorous peer review process by committees of active researchers and health professionals.
Selection criteria: Determined by the previous year's peer reviewed ranking from SHRF funding competitions.
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Thank you to the
'Friends of Santé'
