Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute's new director focusing on innovation and collaboration

The future of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI) will be driven by a vision of innovation and creative partnerships, says new ACHRI director Dr. Susanne (Susa) Benseler, MD, PhD. Benseler took over from Dr. Brent Scott, MD, earlier this month.

“ACHRI will be grounded in cross-cutting initiatives across University of Calgary faculties to improve the lives of children and their families,” says Benseler. “My first challenge is developing a deeper understanding of the unique strengths and opportunities in Calgary, getting to know our brilliant researchers, AHS health care providers and our enthusiastic and supportive community.

“I am reaching out, meeting with individuals and teams to learn about their unique skill sets and — most importantly — their dreams to improve child health,” she says. 

A national leader in child health research

Benseler is highly regarded for many achievements in medicine, especially related to advances in precision public health for children. She has led several national and international studies for childhood rheumatic and inflammatory diseases and established an international and interdisciplinary network of investigators for children with inflammatory brain diseases called BrainWorks.

She is currently heading a large interdisciplinary team of researchers at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) awarded $10-million in funding from Genome Canada for the implementation of genomic medicine into care for children with arthritis. In addition, Benseler and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Rheumatology team co-lead a partnership of Canada and the Netherlands for precision health in childhood arthritis. The partnership was awarded $8 million by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and a Dutch partner organization.

“Over the last decade, caring for kids with arthritis and their families, one of the things that really stands out for me and others is that we have to do better,” says Benseler, who served as the deputy head of research and section chief rheumatology in the Department of Paediatrics at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

“We can't accept remission rates of only 20 per cent at two years of disease. We can't accept lifelong disability due to arthritis. We have to build innovative partnerships that enable us to understand the arthritis in each individual child that we have the privilege to care for to select optimal therapies, rapidly control joint inflammation, prevent joint damage and even stop treatment as early as possible,” she says.

Canadian paediatric rheumatologists are working together, along with patients and families who are passionate research partners and supporters, she says. “We have strong international partnerships with many countries including the Netherlands. Our dream is to cure childhood arthritis, and together we can make this dream a reality.” 

Precision medicine fundamental to the future

Benseler views precision medicine, which involves tailoring treatment to the unique characteristics of each individual patient, as fundamental to improving child health. Precision medicine is a strategic priority for the CSM.

“Superb Alberta Health Services teams are continuously improving the efficacy and safety of health care, brilliant bench researchers are deciphering critically important mechanisms, dedicated care providers and researchers are striving to improve a child’s development and mental health, and there are many more examples of what we are doing, and will continue to do, as we advance child health research. 

“My dream is that ACHRI thrive and continue building as one of North America's finest child health research institutes,” says Benseler. 

ACHRI was established in 2004 (known then as the Institute of Maternal and Child Health) as a centre of excellence in research for maternal, newborn and child health. It re-branded to ACHRI in 2009. Research at the institute has opened the doors to a better understanding of rare and common childhood illnesses. It has identified important factors that impact child and family wellness, as well as new molecular treatment targets and effective solutions for problems common to children such as stomach flu, appendicitis and infant sleep difficulties.