Local health and academic leaders have pledged another five years to sparking innovation and advancing critical research.
Representatives of the University of Windsor, Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, and Windsor Regional Hospital signed a five-year memorandum of understanding Monday at Ambassador Golf Club reaffirming their partnership in the WE-Spark Health Institute.
Celebrating their renewed partnership in the WE-Spark Health Institute are Michael Silvaggi of St. Clair College, Andrea Steen of Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, UWindsor president Rob Gordon, Kristin Kennedy of Erie Shores HealthCare, and Karen Riddell of Windsor Regional Hospital.
"This renewal underscores the power of partnership and our unwavering commitment to advancing health research that has meaningful impact," said Dora Cavallo-Medved, interim director of WE-Spark Health Institute. "Together, we're building a strong, collaborative research ecosystem that supports discovery, improves care and transforms lives in our region and beyond."
Following the signing, the group posed for a photo holding sparklers, symbolizing their efforts to light the way toward a healthier Windsor-Essex and celebrating all that has been achieved and all that's yet to come.
After more than a decade of planning, WE-Spark officially launched in March 2020 and has since made its mark on the local research landscape accelerating projects, fostering collaboration, providing funding opportunities and helping build a critical mass of health researchers, among other achievements.
Dr. Dora Cavallo-Medved, interim director of WE-Spark Health Institute, speaks at a signing ceremony celebrating the renewal of a five-year partnership among Windsor-Essex health and academic institutions. (Photo by UWindsor)
Reflecting on the last five years, Dr. Cavallo-Medved said she's proud of the work the group has done to come together with a shared vision for health research in the region.
"We're already starting to see an increase in our capacity and strength to conduct health research. That includes local, provincial, national, and international funding coming to Windsor-Essex for all five partner institutions working together. We're also building shared resources that we now, as a collective, have access to in support of the health research we're doing," she said.
Karen Riddell, acting president and CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital, said WE-Spark is working together to transform ideas into real-world solutions that directly benefit patient care.
"Through WE-Spark, our clinicians and researchers work side by side with partners from across the academic and health-care spectrum, sharing knowledge, resources and a common goal to improve health outcomes for our community," she said.
"This important work strengthens our ability to attract top talent to our region, secure research funding and ultimately deliver higher quality, more personalized care to our community."
Since launching, the institute has supported 1,685 active research collaborations and awarded 85 local seed and bridge grants totalling more than $1.4 million. It has also leveraged an additional $4.8 million in national and international funding and secured nearly $78 million in external research funding for the Windsor-Essex region.
WE-Spark has also made an impact through education and training, engaging more than 2,068 students in research, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.
